I just posted a link on the top of the blog page for the video "The Star of Bethlehem" which I spoke about in a few previous posts. Please click on the link for "word of promise" and find the video and look at their other products. When asked at checkout, just find the "pay it forward" with my name on it. If it does not automatically come to my name, just click on Maine and select my name. Thank you much and I hope you enjoy the video. My 6 copies should be here this weekend.
Sara and I also both have a search box for Christian Book Distributors. If you follow that link and purchase anything, we get a percentage to help with costs of our evangelistic and children's ministries.
Mark
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Our new men's Bible study- why did we wait so long?
Recently, after multiple conversations with few friends, we got on the subject of men's roles and responsibilities, leaders of the church, and lots of other subjects that are of great interest to me. We talked quite a bit about what God expects from us and how we should live our lives according to His Word. We also realized that we, as a group, seemed to be thirsting for men to get together with and help each other, being encouraged and accountable to each other and even more to God.
So, it is with this interest that this past Friday evening three of us got together and discussed what we wanted to study, what areas we need to work on, and how to keep each other accountable. While I won't go into what we said personally, I do think that in all the groups I have seen before where men get together to study and pray, that it has been done poorly on most occasions.
I have seen lots of "prayer groups" that turn into social clubs and "men's breakfasts" that are used mostly to get men of the church to show up for work days. This is a sad state of affairs when we use something like the opportunity of men to get together and talk honestly about God's expectations of us and we end up checking the clock every 2 minutes to see if we can make an excuse to get out the door.
As men following after God, husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, friends, teachers, and all the other roles we have to live out in our daily lives, we have a lot of responsibility. I would like to outline a few things here that we identified as duties of a man. Now, we are all married with children, home educating our children, and work for ourselves, so we have many of the same issues to deal with and some are different for others.
Husbands-We are told by God to love our wives, lead our homes, to be the leader of our family spiritual matters-all too often this is left to the ladies. This is a shame.
Father- We are to love our children, teach them the ways of the Lord and protect them from the influences of the world.
Sons- any of us men are indeed sons to someone We are to honor our parents also, some may need to help pay bills, care for a sick parent, or maybe take care of them full time. It is not the governments job to care for our families, it is ours.
Brothers- in Christ, we are all family. We need to help each other be accountable, to encourage each other, to do the work of the Lord, to evangelize and tell others about Christ. As brothers, we have the ability to bring each other up or tear each other down. This is something we need to be very careful with. We want to bring those who are not walking with God like they should in love as the Scripture says, back into fellowship. Sometimes this is one on the hardest parts for me. In order to be able to come to a brother who is in fault with advice from the Word of God, I should be following it also. We are only hurting ourselves when we walk away from the precepts set forth for us in God's Word. In love, and with Scripture(not our own ideas) we should come along side an erring brother and help him back into fellowship.
Teachers-as we become closer to the Lord and walk in the light of His Word, we are also given the responsibility and privilege to share what God shows us with others. This may be through a devotional at prayer meeting, teaching on Sunday morning, or leading a Bible study with other men. As we grow together, we are able to reach more people for God. When we are steady in our walk and searching God's will out, He will show us where to turn next. Some of us may be full time missionaries, some travel and teach, some witness to folks at work, the grocery store, and wherever we go.
We talked the other night about our first and foremost responsibilities and what they were. We couldn't nail down just one, but we decided that a man who does not first reach his own wife and children first for Jesus is going to fail in other areas. God gave us wives and children and we are responsible for them for this life. In eternity, we will be held accountable for this life, and as husbands and fathers, how silly it would be for us to go out preaching to everyone and neglect those who live in our homes. Our family is truly our first mission field. Let's make sure we get our home life straight first before we go out. Charles Spurgeon said once "If any man's life at home is unworthy, he should go several miles away before he stand up to preach. When he stands up, he should say nothing." That seems to make the same point. We would seem silly, if not hypocritical, to show up street preaching or knocking on doors sharing the message of salvation with others while our own wives and children sit at home, headed for hell. What a huge responsibility it is that God has given us!
Men, I want to encourage you, we have a great task ahead, but also a great reward as God's chosen leaders of our families. We need to encourage each other to be strong in the Lord in the hard times, and thankful for this blessing the Lord has chosen to give us.
Through God's grace and mercy
Mark Cowperthwaite
ps. If anyone wants to email me without posting on the comment section for everyone to see, my email is permanently linked on this blog. My address is markcowperthwaite@roadrunner.com
So, it is with this interest that this past Friday evening three of us got together and discussed what we wanted to study, what areas we need to work on, and how to keep each other accountable. While I won't go into what we said personally, I do think that in all the groups I have seen before where men get together to study and pray, that it has been done poorly on most occasions.
I have seen lots of "prayer groups" that turn into social clubs and "men's breakfasts" that are used mostly to get men of the church to show up for work days. This is a sad state of affairs when we use something like the opportunity of men to get together and talk honestly about God's expectations of us and we end up checking the clock every 2 minutes to see if we can make an excuse to get out the door.
As men following after God, husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, friends, teachers, and all the other roles we have to live out in our daily lives, we have a lot of responsibility. I would like to outline a few things here that we identified as duties of a man. Now, we are all married with children, home educating our children, and work for ourselves, so we have many of the same issues to deal with and some are different for others.
Husbands-We are told by God to love our wives, lead our homes, to be the leader of our family spiritual matters-all too often this is left to the ladies. This is a shame.
Father- We are to love our children, teach them the ways of the Lord and protect them from the influences of the world.
Sons- any of us men are indeed sons to someone We are to honor our parents also, some may need to help pay bills, care for a sick parent, or maybe take care of them full time. It is not the governments job to care for our families, it is ours.
Brothers- in Christ, we are all family. We need to help each other be accountable, to encourage each other, to do the work of the Lord, to evangelize and tell others about Christ. As brothers, we have the ability to bring each other up or tear each other down. This is something we need to be very careful with. We want to bring those who are not walking with God like they should in love as the Scripture says, back into fellowship. Sometimes this is one on the hardest parts for me. In order to be able to come to a brother who is in fault with advice from the Word of God, I should be following it also. We are only hurting ourselves when we walk away from the precepts set forth for us in God's Word. In love, and with Scripture(not our own ideas) we should come along side an erring brother and help him back into fellowship.
Teachers-as we become closer to the Lord and walk in the light of His Word, we are also given the responsibility and privilege to share what God shows us with others. This may be through a devotional at prayer meeting, teaching on Sunday morning, or leading a Bible study with other men. As we grow together, we are able to reach more people for God. When we are steady in our walk and searching God's will out, He will show us where to turn next. Some of us may be full time missionaries, some travel and teach, some witness to folks at work, the grocery store, and wherever we go.
We talked the other night about our first and foremost responsibilities and what they were. We couldn't nail down just one, but we decided that a man who does not first reach his own wife and children first for Jesus is going to fail in other areas. God gave us wives and children and we are responsible for them for this life. In eternity, we will be held accountable for this life, and as husbands and fathers, how silly it would be for us to go out preaching to everyone and neglect those who live in our homes. Our family is truly our first mission field. Let's make sure we get our home life straight first before we go out. Charles Spurgeon said once "If any man's life at home is unworthy, he should go several miles away before he stand up to preach. When he stands up, he should say nothing." That seems to make the same point. We would seem silly, if not hypocritical, to show up street preaching or knocking on doors sharing the message of salvation with others while our own wives and children sit at home, headed for hell. What a huge responsibility it is that God has given us!
Men, I want to encourage you, we have a great task ahead, but also a great reward as God's chosen leaders of our families. We need to encourage each other to be strong in the Lord in the hard times, and thankful for this blessing the Lord has chosen to give us.
Through God's grace and mercy
Mark Cowperthwaite
ps. If anyone wants to email me without posting on the comment section for everyone to see, my email is permanently linked on this blog. My address is markcowperthwaite@roadrunner.com
Monday, January 28, 2008
John 19- promises made, promises kept
I was sitting in the "communion" service at chapel yesterday and I knew the Lord was speaking to me. I could feel the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart about John 19 and the fulfillment of Scripture. What I didn't know was that God was not speaking to me alone. Evidently, from the way the service unfolded and the planned activities that I knew nothing about, we all needed to learn something about God's timing, His will and plan for the world.
First, I wanted to point out what I saw in John 19. "23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did."
These verses show us one of the many fulfillments of prophecy in the Old Testament. Now, the Jews knew these Scriptures, and any Roman that was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus certainly didn't want to fulfill these prophecies, yet as God planned before the earth was ever created, every "I" was dotted and every "t" crossed in the proof that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Son of God.
Verse 28"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
Yet again we see that even minor details like Jesus being offered vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21 told this scene exactly even though it was penned many years before. Only God is the author of these events. He alone is able to bring all things to pass according to His will.
Verse 31"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."
Prophecy upon prophecy, proof on top of proof, just brings us even more into the light of God. He shows us these things to prove Himself to us and to show His mighty power. It was after hearing no less than 3 men in the church speak, totally ignorant of what the other was led to say, that I knew that God was trying to tell me something. I was truly blown away when later on, I found out that the film we would watch later would be proving so much more so the same point. God used a group of men that could not possibly coordinate amongst themselves this effort to show me that the Holy Spirit indeed speaks to the hearts of those that follow after God and truly seek His face. I have felt and known the presence of God in our midst on many occasions, but this just made my jaw drop to see how He brings all things together.
Looking at the Bible that we have so readily available today, I see how 40 or so men who lived different lives, in different cultures, countries, and with different experiences were used by God to pen a series of letters and books chronicling the mighty works of God throughout history. It is beyond my human reasoning to see how this is possible, but it reminds me again and again that we are not able in our human understanding to comprehend all that God has to show us. We can only surrender ourselves to God's will and follow the example and commands that Jesus set forth for us. It is what we were made to do, to glorify the God that put all things in motion for He alone is worthy to be praised. I count it a privilege to stand among those who name the name of Christ. I also count it a great responsibility to carefully follow what we, as Christians, have been told to do. This is a struggle some days, but the days I do follow His lead, God shows me what He can do with a heart willing to be obedient. I pray that these days are the larger part of the rest of my life. I pray that you will also feel the joy and awe that comes from watching God work in your lives.
Mark
First, I wanted to point out what I saw in John 19. "23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did."
These verses show us one of the many fulfillments of prophecy in the Old Testament. Now, the Jews knew these Scriptures, and any Roman that was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus certainly didn't want to fulfill these prophecies, yet as God planned before the earth was ever created, every "I" was dotted and every "t" crossed in the proof that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Son of God.
Verse 28"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
Yet again we see that even minor details like Jesus being offered vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21 told this scene exactly even though it was penned many years before. Only God is the author of these events. He alone is able to bring all things to pass according to His will.
Verse 31"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."
Prophecy upon prophecy, proof on top of proof, just brings us even more into the light of God. He shows us these things to prove Himself to us and to show His mighty power. It was after hearing no less than 3 men in the church speak, totally ignorant of what the other was led to say, that I knew that God was trying to tell me something. I was truly blown away when later on, I found out that the film we would watch later would be proving so much more so the same point. God used a group of men that could not possibly coordinate amongst themselves this effort to show me that the Holy Spirit indeed speaks to the hearts of those that follow after God and truly seek His face. I have felt and known the presence of God in our midst on many occasions, but this just made my jaw drop to see how He brings all things together.
Looking at the Bible that we have so readily available today, I see how 40 or so men who lived different lives, in different cultures, countries, and with different experiences were used by God to pen a series of letters and books chronicling the mighty works of God throughout history. It is beyond my human reasoning to see how this is possible, but it reminds me again and again that we are not able in our human understanding to comprehend all that God has to show us. We can only surrender ourselves to God's will and follow the example and commands that Jesus set forth for us. It is what we were made to do, to glorify the God that put all things in motion for He alone is worthy to be praised. I count it a privilege to stand among those who name the name of Christ. I also count it a great responsibility to carefully follow what we, as Christians, have been told to do. This is a struggle some days, but the days I do follow His lead, God shows me what He can do with a heart willing to be obedient. I pray that these days are the larger part of the rest of my life. I pray that you will also feel the joy and awe that comes from watching God work in your lives.
Mark
I hate meetings and DHHS meetings are the worst-usually
Today, I got the wonderfully delightful invitation to attend a meeting with the case management team at DHHS. Sara and I, for those who don't know, are foster parents and get to sit in on court dates, hearings, and meetings, all of which are so much fun for me. For those who didn't really read the title and missed the blatant sarcasm, I do not like these feel good sessions comprised of a bunch of non-parents telling me how to parent. This is how I feel about the situation and it is many times the largest source of stress in my life.
Don't get me wrong, Sara and I love kids and love to help them get over difficult times in their lives and help families heal after tough circumstances. We currently have 2 kids in our care, so we get to go to meetings. YEAH!!!
Sara chooses to skip the meetings since she has our 3 kids with her and is the only driver at the moment, so she gets the good excuses and does not have to attend. Thankfully, this meeting was limited to 1 hour since everyone in this meeting had to go to another meeting as soon as this one was over. Mental note- reason number 458 that I work for myself. Meetings, I have decided, are just ways to rehash old info that has been discussed 100 times before and get paid by the hour to do so. Meetings make bureaucrats feel better and look better in front of those paying them to do whatever it is they do(usually not much)
So, on with our meeting. Things were going OK until someone brought up the subject of us and religion. Evidently "the state" aka DHHS, does not allow proselytizing and dragging children to church whether they want to go or not. I figure that if someone lives in my house and eats my food, they will go wherever I go or tell them to go. The state does not like my idea of parenting, I have found out.
Around our home, we talk about the Lord a lot in the course of a day, read the Bible and Bible stories, pray and attend prayer meetings, church services, and lead Bible studies. I was chastised today for not asking the foster kids if they would like to leave the room, therefore not giving them the option whether or not to participate. This actually surprised me, I don't know why, but it did. Those in charge of the case also did not like the idea that church attendance and attention during services is an expectation for our children. O well!
After being questioned about a lack of "junior church" and my expectation of children living with us to attend and be attentive to Bible reading, prayer, and dressing modestly, I had had about enough. I spoke up and told the "big cheese" that we were helping the kids more than they could ever know and that the choice was simple. They could leave the children in our care and the expectations would not change, or they could take them out of our care and find a new home. I am not going to back down on this one. This is a time when I feel I have to stand up for what I believe in. I know God told me in the Bible how to be a husband, father, and Christian. I will not allow anyone to stop me from fulfilling the role God gave me. Someone I once knew used to say" sorry if I don't do things your way, but God has a bigger stick than you" I think what he meant to say was "you ought to obey God rather than man" and that is what we shall do in this house. For me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
It is always times like this that I get so charged up about God. He has done so much for me, offered His only Son to pay for my sin. Jesus suffered and died a cruel death to pay for my sin. The least I can do is honor Him in my life. I emphasize that is the LEAST I can do. I hope that when circumstances come up, we are all able, by God's power to withstand when the devil tries to attack us. We need to always be on our guard and be counted among those who will face trials, mockery, persecution, and suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. I know this isn't anything like what others have done, martyrs for Christ, but the thrill to see how God worked in this situation is amazing. I guess I should get the explaining that part.
It was after the meeting that I discussed watching a film at chapel with one of the workers. He asked more about the film and I told him it was called "The Star of Bethlehem" and that it was scientific evidence of the star mentioned in the Bible and how Daniel foretold Jesus' birth and how God used the Scripture to show signs of the fulfillment of His promise of the Lamb of God, sacrificed for our sin. He had to run, but I took his number and told him I would get more info for him. The film is a good witnessing tool for the scientific mind that demands evidence. Pray that I be able to tell him ( his name is Scott) more about not just the film, but the implications of God and His mighty hand in the universe, all pointing to our need for salvation from sin and fulfillment of prophecy.
I also got to talk to a counselor for the kids about religion and its role in our family. He approached me and told me that, contrary to the official state position, he felt that the knowledge of "a higher power" as he put it, was good for the kids. It could fill something missing in their lives. I was like "God created us and there is a definite need for us to seek Him" and he was nodding and agreeing the whole time. Pray that this fellow, Mike, would be open to talking more about God and the role of "religion" in our lives. He affirmed our position to keep praying with the kids and reading to them from the Bible. I was amazed at this. God truly is working in ways we could never explain.
I am so wound up right now, I could just explode. Here I am sitting in a government office with a bunch of unsaved folks, talking about kids, and I get the chance to plant seeds with these 2 men in under an hour. I can't wait to talk to them more and see if I am able to talk more personally, not just in vague generalities, but of sin, Jesus, and their need for a Savior. What a wonderful meeting it was!!
Mark
Don't get me wrong, Sara and I love kids and love to help them get over difficult times in their lives and help families heal after tough circumstances. We currently have 2 kids in our care, so we get to go to meetings. YEAH!!!
Sara chooses to skip the meetings since she has our 3 kids with her and is the only driver at the moment, so she gets the good excuses and does not have to attend. Thankfully, this meeting was limited to 1 hour since everyone in this meeting had to go to another meeting as soon as this one was over. Mental note- reason number 458 that I work for myself. Meetings, I have decided, are just ways to rehash old info that has been discussed 100 times before and get paid by the hour to do so. Meetings make bureaucrats feel better and look better in front of those paying them to do whatever it is they do(usually not much)
So, on with our meeting. Things were going OK until someone brought up the subject of us and religion. Evidently "the state" aka DHHS, does not allow proselytizing and dragging children to church whether they want to go or not. I figure that if someone lives in my house and eats my food, they will go wherever I go or tell them to go. The state does not like my idea of parenting, I have found out.
Around our home, we talk about the Lord a lot in the course of a day, read the Bible and Bible stories, pray and attend prayer meetings, church services, and lead Bible studies. I was chastised today for not asking the foster kids if they would like to leave the room, therefore not giving them the option whether or not to participate. This actually surprised me, I don't know why, but it did. Those in charge of the case also did not like the idea that church attendance and attention during services is an expectation for our children. O well!
After being questioned about a lack of "junior church" and my expectation of children living with us to attend and be attentive to Bible reading, prayer, and dressing modestly, I had had about enough. I spoke up and told the "big cheese" that we were helping the kids more than they could ever know and that the choice was simple. They could leave the children in our care and the expectations would not change, or they could take them out of our care and find a new home. I am not going to back down on this one. This is a time when I feel I have to stand up for what I believe in. I know God told me in the Bible how to be a husband, father, and Christian. I will not allow anyone to stop me from fulfilling the role God gave me. Someone I once knew used to say" sorry if I don't do things your way, but God has a bigger stick than you" I think what he meant to say was "you ought to obey God rather than man" and that is what we shall do in this house. For me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
It is always times like this that I get so charged up about God. He has done so much for me, offered His only Son to pay for my sin. Jesus suffered and died a cruel death to pay for my sin. The least I can do is honor Him in my life. I emphasize that is the LEAST I can do. I hope that when circumstances come up, we are all able, by God's power to withstand when the devil tries to attack us. We need to always be on our guard and be counted among those who will face trials, mockery, persecution, and suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. I know this isn't anything like what others have done, martyrs for Christ, but the thrill to see how God worked in this situation is amazing. I guess I should get the explaining that part.
It was after the meeting that I discussed watching a film at chapel with one of the workers. He asked more about the film and I told him it was called "The Star of Bethlehem" and that it was scientific evidence of the star mentioned in the Bible and how Daniel foretold Jesus' birth and how God used the Scripture to show signs of the fulfillment of His promise of the Lamb of God, sacrificed for our sin. He had to run, but I took his number and told him I would get more info for him. The film is a good witnessing tool for the scientific mind that demands evidence. Pray that I be able to tell him ( his name is Scott) more about not just the film, but the implications of God and His mighty hand in the universe, all pointing to our need for salvation from sin and fulfillment of prophecy.
I also got to talk to a counselor for the kids about religion and its role in our family. He approached me and told me that, contrary to the official state position, he felt that the knowledge of "a higher power" as he put it, was good for the kids. It could fill something missing in their lives. I was like "God created us and there is a definite need for us to seek Him" and he was nodding and agreeing the whole time. Pray that this fellow, Mike, would be open to talking more about God and the role of "religion" in our lives. He affirmed our position to keep praying with the kids and reading to them from the Bible. I was amazed at this. God truly is working in ways we could never explain.
I am so wound up right now, I could just explode. Here I am sitting in a government office with a bunch of unsaved folks, talking about kids, and I get the chance to plant seeds with these 2 men in under an hour. I can't wait to talk to them more and see if I am able to talk more personally, not just in vague generalities, but of sin, Jesus, and their need for a Savior. What a wonderful meeting it was!!
Mark
Star of Bethlehem
When I was first told about the film"The Star of Bethlehem" I wondered what it would be like. Would it be a scientific documentary that I could barely comprehend? Would it be a feel good film with little science at all? Would it tell me all the things I already knew in just another format designed to sell more videos? To say the least, I am a bit skeptical of anything that doesn't come from a source I know. So, it surprised me to see this video presented at our little chapel, a highly conservative group that isn't exactly the "church movie night" crowd. I was pleasantly surprised.
The film tells the story of a lawyer who was searching for more info on the "star of Bethlehem" just out of curiosity and it became an intense search for how God puts all things into motion. He marveled at what he found in Scripture. Daniel, Job, Joel, Matthew, and Revelation all point to the stars to show us signs from God. Now, I am the first to raise a hand when I hear things like this, so again my suspicions were aroused at this point. We need to differentiate between astronomy(studying the math and science about how stars, planets, etc move around the universe) and astrology(a bunch of nut jobs living their whole life determined by a horoscope). The film does a good job of explaining this point and show Biblical text to show the difference also.
We are told many times in Scripture to "watch the heavens" and that sort of thing. This seems to point to evidence of rule and order established by God in ALL of creation, including that which we can merely see and observe. Just the same as prophecy tells us when the Messiah would be born, of the seed of a woman, tribe of Judah, city of David...... "the heavens declare the glory of God" and point us to a God who finds unfathomable ways to show Himself to us.
I won't get into the science, because I have only seen the film once. I have ordered some copies to give away and view more times personally and I may post some more later on the subject as I study the Word more about this idea. If anyone is interested, you can read a lot of the text at www.bethlehemstar.net
I encourage anyone with interest to study further, as this could be a great witnessing tool for that scientifically minded friend without Christ. I actually mentioned the film at a meeting at DHHS(Human services) and got into a conversation about the film and what it means with a fellow there. I will post more about that conversation in a later post about the irony of this DHHS meeting today.
Mark
The film tells the story of a lawyer who was searching for more info on the "star of Bethlehem" just out of curiosity and it became an intense search for how God puts all things into motion. He marveled at what he found in Scripture. Daniel, Job, Joel, Matthew, and Revelation all point to the stars to show us signs from God. Now, I am the first to raise a hand when I hear things like this, so again my suspicions were aroused at this point. We need to differentiate between astronomy(studying the math and science about how stars, planets, etc move around the universe) and astrology(a bunch of nut jobs living their whole life determined by a horoscope). The film does a good job of explaining this point and show Biblical text to show the difference also.
We are told many times in Scripture to "watch the heavens" and that sort of thing. This seems to point to evidence of rule and order established by God in ALL of creation, including that which we can merely see and observe. Just the same as prophecy tells us when the Messiah would be born, of the seed of a woman, tribe of Judah, city of David...... "the heavens declare the glory of God" and point us to a God who finds unfathomable ways to show Himself to us.
I won't get into the science, because I have only seen the film once. I have ordered some copies to give away and view more times personally and I may post some more later on the subject as I study the Word more about this idea. If anyone is interested, you can read a lot of the text at www.bethlehemstar.net
I encourage anyone with interest to study further, as this could be a great witnessing tool for that scientifically minded friend without Christ. I actually mentioned the film at a meeting at DHHS(Human services) and got into a conversation about the film and what it means with a fellow there. I will post more about that conversation in a later post about the irony of this DHHS meeting today.
Mark
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Replacing layers, meat bird economics
With all the new kids in the house and the cold winter still upon us, we are craving something that says "spring is coming" so I have finally decided on getting 20 new laying hens. Since they won't lay until they are about 5 months old, if we get them mid February, they should start to lay mid summer. With 25 hens, we should have all the eggs we need, so I decided to start looking at the numbers again.
With 7 of us currently in the house, kids ages 12,10,7,4,9 months, baby chicks are the best thing to keep us in good spirits. We will keep them in the house brooder for 3 weeks, then move into the shed in a small insulated pen until warmer weather. Keeping chicks in the winter costs a bit more and is more time consuming, as we need to go outside to check on them after brooding is over. On the up side of this, we will have a full summer and fall of laying before the egg production slows down. With 25 laying, we should have enough eggs even in the winter and an abundance in the summer to sell, give, or trade off.
A full size layer eats about 1/4 lb of feed daily. Some of this is free, with ranging and bugs and such, but for the sake of argument we just say that amount is used daily. So, Suzy Chicken eats 90# of feed a year, costing about $19.00 annually. Let's add in the cost of the chick and other supplies and call it $22.00 year. A layer that is not stressed out should lay for 2 years regularly and then in later seasons start laying larger eggs but less often.
With 6 months laying this year(July-December) we should get about 120 eggs or 10 dozen this year from her. 10 dozen eggs is worth $30 for our free range eggs. So, this bird cost us $22 all in and made us $30, for a profit of $8 this year. Next year, she should easily lay 14 dozen eggs worth $42 for a profit next year of $20 per chicken. After another year, we drop off production and she pays for herself and becomes a stew bird when she molts the second time (maybe third, depending on how things go)
We then have a chicken to eat and hopefully raise her own replacements. This is the plan for subsequent years, but this year buying chicks is going to work out better for me.
Back to the accounting. If a chicken costs $22 yearly, including feed, replacement, and other unspecified costs, we have 25 layers that profit us a huge profit of $200 yearly, for the trouble of having to tend to them, change bedding, care for sick ones, etc. Not exactly a profitable venture when you figure in time and labor. But, the kids do all the work, we get free manure, and the joy of having little cluckers wandering around eating bugs and they are so fun to watch. The kids learn a lot about nature and how to care for animals.
The meat birds are a whole different picture. They make a profit in a much shorter time. From hatch to table(or sale bag) they eat $5 in feed, $1 per chick, $3 to butcher, and $1 in gas and misc costs. We raise 100 at a time, and require little work. We have sold our birds for $4 lb whole, averaging a profit of $8 per bird including losses and misc. costs. This takes 10-12 weeks and makes about $800 for 30 hours of labor. Not a bad profit on backyard chickens, and again the kids do most of the work and learn a lot, enjoying themselves all the while and learning critical life skills.
I will go deeper into the business later for those who would like to raise some meat birds or eggers. For now, I have a shed to clean out to make room for more chickens. Have a great day.
Mark
With 7 of us currently in the house, kids ages 12,10,7,4,9 months, baby chicks are the best thing to keep us in good spirits. We will keep them in the house brooder for 3 weeks, then move into the shed in a small insulated pen until warmer weather. Keeping chicks in the winter costs a bit more and is more time consuming, as we need to go outside to check on them after brooding is over. On the up side of this, we will have a full summer and fall of laying before the egg production slows down. With 25 laying, we should have enough eggs even in the winter and an abundance in the summer to sell, give, or trade off.
A full size layer eats about 1/4 lb of feed daily. Some of this is free, with ranging and bugs and such, but for the sake of argument we just say that amount is used daily. So, Suzy Chicken eats 90# of feed a year, costing about $19.00 annually. Let's add in the cost of the chick and other supplies and call it $22.00 year. A layer that is not stressed out should lay for 2 years regularly and then in later seasons start laying larger eggs but less often.
With 6 months laying this year(July-December) we should get about 120 eggs or 10 dozen this year from her. 10 dozen eggs is worth $30 for our free range eggs. So, this bird cost us $22 all in and made us $30, for a profit of $8 this year. Next year, she should easily lay 14 dozen eggs worth $42 for a profit next year of $20 per chicken. After another year, we drop off production and she pays for herself and becomes a stew bird when she molts the second time (maybe third, depending on how things go)
We then have a chicken to eat and hopefully raise her own replacements. This is the plan for subsequent years, but this year buying chicks is going to work out better for me.
Back to the accounting. If a chicken costs $22 yearly, including feed, replacement, and other unspecified costs, we have 25 layers that profit us a huge profit of $200 yearly, for the trouble of having to tend to them, change bedding, care for sick ones, etc. Not exactly a profitable venture when you figure in time and labor. But, the kids do all the work, we get free manure, and the joy of having little cluckers wandering around eating bugs and they are so fun to watch. The kids learn a lot about nature and how to care for animals.
The meat birds are a whole different picture. They make a profit in a much shorter time. From hatch to table(or sale bag) they eat $5 in feed, $1 per chick, $3 to butcher, and $1 in gas and misc costs. We raise 100 at a time, and require little work. We have sold our birds for $4 lb whole, averaging a profit of $8 per bird including losses and misc. costs. This takes 10-12 weeks and makes about $800 for 30 hours of labor. Not a bad profit on backyard chickens, and again the kids do most of the work and learn a lot, enjoying themselves all the while and learning critical life skills.
I will go deeper into the business later for those who would like to raise some meat birds or eggers. For now, I have a shed to clean out to make room for more chickens. Have a great day.
Mark
Ephesians 1- God's will revealed(WARNING- challenge ahead)
One should really read through Ephesians 1 on their own, and I will not be quoting the whole thing here. After examining the Word of God on the issue of God's will, I see that He tells us that His will is indeed revealed. The greater picture is there, the stage is set and it is time for us to get on stage. The early part of the chapter tells us that it is written to the saints(set apart, those who are saved) and then reminds us of who we are to thank for our salvation.
Verse 4 "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, than we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." He chose us and set us apart. Why then does it take us so long to realize our call of God to choose Him also. To choose to give our lives over to the one that set all things in motion? How foolish we are to think that God does not know the end from the beginning. He wants us to live holy lives committed to Him only.
Verse 6 "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved." We are blood bought by His grace and mercy on us, having lived lives completely undeserving, wretched, and hopeless. From this miry clay He transformed us into something "accepted". We know God can not be in the presence of sin, nor will he ever just simply disregard sin and let us get off the hook. Someone had to pay the price for our sin, and Jesus, God the Son was the only one ever capable of accomplishing that task.
"He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21- Christ had to become sin for us. He had to pay the price. He chose us, set us apart, and then paid the ransom or fine for us, before we were ever born. That sacrifice was so great that in order to complete the payment, Jesus had to be cut off from the Father's presence for that few hours on the cross. If Christ Jesus was willing to pay that ultimate cost, how much more should we continue to live, dying to self, and living for Him.
Better than that, we are promised often in Scripture that we, after enduring trials and persecution for Jesus name sake, will be rewarded in heaven. Matthew 10:32 tells us "Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
The next verse is the counterpart that should motivate us to realize that we not only have the privilege to witness of Christ's suffering for sin, but also a responsibility. Verse 33"But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 10 continues in the next verse to warn us that Jesus did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He came and told us that we need to "choose this day whom you will serve" and did not allow anyone to be on the fence. If you are on the Lord's side, you need to take up the weapons and get in the battle. There are no bystanders, only participants. Those wishing to sit in the bleachers need not apply. Continue to read through the end of this chapter in Matthew and you will see that we are promised trials and persecution, and we must be willing to fight for what is good and righteous.
Back to Ephesians and the will of God revealed. Ephesians 1:9 says "having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself." This verse tells us that God's will has been made known to us, but what is it? Verse 10"That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him." In the fullness of time, Christ will gather in all things to Himself. That is God's will, to gather the redeemed together. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
To say we are waiting on God to show us His will, when He has so clearly revealed our mission to evangelize all people, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and everyone we have contact with. We should also go into places just for the purpose of reaching sinners for Christ. Waiting and sitting on the sidelines when we have a plain purpose, a calling for ALL those who claim the name of Jesus Christ, is nothing but blatant disobedience.
We may not all be well spoken or intellectually capable(so we think) but we have the spirit of God residing in us and working through us. Surrendering to the Holy Spirit and letting God control our tongue, simply relying on God to give us the words to say, we are that much more compliant with His will for us. I am no smooth talker, and I am much more comfortable typing that talking, in fact many times after writing, I see things that I wrote that I didn't know, but that God revealed to me as I write. Even though, I don't have the ability, I need to surrender myself for the cause of Christ. Moses was no smooth talker. The men who penned the Bible were not all eloquent speakers or well educated, but God though His Spirit, showed them what to write. They didn't rely on dictionaries, thesauruses, and intellect, but merely listed to what God told them to write.
We do need to know the Word of God, and when we listen, the Spirit works in us and through us to guide us in what to do and say. When I stumble over the words, and fall on my face, incapable of making a coherent sentence, it is then that I realize that it isn't my message to give and that I must rely completely on the Lord to show me what to say. This reliance on God(which is a daily struggle, being a sinful man) is freeing and makes me realize that when I am weak, then I am strong, but only through the power of God.
I cannot do it on my own, and I admit that. But I am never alone. Phillipians tells us that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can fulfill the will of God in my life, but I can't do it through my own strength. I must rely on Him to do it through me.
Mark
Verse 4 "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, than we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." He chose us and set us apart. Why then does it take us so long to realize our call of God to choose Him also. To choose to give our lives over to the one that set all things in motion? How foolish we are to think that God does not know the end from the beginning. He wants us to live holy lives committed to Him only.
Verse 6 "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved." We are blood bought by His grace and mercy on us, having lived lives completely undeserving, wretched, and hopeless. From this miry clay He transformed us into something "accepted". We know God can not be in the presence of sin, nor will he ever just simply disregard sin and let us get off the hook. Someone had to pay the price for our sin, and Jesus, God the Son was the only one ever capable of accomplishing that task.
"He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21- Christ had to become sin for us. He had to pay the price. He chose us, set us apart, and then paid the ransom or fine for us, before we were ever born. That sacrifice was so great that in order to complete the payment, Jesus had to be cut off from the Father's presence for that few hours on the cross. If Christ Jesus was willing to pay that ultimate cost, how much more should we continue to live, dying to self, and living for Him.
Better than that, we are promised often in Scripture that we, after enduring trials and persecution for Jesus name sake, will be rewarded in heaven. Matthew 10:32 tells us "Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
The next verse is the counterpart that should motivate us to realize that we not only have the privilege to witness of Christ's suffering for sin, but also a responsibility. Verse 33"But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 10 continues in the next verse to warn us that Jesus did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He came and told us that we need to "choose this day whom you will serve" and did not allow anyone to be on the fence. If you are on the Lord's side, you need to take up the weapons and get in the battle. There are no bystanders, only participants. Those wishing to sit in the bleachers need not apply. Continue to read through the end of this chapter in Matthew and you will see that we are promised trials and persecution, and we must be willing to fight for what is good and righteous.
Back to Ephesians and the will of God revealed. Ephesians 1:9 says "having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself." This verse tells us that God's will has been made known to us, but what is it? Verse 10"That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him." In the fullness of time, Christ will gather in all things to Himself. That is God's will, to gather the redeemed together. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
To say we are waiting on God to show us His will, when He has so clearly revealed our mission to evangelize all people, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and everyone we have contact with. We should also go into places just for the purpose of reaching sinners for Christ. Waiting and sitting on the sidelines when we have a plain purpose, a calling for ALL those who claim the name of Jesus Christ, is nothing but blatant disobedience.
We may not all be well spoken or intellectually capable(so we think) but we have the spirit of God residing in us and working through us. Surrendering to the Holy Spirit and letting God control our tongue, simply relying on God to give us the words to say, we are that much more compliant with His will for us. I am no smooth talker, and I am much more comfortable typing that talking, in fact many times after writing, I see things that I wrote that I didn't know, but that God revealed to me as I write. Even though, I don't have the ability, I need to surrender myself for the cause of Christ. Moses was no smooth talker. The men who penned the Bible were not all eloquent speakers or well educated, but God though His Spirit, showed them what to write. They didn't rely on dictionaries, thesauruses, and intellect, but merely listed to what God told them to write.
We do need to know the Word of God, and when we listen, the Spirit works in us and through us to guide us in what to do and say. When I stumble over the words, and fall on my face, incapable of making a coherent sentence, it is then that I realize that it isn't my message to give and that I must rely completely on the Lord to show me what to say. This reliance on God(which is a daily struggle, being a sinful man) is freeing and makes me realize that when I am weak, then I am strong, but only through the power of God.
I cannot do it on my own, and I admit that. But I am never alone. Phillipians tells us that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can fulfill the will of God in my life, but I can't do it through my own strength. I must rely on Him to do it through me.
Mark
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Songs justs keep running through my head(to the tune of "raindrops keep falling on my head")
I know, enough with the songs, some would say, but they just keep jumping off the page at me. People through the ages, when God shows them a truth about Himself or His Word, have taken it upon themselves to write a tune for us to sing, thereby creating a time of fun(at least for us music lovers) and meditation together. Music seems to stick with us throughout the day. We even use music to help memorize Scripture in our family.
Ira Sankey was one of those men who was known for "singing the Gospel" as it was sometimes called. He had a way of writing what he was passionate about(evangelism), and was well known for traveling with D.L.Moody in evangelistic meetings. Sankey would lead the singing and write many new songs along the way. An example of Sankey's songs is quoted here:
Ira Sankey was one of those men who was known for "singing the Gospel" as it was sometimes called. He had a way of writing what he was passionate about(evangelism), and was well known for traveling with D.L.Moody in evangelistic meetings. Sankey would lead the singing and write many new songs along the way. An example of Sankey's songs is quoted here:
"Lord lay some soul upon my heart, and love that soul through me;and
may I nobly do my part to win that soul for Thee"
may I nobly do my part to win that soul for Thee"
What a wonderfully simple lyric, yet it pierces through all the imagery of tent meetings and great singing. It surpasses the eloquent preaching of the famous D.L.Moody. In this simple way, he reminds us of the heartfelt desire to reach some lost soul for Christ. He gives us an example to ask God for someone to reach. He also prays that he would do his part to win that soul.
His part was not just to lead the singing, but was also in personal evangelism. Ira Sankey was there at the altar each night after the meetings praying with sinners seeking repentance. He spent hours upon hours going through the Scripture with those he met, thus being obedient to God and honest to his own prayer that God might use him to help win souls.
Along with a host of others, Ira Sankey and this simple song, just a chorus, have helped Christians worldwide to have songs to sing about their Lord and master. Without people like this throughout history, what would we sing when we are "singing and making melody in our hearts as to the Lord"? Some of the best songs in history have come from a heart dedicated to God's work, longing to make a difference in someone's life.
1 Corinthians 9:19 was the inspiration for this simple song "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." A servant (the meaning of the word "deacon") who could be free, but has made himself servant to all, for the sake of Christ. We should live by this example also, giving the future generations(including our own children) an example to see in action. Our calling, for those of us that are parents especially, is to live a life of servanthood to the Lord and show them that even in this dark age we live in, it is still possible, and necessary to serve the Lord with all we are.
His part was not just to lead the singing, but was also in personal evangelism. Ira Sankey was there at the altar each night after the meetings praying with sinners seeking repentance. He spent hours upon hours going through the Scripture with those he met, thus being obedient to God and honest to his own prayer that God might use him to help win souls.
Along with a host of others, Ira Sankey and this simple song, just a chorus, have helped Christians worldwide to have songs to sing about their Lord and master. Without people like this throughout history, what would we sing when we are "singing and making melody in our hearts as to the Lord"? Some of the best songs in history have come from a heart dedicated to God's work, longing to make a difference in someone's life.
1 Corinthians 9:19 was the inspiration for this simple song "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." A servant (the meaning of the word "deacon") who could be free, but has made himself servant to all, for the sake of Christ. We should live by this example also, giving the future generations(including our own children) an example to see in action. Our calling, for those of us that are parents especially, is to live a life of servanthood to the Lord and show them that even in this dark age we live in, it is still possible, and necessary to serve the Lord with all we are.
Mark
Monday, January 21, 2008
Getting knowledge from the head to the heart.
I recently received a question from a friend. In all our talks, I always saw his desire to please God, and to be drawn closer to Him. It is with this thought that I sought after what to say, where to turn. Is this a common problem? It didn't take long, in fact, I had set my homepage to a teaching by AW Tozer called "The pursuit of God" that takes this issue head on. Here is the question(edited for use here)
"Mark,
I want to feel passionate toward the things of God and overwhelmed
with gratitude for all He has done (like saving me), my Christian
walk seems to be one of head knowledge and I can not seem to get my
heart wrapped into it. My head has the understanding, but the passion
does not flow from my heart. I believe in Christ and have confidence
that I am saved, but I am not sure that I have ever experienced God.
I tend to be more accountable to my brothers than to God, more
concerned about what they might think if they knew this about me,
than I am about God who already knows more evil about me than I do
about myself."
The answer from Tozer:
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts"
It is in this answer that I see the root problem for many churchgoers. Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us that if we will "incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart to understanding" then you shall "understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." I see too often the basic teachings and lack of accountability that allow people to come into the worship service week after week and feed off the milk of the Word and never be questioned about their walk. Men's groups become social engagements and times to pray for someone's business dealings, but not to challenge each other to grow in the Lord.
This fellow that I spoke to has been saved for years, attending and being in leadership positions in a local, Bible believing church to the best of my knowledge. To retain his anonymity, I will not go into any more details about his story, but rather delve into the problem and the solution.
If one is able to attend church services weekly, be involved in leadership, and yet never be taught what it is to truly seek after God and grow closer, though reading, prayer, and meditation on the Word of God, then there is a serious problem. It would be easy to place the blame on the leaders of the church, and that would be valid to some extent.
On the other hand, our personal walk with God is not really up to anyone else. In the darkest spiritual areas of the world, there are truly men of God that seek to maintain an upright walk with the Lord and reach others for the Savior. The writer of this letter seems to be honestly seeking to draw closer to God and asked in another portion of the letter for advice from Scripture to help remedy his problem. This is an honest effort on his part, and he truly needs to be shown how to study the Bible, and encouraged to do more than just read the Word, but to put it into practice in every part of his life. I would encourage him to read "The pursuit of God" which is available online for free reading HERE. But really, we need to look to the Word of God to find the remedy, so let's find some Scripture that will show us how to seek God's face.
The Psalms are rich with honest and heart wrenching prayer for forgiveness, renewal, and closeness to the Lord. Psalm 51 shows us the honest desire of the writer to be cleansed from sin. It may be that sin is keeping us from coming closer to God. First, we must make sure there is nothing keeping us from God's presence and, if there is to clean it out. Verse 12 of this chapter says "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation" and verse 10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God;and renew a right spirit within me"
James 1: 22-25 speaks of a man who beholds himself in a mirror, and instead of fixing the flaws, he walks away and "forgets what manner of man her was" James continues to show us what we need to do to draw close to God in James 4:8"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded" Back in the Psalm 139:23-24 we see that we must honestly seek God's heart and ask Him to show us what the problem is "Search me, o God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting".
We need to keep in the forefront of our minds a few things.
1- Even when we were dead in sin, God reached down to us and sent His only Son, Jesus, to come and die so that we may have life in Him. Jesus is the "way, the truth, and the life" and seeking after Him with a pure heart, He will not deny us.
2-Those who are truly born again have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts, always ministering to us. When we read the Bible, it is the Holy Spirit who guides us into all knowledge of God.
3-Titus 3:7 tells us that "being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" we need to remember that, as Christians, we are heirs to the kingdom of God, with a promise of eternity in heaven. That thought should make anyone want to jump for joy, shouldn't it? That thought brings us to the final thought that we need to keep with us.
4- The most important part of our job as followers of God is to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" as Mark 16:15 tells us. Charles Spurgeon rightly said "If you are saved, the work is only half done until you are employed(doing the work) to bring others to Christ."
It is not the responsibility only of "missionaries" and those with a "gift of evangelism" to go and reach lost souls. Indeed, it is all of our jobs. We are told to GO and PREACH to EVERY creature. We cannot sit around and wait for people to come to us. We also will not reach souls by just hoping they see something different about us and waiting for them to ask what that is. It is the prayer of my heart (and the Lord's) that we are so excited about what God has done for us, that we give up our own intentions, desires, and truly ourselves, and take on the cause of Christ. His cause was to bring salvation to all people, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"
With the fire of evangelism and the horrifying thought that someone we know or care about is headed to a real and eternal hell for all eternity, we draw closer to God and seek Him to take over our lives. We are completely incapable of doing this on our own, as man is and always has been selfish, wanting our own desires. Seeking the desires of God's heart and being willing to give up on the ideas and dreams that we have of the flesh is the requirement of following Christ. Jesus always did what pleased the Father, and so must we also. We must pray earnestly that God would show us what to do.
My best answer is only that which comes from the Word of God. We can be aroused and emotionally charged by wonderful speeches and encouragement from other believers, but in order to bring about change, we must be willing to change our course and seek only what God has for us. With that thought, I encourage you, my friends to pray earnestly, seek God's face, and study His Word. He will show you what you need if you only ask. But, you must ask honestly, coming to Him with a broken spirit, willing to do whatever He leads you to do. It may not be easy, but it is the only way.
May the Lord richly bless as you continue to seek after Him.
Mark
"Mark,
I want to feel passionate toward the things of God and overwhelmed
with gratitude for all He has done (like saving me), my Christian
walk seems to be one of head knowledge and I can not seem to get my
heart wrapped into it. My head has the understanding, but the passion
does not flow from my heart. I believe in Christ and have confidence
that I am saved, but I am not sure that I have ever experienced God.
I tend to be more accountable to my brothers than to God, more
concerned about what they might think if they knew this about me,
than I am about God who already knows more evil about me than I do
about myself."
The answer from Tozer:
"Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts"
It is in this answer that I see the root problem for many churchgoers. Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us that if we will "incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart to understanding" then you shall "understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." I see too often the basic teachings and lack of accountability that allow people to come into the worship service week after week and feed off the milk of the Word and never be questioned about their walk. Men's groups become social engagements and times to pray for someone's business dealings, but not to challenge each other to grow in the Lord.
This fellow that I spoke to has been saved for years, attending and being in leadership positions in a local, Bible believing church to the best of my knowledge. To retain his anonymity, I will not go into any more details about his story, but rather delve into the problem and the solution.
If one is able to attend church services weekly, be involved in leadership, and yet never be taught what it is to truly seek after God and grow closer, though reading, prayer, and meditation on the Word of God, then there is a serious problem. It would be easy to place the blame on the leaders of the church, and that would be valid to some extent.
On the other hand, our personal walk with God is not really up to anyone else. In the darkest spiritual areas of the world, there are truly men of God that seek to maintain an upright walk with the Lord and reach others for the Savior. The writer of this letter seems to be honestly seeking to draw closer to God and asked in another portion of the letter for advice from Scripture to help remedy his problem. This is an honest effort on his part, and he truly needs to be shown how to study the Bible, and encouraged to do more than just read the Word, but to put it into practice in every part of his life. I would encourage him to read "The pursuit of God" which is available online for free reading HERE. But really, we need to look to the Word of God to find the remedy, so let's find some Scripture that will show us how to seek God's face.
The Psalms are rich with honest and heart wrenching prayer for forgiveness, renewal, and closeness to the Lord. Psalm 51 shows us the honest desire of the writer to be cleansed from sin. It may be that sin is keeping us from coming closer to God. First, we must make sure there is nothing keeping us from God's presence and, if there is to clean it out. Verse 12 of this chapter says "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation" and verse 10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God;and renew a right spirit within me"
James 1: 22-25 speaks of a man who beholds himself in a mirror, and instead of fixing the flaws, he walks away and "forgets what manner of man her was" James continues to show us what we need to do to draw close to God in James 4:8"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded" Back in the Psalm 139:23-24 we see that we must honestly seek God's heart and ask Him to show us what the problem is "Search me, o God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting".
We need to keep in the forefront of our minds a few things.
1- Even when we were dead in sin, God reached down to us and sent His only Son, Jesus, to come and die so that we may have life in Him. Jesus is the "way, the truth, and the life" and seeking after Him with a pure heart, He will not deny us.
2-Those who are truly born again have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts, always ministering to us. When we read the Bible, it is the Holy Spirit who guides us into all knowledge of God.
3-Titus 3:7 tells us that "being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" we need to remember that, as Christians, we are heirs to the kingdom of God, with a promise of eternity in heaven. That thought should make anyone want to jump for joy, shouldn't it? That thought brings us to the final thought that we need to keep with us.
4- The most important part of our job as followers of God is to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" as Mark 16:15 tells us. Charles Spurgeon rightly said "If you are saved, the work is only half done until you are employed(doing the work) to bring others to Christ."
It is not the responsibility only of "missionaries" and those with a "gift of evangelism" to go and reach lost souls. Indeed, it is all of our jobs. We are told to GO and PREACH to EVERY creature. We cannot sit around and wait for people to come to us. We also will not reach souls by just hoping they see something different about us and waiting for them to ask what that is. It is the prayer of my heart (and the Lord's) that we are so excited about what God has done for us, that we give up our own intentions, desires, and truly ourselves, and take on the cause of Christ. His cause was to bring salvation to all people, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"
With the fire of evangelism and the horrifying thought that someone we know or care about is headed to a real and eternal hell for all eternity, we draw closer to God and seek Him to take over our lives. We are completely incapable of doing this on our own, as man is and always has been selfish, wanting our own desires. Seeking the desires of God's heart and being willing to give up on the ideas and dreams that we have of the flesh is the requirement of following Christ. Jesus always did what pleased the Father, and so must we also. We must pray earnestly that God would show us what to do.
My best answer is only that which comes from the Word of God. We can be aroused and emotionally charged by wonderful speeches and encouragement from other believers, but in order to bring about change, we must be willing to change our course and seek only what God has for us. With that thought, I encourage you, my friends to pray earnestly, seek God's face, and study His Word. He will show you what you need if you only ask. But, you must ask honestly, coming to Him with a broken spirit, willing to do whatever He leads you to do. It may not be easy, but it is the only way.
May the Lord richly bless as you continue to seek after Him.
Mark
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A hymn with a message- Since I have been redeemed
What wonderful and blessing words I see when I flip through the hymn book that sits on my desk. I am reminded of so many things when I hear some of these tunes. The words, however, spell out a devotion and praise to a God that is worthy of all our adoration and honor. They don't sound empty and vague, as many modern songs do. The song writers of old seemed to have a deeper devotion to the Lord and reverence for who God truly is. Some modern music does this too, but not nearly as often as the older hymns. It makes me wonder if we don't take as seriously the issues of sin, redemption, and what a might God we serve.
Since I have been redeemed-
"I have a song I love to sing since I have been redeemed. Of my Redeemer, Savior, King, since I have been redeemed. I have a Christ who satisfies. To do His will my highest prize. I have a witness bright and clear, dispelling every doubt and fear since I have been redeemed. I will glory in my Savior's name"
Redeemer, one who buys back a slave or debt. Christ was recognized as one who bought us with a price, paid our sin debt, and brought us into the riches of His glory.
Savior, one who rescues you from harm or danger. Christ died to save us from our sin and the eternal penalty that went with it.
King, speaks of the authority over all heaven and earth. One worthy of the throne. Worthy of worship, praise, and adoration.
The words "to do His will my greatest prize" doesn't sound like a self serving, moral relevance doctrine, but of someone who will "take up his cross daily and follow me" as Jesus instructs us to do. We have no reason to doubt or fear, because the God that made us and gave His only Son to save us is still on the throne. What a wondrous thought that is! We have no need to be anxious or worry what will happen, only the promise that if we follow His Word and the instructions given to us in it, we will be rewarded in heaven. I love this song and the thrill and excitement it shows.
I hope the words of this song stay with you and bless your heart as you remember who Jesus really is, or Lord, our Savior, and our King.
Mark
Since I have been redeemed-
"I have a song I love to sing since I have been redeemed. Of my Redeemer, Savior, King, since I have been redeemed. I have a Christ who satisfies. To do His will my highest prize. I have a witness bright and clear, dispelling every doubt and fear since I have been redeemed. I will glory in my Savior's name"
Redeemer, one who buys back a slave or debt. Christ was recognized as one who bought us with a price, paid our sin debt, and brought us into the riches of His glory.
Savior, one who rescues you from harm or danger. Christ died to save us from our sin and the eternal penalty that went with it.
King, speaks of the authority over all heaven and earth. One worthy of the throne. Worthy of worship, praise, and adoration.
The words "to do His will my greatest prize" doesn't sound like a self serving, moral relevance doctrine, but of someone who will "take up his cross daily and follow me" as Jesus instructs us to do. We have no reason to doubt or fear, because the God that made us and gave His only Son to save us is still on the throne. What a wondrous thought that is! We have no need to be anxious or worry what will happen, only the promise that if we follow His Word and the instructions given to us in it, we will be rewarded in heaven. I love this song and the thrill and excitement it shows.
I hope the words of this song stay with you and bless your heart as you remember who Jesus really is, or Lord, our Savior, and our King.
Mark
"Selling God" Get rich quick!!
I have a habit of quoting scripture or a song in my blogs lately. I know that scripture is always profitable and relevant, however, in today's age many times the old hymns have taken a back seat to the newer music. I like a lot of new music, and am one that would argue that music is from God and a valid tool for worship and praise of the Lord.
The issue I have with more and more modern music, the "Christian rock" and "Christian contemporary" is that many of the songs don't actually talk about God at all. They talk about love and giving, helping people, etc. but they don't differ much from secular music. Some bands only sing songs about God, bringing every aspect of the Christian life into view, while others seem to be secular bands that couldn't make the cut, so they mention Jesus once or twice and therefore are labeled "Christian".
Another aspect that bothers me about much of this genre of music is that people seem to think that making a worldly lavish lifestyle for themselves by "selling God" is a good idea. When an artist calls their concert a "ministry" and then charges $50 to sing to you for a few hours, they are misusing the word "ministry". I see no scriptural basis for charging money to hear from God's servant.
Would we charge admission for a church service? No way, but it is accepted that we pay $100 or more for a seat to a conference featuring a nationally known speaker. Paul never demanded a set fee to speak about the Lord. The churches gave freely to him as they were led by God to do so. He did not, however, demand a 300 danarius speaking fee to the church at Corinth. The true servant of God's indeed knows that he is only a vessel chosen by God to speak the truth according to the Word of God. A worker truly is worthy of his wages, and a man who dedicates his life to serving the Lord does indeed have needs that must be met, but God promises that He will "supply all your needs according to His riches in glory". He doesn't promise new cars, fine clothes, and beautiful homes, indeed the only promise made to this type of servant in scripture is that he will have food and a roof over his head.
In my research as a Christian concert promoter, I realized that what I was doing was, I believe, wrong. I called one nationally known band and was given the figure of $25,000 for a 2 hour concert with the band. Another figure was actually much higher, starting price of $90,000. This has turned into a Hollywood style show, and has less and less to do with God, as far as I can see.
For the amount of money to put on SoulFest, I would dare say that you could supply a missionary family with everything they would need to complete their work in the farthest reaches of the earth for life. Would people line up in droves to give to the work of a missionary that was translating the Bible into a new language for the purpose of reaching a whole culture for Christ? Some would, and some would not, yet millions of dollars per year are spent in this country to line the pockets of rich singers.
Another aspect that bothers me about much of this genre of music is that people seem to think that making a worldly lavish lifestyle for themselves by "selling God" is a good idea. When an artist calls their concert a "ministry" and then charges $50 to sing to you for a few hours, they are misusing the word "ministry". I see no scriptural basis for charging money to hear from God's servant.
Would we charge admission for a church service? No way, but it is accepted that we pay $100 or more for a seat to a conference featuring a nationally known speaker. Paul never demanded a set fee to speak about the Lord. The churches gave freely to him as they were led by God to do so. He did not, however, demand a 300 danarius speaking fee to the church at Corinth. The true servant of God's indeed knows that he is only a vessel chosen by God to speak the truth according to the Word of God. A worker truly is worthy of his wages, and a man who dedicates his life to serving the Lord does indeed have needs that must be met, but God promises that He will "supply all your needs according to His riches in glory". He doesn't promise new cars, fine clothes, and beautiful homes, indeed the only promise made to this type of servant in scripture is that he will have food and a roof over his head.
In my research as a Christian concert promoter, I realized that what I was doing was, I believe, wrong. I called one nationally known band and was given the figure of $25,000 for a 2 hour concert with the band. Another figure was actually much higher, starting price of $90,000. This has turned into a Hollywood style show, and has less and less to do with God, as far as I can see.
For the amount of money to put on SoulFest, I would dare say that you could supply a missionary family with everything they would need to complete their work in the farthest reaches of the earth for life. Would people line up in droves to give to the work of a missionary that was translating the Bible into a new language for the purpose of reaching a whole culture for Christ? Some would, and some would not, yet millions of dollars per year are spent in this country to line the pockets of rich singers.
Most churches spend more money on furnishings and flowers then would be needed to solely support a full time church planter in any area of the world. Is this what God had in mind when talking about tithes and offerings? I doubt it.
I say we carefully pray over where we spend our money. We should be good stewards of the finances God has given us. We need to make sure that all the money spent is going to God, not for our own personal interests. I love flowers, but I won't spend $50 for a bouquet to sit in front of the church and then tell a missionary looking for support that we can't afford to help them in theLord's work.
Yet again, I was meaning to share one thing, and have wandered onto another subject. I will write a little later about the song that came to me when thinking about writing tonight. Please feel free to comment about this subject and any others. I appreciate insight and other points of view. Next time will be more scripture, and less "pet peeves"
Mark
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Considering getting chicks soon, we got the bug!!
I was considering getting some more chickies. We really enjoy having them and I have had no luck finding started pullets that the shipping costs are not ridiculous on. Now I am just looking for some good stock. I usually use Ideal or Mt Healthy hatcheries. I avoid Murray McMurray for more than 1 issue, but really like Ideal. I have some Rhode Island Reds now and would like to have some new Plymouth or Barred Rocks and maybe some Easter Eggers. Might as well have some fun with new breeds while we are at it, and the cool colors of eggs really freak people out. They think they are dyed or something. I read on the internet that brown chickens lay brown eggs, and white chickens lay white eggs. What color chicken do they think lay green eggs, I wonder! Guess that just goes to show you can't trust everything you read online. Hope you have a great day.
Mark
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Another cold morning, reflections
I am so glad that I have not had to work outside in this cold weather this year very much. With all the warm days, the cold ones seem somehow colder. It reminds me of how we live in today's church. Often, church becomes a routine, a ritual that is held worldwide every Sunday morning. You can set your watch by the length of a sermon, list of song choices, etc. Then, much of the "church" goes out during the week into the bitter cold after being warmed by the fire of God's Word. Unfortunately, this is how some people see the experience, that you have to experience the cold to appreciate the warmth. Being cooped up in the house most of the week, I can tell you that being in the warmth for a long time leads to a desire to avoid the cold on purpose. Friend, you never have to go out into the cold again. You can take the light of God's Word and the warmth of Jesus' love with you wherever you go.
"What does that have to do with our Christian walk?", you may say. Well, in our schedules of work and play and appointments, family gatherings, we all experience times of discouragement and "cold" but we always have the joy of knowing Christ to remind us that life is not about us, but about Him. If Sunday is the only time your Bible is opened and the rest of the time you would just as soon watch the boob tube as talk about God, then you have a problem. It is like sitting in your home walking past the wood stove and never putting in wood and starting a fire. Would you wonder why it was cold? We have the spark, kindling, and firewood always at hand, be it a single person, married, widowed, or a dozen kids running around. The Word of God is light, it is the "fire" that keeps us on fire for God. We always have a "friend that sticks closer than a brother" to keep us warm, and all we have to do is ask Him to come along each step of the way with us.
Without the fire in our hearts to reach the lost for Jesus, we are just sitting on the sidelines wondering why God doesn't seem to work through us. We need to be broken vessels, allowing the potter's hand to craft us into what He has for our lives. Only after He has molded us into what He wants us to be can we hold the fire in our vessel to carry onto others. We cannot come to Him with our own desires and wants, but rather wishing only for His glory and honor to be fulfilled in our lives.
A lyric comes to mind from the song "Trust and Obey"
When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do His good will , He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey"
The other verses are also power packed with encouragement and joy for our lives. One line says "never fear, only trust and obey" What a promise we have in the Bible that "with Christ, all things are possible" and we can know that we need not fear, for the God of the universe that created all things and set the laws of physics, is able to do ALL things. That is a big word, and I hear it a lot in Scripture. It doesn't say most, a lot, or a majority, it says ALL. Unfortunately for our prideful hearts, in order for God to work in our lives we must also give ALL of ourselves to Him. Holding back our wants and wishes only hinders what God can do through us for His kingdom!
Let's face each day coming with the fire in our hearts, a vessel broken and spilled out of ourselves, and fashioned and filled with the Holy Spirit. Let the warmth of God show through to a cold and dying world. Cold is just an absence of heat, so let's light a fire in our homes, our towns, and our churches. It starts at home, and can spread like wildfire. If we are on fire, our spouses and children will catch the flame. Then, we can reach out to friends, neighbors, work associates. The children can help reach other children, at school(unless you home school like we do) or at play.
A scenario for you. If 100 people, a small church body, each led someone to Christ once a year, after 1 year you have 200. If all those light a fire in someone else, after 2 years you have 400. If those all reach one lost soul, after 3 years you would have 800. After 5 years you would have 3,200 Christians out there from 1 small body of 100. You could plant a new church every year, and infiltrate the world with home churches and small assemblies of believers, meeting not just on Sundays, but working together in their own communities to reach the lost.
In 10 years of every Christian reaching a friend, coworker, or family member, you would have over 100,000 Christians from this group of 100 faithful followers of Jesus' example of reaching out with the message of sin and salvation, of grace that will save souls from the fire of hell. As one of the 100, you could stand before God and hear"well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord" All it takes is dedication to winning 1 soul a year. How hard is that? God will have to do the saving, but we have been called to GO and preach. He can take it from there. What mighty things God can do with a little fire from 1 small community of dedicated followers of Him.
That thought should be adequate to stir up the fire in the most timid soul. We have all been called to reach the lost, not just the preacher or evangelist. Good News Clubs, vacation Bible school, Sunday School, and mostly our daily interactions with people are all opportunities to talk to someone about their need for a Savior. Unfortunately, many "church folk" have no fire at all in their own lives to share, or a desire to do anything but warm themselves by the fire. This is not what we were called for, but our own selfish desire to stay warm. The worst part is, if we bring no new wood for the fire (lost souls coming to Christ) the fire goes out and dies, leaving no warmth. If that same small church does not share the fire with at least 1 lost soul each over their time on this earth, the church grows smaller, not larger. Let's not sleep through the night and forget to bring more wood to our fire. Let's carry in wood by the armload until we have an inferno on our hands.
Will write more later, but I would recommend going to www.wayofthemaster.com if you want to learn more about being saved from sin and the promises of a home in heaven for eternity. Also visit the site to learn more about being equipped to reach the lost.
"What does that have to do with our Christian walk?", you may say. Well, in our schedules of work and play and appointments, family gatherings, we all experience times of discouragement and "cold" but we always have the joy of knowing Christ to remind us that life is not about us, but about Him. If Sunday is the only time your Bible is opened and the rest of the time you would just as soon watch the boob tube as talk about God, then you have a problem. It is like sitting in your home walking past the wood stove and never putting in wood and starting a fire. Would you wonder why it was cold? We have the spark, kindling, and firewood always at hand, be it a single person, married, widowed, or a dozen kids running around. The Word of God is light, it is the "fire" that keeps us on fire for God. We always have a "friend that sticks closer than a brother" to keep us warm, and all we have to do is ask Him to come along each step of the way with us.
Without the fire in our hearts to reach the lost for Jesus, we are just sitting on the sidelines wondering why God doesn't seem to work through us. We need to be broken vessels, allowing the potter's hand to craft us into what He has for our lives. Only after He has molded us into what He wants us to be can we hold the fire in our vessel to carry onto others. We cannot come to Him with our own desires and wants, but rather wishing only for His glory and honor to be fulfilled in our lives.
A lyric comes to mind from the song "Trust and Obey"
When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do His good will , He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey"
The other verses are also power packed with encouragement and joy for our lives. One line says "never fear, only trust and obey" What a promise we have in the Bible that "with Christ, all things are possible" and we can know that we need not fear, for the God of the universe that created all things and set the laws of physics, is able to do ALL things. That is a big word, and I hear it a lot in Scripture. It doesn't say most, a lot, or a majority, it says ALL. Unfortunately for our prideful hearts, in order for God to work in our lives we must also give ALL of ourselves to Him. Holding back our wants and wishes only hinders what God can do through us for His kingdom!
Let's face each day coming with the fire in our hearts, a vessel broken and spilled out of ourselves, and fashioned and filled with the Holy Spirit. Let the warmth of God show through to a cold and dying world. Cold is just an absence of heat, so let's light a fire in our homes, our towns, and our churches. It starts at home, and can spread like wildfire. If we are on fire, our spouses and children will catch the flame. Then, we can reach out to friends, neighbors, work associates. The children can help reach other children, at school(unless you home school like we do) or at play.
A scenario for you. If 100 people, a small church body, each led someone to Christ once a year, after 1 year you have 200. If all those light a fire in someone else, after 2 years you have 400. If those all reach one lost soul, after 3 years you would have 800. After 5 years you would have 3,200 Christians out there from 1 small body of 100. You could plant a new church every year, and infiltrate the world with home churches and small assemblies of believers, meeting not just on Sundays, but working together in their own communities to reach the lost.
In 10 years of every Christian reaching a friend, coworker, or family member, you would have over 100,000 Christians from this group of 100 faithful followers of Jesus' example of reaching out with the message of sin and salvation, of grace that will save souls from the fire of hell. As one of the 100, you could stand before God and hear"well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord" All it takes is dedication to winning 1 soul a year. How hard is that? God will have to do the saving, but we have been called to GO and preach. He can take it from there. What mighty things God can do with a little fire from 1 small community of dedicated followers of Him.
That thought should be adequate to stir up the fire in the most timid soul. We have all been called to reach the lost, not just the preacher or evangelist. Good News Clubs, vacation Bible school, Sunday School, and mostly our daily interactions with people are all opportunities to talk to someone about their need for a Savior. Unfortunately, many "church folk" have no fire at all in their own lives to share, or a desire to do anything but warm themselves by the fire. This is not what we were called for, but our own selfish desire to stay warm. The worst part is, if we bring no new wood for the fire (lost souls coming to Christ) the fire goes out and dies, leaving no warmth. If that same small church does not share the fire with at least 1 lost soul each over their time on this earth, the church grows smaller, not larger. Let's not sleep through the night and forget to bring more wood to our fire. Let's carry in wood by the armload until we have an inferno on our hands.
Will write more later, but I would recommend going to www.wayofthemaster.com if you want to learn more about being saved from sin and the promises of a home in heaven for eternity. Also visit the site to learn more about being equipped to reach the lost.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Go into all the world, but don't tell the kids?!?
The need for evangelism is never so present in my mind as when we are caring for foster kids. We work in the Good News Club as a family, reaching kids in public schools, and the public in general, with the message of the gospel of Christ Jesus. In this avenue of our lives, we are expected to speak boldly the saving work of Jesus on the cross. No one would expect us to bridle our tongue in the setting of an evangelistic meeting. Yet, in the role we have taken on in fostering children from broken homes, we are expected to allow them to live like they lived at home, with no religious influence on any side. This has always been a quandary to me. They are taken from their birth parents and placed with us for issues of neglect or abuse usually, so I would think that we should definitely NOT treat them like they were treated at home.
In "training" to be a foster parent in the state of Maine, we have to attend classes and take tests, much of which is psychobabble and learning how to do the paperwork, all in order to be approved to provide care for children. There is no real training about parenting, so it should be called orientation. Since we have 3 children of our own, one would think that we would be qualified already, wouldn't you? So, in order to keep our license, which is going to expire in a month, we have been told to take more classes given by the state. We have no time or energy to complete any classes. Wouldn't you think that if you were approved to be "parents" that you would continue to be qualified without further training? I would. I also don't think there is much to learn from the state about how to raise children. I prefer the Word of God as a textbook, not some socialistic, atheist opinion of what children need or how to discipline them. What better authority to consult on how to raise those that the Bible calls "blessings" and "the fruit of the womb"
They tell us that we are not supposed to push our "religion" on the kids. This is one of the issues that causes such stress. If we truly care for children, and we do, then we would reasonably be expected to protect them. Part of protecting them is to let them know more about God and Jesus and their need for a savior. I would have to say that some kids are not capable of understanding, but that is up to God, not us to decide. In my opinion, to avoid talking about God, reading our Bible as a family, and living as the Lord would have us do, is to say that it is unimportant to us to live as we believe. So then, we have decided to live according to the way we ought, and if the consequence is to lose our license, then so be it. We will not compromise our family and our relationship with God to keep the state happy. That should be a given.
Herein lies the problem. Can the two sides both be done properly. Of course we can be good parents by living as God has commanded us to live. We cannot properly do our "job" according to the government, as they disagree with "proselytizing" children. So, where do you go from here? We still don't know. I would say that we have no intention of continuing to take classes and live as the state prescribes, but we do have children now that need a home and we will continue to provide it.
We will provide them with shelter, clothing, food, and treat them like our own children, and part of that is to instruct them in the ways of God. If that costs us our "job" then so be it. We must take a stand and be willing to suffer the consequences. How ironic that being a parent, a job that the state considers to be an act of natural design, with no real qualifications other than being able to carry and deliver a baby, could be taken away on the basis of a belief in morals, values, and a desire to follow the one that created us.
So, pray that this situation resolves itself. Either from being allowed to live as we know we should, or for the children in our care to be returned to a safe and happy home shortly. We will enjoy them while they are here, and pray for them long after they are gone. That is what I think the Lord would have us to do.
Mark
In "training" to be a foster parent in the state of Maine, we have to attend classes and take tests, much of which is psychobabble and learning how to do the paperwork, all in order to be approved to provide care for children. There is no real training about parenting, so it should be called orientation. Since we have 3 children of our own, one would think that we would be qualified already, wouldn't you? So, in order to keep our license, which is going to expire in a month, we have been told to take more classes given by the state. We have no time or energy to complete any classes. Wouldn't you think that if you were approved to be "parents" that you would continue to be qualified without further training? I would. I also don't think there is much to learn from the state about how to raise children. I prefer the Word of God as a textbook, not some socialistic, atheist opinion of what children need or how to discipline them. What better authority to consult on how to raise those that the Bible calls "blessings" and "the fruit of the womb"
They tell us that we are not supposed to push our "religion" on the kids. This is one of the issues that causes such stress. If we truly care for children, and we do, then we would reasonably be expected to protect them. Part of protecting them is to let them know more about God and Jesus and their need for a savior. I would have to say that some kids are not capable of understanding, but that is up to God, not us to decide. In my opinion, to avoid talking about God, reading our Bible as a family, and living as the Lord would have us do, is to say that it is unimportant to us to live as we believe. So then, we have decided to live according to the way we ought, and if the consequence is to lose our license, then so be it. We will not compromise our family and our relationship with God to keep the state happy. That should be a given.
Herein lies the problem. Can the two sides both be done properly. Of course we can be good parents by living as God has commanded us to live. We cannot properly do our "job" according to the government, as they disagree with "proselytizing" children. So, where do you go from here? We still don't know. I would say that we have no intention of continuing to take classes and live as the state prescribes, but we do have children now that need a home and we will continue to provide it.
We will provide them with shelter, clothing, food, and treat them like our own children, and part of that is to instruct them in the ways of God. If that costs us our "job" then so be it. We must take a stand and be willing to suffer the consequences. How ironic that being a parent, a job that the state considers to be an act of natural design, with no real qualifications other than being able to carry and deliver a baby, could be taken away on the basis of a belief in morals, values, and a desire to follow the one that created us.
So, pray that this situation resolves itself. Either from being allowed to live as we know we should, or for the children in our care to be returned to a safe and happy home shortly. We will enjoy them while they are here, and pray for them long after they are gone. That is what I think the Lord would have us to do.
Mark
Monday, January 14, 2008
The hens, they aren't a-layin'
We have two different ages of hens in the hen house. One batch is Rhode Island Reds that were hatched March 19, 2007. They started laying in September, but have slacked off a bit in the cold weather and shorter length of daylight this time of year. They are beautiful birds, and were in the same hatch as our rooster, a Buff Cornish.
The other hens are some that were given to us by an organic egg farm. These folks are people we know and get some produce from. They took the older hens to auction after a couple years laying, as they begin laying larger eggs, and laying less often. The auction was full of chickens that day, so they didn't sell. She offered them to us for stew hens if we wanted, but we didn't really want to do any butchering. In the following week, we got an average of 4 eggs per hen, so we decided to just keep them on for layers. I like larger eggs and don't need to get an egg every day from every hen.
This batch of older hens we got in October of 2006, so they are now about 3 1/2-4 years old. Some Barred Rocks, but mostly Red Stars. The Red Stars, being a production egg breed, stop laying after a few years of laying. They are just all used up. They also have almost no meat on them, so they are kind of useless to process. I may just shoot them or give them to someone who wants a pet, but doesn't care about the eggs.
So, we are going to hatch/buy a new run of layers next month or so. If I could get some locally, I would buy started pullets, but the kids really like raising babies, so I may just go with day old chicks for the fun of it. Either way, they won't lay until they are 4-6 months old, so we won't be getting any eggs at all out of them until summer. Starting now would be best for future eggs, but keeping them warm and having a brooder to deal with this time of year is difficult.
I would need to get a thermostatically regulated heat lamp. I could get the thermostat switch hooked up, but it costs about 50 bucks, and that seems a bit of money to spend. If we don't do that, then we need to check often to make sure it isn't too cool or too hot for the little fuzzballs. Maintaining the right temp is more difficult than one might think. I guess I just need to go ahead and get the switch, as we will be raising many more chicks in the future and it sure would make my life easier.
Now, I just need to figure out which breeds to go with. Nathaniel would like some prettier breeds, I love heritage breeds and want consistent egg production. Virginia would like a chicken to keep in her room as a pet( this is not going to happen) and Sara is finally getting used to the idea that chickens are here to stay and she just needs to get used to it. She isn't scared of them, she just is horrified to think that they may jump on her or chase her. Naomi thinks chickens are fun to watch, but has not had a personal experience with one yet, so we shall see how that goes. The foster kids like the chickens and I think little chicks to play with may help them feel more at home, too.
Will write later on about how we decide to proceed.
Mark
The other hens are some that were given to us by an organic egg farm. These folks are people we know and get some produce from. They took the older hens to auction after a couple years laying, as they begin laying larger eggs, and laying less often. The auction was full of chickens that day, so they didn't sell. She offered them to us for stew hens if we wanted, but we didn't really want to do any butchering. In the following week, we got an average of 4 eggs per hen, so we decided to just keep them on for layers. I like larger eggs and don't need to get an egg every day from every hen.
This batch of older hens we got in October of 2006, so they are now about 3 1/2-4 years old. Some Barred Rocks, but mostly Red Stars. The Red Stars, being a production egg breed, stop laying after a few years of laying. They are just all used up. They also have almost no meat on them, so they are kind of useless to process. I may just shoot them or give them to someone who wants a pet, but doesn't care about the eggs.
So, we are going to hatch/buy a new run of layers next month or so. If I could get some locally, I would buy started pullets, but the kids really like raising babies, so I may just go with day old chicks for the fun of it. Either way, they won't lay until they are 4-6 months old, so we won't be getting any eggs at all out of them until summer. Starting now would be best for future eggs, but keeping them warm and having a brooder to deal with this time of year is difficult.
I would need to get a thermostatically regulated heat lamp. I could get the thermostat switch hooked up, but it costs about 50 bucks, and that seems a bit of money to spend. If we don't do that, then we need to check often to make sure it isn't too cool or too hot for the little fuzzballs. Maintaining the right temp is more difficult than one might think. I guess I just need to go ahead and get the switch, as we will be raising many more chicks in the future and it sure would make my life easier.
Now, I just need to figure out which breeds to go with. Nathaniel would like some prettier breeds, I love heritage breeds and want consistent egg production. Virginia would like a chicken to keep in her room as a pet( this is not going to happen) and Sara is finally getting used to the idea that chickens are here to stay and she just needs to get used to it. She isn't scared of them, she just is horrified to think that they may jump on her or chase her. Naomi thinks chickens are fun to watch, but has not had a personal experience with one yet, so we shall see how that goes. The foster kids like the chickens and I think little chicks to play with may help them feel more at home, too.
Will write later on about how we decide to proceed.
Mark
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Seed catalogs have arrived
I am so excited to see the latest catalogs. Most of my farm type catalogs are a year or more old. I only get new catalogs when I buy new stuff, and that is not often. I am cheap, or thrifty, whichever term tickles your fancy. Anywho, I got the Burgess, Burpee, and Johnny's seed catalogs in the last week or so. I would love input from Zone 5ers as to what grows best in this area. We will be doing some corn, potatoes, greens, peas, melons, carrots, radishes, broccoli, cukes, zucchini, and some others I must have forgotten.
This year we grew our garden size a bit. I planted a garden, and it grew!! We should be able to grow enough this year to supply our veggies for the whole summer and a lot of the winter, too. I pruned the apple trees at Sara's parents house, so this year we should get some better growth there, with less obstacles to deal with. We will also be planting pear and apple trees here, and harvest our wild raspberries that grow quite well out back.
We spoke with the code enforcement officer here in town and asked about specifics on raising animals and selling food. He said we would have to get a permit to sell chickens, even live, and that they would come out and talk to the neighbors. We were on the fence about selling anyways. We have a client lined up that would buy a lot of chickens, but we would have to pay $100 for a permit to sell off site, the town would be involved(we all know that can be a pain) and we would rather be homesteaders that provide for ourselves more than a chicken farm. We don't really have the room, so we decided to just grow our own, some extra for bartering, but none to actually sell. We may raise some for a friend, but not on a scale that makes life difficult for us.
This will leave us with more time for something else. We want a sheep or two, maybe a goat this year to see which we like better. This will be our first run at raising goats and sheep. I like eating lamb, but have never had goat meat. Gotta try it sometime, and if I hate it, we will have had a good time learning about them. The kids are always wanting to do some new animal project. They want a dog, but I want a useful critter, and I don't need anything guarded.
I am not quite so prepared for spring as I once thought, but I am excited to see what will come of it all. When the "pasture" is good enough for a cow to raise 3-5 months for a baby beef, we will be able to raise all the meat we will need ourselves. Guess it is time to go walk around, making plans in my head and re-figuring my figures to see where I can save a buck or two. Should be fun.
Mark
This year we grew our garden size a bit. I planted a garden, and it grew!! We should be able to grow enough this year to supply our veggies for the whole summer and a lot of the winter, too. I pruned the apple trees at Sara's parents house, so this year we should get some better growth there, with less obstacles to deal with. We will also be planting pear and apple trees here, and harvest our wild raspberries that grow quite well out back.
We spoke with the code enforcement officer here in town and asked about specifics on raising animals and selling food. He said we would have to get a permit to sell chickens, even live, and that they would come out and talk to the neighbors. We were on the fence about selling anyways. We have a client lined up that would buy a lot of chickens, but we would have to pay $100 for a permit to sell off site, the town would be involved(we all know that can be a pain) and we would rather be homesteaders that provide for ourselves more than a chicken farm. We don't really have the room, so we decided to just grow our own, some extra for bartering, but none to actually sell. We may raise some for a friend, but not on a scale that makes life difficult for us.
This will leave us with more time for something else. We want a sheep or two, maybe a goat this year to see which we like better. This will be our first run at raising goats and sheep. I like eating lamb, but have never had goat meat. Gotta try it sometime, and if I hate it, we will have had a good time learning about them. The kids are always wanting to do some new animal project. They want a dog, but I want a useful critter, and I don't need anything guarded.
I am not quite so prepared for spring as I once thought, but I am excited to see what will come of it all. When the "pasture" is good enough for a cow to raise 3-5 months for a baby beef, we will be able to raise all the meat we will need ourselves. Guess it is time to go walk around, making plans in my head and re-figuring my figures to see where I can save a buck or two. Should be fun.
Mark
The good and the bad of Google Adsense
Well, it seems I have to tweak a few settings and get a bit more savvy with my Adsense ads. I just blindly allowed Google for content to search my site and come up with relevant ads. Unfortunately, most of my content was about false teachings and the problems with many modern day churches. This led to a seriously scary lot of ads on MY site, most of which led people to believe that I endorsed these sites. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, most of these ads seem very interesting (they have crafty writers) even to me, yet lead to teachings that are completely against what the Bible says on many subjects. One told me that the church age is over, and that Jesus is coming back in the fall of 2011. Guess we had better get to work reaching the lost, we only have less than 4 years to go.
So, please click on the ads on my site for Google pack, Firefox, and other computer related items as I can target specific companies to work with, and they pay me if you click on them. Avoid the religious ones, as I think they will usually be a load of bunk. Sure, it isn't much money, but every little bit counts. I know people that click on other folks blog ads even without interest in the ad. Why would they do that? Because it is big business. You could help buy food for our family of 8 by reading my blog, how about that!
Mark
So, please click on the ads on my site for Google pack, Firefox, and other computer related items as I can target specific companies to work with, and they pay me if you click on them. Avoid the religious ones, as I think they will usually be a load of bunk. Sure, it isn't much money, but every little bit counts. I know people that click on other folks blog ads even without interest in the ad. Why would they do that? Because it is big business. You could help buy food for our family of 8 by reading my blog, how about that!
Mark
What a beautiful day , too bad the van is back in the shop.
OK, so last I wrote, I was talking about our wonderful rooster that needed to learn a lesson about who is the boss around here. He seems to have taken the schooling well. The kids are having fun learning about chickens and really love the rabbit. He has been in the house more in the last few days than in the last couple months. I have not met too many kids yet that will not warm up to a nice bunny, fluffy and cuddly. Doc (the rabbit) does get a bit nervous around younger kids as they love to handle him more than he is used to.
After picking up the kids last night, shuffling everyone around(being without enough seats) Sara noticed that the brakes on the van felt squishy. Upon my further investigation, we seem to have broken a brake line and have some leakage. We have decided to not buy something just yet and see how the Lord provides.
It is easy to take the wheel(pun intended) and just go into debt to buy a new van that will make everything better, but I am learning to have some patience. Unfortunately, the only way to work patience is to be tried over and over and have to wait a lot on what God does in our lives. I prayed for patience years ago, and I am sick of waiting for it! Honestly, even though it is hard for me to not just go out and fix everything, I know that God will lead us if we take the time to seek His will and wait on Him to show us.
Mark
After picking up the kids last night, shuffling everyone around(being without enough seats) Sara noticed that the brakes on the van felt squishy. Upon my further investigation, we seem to have broken a brake line and have some leakage. We have decided to not buy something just yet and see how the Lord provides.
It is easy to take the wheel(pun intended) and just go into debt to buy a new van that will make everything better, but I am learning to have some patience. Unfortunately, the only way to work patience is to be tried over and over and have to wait a lot on what God does in our lives. I prayed for patience years ago, and I am sick of waiting for it! Honestly, even though it is hard for me to not just go out and fix everything, I know that God will lead us if we take the time to seek His will and wait on Him to show us.
Mark
Friday, January 11, 2008
A semi normal day ahead
With all that has gone on around here the last few days, I have been way behind. We are reading through the Bible in 90 days, and were plugging away just fine until Tuesday. We have missed out on reading, and I blame myself for not making it the highest priority. I have been able to get into the Word daily, but not keep schedule with our reading.
With the new kids, who have never been exposed to any idea of God, the talks with them have been interesting, to say the least. They are going to do their best to avoid going to church with us, but if they are going to live in this house, they will do what we do. Today is the first day they all went to school. We have our regular Friday schedule after that. School work, chores, lunch, playgroup. That is what we used to consider a very full day. With 2 trips to school daily for Sara, the schedule is getting full fast.
On top of it all, our rooster has lost his mind. He thought it was a good idea to come flying at me the other night in the coop. I was going to get eggs and he didn't want me in the box, I guess. he came flying and grabbed my shirt. I grabbed him by the throat and reminded him who was the king of the roost. He is getting pretty big, probably make a nice Sunday dinner if he isn't careful.
Continue to pray for our family as we adjust to all the new things going on, and pray that we keep the Lord at the forefront of our lives. We press on each day knowing that we are doing what God would have us do. We hope to be able to help children come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, day in and day out. Sometimes we hit a bump in the road, but we must maintain the course. If the worst persecution we have to endure is kids who don't want to go to church, we have it pretty easy. Paul and Silas would be singing at a time like this, and our family loves music, so we will be trying to follow their lead as we go.
Mark
With the new kids, who have never been exposed to any idea of God, the talks with them have been interesting, to say the least. They are going to do their best to avoid going to church with us, but if they are going to live in this house, they will do what we do. Today is the first day they all went to school. We have our regular Friday schedule after that. School work, chores, lunch, playgroup. That is what we used to consider a very full day. With 2 trips to school daily for Sara, the schedule is getting full fast.
On top of it all, our rooster has lost his mind. He thought it was a good idea to come flying at me the other night in the coop. I was going to get eggs and he didn't want me in the box, I guess. he came flying and grabbed my shirt. I grabbed him by the throat and reminded him who was the king of the roost. He is getting pretty big, probably make a nice Sunday dinner if he isn't careful.
Continue to pray for our family as we adjust to all the new things going on, and pray that we keep the Lord at the forefront of our lives. We press on each day knowing that we are doing what God would have us do. We hope to be able to help children come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, day in and day out. Sometimes we hit a bump in the road, but we must maintain the course. If the worst persecution we have to endure is kids who don't want to go to church, we have it pretty easy. Paul and Silas would be singing at a time like this, and our family loves music, so we will be trying to follow their lead as we go.
Mark
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Gonna need a bigger van
Well, it's official. We need a bigger van. Our household is now 8 people, and that doesn't fit in the mini van. We have a truck that seats 6, a minivan that seats 7, 1 driver, and we need some direction. We are not going to go out and buy a larger van tomorrow, but as things progress, we will need to find another way to get where we are going. We have been praying about what to do about a vehicle for some time now and decided recently to get our minivan fixed. It had some serious brake issues and some other minor problems to get fixed. We got the call today that it was all done. Now we have put quite a bit of money into the van and it isn't big enough for the family. ARGHH!
So, keep us in prayer that God will show us what to do. We could easily rush in and get a loan for a new van, but I don't believe God is leading us to go into debt. We spent all our cash on getting the van fixed, and I haven't worked in 3 weeks, with no more work for a week or two at least.
It is times like this, when we feel so out of control that we need to remember that we are not IN control. God tells us that He will supply all our needs, not our wants or desires. Since our only real need is salvation, I have nothing to complain about. We are blessed with a great marriage, wonderful children, the opportunity to help children in hard times, a home that is warm and stocked with plenty of food. I feel kind of selfish posting about the desire for a van, but I want to be honest about what is on my mind.
We just need to pray that we have patience and vision to see how God is working in our lives. He has given us far more than we deserve. We praise Him for all He has done for us.
Blessed beyond measure
Mark
So, keep us in prayer that God will show us what to do. We could easily rush in and get a loan for a new van, but I don't believe God is leading us to go into debt. We spent all our cash on getting the van fixed, and I haven't worked in 3 weeks, with no more work for a week or two at least.
It is times like this, when we feel so out of control that we need to remember that we are not IN control. God tells us that He will supply all our needs, not our wants or desires. Since our only real need is salvation, I have nothing to complain about. We are blessed with a great marriage, wonderful children, the opportunity to help children in hard times, a home that is warm and stocked with plenty of food. I feel kind of selfish posting about the desire for a van, but I want to be honest about what is on my mind.
We just need to pray that we have patience and vision to see how God is working in our lives. He has given us far more than we deserve. We praise Him for all He has done for us.
Blessed beyond measure
Mark
Peculiar people, yeah we got them!
Well, Good News Club went well. We didn't have a great turnout, but the lesson went well. We encouraged the kids to bring a friend next time. We have a large family that comes and brings all their kids, but many of the others are hit or miss. We try to keep positive, but the fact is that in this day and age, many parents are hard hearted about the things of God. Many wouldn't let their kids come because it is inconvenient to have to pick them up at school rather than ride the bus. Others just don't want us Bible thumpers polluting the minds of their little ones with the truth, a God that created the world rather than the fallacy of evolution. I get frustrated.
Speaking with a young lady this evening, we were referred to as weird and not normal because Sara and the girls wear dresses. Sure, I guess a woman dressing like a woman could be construed as weird in this twisted society we live in. I guess I forget that the world is a very anti-Christian place. The world took the Son of God and crucified Him because He was weird. He convinced them of their sin and they were not comfortable with that so He had to die.
When talking with some other kids today, they told us that they just weren't "into church and that stuff" and it saddened me to think that they had been raised to think of church as some social club that they could just reject out of sheer ignorance of the importance of why we "do church". Maybe they feel that way because no one has ever shown them the reality and love of Christ that would transform their lives and give them direction.
We were created by God for His purposes, His glory and honor. That is indeed why we are even here. It is for God that we live. As Paul said "for me to live is Christ, to die is gain" We are to be "set apart" and "peculiar people" and I guess we are doing OK on that front. I don't wish to make light of it, but it actually comforting to me to know that people see something different in us. It is the calling of every Christian to be more like Christ and less like the world. It isn't easy to be whispered about, looked at oddly, but we are going to continue to keep our eyes focused on the cross and not turn back to the world just for the sake of acceptance.
Til next time
"the weird guy"
Speaking with a young lady this evening, we were referred to as weird and not normal because Sara and the girls wear dresses. Sure, I guess a woman dressing like a woman could be construed as weird in this twisted society we live in. I guess I forget that the world is a very anti-Christian place. The world took the Son of God and crucified Him because He was weird. He convinced them of their sin and they were not comfortable with that so He had to die.
When talking with some other kids today, they told us that they just weren't "into church and that stuff" and it saddened me to think that they had been raised to think of church as some social club that they could just reject out of sheer ignorance of the importance of why we "do church". Maybe they feel that way because no one has ever shown them the reality and love of Christ that would transform their lives and give them direction.
We were created by God for His purposes, His glory and honor. That is indeed why we are even here. It is for God that we live. As Paul said "for me to live is Christ, to die is gain" We are to be "set apart" and "peculiar people" and I guess we are doing OK on that front. I don't wish to make light of it, but it actually comforting to me to know that people see something different in us. It is the calling of every Christian to be more like Christ and less like the world. It isn't easy to be whispered about, looked at oddly, but we are going to continue to keep our eyes focused on the cross and not turn back to the world just for the sake of acceptance.
Til next time
"the weird guy"
Busy day, doubled our children today
Well, as foster parents, you never know what will happen on any given day. We got a call last night to take 2 kids in. That number has now become 3, all siblings. So, this morning became the "house cleaning,meet with caseworker, and rush around rearranging everything family circus"
So, we will have our first Good News Club in 3 weeks today. We have been studying David as he grew from shepherd boy to king. Today, we talk about Saul and Jonathan, Saul trying to kill David. Sara has been teaching the kids lessons, and I have been the disciplinarian. With a 9 month old that is walking and babbling, we have our hands full with them, our own kids, and those who attend the club.
I am so excited to see the kids again. We got presents from one of our GNC kids family for Christmas. That was so nice, but the card that came with the gifts was better. They thanked us for teaching the Bible to their children. Even though the family is unsaved, they see the need for a Savior, and that is a good step. Please pray for the kids we minister to, and the families they represent. Many of the kids seem to know facts and stories from the Bible, but have no real knowledge beyond that. We give a clear gospel presentation often, and the whole goal of this club is to win souls for Christ. So please keep us and them in mind and in prayer. We know that God is working in their lives and we pray that some will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
It is great sitting in a public school classroom with public school kids, teaching the Bible, without having to censor ourselves. The freedom of this country is such a blessing, however, it also is a cause for us to continue to reassess our commitment to sharing the gospel with everyone. Too often, the church has become stagnant and comfortable in our ways, and forget that there is a world full of people lost and headed for a real and literal hell. I am reminded of a quote from Matthew Henry
"I would think it a greater happiness to gain one soul to Christ than
mountains of silver and gold to myself."
There is joy in seeing a sinner come to repentance. There is an awesome happiness in seeing a child realize that they need a Savior, and come rushing into the arms of the one that died so that they might live. Hallelujah, what a Savior! The thought of a child getting saved just makes me want to jump out of my seat. We are blessed to be able to go to the school and reach these kids.
On that note, I have to run for now. I will, no doubt be busy with 3 new kids in the house this evening, so we will see if I can write again later.
Mark
So, we will have our first Good News Club in 3 weeks today. We have been studying David as he grew from shepherd boy to king. Today, we talk about Saul and Jonathan, Saul trying to kill David. Sara has been teaching the kids lessons, and I have been the disciplinarian. With a 9 month old that is walking and babbling, we have our hands full with them, our own kids, and those who attend the club.
I am so excited to see the kids again. We got presents from one of our GNC kids family for Christmas. That was so nice, but the card that came with the gifts was better. They thanked us for teaching the Bible to their children. Even though the family is unsaved, they see the need for a Savior, and that is a good step. Please pray for the kids we minister to, and the families they represent. Many of the kids seem to know facts and stories from the Bible, but have no real knowledge beyond that. We give a clear gospel presentation often, and the whole goal of this club is to win souls for Christ. So please keep us and them in mind and in prayer. We know that God is working in their lives and we pray that some will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
It is great sitting in a public school classroom with public school kids, teaching the Bible, without having to censor ourselves. The freedom of this country is such a blessing, however, it also is a cause for us to continue to reassess our commitment to sharing the gospel with everyone. Too often, the church has become stagnant and comfortable in our ways, and forget that there is a world full of people lost and headed for a real and literal hell. I am reminded of a quote from Matthew Henry
"I would think it a greater happiness to gain one soul to Christ than
mountains of silver and gold to myself."
There is joy in seeing a sinner come to repentance. There is an awesome happiness in seeing a child realize that they need a Savior, and come rushing into the arms of the one that died so that they might live. Hallelujah, what a Savior! The thought of a child getting saved just makes me want to jump out of my seat. We are blessed to be able to go to the school and reach these kids.
On that note, I have to run for now. I will, no doubt be busy with 3 new kids in the house this evening, so we will see if I can write again later.
Mark
Monday, January 7, 2008
Romans 6- Bible Study
Romans 6:1-2 says "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
I have been thinking about this passage for a few days. It was brought back to me yesterday at church when a young father was handing out a book to each family that had blessed him, and so he wanted to share it with others. It is simply titled "The eagle story". This book, through divine coincidence(God is so good) uses Romans 6 and 8, along with other passages, to talk about how we become comfortable with sin and ensnared in the trap of temptation.
It tells the story of an eagle who is always on the alert, watching out for danger, and sees a new rock one day to perch on. He is skeptical at first, and then after a while, decided to check it out. Within a short period of time, he is comfortable perching on this rock, it feels safe, and he sees no danger. Days later, the eagle comes to his new found perch and there are fish, just laying there as if served to him on a platter. He becomes complacent and sees no danger in free food, so he gets used to the idea of free fish. On the story goes as the trap is set, piece by piece, all the while becoming more comfortable, even established in the routine that started with just a simple rock to perch upon. He doesn't even see the snare coming, he has let his guard down and feels very comfortable in a very dangerous situation.
The book then goes on to tell about how the eagle is trapped, now without the freedom he once enjoyed. He doesn't know how he got there, but he knows in his heart that he could have avoided this dangerous trap if he had kept his guard up and not gotten lazy in his thinking.
How often do we, as Christians, get caught up in the simple traps of sin and temptation. It is not wrong to be tempted. We are told in James 1 "Blessed is the man that endured temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of live, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him." Temptation consists of many traps from the devil, who "as a lion, roars about, seeking whom he may devour" We sometimes miss the simple things, those things that on the outside seem harmless, but in the end bring our destruction.
I challenge all those who claim the name of Jesus Christ to study up in the Word of God, to be ready for battle as Paul tells about putting on the armor or God. We truly are in a battle against Satan and his demons. We know in the end that God will emerge victorious, indeed the battle is already won, how much more should we desire to have a part in that victory over sin. This victory is only accomplished, however, through the power over death and sin that Jesus established on the cross and through His resurrection.
We need to put on the helmet of salvation first. We much honestly search out our own hearts to see that we indeed are saved. Being sold out for Jesus is just the first step in our journey. If you have no desire to engage in this battle, and would rather sit on the rock eating free fish, you may need to search deep in your soul to see if you truly are even on the right team. If you disregard the Bible, and consider it unnecessary for your daily provision, then you may have become entirely too comfortable in the trap of sin, as our eagle friend.
Romans 6 tells a terrible story, one that I see happening within the churches today. We continue in sin, looking to popular opinion and tradition, rather than to God through His Word, for our instruction. Sometimes we don't even see it coming, because Satan is crafty, devious, and sneaky. He creeps in where we don't see him coming. We need to always be on our guard.
I will continue this passage later, but for now the sun is shining, and there is work to do. Until next time,
Mark
I have been thinking about this passage for a few days. It was brought back to me yesterday at church when a young father was handing out a book to each family that had blessed him, and so he wanted to share it with others. It is simply titled "The eagle story". This book, through divine coincidence(God is so good) uses Romans 6 and 8, along with other passages, to talk about how we become comfortable with sin and ensnared in the trap of temptation.
It tells the story of an eagle who is always on the alert, watching out for danger, and sees a new rock one day to perch on. He is skeptical at first, and then after a while, decided to check it out. Within a short period of time, he is comfortable perching on this rock, it feels safe, and he sees no danger. Days later, the eagle comes to his new found perch and there are fish, just laying there as if served to him on a platter. He becomes complacent and sees no danger in free food, so he gets used to the idea of free fish. On the story goes as the trap is set, piece by piece, all the while becoming more comfortable, even established in the routine that started with just a simple rock to perch upon. He doesn't even see the snare coming, he has let his guard down and feels very comfortable in a very dangerous situation.
The book then goes on to tell about how the eagle is trapped, now without the freedom he once enjoyed. He doesn't know how he got there, but he knows in his heart that he could have avoided this dangerous trap if he had kept his guard up and not gotten lazy in his thinking.
How often do we, as Christians, get caught up in the simple traps of sin and temptation. It is not wrong to be tempted. We are told in James 1 "Blessed is the man that endured temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of live, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him." Temptation consists of many traps from the devil, who "as a lion, roars about, seeking whom he may devour" We sometimes miss the simple things, those things that on the outside seem harmless, but in the end bring our destruction.
I challenge all those who claim the name of Jesus Christ to study up in the Word of God, to be ready for battle as Paul tells about putting on the armor or God. We truly are in a battle against Satan and his demons. We know in the end that God will emerge victorious, indeed the battle is already won, how much more should we desire to have a part in that victory over sin. This victory is only accomplished, however, through the power over death and sin that Jesus established on the cross and through His resurrection.
We need to put on the helmet of salvation first. We much honestly search out our own hearts to see that we indeed are saved. Being sold out for Jesus is just the first step in our journey. If you have no desire to engage in this battle, and would rather sit on the rock eating free fish, you may need to search deep in your soul to see if you truly are even on the right team. If you disregard the Bible, and consider it unnecessary for your daily provision, then you may have become entirely too comfortable in the trap of sin, as our eagle friend.
Romans 6 tells a terrible story, one that I see happening within the churches today. We continue in sin, looking to popular opinion and tradition, rather than to God through His Word, for our instruction. Sometimes we don't even see it coming, because Satan is crafty, devious, and sneaky. He creeps in where we don't see him coming. We need to always be on our guard.
I will continue this passage later, but for now the sun is shining, and there is work to do. Until next time,
Mark
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Suggestions welcome!
I have been playing around with all the settings and trying to get AdSense working on the blog, so let me know if any of the changes you see are repulsive. Comments on the repulsiveness of my face are not allowed, thank you very much. There are some things a computer can never fix.
With all the things going through my head tonight, it is amazing that I can even type. Sara has left it to me to take care of everything technological in nature, which means that when the computer doesn't do exactly as we wish, I have to get out the rubber hammer and persuade it to do as I command. They say that computers are only as smart as the operator, but if the recent operation of this aging wonder is any indication of my intellect, I may need to redo Kindergarten.
Ah, all is well that ends well. The chores for the day are done, and we are getting ready for worship at the chapel tomorrow. We do quite a bit of work on Saturday so that we can just relax and go to church and not have to worry about laundry or any other work. We can take the whole day to marvel in all God has done for us. Sunday is no doubt my favorite day of the week.
I look forward to the encouragement and challenges that I will no doubt see in the services tomorrow. God has really been teaching me a lot lately and I just hope that I continue to learn at the feet of the Master. The blessings of God are truly new every morning, and great is the faithfulness of our Lord.
Mark
With all the things going through my head tonight, it is amazing that I can even type. Sara has left it to me to take care of everything technological in nature, which means that when the computer doesn't do exactly as we wish, I have to get out the rubber hammer and persuade it to do as I command. They say that computers are only as smart as the operator, but if the recent operation of this aging wonder is any indication of my intellect, I may need to redo Kindergarten.
Ah, all is well that ends well. The chores for the day are done, and we are getting ready for worship at the chapel tomorrow. We do quite a bit of work on Saturday so that we can just relax and go to church and not have to worry about laundry or any other work. We can take the whole day to marvel in all God has done for us. Sunday is no doubt my favorite day of the week.
I look forward to the encouragement and challenges that I will no doubt see in the services tomorrow. God has really been teaching me a lot lately and I just hope that I continue to learn at the feet of the Master. The blessings of God are truly new every morning, and great is the faithfulness of our Lord.
Mark
2 Peter 2 thoughts- Bible commentary
OK, I was just reading this in the Bible, and this has been in my head for weeks now. I have been doing some careful searching of Scripture to see what is wrong with the way many churches are headed today. This passage deals with false teachers and the motives behind the new age thinking. I do believe that, even without knowing it, the church has headed into a wrong path and I pray that this commentary describes what I mean. It is written with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I should preface this commentary with the fact that we, as a family, have truly been seeking what God has for us concerning where we worship, how we present ourselves, and how to go beyond simply avoiding sin in our lives, and truly following Christ's example of how to live. The major struggle has been with the difference between our own preferences and what is truly being disguised as church when it is no more than a social club.
2 Peter 2:
1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
There has been a drastic shift in people's perception of God. A.W. Tozer wrote in "The waning authority of Christ in the Church" wrote the following:
"What we do is this: We accept the Christianity of our group as being identical with that of Christ and His apostles. The beliefs, the practices, the ethics, the activities of our group are equated with the Christianity of the New Testament. Whatever the group thinks or says or does is scriptural, no questions asked. It is assumed that all our Lord expects of us is that we busy ourselves with the activities of the group. In so doing we are keeping the commandments of Christ.
To avoid the hard necessity of either obeying or rejecting the plain instructions of our Lord in the New Testament we take refuge in a liberal interpretation of them. Casuistry [tricky reasoning] is not the possession of Roman Catholic theologians alone. We evangelicals also know how to avoid the sharp point of obedience by means of fine and intricate explanations. These are tailor-made for the flesh. They excuse disobedience, comfort carnality and make the words of Christ of none effect [Mk. 7:13]. And the essence of it all is that Christ simply could not have meant what He said. His teachings are accepted even theoretically only after they have been weakened by interpretation"- Tozer
This is what I see in the passage in 2 Peter. In an effort to make Christianity more palatable, we have taken the things we like and applied them to our lives. Those things that are more difficult or challenging to practice have been tossed by the wayside and considered legalism or too old to be relevant. 2 Timothy 3 speaks about the WHOLE Word of God being profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. We cannot customize the Scripture to say what we want it to. It is imperative that we take up our cross daily and follow Christ.
This is something that I often battle in my own mind. The Bible does not specifically say that alcohol, when used in moderation is sinful. It does talk a lot about what we should avoid, what we should strive for, but what we should continue to ask is, in the words of Charles Sheldon:" What would Jesus do" and the way to find out what Jesus would do is to use the examples He gave us in His Word. What DID Jesus do (thanks to Ray Comfort) has been on my mind more and more lately. Jesus knew no sin, he rejected the ploy of Satan in the temptation described in Matthew 4. Jesus rebuked the devil with Scripture. It is this same source which is available to us today. The answers are all there. If we pattern our lives after the teachings, sayings, and goals of the Lord Jesus, we surely cannot go wrong.
In conclusion, I just have to say that if we truly strive to be Christians, being more like Christ, we must honestly step back and re-assess why we do what we do. If it is just for the sake of tradition, but it is not honoring and glorifying to God, we should throw it out and start over. It is with this attitude that I (and my family with me) are pressing on with our lives, trying to make the most of the time we have on this earth. I pray that this post challenges you like it has challenged me in writing it.
May God richly bless as you continue in His Word.
Mark
I should preface this commentary with the fact that we, as a family, have truly been seeking what God has for us concerning where we worship, how we present ourselves, and how to go beyond simply avoiding sin in our lives, and truly following Christ's example of how to live. The major struggle has been with the difference between our own preferences and what is truly being disguised as church when it is no more than a social club.
2 Peter 2:
1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2And many shall follow their pernicious(evil) ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3And through covetousness(greed, unearned gain) shall they with feigned(counterfeit, false) words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
This sounds much like the modern church. Every time I turn on the TV (which we are undecided whether to throw out the window or not) I see Joel Osteen or Robert Schuller or some other preacher using the name of Jesus to lure people into their churches. while completely disregarding the issue of man's separation from God through sin. These churches disregard the methods of Jesus, Paul, Peter, and all the other writers of the Bible. Jesus spoke against sin and talked about damnation, hell, judgement, yet these folks (always selling some new video, cd, etc.) talk about the God of the universe as if he is just some wonderful Santa-type figure who is always jolly and pleasant. This is not the God of the Bible.There has been a drastic shift in people's perception of God. A.W. Tozer wrote in "The waning authority of Christ in the Church" wrote the following:
"What we do is this: We accept the Christianity of our group as being identical with that of Christ and His apostles. The beliefs, the practices, the ethics, the activities of our group are equated with the Christianity of the New Testament. Whatever the group thinks or says or does is scriptural, no questions asked. It is assumed that all our Lord expects of us is that we busy ourselves with the activities of the group. In so doing we are keeping the commandments of Christ.
To avoid the hard necessity of either obeying or rejecting the plain instructions of our Lord in the New Testament we take refuge in a liberal interpretation of them. Casuistry [tricky reasoning] is not the possession of Roman Catholic theologians alone. We evangelicals also know how to avoid the sharp point of obedience by means of fine and intricate explanations. These are tailor-made for the flesh. They excuse disobedience, comfort carnality and make the words of Christ of none effect [Mk. 7:13]. And the essence of it all is that Christ simply could not have meant what He said. His teachings are accepted even theoretically only after they have been weakened by interpretation"- Tozer
This is what I see in the passage in 2 Peter. In an effort to make Christianity more palatable, we have taken the things we like and applied them to our lives. Those things that are more difficult or challenging to practice have been tossed by the wayside and considered legalism or too old to be relevant. 2 Timothy 3 speaks about the WHOLE Word of God being profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. We cannot customize the Scripture to say what we want it to. It is imperative that we take up our cross daily and follow Christ.
This is something that I often battle in my own mind. The Bible does not specifically say that alcohol, when used in moderation is sinful. It does talk a lot about what we should avoid, what we should strive for, but what we should continue to ask is, in the words of Charles Sheldon:" What would Jesus do" and the way to find out what Jesus would do is to use the examples He gave us in His Word. What DID Jesus do (thanks to Ray Comfort) has been on my mind more and more lately. Jesus knew no sin, he rejected the ploy of Satan in the temptation described in Matthew 4. Jesus rebuked the devil with Scripture. It is this same source which is available to us today. The answers are all there. If we pattern our lives after the teachings, sayings, and goals of the Lord Jesus, we surely cannot go wrong.
In conclusion, I just have to say that if we truly strive to be Christians, being more like Christ, we must honestly step back and re-assess why we do what we do. If it is just for the sake of tradition, but it is not honoring and glorifying to God, we should throw it out and start over. It is with this attitude that I (and my family with me) are pressing on with our lives, trying to make the most of the time we have on this earth. I pray that this post challenges you like it has challenged me in writing it.
May God richly bless as you continue in His Word.
Mark
Chicken maintenance
Well, we just got done doing some chicken maintenance. With the 24" plus of snow that has accumulated in the last few weeks, we have quite a bit of shoveling to do around here. The ladies in the hen house were not particularly happy with me. Egg production is down to about 3-6 eggs on any given day. Today we got 4 so far, and I am OK with that. We just have 14 hens right now, and ol' Zebulin, the Cornish rooster, seems to be eating his weight in feed right now.
Nathaniel and I got the metal shovels out and started chipping away the ice and snow, getting back down to bare dirt to encourage the ladies to come out and play. This did not work at all. They have completely shunned the frozen wasteland that is the winter chicken pen. They did peck around at the new hay, hoping for a frozen buggy treat, I suppose. The rabbit(who inhabits the loft over the chickens) is a bit more happy. He just buries himself in the hay in the cage and seems to enjoy burrowing tunnels through, blissfully unaware that the chicks are in such an uproar.
After a half hour of steady shoveling, we are done. The hens are happier, and Zebulin nods in approval that we have fixed up the place to our tenants satisfaction.
Soon, I will be outlining my yearly meat bird production regimen and talk more about why we raise our own meat. Hope you have a great day.
Mark
Nathaniel and I got the metal shovels out and started chipping away the ice and snow, getting back down to bare dirt to encourage the ladies to come out and play. This did not work at all. They have completely shunned the frozen wasteland that is the winter chicken pen. They did peck around at the new hay, hoping for a frozen buggy treat, I suppose. The rabbit(who inhabits the loft over the chickens) is a bit more happy. He just buries himself in the hay in the cage and seems to enjoy burrowing tunnels through, blissfully unaware that the chicks are in such an uproar.
After a half hour of steady shoveling, we are done. The hens are happier, and Zebulin nods in approval that we have fixed up the place to our tenants satisfaction.
Soon, I will be outlining my yearly meat bird production regimen and talk more about why we raise our own meat. Hope you have a great day.
Mark
Friday, January 4, 2008
Getting on the bandwagon
OK, so my wife, Sara, has decided that she, too, would like to have a blog. She is a stay at home mother of 3, wife to yours truly, and a pretty busy lady.
Sara will be posting recipes, home school tips and ideas, and homemaking items of interest. Sara is an excellent baker, cook, teacher, and wife. Her blog is located here I hope you check in often to see what she is teaching, cooking, or learning today.
We educate our children using a curriculum that we organize ourselves using the local library, church library, the Holy Bible, and info from the web. We attend and organize playgroups and many other events for the home educated children of the area. As part of the way we do education, she is very informed of techniques, books, and laws regarding this issue.
You can find a permanent link to Sara's blog on the sidebar of this page.
Sara will be posting recipes, home school tips and ideas, and homemaking items of interest. Sara is an excellent baker, cook, teacher, and wife. Her blog is located here I hope you check in often to see what she is teaching, cooking, or learning today.
We educate our children using a curriculum that we organize ourselves using the local library, church library, the Holy Bible, and info from the web. We attend and organize playgroups and many other events for the home educated children of the area. As part of the way we do education, she is very informed of techniques, books, and laws regarding this issue.
You can find a permanent link to Sara's blog on the sidebar of this page.
Frozen chicken, anyone?
Well, here in Warren this AM, the temperature was a balmy WOW IT IS COLD! I was awakened at 5am to a wood stove that had gone out, despite filling it at 10pm. The temp in the house was low enough to not register on the thermostat. We have an oil furnace, but choose not to use it unless it is unbearably cold, like last night. With wind chills well into negative numbers, I kicked the old furnace on.
This is one of those nights when I am glad the baby sleeps in the bed with my wife and I. Naomi, our youngest, is a little BTU machine when she sleeps. That little 9 month old, 30 lb bundle has kept me from frostbite more than one night. The older children seem to be unaffected by the cold unless the icicles form on their noses.
We have a lifetime supply of free wood to burn. With multiple friend owning a total of over 100 acres of mostly oak, maple, and assorted other hardwoods, I simply have to manage the woodlots and take home whatever I want to keep us in heat. Unfortunately, we seem to have miscalculated the amount of wood needed for a winter such as this. As the woodsman guru of the family, it is entirely my fault that we have less than half the wood needed this year still in the shed. Last winter was nice and calm, with little snow, so I got lazy this year and will be paying for it come April when we have to turn on the oil sucking, wallet diminishing machine more often.
When it is this cold, I am glad we have more chickens than we need. They keep each other warm, and with the addition of a couple bales of hay for insulation, they are toasty warm in their little coop. Unfortunately for Nathaniel (almost 12 now) he is the one in charge of all things chicken. The waterers must come in at night and sometimes need to be thawed mid day. Between helping with wood, shoveling snow, and chicken duties, he is a pretty busy kid.
So, today we will make our weekly trip to a local church that allows us to hold a playgroup for home schooled children at their gymnasium. We meet weekly with a group of families to play basketball, soccer, or other games. It is a great time for all, and a welcomed break from the Arctic freeze that is our front yard.
Hope everyone stays safe in the cold.
This is one of those nights when I am glad the baby sleeps in the bed with my wife and I. Naomi, our youngest, is a little BTU machine when she sleeps. That little 9 month old, 30 lb bundle has kept me from frostbite more than one night. The older children seem to be unaffected by the cold unless the icicles form on their noses.
We have a lifetime supply of free wood to burn. With multiple friend owning a total of over 100 acres of mostly oak, maple, and assorted other hardwoods, I simply have to manage the woodlots and take home whatever I want to keep us in heat. Unfortunately, we seem to have miscalculated the amount of wood needed for a winter such as this. As the woodsman guru of the family, it is entirely my fault that we have less than half the wood needed this year still in the shed. Last winter was nice and calm, with little snow, so I got lazy this year and will be paying for it come April when we have to turn on the oil sucking, wallet diminishing machine more often.
When it is this cold, I am glad we have more chickens than we need. They keep each other warm, and with the addition of a couple bales of hay for insulation, they are toasty warm in their little coop. Unfortunately for Nathaniel (almost 12 now) he is the one in charge of all things chicken. The waterers must come in at night and sometimes need to be thawed mid day. Between helping with wood, shoveling snow, and chicken duties, he is a pretty busy kid.
So, today we will make our weekly trip to a local church that allows us to hold a playgroup for home schooled children at their gymnasium. We meet weekly with a group of families to play basketball, soccer, or other games. It is a great time for all, and a welcomed break from the Arctic freeze that is our front yard.
Hope everyone stays safe in the cold.
A first run
It only seems proper to start with an introduction to life here in Warren, Maine.
My name is Mark Cowperthwaite. I live here in our home with my wife Sara, son Nathaniel(11), and daughters Virginia(4) and Naomi(9 months). We live on just shy of 1 acre of land and are attempting to be as self sufficient as possible with our meager accomodations.
We have a small, ever growing flock of laying hens. We also have a pet rabbit, who lives in the chicken coop above the heads of the chickens. We raise meat breeds of chickens organically, in a large fenced in area where they are free to roam and pick bugs, living as naturally as we can make it for them.
This coming spring we plan to expand and have a few sheep that we will raise for meat. When the pasture (read "lawn") is capable of proper production, we will be raising a beef critter for the warm months and butchering late fall.
I am a carpenter by trade. Here in Maine, the work this time of year is exclusively indoors. Thus, we have some time on our hands. I am enjoying spending time with the children and my wife at home. I am a firm believer that men work entirely too much. I was caught up in the trap of making more and more money for years. I was a workaholic and my health suffered the consequences of that lifestyle. After being afflicted with a seizure disorder for the last 7 years, I have learned a lot about myself and what it is I truly want out of life. I now work a couple days a week, earning enough to support our family and pay all the bills while giving to the local church and helping support missionaries. I have found that we can own a home, have a new truck, and eat organic food, all on less than 20k a year. In fact, we could do with a lot less.
God has truly supplied all our needs. We have never frozen out of the house, gone hungry, or been without, even though most folks would consider us poor and underprivileged. We are rich in blessings, with 3 healthy children and a wonderful marriage.
I will write more later. I hope this short introduction gives you insight into what will be coming.
Mark Cowperthwaite
My name is Mark Cowperthwaite. I live here in our home with my wife Sara, son Nathaniel(11), and daughters Virginia(4) and Naomi(9 months). We live on just shy of 1 acre of land and are attempting to be as self sufficient as possible with our meager accomodations.
We have a small, ever growing flock of laying hens. We also have a pet rabbit, who lives in the chicken coop above the heads of the chickens. We raise meat breeds of chickens organically, in a large fenced in area where they are free to roam and pick bugs, living as naturally as we can make it for them.
This coming spring we plan to expand and have a few sheep that we will raise for meat. When the pasture (read "lawn") is capable of proper production, we will be raising a beef critter for the warm months and butchering late fall.
I am a carpenter by trade. Here in Maine, the work this time of year is exclusively indoors. Thus, we have some time on our hands. I am enjoying spending time with the children and my wife at home. I am a firm believer that men work entirely too much. I was caught up in the trap of making more and more money for years. I was a workaholic and my health suffered the consequences of that lifestyle. After being afflicted with a seizure disorder for the last 7 years, I have learned a lot about myself and what it is I truly want out of life. I now work a couple days a week, earning enough to support our family and pay all the bills while giving to the local church and helping support missionaries. I have found that we can own a home, have a new truck, and eat organic food, all on less than 20k a year. In fact, we could do with a lot less.
God has truly supplied all our needs. We have never frozen out of the house, gone hungry, or been without, even though most folks would consider us poor and underprivileged. We are rich in blessings, with 3 healthy children and a wonderful marriage.
I will write more later. I hope this short introduction gives you insight into what will be coming.
Mark Cowperthwaite
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