Teresa and I just spent a couple of days in the mountains of Tennessee. Mountain City, TN, to be exact. I was there to lead a Bible study for the Pastor's Conference, and Teresa went with me to enjoy a brief weekend getaway.
I love the mountains! I could never get enough of them. They are so majestic, and they always lead me into a spirit of praise as I contemplate the greatness of God as I peer upon the sheer beauty of God's creation. Each season has its own beauty. The brilliant colors of fall; the multi-colored hues of green in early spring; the bursting colors of flowers in late spring and early summer; the gray of winter. There is splendor everywhere, awaiting the eye of the onlooker to enjoy.
Teresa and I were privileged to stay a couple of nights in the beautiful mountain home of Bill and Phylis Icenhour. They were such gracious hosts! I had met the Icenhour's a few years back when we took a youth group to Mountain City for a summer youth retreat. I also had the privilege of getting to know them a little better when I was given the opportunity to preach in a couple of Bible conferences in Mountain City. Bill and Phylis are such wonderful Christians. They opened their home to us, and treated us as family.
It amazes me how God does this! When He brings individuals into His faith family, He places a bond between them that nothing else can explain. Have you ever taken time to consider your church family that gathers for worship on Sundays? Have you ever considered how different everyone is - how we all come from different backgrounds, different economic levels, different educational experiences, even different races and ethnicities? Isn't it amazing how God does that? He makes us part of His forever faith family, and we have a bond that nothing else can explain. There would be nowhere else that that same Sunday morning crowd would meet - no other commonality that would bring us together. But the Spirit of God molds us into a family, and we become one in Him.
Bill and Phylis are so different from me and Teresa, yet, God placed a bond between us that made us, once again, marvel in His amazing grace. Bill and I took a ride on Saturday around their mountain property. We talked, listened to some good, Gospel music, and even a little bit of preaching while we rode. We talked and shared. And it was wonderful beyond words.
On Monday, I had the awesome privilege of leading Bible study for a group of preachers in Elizebethton, TN. Among those attending was Sam Icenhour, Bill's son. In conversation after the study, Sam shared with me that his dad had told him that he felt like we were old friends. I feel the same way.
So, I want to thank God for an amazing weekend. Teresa and I had some time for relaxation and a brief escape from the daily grind. I want to thank Bill and Phylis for making us part of their family. I want to thank Lonnie Denney for inviting me to share with the Pastor's Conference. And I want to thank God for allowing me to once again enjoy the majestice beauty of that small part of His creation. What a great and mighty God we serve!
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
In my last blog, I wrote of Simply Amazing Grace - an attempt to explain why I
chose that particular phrase as the name of my blog. Today, I was thinking of
the word "amazing." I read Psalm 19 as part of my devotional reading, and I was
once again reminded of the absolutely amazing testimony God bears of Himself
through nature. The psalmist says,
1 The heavens declare the glory
ofGod;And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day
utters speech,And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no
speech nor languageWhere their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has
gone out through all the earth,And their words to the end of the
world.
Have you taken time lately to hear His "speech" uttered through
His handiwork? Have you listened to His "voice" that constantly reverberates
through time and space? Have you taken a few moments to enjoy the majesty of a
sunset? Have you considered the beauty of softly falling shower of rain? Have
you gazed at the intricacy of a perfectly shaped snowflake? Have you listened to
a gently flowing breeze, whistling softly through the trees? Have you stared at
the horizon over the expance of the ocean? Have you marveled at the majesty of
snow covered mountain peaks? Have you stood silently in the darkness of the
night, peering into the glory of the heavens bespeckled with stars and planets,
held in place by His powerful, yet invisible, hand?
In our modern era, we might think that we have seen and heard so much that nothing amazes any more. We have seen astounding things accomplished through the ingenuity and
creativity of man. We have gone from riding on the backs of animals, to riding
in comfortable luxury automobiles. We have witnessed the unbelievable
discoveries of man in the fields of science and medicine. We have seen men
actually walk on the surface of the moon. These are all wonderful, to be
sure.
But, what man could ever, simply by speaking a word, bring anything
into existence? What man, with all of his cleverness and creativity, with all of
his wisdom and skill, could ever accomplish the wonder of hanging a star in the
heavens, and holding it there by his sheer brute force?Even in this
modern era, in which we enjoy the benefits of those who have made great
discoveries, and have accomplished remarkable feats, let us never allow
ourselves to be amazed at the great God who loves us, and sent His own Son to do
for us what no one could ever do for himself.Oh, yes, by the way, by far
this is the one act of God that we must never allow ourselves to miss. This
powerful, all-knowing God, who by simply speaking the word brought everything
that is into being out of that which wasn't (wrap your mind around that for a
moment!), loved His human family so much that He gave His Son to experience
death in our place, so that we might enjoy His life, in His place -
heaven.Amazed? Yes, I am amazed, more and more with each passing day.
Why not take some time soon to enjoy the majesty of His creation - listen to His
voice through the wonder of His creation, and then marvel in His love which He
freely lavishes on those who believe.
chose that particular phrase as the name of my blog. Today, I was thinking of
the word "amazing." I read Psalm 19 as part of my devotional reading, and I was
once again reminded of the absolutely amazing testimony God bears of Himself
through nature. The psalmist says,
1 The heavens declare the glory
ofGod;And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day
utters speech,And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no
speech nor languageWhere their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has
gone out through all the earth,And their words to the end of the
world.
Have you taken time lately to hear His "speech" uttered through
His handiwork? Have you listened to His "voice" that constantly reverberates
through time and space? Have you taken a few moments to enjoy the majesty of a
sunset? Have you considered the beauty of softly falling shower of rain? Have
you gazed at the intricacy of a perfectly shaped snowflake? Have you listened to
a gently flowing breeze, whistling softly through the trees? Have you stared at
the horizon over the expance of the ocean? Have you marveled at the majesty of
snow covered mountain peaks? Have you stood silently in the darkness of the
night, peering into the glory of the heavens bespeckled with stars and planets,
held in place by His powerful, yet invisible, hand?
In our modern era, we might think that we have seen and heard so much that nothing amazes any more. We have seen astounding things accomplished through the ingenuity and
creativity of man. We have gone from riding on the backs of animals, to riding
in comfortable luxury automobiles. We have witnessed the unbelievable
discoveries of man in the fields of science and medicine. We have seen men
actually walk on the surface of the moon. These are all wonderful, to be
sure.
But, what man could ever, simply by speaking a word, bring anything
into existence? What man, with all of his cleverness and creativity, with all of
his wisdom and skill, could ever accomplish the wonder of hanging a star in the
heavens, and holding it there by his sheer brute force?Even in this
modern era, in which we enjoy the benefits of those who have made great
discoveries, and have accomplished remarkable feats, let us never allow
ourselves to be amazed at the great God who loves us, and sent His own Son to do
for us what no one could ever do for himself.Oh, yes, by the way, by far
this is the one act of God that we must never allow ourselves to miss. This
powerful, all-knowing God, who by simply speaking the word brought everything
that is into being out of that which wasn't (wrap your mind around that for a
moment!), loved His human family so much that He gave His Son to experience
death in our place, so that we might enjoy His life, in His place -
heaven.Amazed? Yes, I am amazed, more and more with each passing day.
Why not take some time soon to enjoy the majesty of His creation - listen to His
voice through the wonder of His creation, and then marvel in His love which He
freely lavishes on those who believe.
Monday, January 9, 2012
This will be my first attempt at blogging - so here we go!
I chose the blog title, "Simply Amazing Grace," for a couple of reasons. First, read it as "simply amazing GRACE." It is all about grace; it is all through grace; it is all from grace. Grace is the unbelievable, multi-faceted activity of God through which He acts in our lives. There is saving grace, in which He reaches down to us in our state of rebellion, and draws us to Himself. It is by this grace that we are saved from the penalty and power of sin, that we are forgiven and readied for heaven. However, beyond saving grace is the grace of God that we experience day by day. It is by His grace that we are sustained, that we are strengthened, through which our daily needs are met, by which we are supplied with the means to carry on in this life. It is also by this grace that we are sanctified, being more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Second, read it as "simply AMAZING grace." I am truly amazed when I pause for a moment and remind myself that it is the actions of the Creator of the universe who acts on my behalf to supply, sustain and strengthen me. It is amazing beyond words to consider the fact that the God who spoke this universe into being actually cares about me. But not only does He care, He cares for, takes care of, me along with all His other children. He loved me enough to give His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for my sin, to make it possible that I become His child, and a co-heir with Jesus! Truly, that is amazing grace.
And third, it is "SIMPLY amazing grace." What I mean by that is that it is all done simply by grace. Nothing simple about it from my human perspective: rather, it is one of the most profound things I could ever conceive. But from God's perspective, it is simply, amazing, grace.
I hope to utilize this blog to exalt Him: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He deserves every attempt I can make at bringing glory to Him, because He is so worthy of all worship, glory and praise. I invite you to join me for a journey, living out the blessing of simply, amazing, grace.
I chose the blog title, "Simply Amazing Grace," for a couple of reasons. First, read it as "simply amazing GRACE." It is all about grace; it is all through grace; it is all from grace. Grace is the unbelievable, multi-faceted activity of God through which He acts in our lives. There is saving grace, in which He reaches down to us in our state of rebellion, and draws us to Himself. It is by this grace that we are saved from the penalty and power of sin, that we are forgiven and readied for heaven. However, beyond saving grace is the grace of God that we experience day by day. It is by His grace that we are sustained, that we are strengthened, through which our daily needs are met, by which we are supplied with the means to carry on in this life. It is also by this grace that we are sanctified, being more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Second, read it as "simply AMAZING grace." I am truly amazed when I pause for a moment and remind myself that it is the actions of the Creator of the universe who acts on my behalf to supply, sustain and strengthen me. It is amazing beyond words to consider the fact that the God who spoke this universe into being actually cares about me. But not only does He care, He cares for, takes care of, me along with all His other children. He loved me enough to give His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for my sin, to make it possible that I become His child, and a co-heir with Jesus! Truly, that is amazing grace.
And third, it is "SIMPLY amazing grace." What I mean by that is that it is all done simply by grace. Nothing simple about it from my human perspective: rather, it is one of the most profound things I could ever conceive. But from God's perspective, it is simply, amazing, grace.
I hope to utilize this blog to exalt Him: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He deserves every attempt I can make at bringing glory to Him, because He is so worthy of all worship, glory and praise. I invite you to join me for a journey, living out the blessing of simply, amazing, grace.
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