--Update--

I went to see my dad after work today. He is doing much better, he will be released from the hospital tomorrow.
I am indebted to the Lord for his great work in my dad's life.
Continue to pray for a good recovery; my dad wont be able to work until January.
Thanks again for all of your prayers lifted up on his behalf.

Praise HIM!

gap

--Quick Update--

My dad is doing better. He has been tranferred to a private room, though he is still under careful watch. Please continue to pray for him.
Last night I went to see my dad and I read this Psalm to him, I pray that this will be an encouragement to you as it was for him and my mom.

Psalm 116
1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave [a] came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD :
"O LORD, save me!"

5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.

6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, he saved me.

7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,

9 that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.

Please Pray for my Dad

Last night I got a call at around 9:20 PM from my mom telling me that she was with my dad at the hospital because he had some chest pains. He ended up having a heart attack and going into surgery to have a procedure done that will clean his obstructed arteries. He is doing well now, but please pray for his recovery. I was reminded last night of God's sovereignty and his fatherly care for my own dad. As I was talking to my mom and brothers, we were all reminded that God cares a lot more for my dad than I ever would and that he is using this to sanctify him further.
So please pray for him, his name is Ruben.
I will keep you abreast of the latest.

Thanks.

Why do we go to church?

This week at our Bible study, as it is customary this semester, I will be preaching on the one another's: This week we will be going through Hebrews 10:

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

I will be emphasising why church? Why must we be at church? Why is it that God chose Christians to be part of a body? This is a tough assignment in our individualistic society, yet God's word never stutters. We are call not to forsake our own assembling together.

Pray for me, I will let you know how it goes.

Article: Be A kinder Calvinist

Abraham Piper writes a great article on being a kinder calvinist... and a good husband as well.

Click here
gap

Cael got us sick!

Today I stayed home from work. I have a nasty cold, which I can feel getting better.
While I am licking my wounds reading/studying, Melissa is decorating for Christmas, what a trooper.

I will be back tomorrow.

By the way, we took Cael to see Santa, he had no idea what was going on and even though he will never believe in Santa, but we still thought it would be cute to take a picture of him. So here it is:

The One Another's

I found this on The Kairos Journal Website; by the way, excellent website.


“Exceeding Love and Brotherly Kindness”—Dionysius of Alexandria (c. 190 – c. 264)

Dionysius the Great was bishop of Alexandria, in Egypt, from 247 until his death. During this time, the Christians in Alexandria suffered persecution under the Emperor Decian. For several years Dionysius led the church whilst in hiding. A number of his surviving letters contain horrific descriptions of believers being tortured and murdered because they would not deny Christ. However, persecution was not the only threat; the city also suffered civil strife, plague and famine. In one letter, Dionysius writes about a time when Alexandria was struck by a severe plague. He describes the response of the surrounding pagans—one of utter selfishness. When the pagans abandoned their fellow-men, the Christians stayed to help.

[The heathen] thrust aside any who began to be sick, and kept aloof even from their dearest friends, and cast the sufferers out upon the public roads half dead, and left them unburied, and treated them with utter contempt when they died, steadily avoiding any kind of communication and intercourse with death; which, however, it was not easy for them altogether to escape, in spite of the many precautions they employed.

However, in spite of the way they had suffered at the hands of their neighbors, the behavior of the Christians could not have been more different.

Certainly very many of our brethren, while, in their exceeding love and brotherly-kindness, they did not spare themselves, but kept by each other, and visited the sick without thought of their own peril, and ministered to them assiduously, and treated them for their healing in Christ, died from time to time most joyfully along with them, lading themselves with pains derived from others, and drawing upon themselves their neighbours’ diseases, and willingly taking over to their own persons the burden of the sufferings of those around them. And many who had thus cured others of their sicknesses, and restored them to strength, died themselves, having transferred to their own bodies the death that lay upon these. And that common saying, which else seemed always to be only a polite form of address, they expressed in actual fact then, as they departed this life, like the “off-scourings of all.” Yea, the very best of our brethren have departed this life in this manner, including some presbyters and some deacons, and among the people those who were in highest reputation: so that this very form of death, in virtue of the distinguished piety and the steadfast faith which were exhibited in it, appeared to come in nothing beneath martyrdom itself.1



Footnotes:

1 Dionysius of Alexandria, “Epistle XII – To the Alexandrians”, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6, trans. S.D.F. Salmond (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1886), 108-109.

Thank You!

I thought of making a list of the things that I am thankful for; this list is not EXHAUSTIVE, but it helps me to have a worshipful thanksgiving.




The ABC's : I AM THANKFUL FOR:

A. Angels (Baseball)
B. Basketball: The Lakers
C. Cael Athanasius, my son and funniest baby around. A Great Blessing!
D. Decree of God
E. Eternal Life
F. Friends: Their Love and encouragement
G. Grace Community Church
H. Our Bible Study; Hillside, the best ever.
I. Imputation
J. Jesus, the Lamb of God
K. Kenosis
L. The Lawler Family: Melissa's parents and sisters
M. Melissa, my wife, my best friend and helpmeet. A Great Blessing!
N. Nature: That we see everyday
O. Organic Milk
P. The Pidal Family: My extended Family
Q. Quiet Times with the Lord
R. Radiohead's Music
S. Salvation; the fact that God chose me before salvation and that I am not longer an enemy of God.
T. The Master's Seminary:how much God has challenged me through that endeavor.
U. USA: For living in a Country where we are able to worship God freely.
V. Vitamins and Veggies
W. Weyerhaeuser: My job and God's provision
X. X-Mas and Xylophones
Y. Yogurt: my favorite snack
Z. Zucchini: my favorite vegetable

The Heart of Thankfulness

Yesterday we discussed how Christians must be thankful and we said that thankfulness is what separates us from unbelievers. After writing that last night, I thought to myself. Why? Why must we, as Christians have to be thankful?
Thess. 5.18 says, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
As I read this passage there is one simple reason as to why we need to be thankful, It is God's will for us.
The importance of thankfulness can be seen in this passage, thankfulness is not an option for us, it is God who wants us to be thankful.
We answer the why, but what do we need to be thankful for? The passage says, "in everything." This is all comprehensive, there is nothing that fall outside that realm; good things and bad things. God wants us to have the attitude of thankfulness at all times, regardless of the circumstances that we are going through.

So as you celebrate thanksgiving, remember what Paul wrote, that it is God's will for us to thankful and that we must give thanks at all times regardless of our situation.

here is another great psalm to cultivate a thankful heart.

Psalm 118

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let Israel say:
"His love endures forever."

3 Let the house of Aaron say:
"His love endures forever."

4 Let those who fear the LORD say:
"His love endures forever."

5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.

6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.

15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

16 The LORD's right hand is lifted high;
the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous may enter.

21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;

23 the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O LORD, save us;
O LORD, grant us success.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you. [a]

27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up [b] to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Thanksgiving vs. Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is coming up: This is the time when people stuff themselves with food, mediocre movies come out, and people remember their families and friends.
Unfortunatelly, thanksgiving has been hijacked by most of our society and turned into "Turkey Day." In fact, I saw this poll in the history channel website that is very telling about what Thanksgiving has become in our society; a holiday about football, food, folktales, and family.
History aside, thanksgiving, for the believer, should be one of the most important holidays ever, for the mark of a Christian is thankfulness.
So this thanksgiving enjoy the food, enjoy the football, enjoy the folktale, and enjoy your family. However remember to have a heart of true thankfulness to our God; for this is what separates us from the unbelievers. This is a good article about unthankfulness.

Here is a psalm that will fuel up your thanksgiving:

107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble [1]
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits' end. [2]
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters [3] were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Fathers and Sons

Cael was sick last night. He has a cold and had this pain induced cry that I had never heard before. This morning, as I was driving to work, I thought of Psalm 103.13, " 13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him."

Last night, I would have done anything for Cael not to suffer as he was breathing; and even though it was not a big deal, I still wished that I was the one with the cold, and not him.
Spurgeon wrote about this Psalm, " Fathers feel for their children, especially when they are in pain, they would like to suffer in their stead, their sighs and groans cut them to the quick: thus sensitive towards us is our heavenly Father. We do not adore a god of stone, but the living God, who is tenderness itself. He is at this moment compassionating us, for the word is in the present tense; his pity never fails to flow, and we never cease to need it." (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Exposition of Psalm 103).

How amazing is that we have a God who is living and a tender God. His pity never fails us!

Cael? He is doing much better and so is my heart.

Praise the LORD! : An Article

Dr. Mark Noll writes on Singing and Worship here

Two Quick Rants...Actually make that Three

Today is Friday so I will rant for a bit.

This time it's about blogs and bloggers.

Why is it that a lot of bloggers have in their titles, "Confessions of a ...." What are they confessing? Why do I need to hear their confession? Am I a priest?

Why is it that everyone assumes that I want to laugh on Friday with their "Friday Funnies"? (That includes my wife's blog)

Why is it that we all have become dependent on Google reader to read our blogs? (I love google reader).

This is all for now.

PLEASE ADD YOUR RANT!

gap

My Friday Tribute

I am very tired this friday; it must be because school and work are finally catching up to me. So I am going to do the easy thing, post something from someone else.
I grew up without snow... I always wanted to do this:
By the way, Click on the image!
Enjoy

Quote of the Week

In his book From Exegesis to Exposition, Dr. Robert Chisholm Jr. writes about the importance of translating the Scriptures in a correct fashion, he says, "What passes for translation, however , is often a wooden, slavishly word-for-word rendering that is stylistically abominable and reflects few real interpretative decisions. Only the most basic exegetical skills are developed and the student is rarely, if ever, shown how to exegesis impacts interpretations, let alone sermon preparation." (p. 9)

What Shall I Read To Cael?

As a new parent, I have wondered what do I read to my child?
Dr. Mohler gives us something to think about here.

gap

Trusting God Tuesdays (Chapter 5)

Today we had a short, but great interaction about chapter 5 of this great book. We discussed God rule over the nations. I was perplexed when reading this chapter being reminded that God is ultimately in control of all; even the evil of some dictators around the world. Sometimes I think that God took a nap when Hitler came to power, but He was actively working during this time.
The convicting part for me was to think about politics and a sovereign God. Sometimes I tend to be dissapointed on our earthly leaders, yet God still rules and chooses whom He wills; no matter who wins the elections.
According to Bridges, God does rule over the nations and the way that we need to put this into practice is to be like Daniel, though he understood that God was a sovereign God he still prayed. Daniel knew that only the sovereing God to whom he prayed would be the only one that could ACT.

gap

Wedding Coming Up:

Just a quick prayer request:
Please pray for My Friends Spencer and Julie. They are getting married this Saturday. It is my first time officiating a wedding.
But no matter, pray for them as they commit their lives to one another. This couple has been an immense encouragement to Melissa, Cael and me.
So this Saturday, when you are reading the morning paper and sipping on your designer coffee, please think of Spencer and Julie and pray that God will bless their union.

I love you guys!

gap

Blog in Spanish: Eduardo's Blog

Sujetos a la Roca= Clinging to the Rock is a blog that I found on the internet created by Eduardo.
Eduardo lives in Paris with his wife and has created a great resource for people all over the Spanish speaking world. He is the Spanish Challis; his blog is filled with book reviews, book lists, topic reviews and great links.
So today I salute Eduardo.

Excelente Trabajo Amigo!

gap

Quote of the Week- C.S. Lewis

Here are two quotes from the great C.S. Lewis.
I know that some of you are quite the fans of his.



Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.
C. S. Lewis
If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.
C. S. Lewis

A Case of The Mondays? Ah... Nope!

This morning I awoke very early around 3:30 AM. No, I am not that dedicated, but I have a humongous exam that I need to study for. Thus, after I woke up and made myself a latte I started to study the Greek Cases. At around 5 AM, I heard this laughter coming from Cael's room; he was awake, which means that daylight saving's time means nothing to him. So I proceeded to get him and sit him next to me. He looked at me as wondering, "Where is Mom?" So I did what any other father would do in my shoes, I put him in his Rainforest Jumperoo. He jumped himself to laughter until about 5:45, at that time he became fussy. That is when it was time for us to wake up Mommy and for daddy to go to work. As I was driving to work, I thought to myself how often I tend to forget that God uses small things in our lives to draw worship out of us; in this case he used about 50 minutes with my son to remind me that a child finds happyness in the smallest of things, even jumping up the Rainforest Jumperoo.
Cael is already teaching me a lot about myself. He is teaching me what Jesus said about faith like a child, he is teaching me contentment, dependence, and to appreciate my wife much more than I ever before.
So today while I'm at work, I will think of the Jumperoo and thank God that he uses the small things in life to remind us that he is the giver of all.

Please pray for STMs

Missions have always been a priority to my home church.
Tomorrow we have a STM (Short Term Missions) meeting to inform people of the opportunity to serve next summer.
We have 20 teams going out this time.

Please pray for them, Lord willing I will be leading my first mission's trip to Albania, Eastern Europe.

I will keep you abreast as to how to specifically pray for us.


gap.

Article: Worship Matters Blog

I love reading Worship Matters.

Why?

Here is why.

Quote of the Week (Humorous)

These come courtesy of Scott Adams, probably one of my favorite cartoonists.


"Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a consultant."
Scott Adams, Dogbert; Dilbert cartoons

"If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?"
Scott Adams