Weather Control

This article looks at China's intention to control the weather during the upcoming Olympic games. Personally, this seems like an exercise in futility and hubris.

Asian Carp, Don't Want Them

Check out this video. As an avid fisherman, I can say that I don't want them in the Great Lakes. However, my guess is it is only a matter of time.

Christ Has Risen

This Easter remember that it is not bunnies and chocolate that are important, it is this truth:

Christ Has Risen!

He Died For Sinners -- Romans 5:6-11

The sermon from our Good Friday service:

He Died For Sinners -- Romans 5:6-11

Sex -- Great Article

This is a very worthwhile read. Go to it. Read it. Read it again.

The Oldest Member Of The Congregation I Serve Just Died

Last night, technically early this morning, the eldest member of the congregation I serve was called home to be with the Lord in her 98th year. The last several months, if not the last couple of years, had been very difficult for her, but she kept on looking to her Lord, waiting for him to call her home. While there is sadness, I even found my emotions effected as I was by her bed earlier in the day yesterday reading the scriptures and praying, at the same time there is joy. Her last weeks and days were not plesant. Pain had started and her body was slowly shutting down, but now she is with her Lord. It brought to mind two texts from the Bible to me.

First from 2 Corinthians 5,

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Cor 5:1-10 (ESV)

And the other from Philippians:

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Phil 1:21-23 (ESV)

For one whose faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, death is not to lose anything. It is to gain all things. It is to be with Christ who is better, more beautiful, more amazing, than anything else this world has to offer. She groaned in those last days of her life with pain, weakness, loneliness, and more, to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Pray for the family as they go through this difficult time. Pray for me as well as with Good Friday and Easter, this makes for a very busy weekend which I enter with a cold seeming to be coming on. Most of all, pray that in this the glory of Christ may shine out that those who do not know him may see him and know him and trust him.

Pocket PC is Missing

Today I was looking for my Dell Pocket PC. After having looked where I thought it should be, and looked where I did not think it should be, I have officially declared it missing. This is troubling to me, not so much because of the information on it, although there is some that I will miss such as mileage information and the like. the biggest thing is that I have gotten very used to using it, and if I cannot track it down, I will have to start shopping for another one. Not something I want to do from an expenditure standpoint.

That Cat Again

Banner 2008 -- Be There

The last couple of weeks have been very difficult for me physically. My schedule was very busy with many late nights, followed by a week of being ill which put me behind in my preparations for Good Friday/Easter not to mention various other tasks that are part of ministry. I know from past experience I have always found myself feeling very run down after the Easter season, and entering it still feeling a little of the after effects of the stomach ailment I had and the tiredness of those two very busy weeks that have left me with two busy weeks to catch up, I am guessing I will be even more run down.

Due to this, I am looking forward to the Banner of Truth Minister's Conference. I started going to this particular conference 5 years back (or was it 6?) I found it one of the most spiritually rejuvenating time I had experienced in a long time. It was a time where I had the great opportunity to sit under the preaching of the Word by many excellent preachers. Better yet, it was a time of great fellowship where I was able to make many minister friends, many of whom faced the same struggles as I do in ministry. Finally, there is always opportunity to spend time speaking with the speakers and some of the other people who attend who you have only interacted with before in the books and articles they have written.

With all that said, I encourage Pastors, Elders and men training to minister as pastors to seriously consider attending this conference. For more information you can check out the Banner of Truth website.

Again, this has been one of the best things I have done for my own spiritual health and for the ministry God has called me to.

New Members Class

In the past I have used a course with the senior high class I teach called What We Beleive. However, while I like that study it is set up as a 24 week study and is lacking in some areas. I would like to do something more condensed 5-6 weeks, but I cannot even remember what was used with me as a pre-confession course. Thus this post.

What things have those of you who read here who have lead new member/pre-confession classes used? If you could actually e-mail it to me I would appreciate it a great deal as it would help me to put something together that would fit our needs here.

It Was One Of Those Weeks

This week was marked for me by this . . . I was ill for most of it. I was achy and my stomach was upset through most of the day every day so that I kept feeling like throwing up. On top of it all my mind didn't seem to want to work. Apparently my Mother has the same thing. Thankfully, we are both getting better, and I am at least sort of ready to tomorrow. Today I felt well until early afternoon, and even then I felt better than I did yesterday. I am hoping a good nights rest will be had tonight, and that tomorrow God will give me what I need to lead his people in worship and point them to him in Jesus Christ.

Worst Police Dog, But At Least He Had Fun

Not a particularly good Police Dog.


Then you have dogs like Skidboot.