I am up a bit earlier than usual today. My dad was just taken to the ER. He has Crohn's disease and about two weeks ago he got an infection which was really serious. He was in the Emergency ICU for four days and then ICU for two days. His blood pressure was down to 41 and his heart rate was really high. Anyway, this morning he was having lots of problems. My mom just took him in.

Please pray that God will be glorified in this situation, that God will heal my dad, and that he can be well enough to come home soon.

I trust and believe and love a God who is in control. He is always faithful. Everything that happens is part of His plan and purpose. His will is always done. His plans are never frustrated. This is not only the truth, but so very much comforts me.

Isaiah 41: 8-19 (ESV)
But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have choosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
and called from the farthest corners,
saying to you, "You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off";
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

"I am God"

"To me, Calvinism means the placing of the eternal God at the head of all things. I look at everything through its relation to God's glory. I see God first, and man far down in the list ... Brethren, if we live in sympathy with God, we delight to hear Him say, 'I am God, and there is none else'" C.H. Spurgeon

I just love this quote because it focuses on God and how He is "at the head of all things." This is what Calvinism or Reformed or the Doctrines of Grace acknowledges. This is the biblical understanding of who God is and what priority He deserves in our lives. "I am God, and there is no other."
Thanks and praise be to our Lord, who is sovereign in the Church, and sovereign in the nations!

Julianne

Outside The Camp

There has been a guy posting on many bloggers' guestbooks who is associated with Outside The Camp. His post looks like this:

"Hi ________,

I don't call myself "reformed" but when Jesus Christ said “it is finished", I believe He meant it. In fact, anyone who says that the elect sinner has to meet a condition in order to be saved should take note of these biblical propositions:
1.The righteousness of God that is revealed in the gospel is His salvation of sinners based on the propitiatory sacrifice and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone (Rms 3:21-4:8; 10:4; 2 Cor 5:21).
2.Those who are ignorant of the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel are going about to establish a righteousness of their own and are thus lost, no matter how zealous they are for God (Romans 10:1-3).
3.Anyone who does not abide in the doctrine of Christ is lost (2 Jn 9).
4.Anyone who speaks peace to one who brings a false gospel is lost (2 Jn 11)

_________, I'd be interested to know what you think of our website."
http://www.outsidethecamp.org
This is also worth checking out:
Heterodoxy Hall of Shame

These guys are NOT preaching the true gospel. Sure, I believe on many points they make. However, they take it to the extreme by saying, "Anyone who speaks peace to one who brings a false gospel is lost." So according to OTC, I can't even talk to an arminian or else it is a sign I am not one of the elect.

I just want to send out a warning to any unsuspecting blogger who might receive a post similar to this one. May God grant us wisdom and discernment to distinguish between truth and man's false ideas.

Julianne

God's Providence

"We may define God's providence as follows: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes." Grudem, Wayne (Systematic Theology, p. 315)

We serve a God who is in control all the time. Nothing surprises Him. We can rest in the fact that the Almighty is Who He says He is. His providence is sure.

We sing the greatness of our God
That made the mountains rise
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies
We sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day
The moon is full at His command
And all the stars obey

We sing the greatness of our Mighty God
That holds the universe in place
We sing the goodness of our Holy Lord
His mercy providence and grace

We sing the goodness of the Lord
That filled the earth with food
He formed the creatures with His hand
And then pronounced them good
Lord how Your wonders are displayed
Where e’er we turn our eyes
In every season of the year
And through the changing skies

In every plant and flower below
You make Your glories known
And clouds arise and tempests blow
By order of Your throne
While all that borrows life from You
Is ever in Your care
And everywhere that man can be
O God You’re present there

~ Issac Watts

(l-r) Me, Nathan, Grace, Jordan, Tom, Lance, Daniel, Jonathan Santarem, Brazil August 2004


In August, a group of nine including myself went to Brazil to lay the floor of a church is Curau. This picture was taken after we returned to the big city of Santarem on the Amazon River (to the left in the picture). God willing, I plan to go back for 3-6 months starting this summer.

Chris and I at the lake many years ago 

Be Thankful

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18

I have got a bad cold right now. My head, my neck, and my throat all are sore and ache. Sometimes I just don't feel like being thankful.

If God's Word tells me to be thankful in ALL circumstances, I have to assume He means in health as well. I know this is "just a cold," but let me see if there is anything to be thankful for. Well, I have more time to spend online talking about Theology, getting sleep I desperately need, playing with my dog (she is a little dog, my friends call her a rodent, how sad), and catching up on the pile of books by my desk.

I am going to put on my Celtic Worship CD and do some reading. Until I return,

Julianne

The Three R's

"I believe that, at this present time, we are in great danger of being burdened with a crowd of so-called converts who do not really know anything as it ought to be known. They attended a revival meeting, were much excited, and thought they were converted; but just ask them to explain to you the simplest truths of the gospel, and you will soon discover how little they know. Could they explain the three R's, ruin, redemption, and regeneration Do they know what the ruin is? Do they know what the remedy for that ruin is? Do they understand at all what it means to be born again? Do they comprehend what the new nature is, or what "justification by faith" means. Perhaps someone says, "They do not comprehend your theological terms." I do not mind whether they know the meaning of the terms that are familiar to many of us; but do they know the truths themselves? There is a certain degree of Christian knowledge which is absolutely necessary to salvation." Charles H. Spurgeon

We must have an understanding of our ruin, redemption, and regeneration. These are essential truths of the Christian faith. If we do not make it a priority to study and meditate on this, we will fall into slothfulness.

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14 (ESV)

Father, grant us mercy to eat solid food. May we leave milk for infants.

Julianne

Why Blog?

I have asked myself this question many times. For awhile I thought blogs were going to be just a trend; gone in a few years. However, I have come to think that maybe they will last for some time and I would hate to be left out in the cold. So, I've started one. My hope is that by the use of this blog, I can help equip the saints and bring glory to the much worthy God. In turn I hope to be encouraged by you, who read what I post, through sharing your thoughts and posting comments.

Why do I blog? To bring glory to God.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
I Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

May God be glorified!

Julianne