Keep Away From Idols -- 1 John 5:21

Wrapping up our study of the 1st letter of John, we looked at his closing statement.

Keep Away From Idols -- 1 John 5:21

Christ Alone -- Acts 4:11-12

This Reformation Sunday we looked at how salvation is in Christ alone.


Christ Alone -- Acts 4:11-12

I Can Identify

I read this today and have to say I can identify. There are times when it very much seems that I am one of a very small number in our denomination, our Regional Synod, and even our Classis. I know I am not alone, as there are a others in the Classis and I know in the Regional Synod and the Denomination who share these same thoughts and feelings. However, they are scattered about, and that leaves one feeling alone in the wilderness. I echo the thoughts of the author, who points out it is for this reason the Banner of Truth Minister's Conference is so refreshing to me as well. It is a place where I meet other ministers who, although they come from many denominational backgrounds, all share the commitment to the doctrines of grace and the authority and sufficiency of scripture.

Tool Definitions

This made me laugh, because for the most part it is all too true:

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted part which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, ''What the...??''

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age.

SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

WELDING GLOVES: Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub you want the bearing race out of.

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.

EIGHT-FOOT LONG YELLOW PINE 2X4: Used for levering an automobile upward off of a trapped hydraulic jack handle.

E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool ten times harder than any known drill bit that snaps neatly off in bolt holes thereby ending any possible future use.

BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.

CRAFTSMAN 1/2 x 24-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A very large pry bar that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end opposite the handle.

AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids and for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.

HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.

HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit.

MECHANIC''S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while wearing them.

DAMMIT TOOL: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling ''DAMMIT'' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

HT: Dafrogtoad at AstroSafariVans.com

Three Things We Know II -- 1 John 5:18-20

Knowing how Christ has changed those who believe, and what the world is really like is the focus on the second of the things we need to know as believers in Jesus Christ.

Three Things We Know II -- 1 John 5:18-20

Three Things We Know I -- 1 John 5:18-20

What we know affects how we live. As John draws his letter to a close, he points to three things that we need to know to stand firm.

Three Things We Know I -- 1 John 5:18-20

In God's Image -- Genesis 1:26-31

What makes human beings special? What sets them apart? In Genesis 1 we find the answer, they are made in the image of God.


In God's Image -- Genesis 1:26-31

She's Coming Home

In about 15 to 30 minutes, Annette will be leaving the True Woman conference in Chicago, and will be heading home. Talking to her last night she has enjoyed the conference a great deal, and has been challenged to grow through the various speakers. My hope is she has a safe drive home. It will be good to have her back, hopefully by about 9PM tonight.

Going Well

Things are going well here while Annette is off to the True Women conference. However, Justin seems to think that getting up various times throughout the night to go to Grandma's room is ok. That keeps all of us up which is not that great.

I am finding feeding the baby bunnies to be a lot of work. They are going to be 4 weeks old on Saturday, so weaning time is coming up. All of them eat well from the bottle except for one who only drinks out of a saucer. The other saucer drinker died yesterday probably because it decided eating the wood chips that make up the bedding would be a good idea.

I am off to feed them again. Then to do the rabbits outside. Then to do my regular work.

I got an e-mail from Annette and she is enjoying the conference.

We Need One Of These

I saw this video posted by a friend on facebook. Once I saw it I wanted one as we have a dog that is a real ball hound, and she is smart enough to figure this out. It would keep her busy and tired for hours.

And She's Off

So Annette is off to Chicago for a womens conference. For the remainder of this afternoon that means I will be taking care of Justin, but thankfully Grandma is able to come up and help or I would never get my sermons done for Sunday. I hope she has a good time there, and a safe drive there and back.

He Fills What Is Empty -- Genesis 1:14-25

He Fills What Is Empty -- Genesis 1:14-25

Another Episode In Simon's Cat

Praying For The Brother Who Sins -- 1 John 5:16-17

In this passage we find that the instruction to pray for our fellow believers who have fallen into sin, but with it comes the difficult to understand qualification that we should not pray in the case of a sin unto death. What does this mean, and how does it apply to praying for our brother or sister who is sinning? This sermon will look at this.

Praying For The Brother Who Sins -- 1 John 5:16-17

Form From Formless -- Genesis 1:3-13

Continuing our study of Genesis we look at the first three days of creation finding how God took the earth which was first created formless and empty covered in darkenss, and brings it to an ordered form through his word.

Form From Formless -- Genesis 1:3-13

Going Back To The Old Facebook

While I was not as opposed to the new Facebook layout as some, I did prefer the old style. There is a group that you can join which give directions on how to change back, but they are also quite self serving in having the first several instructions being joining the group and inviting your friends to join. However, you don't need to do that. Just follow the instructions below, and you should be able to go back to the old Facebook layout.

1. Use FireFox. If you don't have it, download it here.
(This ONLY works with FireFox. FireFox is a browser much like Internet Explorer and one of the most used.)

2. Install Greasemonkey found here.
(Click the Green "Download Now" button to do this)

3. Restart FireFox.

4. Install the script at this page.
To do this, just click the black "Install" button on the top right corner and it will install.

5. Go to Facebook and login normally. You should have the old version of Facebook. It might take a couple of seconds for the design to change from new to old after you log in, but it WILL.


Make sure you spread these GOOD news to the world! :D

For proof that it works, look at the photos :)

Confidence In Prayer -- 1 John 5:13-15

One thing that grows out of knowing one has received eternal life through faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ, is that a person can have confidence in coming to God. This sermon looks at that confidence and what it means for prayer.

Confidence In Prayer -- 1 John 5:13-15

In The Beginning God -- Genesis 1:1-2

This Sunday we started into a series looking at the first 11 chapters of Genesis. These chapters deal with the initial history of the world, and as with many beginnings, they help us understand more of what we see around us now.

Although we may consider it easy to do, if we think about it, it is very difficult to imagine what it would be like before the universe we know around us came into being. But the Bible is clear, there was a time when there was nothing material at all. It was only when God created all that exists, that what we know came into being. This sermon focuses on what the Bible has to say about the beginning of all things, and helps us to come to know the foundations of all things so we can understand thing better today. More than that, it points to the fact that above all else, is God from everlasting to everlasting.

In The Beginning God -- Genesis 1:1-2

The Elusive White Chipmunk

Just discovered this

We volunteered here this past May.