1 Corinthians 16:13 | Blog

My Life While Not Blogging

2010-10-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

Greetings fellow bloggers! I sincerely apologize for the long awaited post, and I shan't give you the excuse of "being too busy", for that is abusively repeated within our culture and entirely untrue. I was not too busy, however, I will say that there have been other occupations that have taken precedence over blogging, of which I considered to be more important, such as studying and working.

Since my last post, I have focused my special attention on studying the Word of God particularly in preparing two sermons to preach at our church after the service, along with other young men; one in April on "1 Timothy 4:1-4" and the other in August on "The Heart of a True Servant". This event takes place every other 3-4 months when all the young men of our church come (in many cases shaking in our boots) and present a 5-45 minute "sermonette". Now, you can imagine all the time and and focus this task requires.

Also, within the past two months I have been preparing a 30 minute sermon to present in North Carolina from 1 Peter 5:1-5, along with my dad. This sermon has benefitted me greatly as it has stretched my brain to think diligently about what the text was actually meant to communicate, rather than skimming over and tossing a few verses from other passages to fit my view. In other words, I have learned to let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Studying the Word has not been the only thing occupying my time. Web design has also been something that I have taken great interest in and have devoted a big chunk of my passionate efforts to learning and finally mastering this broad undertaking. This passion finally converted into what I can now call my profession. I started my company His Handiwork and have already begun working on my new website... hishandiwork.biz. In addition to web design, I am currently striving to further my skills within the graphic design realm. I got motivated, watched and read hundreds of articles on this skill and was confident enough to start selling graphics over at GraphicRiver.net.

Also crossing my path was building a chicken tractor. A friend from church needed to house 30 birds inside a 8' x 5' chicken tractor and I was the man for the job. With some assistance from my friend Drew, I managed to finish this chicken coop on wheels:

There's an explanation for the huge gap of not blogging! I seriously hope to write something in the near future to encourage the brethren. I do not plan to abandon this blog, for I truly have a desire to continue to write of the things of God and His Word.

Stay following for I will be posting more.

Also, if you are interested, you can subscribe to my company blog here: http://hishandiwork.biz/#news

Luke Smith

Luke's Happenings....2010

2010-03-30T22:27:00.000-05:00

I regret not posting on my blog for exactly 2 months now, but be assured that I have not been physically nor mentally idle during this period of time. My faith, relationships and work are advancing rapidly and God is somehow maintaining a stability of mind within me. In other words, I have been heavily occupied with life and it is only by God's grace and sovereign hand that I am able to learn things from these three categories without overwhelming me. I can't promise that another 2 months won't go by without another post, but I will say that I truly desire to post more often.

I will first begin with my "work" life. If you recall the article that I wrote about 4 months ago, I mentioned that I built a couple of chicken coops. In a more recent aritcle, I also showed you the barn that I painted red and trimmed white. Immediately following these projects, I finished building a duck house and also painted a spring house red and trimming it with white:

Duck house made from salvaged lumber around the property

On "Duck Island" and yes, the pond was frozen, it was 19 degrees at

one point, and man was it a cold work winter

The spring house before I pressure washed it...

...and the transformation....ok maybe I did a little photo touchup :)

This past week, believe it or not, I finished fixing up a chicken coop

for another friend of mine. Fellow readers, this is my 4th chicken

coop that I've worked on in 1.5 years...ya' gotta love it:

Before...

...after

I also moved 150 feet of T-post fencing/trellis

I will be fixing up a structure to accommodate ducks for this other friend as well.

Today, I finished planting 7.5 rows of onion sets for the CSA

this year

That's life at work in my life....the second highlight of my daily life is friendships/relationships. My immediate family has become more of a 1st priority before friends, of which I am so humbly greatful to God for. Many of you young men such as I know and believe that our sister(s) and mother are placed in our lives to prepare us for marriage to our future wife. Every day, this truth becomes more and more clear and evident throughout my life.

Relationships are also being strengthened and encouraged with friends. I recently had the privilege of helping my friend Drew build his tree fort, of which has been both very edifying and physically beneficial:

Drew, Noah and of course me

I will update you with more on the tree fort later

Lastly, saving the best for last, my faith is getting stronger and confidence in the Sovereign God is ever more sure. There is absolutely no denying that God is doing a great work in my life through the reading of His Words and the discipleship of my father and mother. I am obviously not perfect, in fact, I am willing to admit that studying the Words of God is sometimes not first priority. At times I get distracted and carried away by the cares of this world such as web design and focus all of my attention and thoughts on it rather than things that further God's kingdom.

I had the opportunity to strengthen my "preaching" skills by preaching a mini sermon ("Sermonette") after church service. Almost all of the young men under 20 years of age at our church whipped up a 5 to 15 minute sermonette to present to the body. I exposited - or at least attempted to exposit - Romans 9. You can view pictures and info of the event here. We all will be preaching another sermonette 3 weeks from now.

That is all for now...I hope you will be encouraged by my future posts as I dive deeper into "Becoming and Acting Like Men" and standing firm in the faith.

Worship the True God

2010-01-29T21:32:00.004-06:00

I recently set out, mainly on the internet, to understand what our former President George W. Bush believes about religion and God. I came across a YouTube video that presents a public interview of Bush’s true confession before the human race on ABC America Exclusive. Listen carefully to how Bush responds to the idea of God being involved in the affairs of men:

Firstly, you will notice overall that Mr. Bush is dreadfully ashamed of the gospel and terribly in denial of the only sovereign God. Charles Gibson (the interviewer) questions the idea that God is involved with the conflict of terrorism and Bush responds with “I don’t think that this is a religious war”. Before I go into the anti-Biblical ideas that are embedded into this statement, I will first point out that, proceeding from this statement, Bush directly contradicts himself by saying, “…this is a war between evil people that are willing to kill on a mass scale…” If the war against terrorism is just a war between good and evil people, does it not therefore have anything to do with religion? Scripture answers this question in Proverbs 15:3:

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

Also in Isaiah 45:7:

“I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.”

Everything involving good and evil (which would be everything that exists) has everything to do with religion and the God who reigns therein. We cannot separate the affairs of men from God who ordains them, for he is the Sovereign God who does all that is pleasing to Him (Psalm 115:3) in whatever fashion (Isaiah 45:7).

Also, in Ephesians 6:12, after Paul charges us to put on the full armor of God in order to “stand against the schemes of the devil”, he makes this statement:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The war that Christians are engaged in today is not against “evil people”, as Bush so plainly stated in the interview, but against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly place”. Therefore the war in Iraq is indeed, according to God, a “religious war”.

Not only does Bush deny the Sovereignty of God in the affairs of men, but we also can plainly see (or hear) that he opposes the truth of the Gospel. He, without hesitation, agreed to the statement that Christians and Muslims and all other religions worship the same God and therefore stated that all routes lead to the “almighty” but everyone has “different routes of getting to the almighty” (the word “almighty” typed in lowercase is not a typo). The universal term used to describe this heretical belief is Universalism. The definition of the term from the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary is this: “One who holds the doctrine that all men will be saved.” There were two verses in the Bible that immediately came to mind when I initially viewed this video, and these were the following:

Romans 9:27, “And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved”

…all men therefore do not go to Heaven, only the “remnant, chosen by grace” (Romans 11:5)…

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

No one can come to the father - the only true God (Isaiah 45:22) – unless the father draws him (John 6:44), through Jesus Christ whom He sent.

Comparing these passages of Scripture and the Bible as a whole with the statements being asserted by Mr. Bush, I would conclude that his stance on the gospel and view of the Sovereignty of God absolutely contradicts the Word of God and therefore he does not worship the true God of the Heavens.

Brothers, is this the man that we Christians elected on the 20th of January 2001? May this never be so ever again, but instead let us worship the Lord our God and elect the one who fears the Lord, lest He forsake us:

Jeremiah 22:8, 9, “And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, ‘Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?’ 9 And they will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’”

Numbers 14:43, “Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

Becoming and Acting Like Men (Part 1)

2010-01-19T22:19:00.001-06:00

In our current world, becoming a man is valued no higher than playing pro football, becoming famous or even playing video games all day. Boyhood is simply viewed as a period of time in an individual’s life to have as much playtime and self-enjoyment as “life has to offer”. I will be the first one to admit that this lifestyle has been my own up until my teen years. I hope these series of articles will be encouraging to you in your walk with the Lord and your earthly father as you become a mature man of the Faith.

Allow me to begin by asserting that boys won’t be boys forever. Every boy that has set (and will set) foot on this earth was created by God and ordained to develop into a fully grown man. Some men may act like boys, but they are still men whether they are foolish or wise.

So how does a boy become a wise man? Well, I will start with this passage in Scripture:

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

- Proverbs 13:20 -

Boys, or young men, do not become wise men of God if they do not associate or learn from wise men. The more time spent messing around with other boys our age who are also in the process of maturing, as I have regretfully done, the longer it will take to become and even act like a man. If the majority of our time is spent with other boys our age, then we will become like them and remain in our current state; young and immature. On the other hand, if we associate with the men who are wise, Scripture tells us that we will become wise.

So who are the wise? God lays out a broad list of characteristics of a wise man in Proverbs:

1. A wise man turns away from evil

“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.”

- Proverbs 14:16 –

The only way a man can turn away from evil is if God grants him the love for His perfect Law. In Psalm 1 it says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” A wise man does not walk in the counsel of the wicked but instead he meditates on God’s Law day and night. If you hear a man who tries to excuse or put away the Law of God stating that “we are no longer under the Law and therefore obedience to God’s Law is dependent upon man’s preferred way of living”, then he is not turning away from evil, he is “playing with fire”. I advise you brothers to flee from such company of men.

2. A wise man is strong in Faith

“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.”

- Proverbs 24:5 -

This verse is speaking of spiritual strength, not physical. A man who is wise is strong in his faith and maintains and enhances his faith by gaining knowledge through the Scripture.

3. A wise man is humble

“Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.”

- Proverbs 3:34, 35 -

Since arrogance and pride are my greatest weakness, I long and pray for God to grant me humility. Through the reading of Scripture and daily life experiences, I find and conclude that associating myself with men who are prideful and arrogant only contributes to and feeds my pride. Understand me though, fellow readers, that I do not intend to blame other prideful men for my personal sin of pride. I only suggest to you that when we associate ourselves with the prideful, we will be influenced by them.

4. A wise man listens to advice

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

- Proverbs 12:15 –

If one is wise, he knows and understands well that he is imperfect and therefore listens to any piece of advice that is given to him.

There are many characteristics of a wise man, but I shall not drift from my initial point, which is this:

Associate with the wise men

I would like to stop and remind you that I do not write to you for the purpose of preaching on my own authority, but instead to encourage you in your walk with the Lord, through the revelation and ultimate authority of the Holy Scriptures alone. I am a sinful young man comparable to any other who is seeking out wisdom in the Holy Scriptures on how to become a man who fears God.

Painting Red and Trimming White

2010-01-05T18:35:00.000-06:00

Here is a project that I have completed this Winter; a barn:

This is what the barn looked like before it was reconstructed by

someone else (not me)...

...this is after it was reconstructed...

...after I painted it red...

...and after I trimmed it out with white.

I also painted a spring house the same color and trimmed it out with the same white, but I don't have pictures at present. Before I painted the barn, I built a duck house for ducks to take shelter during the winter....I don't have pictures of this either. I will post pictures of the duck and spring house as soon as I take the pictures.

Check back soon for another encouragement article for young men.

New Years Eve 2009

2010-01-05T16:11:00.000-06:00

This year, we spent New Years Eve at our friends house (the Courters) and built a stick-frame cabin. Several other families helped build this 10' x 12' playhouse/cabin within 3 to 4 hours and still had time left over for a couple games of football, dinner, movie, and boardgames. Here are a few snapshots of the cabin in progress (I didn't get pictures of the end of the end result because it was already dark by 5:00pm).

Assumptions that Affect Our Lives - Overman

2009-11-30T12:20:00.002-06:00

My family and I recently read a great book by Christian Overman called "Assumptions that Affect Our Lives" that I would strongly recommend you and/or family to read. Overall, the book contrasts Greek philosophy and Hebrew wisdom and their role in shaping Western Christianity. Here is a quick overview of the book provided by Charleston Publishing Group, Inc.:

"Have you given much thought lately about the assumptions that affect your life? What do you base them on? How do personal assumptions affect our view of education, political theory, morality, marriage, parenting, life and death, God and society?

"As an educator, author, and parent, Christian Overman challenges 21st Century Christians to revisit the basic assumptions that frame our thinking about life, and to realize that just because you're a Christian does not mean you have a pure Christ-originating worldview.

"In this classical work, Overman traces with clarity the foundations of Western thought back to two opposing traditions: the ancient Greeks, who fathered secular, human-centered rationalism, and the ancient Hebrew, who carried forward God's revelation.

While our Western concepts of morality, law, and ethics are unmistakably rooted in the Bible and Hebrew tradition, the way we interpret and apply God's truth culturally and personally is regulated by Greek philosophy. Christians must understand the difference between Greek and Hebrew modes of wisdom and their influence on our assumptions about life."

This work by Overman, has provoked my family and me to think twice about what we do in our daily lives. Many of our ideas, practices, beliefs, and "assumptions" have derived from the man-centered thinking that the Greeks embraced more than 2,000 years ago.

The main question being presented through this book is whether we base our assumptions and beliefs on Scripture or man's interpretation of life and morality. I encourage you to read this book with your parents and through the eyes of Scripture.

Stand firm

Fall Projects

2009-11-26T10:01:00.000-06:00

Aside from my pursuit with my His Handiwork Design business, I have had the opportunity this Fall to generate more funds to add to my savings:

Barn Red Chicken Coop

This chicken coop was built on stilts (obviously) and designed with inserts for the Fall and Winter. When Spring and Summer approach, the panels are easily removed for air flow through the chicken wire (which is nailed on the inside of each frame). Below is a picture of the chicken box setup:

Lean-to Chicken Shed

I built this chicken coop with my friend Grant. The two doors on the front of this coop allow for easy access to clean. On the side facing the camera, there is a chicken door for the chickens, an access door for the laying boxes, and a chicken wire insert which is easy to replace with a glass window for the Fall and Winter.

More to come....

Dead in Sin...Alive With Christ

2009-11-08T21:24:00.000-06:00

Throughout my younger years, I was taught that man had the ability and obligation to save himself from eternal death by simply ‘receiving Christ as Lord and Savior.’ In reality, I believed that my salvation from damnation is won by my will to choose life by simply reciting a single prayer – this prayer eventually resulted in several different attempts due to uncertainty of salvation based on this prayer. The indirect idea behind this belief is that man is merely sick and has the ability to accept the ‘medicine’ to save his soul from death.

By God’s mercy and guiding hand through my earthly father, He has allowed me to return to Scripture and find the real truth:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.”

- Ephesians 2:4, 5

After reading this passage in Ephesians, I have become more confident that I was completely dead – not sick – in my sins and needed the mercy and grace of God to make me alive. I could have done nothing to save myself from death; my salvation unto life was fully dependent upon God’s mercy and it is Christ who has made me alive, not my human will to choose life:

“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”

- Romans 9:16

A great example in Scripture of this creed would be in John 11, where we read that Lazarus died and was buried in a tomb, but Jesus called him out of the tomb and Lazarus lived. Lazarus couldn’t and didn’t save himself by calling out for Jesus for life; his life was completely dependent upon Jesus who is the life giver.

It is “in Christ” that we are made alive from death, not in our ability to choose life:

“So you also must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

- Romans 6:11

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

- 1 Corinthians 15:22

God has ‘granted’ to us all things that pertain to life by His divine power, not of our own merit:

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…”

- 2 Peter 1:3

Because of this divine power that has granted us life, we no longer follow the corruption that is in the world:

…by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

- 2 Peter 1:4

This is an incredible and comforting truth fellow reader(s) that our life is completely in the hands of our Sovereign God. Just imagine if eternal life did depend upon our human will to choose it; we would remain dead in our sins and have no hope of fellowship with God in Heaven.

Have any questions or further discussion on this topic? Please, feel free to express yourself.

Stand firm,

Luke Smith

In the Name of the Sovereign, Triune God...

2009-10-14T23:33:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday, I was baptized in obedience to God along with my sisters. Here's my speach:

"I confess before the sovereign, triune God of Heaven and the holy bride of Christ that I am a totally depraved sinner, completely dead in my sins and had no ability whatsoever to save myself from the eternal death that I deserve. But because of God’s mercy and grace on my life, I have been made alive with Christ, and no longer follow the course of this world, but Christ who is seated at the right hand of God.

My salvation depended not on my human will to choose life, but completely on God who has mercy on whomever He wills (Romans 9:16).

I therefore stand before God in front of his holy Church to proclaim Christ crucified and the washing away of my sins for eternity. I no longer stand guilty before God; but Christ, being the mediator, has paid the penalty for my sins and set me free from eternal damnation.

I repent of my sins, commit my whole life to Christ and set my hope fully on the grace that will be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

…to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen."

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit...

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

- Romans 6:4 -

A Trying Yet Profitable Week

2009-09-12T15:04:00.021-05:00

On September 2nd, 2009 at 4:30pm, my grandfather - my father's father - passed away suddenly due to blood clots in his legs. It has been a very tiresome and emotional week for the family but God gave all of us confidence in Him knowing that it was part of His ordained plan and this didn't happen by accident.

Immediately after the phone call on Wednesday the 2nd, my father flew us out to So CA within 12 hours to be with the family.

It was great to see all of our family pull together from all over the country to encourage one another in the Lord and celebrate "Jim/Don Smith's" new life in the presence of God.

Grandpa's siblings

Grandpa's daughter Sheri and son in-law John

Our family (Grandpa's oldest son Steve - my father)
My eldest sister Brittany, my dad, Grandpa's sister
Jackie, and his younger brother Ron

Tuesday we had the grave site service with the family...

Grandpa was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and His
work done on the cross

His beloved wife Phillis

Younger brother Ron

My Grandfather was a veteran in the U.S. Navy

Youngest son Scott with grandson Josiah

Eldest son Steve (my dad)

Daughter Sheri

Youngest son Scott

Younger brother Ron

Older sister Jackie

Eldest sister Shirley

Son in-law John

My father and me

My father and youngest sister Cassaundra

Pastor John Coulombe

Scott Mcaulay - New Options

Group picture

The very next day, we had a funeral service with family and friends...

James D. Smith, 10/28/40 - 9/2/09

Siblings putting in their word...

Steve (Photo from video)

Sheri

Scott

My cousin Josiah sang "The Old Rugged Cross"

My sister Brittany played one of her own compositions

Pastor John Coulombe

Al Sanders

"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, after that comes judgment"

- Hebrews 9:27 -

To God be the glory!!!

Law and Authority

2009-08-06T19:18:00.003-05:00

In Rushdoony’s chapter seven of ‘Law and Liberty’, he addresses the issue of authority and how it relates to law. The basic question he presents in the end is “which authority the authority of God or man?”

“When you choose your authority, you choose your god, and where you look for your law, there is your god.”

- R. J. Rushdoony -

Before I take Rushdoony’s word for truth, let me show you what God has taught me through His word.

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.?”

- Romans 6:15, 16 -

This Passage is pretty much self explanatory. You are a slave to the one whom you obey. If you obey God’s law, then you are a slave of Christ Jesus. If you don’t obey God’s law but instead subject yourself to the government’s law, then you are a slave of the government.

This Scriptural view of the law has given me 100% assurance that putting children in public school is altogether unbiblical and, to put it plainly, a sin. If we look to God’s law as our authority, then we wouldn’t allow the government to teach our children for the Scripture says:

“You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.”

- Deuteronomy 11:19-21 -

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

- Proverbs 22:6 -

How can we teach God’s commandments to our children - as we are sitting down in our house, walking by the way, lying down, and rising up - if we submit them to the teachings of the public school for half the day? I would have to say you can’t.

The main question at stake is “who is our authority, God or the government?” If we subject our children to the government’s law and teaching, then our children would be slaves of the government. But if we subject them to God’s law and teaching then they are slaves of Christ.

Blueberry Picking and Waffle Night

2009-07-25T16:13:00.015-05:00

Thursday morning, we met up with the Pines and Burtons to pick blueberries. Although it was very hot, we all had a great time of fellowship and picked a reasonable amount of berries.

Noah

My eldest sister...Brittany

Grant

Drew

After blueberry picking, we ate lunch, then my friend
Grant and I were graciously given a moment of driving
time.

Me

Grant

My first parking job

We spotted these on our way home. :)

Last night, we had the same families over at our house for waffle night. The reason behind this gathering is a long story, but to cut it short, we met the Pines in So CA - where our family is originally from - and, right before we moved east, they gave us the key to their house here in TN for us to live in. The Burtons heard via Pine family that the Smith's love waffles, therefore less than two weeks after we arrived in the Pine's home, they had us over for fellowship and waffles. To sum it up, we celebrated our 1 year anniversary of moving here to TN.

We served lots of sweets such as waffles with blueberry
sauce, whipped cream and syrup...

...fruit...

...and 'sweet' tea...we also had ice cream. :)

Dylan, Mr. Pine, Mr. Burton, and Noah

Drew, Grant and my Dad

After dinner, we played some volleyball...

...and then dutch blitz.

We didn't quite beat the record of time, but we did make
it passed our 'bedtime'. :)

True Liberty

2009-07-20T16:06:00.004-05:00

Believing that the law is a burden to mankind, humanists conclude that liberty can only be attained by freedom from the law. Consequently, they will deliberately sin in order to practice or preserve their so called ‘liberty’ or ‘freedom’. For example, if an unmarried, pregnant teenager decides that she doesn’t want her baby to be born, she will deliberately break God’s law in order to exercise her ‘liberty’, resulting in the murder of that baby.

This humanistic view of liberty contradicts what the Holy Spirit has taught me in Scripture. For instance, Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:

“There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

- Romans 8:1, 2 -

So, according to the Holy Scriptures, freedom from the law does not produce true liberty - or freedom - but, on the contrary, it brings forth death. True liberty does not mean we are free from the law and that we can decide for ourselves what is right and wrong; it means freedom from the law of sin and death.

I’m learning that our freedom here in America should not only be based on our ‘human rights’, but ultimately on God’s holy and perfect law, for if we rely on God and His law to govern our land, we will be free from the law of sin and death.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

- Psalm 19:7 -

“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

- James 1:25 -

C.S.A. Update --- July 2009

2009-07-16T20:29:00.006-05:00

Well, quite some time has passed and Mr. Smith's C.S.A. Garden is moving right along.

3 sets of 2 rows of green beans...

20 to 30 rows of corn of which some stalks
have already grown cobs and silks.

Watermelon

Cantalope

Tomatoes

God's Law: A Tree of Life

2009-07-12T09:02:00.015-05:00

As I was reading Law and Liberty this morning, I came across an encouraging and thought-provoking excerpt from chapter 2:

"Those who tamper with God's law, or who espouse any departure from it, instead of seeking freedom to live, as they claim, are in actuality seeking death. For a fish, "escape" from water is an escape from life; it is a will to death. Jesus Christ, speaking as Wisdom ages ago, declared, 'But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death' (Prov. 8:36). The hatred of God's law is the hatred of life: it is the love of death."

In this chapter, Rushdoony first addresses the issue of capital punishment and how it relates to and compliments God's law. The humanistic view of life concludes that it is literally murder to impose capital punishment on a murderer. Rushdoony refutes this view with a Biblical view by saying:

"Our life is not our own: we can neither live nor die according to our will but only according to God's will and word. As a result, the death sentence against murder is repeatedly pronounced in the Bible: 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed' (Gen. 9:6). "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death" (Ex. 21:12). "The murderer shall surely be put to death" (Num. 35:16-18). Murder thus is one of the crimes which calls for capital punishment."

Notice that Rushdoony does not rely on his knowledge or an outside source to refute the humanistic view, but instead he goes right into what God has to say in the Holy Scriptures. He provides three passages in Scripture that support the act of capital punishment and therefore concludes that it is altogether Biblical under the authority and power of God who is the life giver. Rushdoony then concluded:

"The power to kill thus is God's power; it must be exercised according to God's law, and it is not man's power but God's power. This godly use of power to kill is, according to the Bible, also involved in just warfare."

"But this is only one side of the matter", Rushdoony goes on, "The power to kill is under God's law, and life and living are also under God's law." In our modern day, it is a dominant view that the law of God is a restraint on life, an attitude widely encouraged by existentialist humanism. This view totally and completely separates itself from the Biblical view which states that, rather than God's law being a burden or a restraint on mankind, on the contrary, it gives life (Proverbs 3:18).

After being challenged with Scripture in chapter 2 of this book, God has shown me that His law is not a burden to man - although it may seem like it - but a "tree of life to those who lay hold of her" (Prov. 3:18), and those who depart from it, injure themselves (Prov. 8:36). This is a very valuable principle in Scripture for me, as a believer, to understand that the reason we obey God's law isn't just because God commands us to, but also so that we will restrain from evil and live.

God has also revealed to me why capital punishment is a principle founded in His Word and not just an idea made up by man. I’ve always known somehow that capital punishment was right, but I never understood that the Biblical reason is because the power of life and death are in the hand of the Lord (Deut. 32:39) and the Bible commands that "Whoever strikes a man so that he dies, shall be put to death" (Ex. 21:12).

These two verses below speak of wisdom which Noah Webster describes as the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good. In other words wisdom in these verses means faith and obedience to God’s law:

“For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

- Proverbs 6:35, 36 -

The Basic Funtion of the Law: Rushdoony

2009-07-09T22:30:00.015-05:00

At present, I’m reading a book – of which I assume most of you have heard of – entitled “Law and Liberty” by Rousas John Rushdoony. I have yet to begin chapter 2, and I am still pondering on the preceding, for there is so much to be had.

Rousas John Rushdoony

There were several concepts implemented throughout the first chapter, but one that particularly caught my attention, was that the basic function of the law is to restrain men from evil, not to regenerate. Now, you may say to me “That’s obvious”; but the view that ‘the basic function of law is to save or change man’, is a view that has seeped into our society today, which is called “humanism”. This view opposes the Biblical view, which states that man can only be saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8).

“Humanism believes in salvation by works of law, and, as a result, we are trying, as a nation, to save the world by law. By vast appropriations of money and dedicated labor, we are trying save all nations and races, all men from all problems, in the hopes of creating a paradise on earth. We are trying to bring peace on earth and good will among men by acts of state and works of law, not by Jesus Christ. But St. Paul wrote, in Galatians 2:16, ‘Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by works of the law: for by works of the law shall no flesh be justified.’

Law is good, proper, and essential in its place, but law can save no man, nor can law remake man and society.”

- R. J. Rushdoony -

In other words, God’s purpose for the law was not to regenerate or save man, but to restrain them from doing evil (Romans 13:1-4), or, as Rushdoony put it, “The purpose of Biblical law, and all laws grounded on Biblical faith, is to punish and restrain evil, and to protect life and property, to provide justice for all people.”

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

- Psalm 119:97 -

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil”

- Proverbs 3:7 -

Garden Update --- July 2009

2009-07-01T15:46:00.004-05:00

Here's an update on our garden for July. Our corn, tomatoes, cucumber, and watermelon have been most successful.

Gentleman Country Corn

Green Beans

Parsley

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Potatoes

Cucumber

Entire Garden

Listen To Advice

2009-06-24T16:28:00.009-05:00

This verse in Proverbs really stood out to me when I read it, for I must confess that I am the very fool that it is speaking of:

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."

- Proverbs 12:15 –

Throughout my whole life, I have struggled with listening to advice, whether it was from my father or simply a friend who cared. To put it plainly, I was basically "right in my own eyes" and I was absolutely unable to be taught or encouraged. Brothers, this is a very critical state to be in, for if I am not willing to listen to advice, then I am merely a fool walking in ignorance, which leads to poverty and disgrace (Proverbs 13:18).

I, as a young man, especially need advice for I am young and still have yet more wisdom to acquire as I become a mature man of God. For me to think that I arm right in my own eyes and don’t need advice, is essentially stating that I am perfect and therefore do not need to be advised or corrected.

In my studies from the Holy Scriptures, I have learned to listen to advice when it is being given to me, for I will gain wisdom in the future (Proverbs 13:10, 19:20).

“Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”

- Proverbs 4:7 -

C.S.A. Farming

2009-06-16T13:26:00.011-05:00

Every Wednesday afternoon, I've been working with Mr. Smith - a friend of ours - on his C.S.A. farm. It has been very beneficial for me to have acquired skills/knowledge in agriculture for it has contributed greatly to the progression of our garden. Not only so, but God has provided a great opportunity for me to be strengthened and sharpened by a another man who fears the Lord greatly.

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

- Proverbs 27:17 -

We planted "Crimson Sweet Watermelon" at the begin-
ning of this month (6-3-09)

Last week, I sifted through about 15 rows of corn so that all of the
stocks are evenly spaced...
...these are too close...

...these two are evenly spaced at a distance of 6"

Out of all those rows of corn, this is all of the wast
Kildeer Bird roaming the corn fields...
...and making it's nest in the middle of the watermelon!
Her Camouflage eggs

"Top Crop" green beans

Last week we planted "Legand" green beans planted
in a "stagger" so that we have a continuous supply
of green beans

Mr. Smith

The Purpose of the Lord Will Stand

2009-06-09T21:55:00.012-05:00

One of the passages of Scripture that has greatly affected my way of living will most certainly have to be the following:

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

- Proverbs 19:21 -

I may have a plan of what or how I will accomplish something at a particular time and place, but God’s purpose will stand. No matter how hard I try to execute my plan, God has a purpose for my life and He will accomplish it. He is completely sovereign and has ordained all that will come to pass before the foundations of the earth were laid (Job 38).

To present a real life circumstance, my dad’s plan was to pack up the U-haul truck from Southern California and head for North Carolina; but God had a purpose for us to come and live in Tennessee. We never understood why God brought our family to come live in TN instead of NC, and – to this day - we still have no idea why God has brought us to live in middle Tennessee, but we have faith, confidence and rest in God knowing that His purpose will be accomplished.

When Jonah was commanded by God to go to Nineveh, he tried to flee from the presence of the Lord and started heading for Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-4). That may have been Jonah’s plan but, nevertheless, God’s purpose stood firm and He “…appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” (Jonah 1:17) He then commanded Jonah a second time to “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you”, and Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD. God’s purpose stood firm, whether His purpose was to strengthen Jonah’s faith or to bring the people of Nineveh to repentance (Jonah 3-10). Jonah did not “ruin” God’s purpose by fleeing from His presence to Tarshish; on the contrary God’s purpose altered Jonah’s plan. In the Psalms, David writes:

“The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.”

- Psalms 33:10 -

Way too often, I tend to think that I’ve got my future all planned out. At times, I think to myself, “I will start driving at 17 years of age…after I graduate high school, I will get a job working for my dad and possibly buy a large plot of land and build a cottage home, and then…” The list goes on forever. The thing I loose sight of is that God has a purpose for my life and I don’t need to worry about the future. Now, does this mean I never plan for the future? Absolutely not! In Proverbs, it says that,

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”

- Proverbs 21:5 -

In James’ letter to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, he writes:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

- James 4:13-16 -

Also, In Proverbs it says:

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

- Proverbs 27:1 -

In others words, who am I to boast about what I will do tomorrow, for I do not know what it will bring. My life is a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes, so who am I to boast about tomorrow for God has a purpose for my life whether I live to be 20 or 85 years old. Instead, I ought to say in humility – not arrogance - “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this of that.” “We may know what we intend to do and to be, but a thousand things may happen to prevent us.” – Matthew Henry.

So, brothers, The LORD has a purpose for everything (Proverbs 16:4) and it will stand, no matter what the plans in the mind of a man may be. No purpose of God’s may be defeated by men for He can do all things:

-
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

- Job 42:2 -

All Scripture is Breathed Out By God

2009-06-05T22:40:00.002-05:00

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, it says that:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

- 2 Timothy 3:16 –

All of Scripture is absolutely reliable, for it is breathed out by God – the Holy Spirit – and we know that “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Proverbs 30:5) Therefore Scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. When a brother in the faith is in sin or a son is disobeying his father, Scripture is profitable for reproving that brother and teaching the son to obey his father.

The apostle Peter said in his second letter:

“19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

- 2 Peter 1:19-21 –

Peter refers to Scripture as “the prophetic word”. None of the prophesies in Scripture come from mans’ interpretation, but everything written came from God, through men and was carried by the Holy Spirit - or “Breathed out by God”. Notice in verse 20 that he also refers to Scripture as a “lamp shining in a dark place.” Scripture is a lamp and guide in a world full of evil and wickedness. In Psalm 119, verse 105 it says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

In Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Henry writes:

“[T]he very words of scripture are to be accounted the words of the Holy Ghost, and all the plainness and simplicity, all the power and virtue, all the elegance and propriety, of the very words and expressions are to be regarded by us as proceeding from God. Mix faith therefore with what you find in the scriptures; esteem and reverence your Bible as a book written by holy men, inspired, influenced, and assisted by the Holy Ghost.”

- Matthew Henry –

I conclude then, brothers, that we can fully rely on Scripture, for it is breathed out by God and is revealed through the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to apply the Holy Scriptures in every area of your life, for it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” If you have any Scripture to share concerning this topic of Scripture, I encourage you to comment at the bottom of this post.

Garden Update --- June 2009

2009-06-02T20:08:00.014-05:00

It has been exactly 51 days since we first tilled and planted our garden. During these 7 weeks of rain and all of the hard work spent by me and my family, we have seen great progress.

"Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows waorthless pursuits lacks sense."

- Proverbs 12:11 -

Gentleman Country Corn

Green Beans

Parsley

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Garlic

Potatoes

Amish Melon

Cucumber
Zucchini
Pumpkin
Crook Neck Squash

Jacob I Loved, But Esau I Hated

2009-06-01T15:44:00.013-05:00

In the past 3 to 4 years, God has radically changed our view on how sovereign He truly is. Now, you may be thinking, “obviously He is completely sovereign over everything”. That’s what I would have said 5 years ago, but what I didn’t realize was God, in reality, was a very ‘small God’ in my mind. Sure I believed that He created everything that exists and that He knows all things. But when it came to understanding how sovereign He was over my eternal destination (salvation), I was living a lie! I believed that man had the ability and the obligation to choose God.

In Romans 9 Paul makes it very clear that our salvation is totally dependant upon God’s mercy and not our human will (choice). In verses 10-16 he recalls the story of Jacob and Esau.

“And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, Though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad – in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy”

- Romans 9:10-16 -

Before Jacob and Esau were even born or had done anything good or bad, God loved Jacob, but hated Esau! In 1 John 4:19 it says, “We love because he first loved us.” Jacob didn’t love God first and then decide to become one of His elect; God first loved Jacob and elected him before he was even born. Esau didn’t hate God first and then reject His call – for the callings of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29); God hated Esau before he was even born, therefore Esau never belonged to God.

So, why did God love Jacob but not Esau? It was so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of God’s call. Now in response to this passage five years ago I would’ve said “That’s not fair for Esau!” Was I really calling God unfair or unjust? Is it possible that God was unjust on His part?!!! “By no means!”, Paul says in verse 13. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion on whom He will have compassion. God is a just God (Revelation 19:2, Deuteronomy 32:4) and for me to accuse Him of being unjust is blasphemy.

In Romans 3:23 it says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In chapter 6 verse 23 it states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So, according to these two verses in Romans, we all have sinned and therefore deserve death. Therefore it was absolutely just for God to hate Esau, because Esau sinned against Him. Both Jacob and Esau deserved death, but because of God’s mercy, Jacob did not die but received eternal life. The only distinction that is made between Jacob and Esau, as far as salvation is concerned, is that God had mercy on Jacob but not Esau.

Finally, in verse 16 of chapter 9, Paul says , “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy.” Salvation didn’t depend on Jacob’s human will (choice), but on God’s mercy. It was nothing of which Jacob did, if it were, then this verse would not have said, “…it depends not on human will or exertion…” (underlining added)

So, why does God elect some before they are even born and not others? Because “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Psalm 115:3

So then, brothers, since you have made it thus far in this article, I challenge you to take what I have written right back to Scripture. If you have any disagreements or questions about what is said in this article, confront me with Scripture. I would love to discuss this topic with you!

Building a Chicken Coop in a Day

2009-05-24T20:35:00.032-05:00

Yesterday, from 8:00am to 8:00pm, my dad and I built a chicken coop for our friends (the Wests Ladies) from the ground up. My favorite part of construction is framing the skeleton of a structure, so I enjoyed this project greatly. For materials, we bought 55 two-by-fours, 2 four-by-sixes, 3 2" diameter rods, 15 sheets of plywood, 3 sheets of metal roofing, and hinges for the doors. The dimensions of the coop are 7' wide by 8' deep by 8.5' tall.

Foundation - 8:59am

Platform - 9:36am

Wall #1 and #2 - 10:03am

Me nailing on plywood to wall #1 - 10:04am

Me and my dad nailing up wall #1 - 10:05am

Wall #3 - 10:22am

Wall #4 - 11:07am

1:30pm

4:35pm

Me nailing on the roof trusses - 5:56pm

Finished result - 7:25pm

We finished the coop just in time for the thunderstorm to arrive - 7:27pm

Inside - 7:27pm

Me and my dad - 7:37pm

The Wests - 7:41pm

This project was in many ways beneficial for me in that I was working along side my dad. He was there the whole time discipling me and training me up in the way I should go. I am very thankful for that!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

- Proverbs 22:6 -

Corn, Green Beans, Cucumber, Tomatoes...

2009-05-21T16:44:00.012-05:00

At the beginning of this month, we planted an assortment of heirloom seeds. Heirlooms are seeds that have been preserved over many years and have not been genetically modified. The only plants that we did not grow from seed ourselves were the tomato plants; the seedlings did not work out. There's a considerable amount of work involved considering the fact that we did it all by hand - except for the tilling.

Gentleman Country Corn

Green Beans and Cucumber

Tomatoes

Watermelon - I think. :)

Garlic - not heirloom...it's from Costco.

Our entire garden

Suffering as a Christian

2009-05-18T08:52:00.012-05:00

Last week, I came across a passage of Scripture that I highlighted awhile back, which has given me great peace and confidence in Christ. It says this:

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

- 1 Peter 4:12-16 -

In other words, if the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon me, I will most certainly be insulted for Christ’s name sake. I should not be surprised when the fiery trial comes upon me to test me, for it is merely a test to see how strong I am in the Lord. Matthew Henry, an English clergyman who wrote an exposition of the Old and New Testament, said this of verse 12,

“Though they (trials) be sharp and fiery, yet they are designed only to try not to ruin them, to try their sincerity, strength, patience, and trust in God. In contrary, they ought rather to rejoice under their sufferings, because theirs may properly be called Christ’s sufferings.”

- Matthew Henry -

In James’ letter to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, he writes,

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

- James 1:12 -

Part of suffering for Christ is not only being insulted for it, but also hated! Before Jesus’ arrest, He said to His disciples,

“If the world hates you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

- John 15:18, 19 -

So, to put it in simple terms, since we have been chosen out of the world and set apart for the gospel of God, Romans 1:1, then, according to this passage in John, the world will hate us. Now, I do not believe that we are to deliberately try and make the world hate us; if we are truly children of God, by nature, the world will hate you because the world is God’s enemy:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

- James 4:4 -

Striving to be friends with the world would make us enemies of God! So, we should strive to worship God and further His kingdom.

My encouragement for you today, brothers, is this:

Be steadfast under trial and do not get discouraged when you are being insulted for the name of Christ, “but instead rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

Volleyball With Friends

2009-05-05T15:46:00.026-05:00

Hello brothers, I apologize for the delay...I was recovering from the chickenpox last week - very humbling - and we have guests visiting in our house from CA. Last night the Pines, Courters, Burtons, Konvalins (visiting from CA), and our family gathered together to play a few hours of volleyball. It was a great time! There's nothing more exciting than playing a game of volleyball with brothers and sisters in the faith.

Choosing players

Second story snapshot

Right side of the court

Left side of the court

Dylan, me and Drew waiting patiently :)

Our team

Me serving the ball - "SERVICE!"

Whipper snapper

Volleyball on video

I start out in the middle front on this side of the court

Chickenpox!

2009-04-24T10:28:00.008-05:00

I thought I might let y'all know that, to say the least, I have the chickenpox. I'm 16 going on 17 years old so it's not going well with me. They are all over me...they itch...and I can barely get up!!! Taking this reality into consideration, I will not be on my computer very often, so if you post any comments, you probably won't see a response for another 2 weeks, give or take. I appologize for the inconvenience!

Stand firm in the faith,

Brother Luke Smith

Visiting the Schiffman Homestead

2009-04-21T19:58:00.011-05:00

Last Friday we had a wonderful time of fellowship with our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, the Schiffmans. (I love to interact with their little kids!)

Eating Lunch

Mowing the lawn with my little partner

The eldest Schiffman boy

Hey! Get off my luggage rack! :)

"Hear, My Son, Your Father's Instruction"

2009-04-15T23:01:00.029-05:00

This past year our family began to read Proverbs every morning at the breakfast table. Since there are 31 chapters in Proverbs and an average 30 days in a month, we read through the book of Proverbs every month. There is one valuable principle that especially catches my attention as we persistently read through this book, and it’s this:

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,”

- Proverbs 1:8 -

Brothers, WE NEED INSTRUCTION!!! God has commanded fathers to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). There is a reason why God commands the fathers to instruct their children and not the other way around. He merely commands the fathers to “bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”, and for the sons to hear their instruction.

As our fathers are bringing us up in the discipline and instruction of the lord and we learn how to respect our fathers and listen to their instruction, it will be much easier to be subject to our heavenly Father:

“Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?”

- Hebrews 12:9 -

_________________________________________________________________________________

Our Heavenly and Earthly Father’s Discipline

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

- Proverbs 3:11, 12 –

Do not despise your father’s discipline – or instruction - for he disciplines you because he loves you, just like our heavenly father.

________________________________________________________________________________

A Wise Son

“A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”

- Proverbs 13:1 -

Do not be a scoffer by not listening to rebuke, but instead be wise in hearing your father’s instruction.

________________________________________________________________________________

A Foolish Son

“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.”

- Proverbs 15:5 -

Do not be a fool by despising your father’s instruction, but instead be prudent by listening to reproof.

________________________________________________________________________________

Love Discipline!

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”

- Proverbs 12:1 –

Do not be stupid by hating reproof, but instead love discipline, for it is valuable instruction and teaching.

________________________________________________________________________________

One of the major struggles all throughout my life has been not hearing my father’s instruction. It basically went in one ear and out the other. I would continuously challenge my father’s authority and despise his instruction. I absolutely hated reproof and being corrected. I was a selfish boy and my parents have been through a lot with me. I praise the Lord that He has gotten a hold of my heart and revealed His truth to me! I still battle with not listening to my father’s instruction, but God is strengthening my relationship with my father every day.

My encouragement to you, brothers, would be to:

A. Hear your father’s instruction!

B. Never challenge your father’s authority!

C. Love discipline!

Planting Our Garden

2009-04-14T21:50:00.024-05:00

This year our family has decided to plant a garden. I built four raised beds at 4' x 8' x 7" to plant vegetables such as tomatoes, green onions, lettuce, spinach, peppers, etc. In the ground we have planted 4 rows of potatoes and we are also growing sweat peas on trellises.

"Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty"

- Proverbs 28:19 -

8' Trellises for the sweat peas to grow on

Raised beds for various vegetables

Cassaundra, Mom and Brittany all working very hard

Brittany Planting lettuce and spinach seeds

My dad tilling the soil for potatoes

Me tilling the corn field

Stand Firm in the Faith Brothers!

2009-04-06T21:47:00.007-05:00

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

- 1 Corinthians 16:13 -

What is faith? Well, the writer of Hebrews said this of faith:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

- Hebrews 11:1 -

In this present evil age, it is absolutely imperative that we “stand firm in the faith” and focus solely on Christ! Do not be distracted by the pleasures and trials of this world, for they are only temporary. But instead, rejoice in the hope that you have in Christ who is in Heaven, and be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12). Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you by reading God’s Word and praying without ceasing. Our hope is in Christ, not in the things here on earth!

"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

- Romans 8:24, 25 -

Do not look to the things that are seen (earthly things) for they are temporary, but look to the things that are unseen (Heavenly things) for they last for eternity (2 Cor. 4:18). Life here on earth is temporary, but Christ, who sits at the right hand of God in Heaven, is eternal. Paul wrote this to the saints in Colossae:

“If then you have been raised up with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

- Colossians 3:1 -

I pray that this blog will be of great encouragement for young men who are seeking to follow Christ. I urge you to take my words of encouragement directly back to Scripture and if you observe that I am contradicting the Bible, challenge me with Scripture that supports your observation by commenting. In Proverbs it says this:

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

- Proverbs 27:17 -

Until we meet in Heaven, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12 and stand firm in the faith brothers!