Family Pics

Some hiking adventures as of late...Jonatha and Aidan found their coats handy while hiking at Golden Gate Canyon in 40 degrees and windy conditions. Jan, Aidan and I went for an easy hike at Marshall Mesa Trailhead last week. We had excellent views of Boulder below us and Devil's Thumb. The hike takes you over old coal mines that still burn to this today underground.

Having these resources within just minutes of our house is a real blessing. The exercise, views and surrounding terrain makes for an enjoyable experience and creates some great memories for our family.

Simple Truth

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." "All those who practice it have a good understanding." (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10)

Here in Boulder County, I have noticed the reality of the danger in thinking that philosophical reasoning will enhance truth. Spurgeon writes, "Man's intellect seeks for peace and by nature seeks it apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Men of education are apt, even when converted, to look upon the simplicities of the cross of Christ with too little reverence and love." Demographics in Boulder reveal that over 36% of residents here have undergraduate degrees (U.S. avg 15%) and 30% have Master's or Doctorates degrees (U.S. avg 8%). The trend here is to reason out your faith through worldly viewpoints. However, I notice a different story in the Scriptures..."But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27). Interestingly enough, such words were spoken to a similar culture in Corinth as we see in Boulder.

I am guilty too often of falling in this trap of reasoning. I begin to rationalize my faith and my prayers. I justify my sin and my failures. The simple truth rests with the cross...Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by suffering the greatest of sufferings so we may enjoy eternity with Him. He did it so we wouldn't have to. The choice is simple...believe in what he did and be saved (Romans 10:10-13).

I hope today you have already made this decision. Your simple faith will yield great wisdom. Not a worldly wisdom, but wisdom that brings eternal values. Enjoy your day in the Lord and rest in his perfect knowledge.

-- Peter

Picture: Mt. Evans (taken on hike this July)

Heartbeat of Prayer

"Even when prayer is not speedy, the blessings grow all the richer on account of the delay" C. H. Spurgeon...

Timeliness...the timeliness of God's working is perfect whether we understand it or not. For several months I have been learning the lesson that God works on his timeframe and no one else's. He does not answer to us, we answer to him. We may plead, beg, request, but without the heartbeat of trust in his will, we waste our time (and his). God revealed a very special answer to prayer to us today. It didn't come in the timeframe I expected nor wanted. However, it came in his perfect timing. God revealed he has been protecting us with his arms of love all year, all the while we were thinking he was not answering prayer. How much sweeter it is for us when we see the working of God in our lives to perfect his own purposes for us, rather than pleading our case for our will.

Spurgeon also states, "The gift came from heaven; let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it-let devotion consecrate it." I think it's fitting to see prayer this way...that God answered according to his will and it has been perfected in us. I think we owe it to God to give credit where credit is due. His answers are heaven sent, prayer perfected, and, as a result, God is glorified.

I hope our lessons learned are an encouragement to you today if you are struggling with prayer and God's answers to them. He is always listening and always knows what is best for us. Praise Him!

-- Peter

Faith...

What does it mean to have faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." What are we hoping for? As a believer, I am hoping for eternity in heaven, but not 'hope' in the earthly sense. I am not uncertain, rather, am very certain I will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. My 'hope' is an eternal hope, one that is confident, certain. In all this, I am certain of what I have yet to see. I haven't seen Jesus in person, nor touched him, nor seen heaven. Yet, I know I will see both Jesus and heaven when my time here ends.

Regarding my earthly faith lessons, I am reminded today from my devotional that "Faith is triumphant in trial. When reason has her feet fastened in the stocks of the inner prison, faith makes the dungeon walls ring with her happy notes as she cries, 'I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music' (Psalm 101:1). Faith pulls the dark mask from the face of trouble and discovers the angel beneath."

So, you see faith has eternal values and earthly values. It's power rests within those who have placed their trust in the Living Savior who suffered the cross and all its shame. I am humbled at this thought. The sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind is available to all mankind. The only thing preventing it from becoming reality is faith. Each of us must make that decision.

I am thankful I have made mine...Peter

Sid's B-Day Party

Jonatha hangin' with her girls at Sidney's birthday party. Sidney (far right) turned 7 last week. Brandon, Michelle, Brooklyn, Sidney and Zach live in Lafayette, also in Boulder County and are a part of our launch team at Emmaus Road.

Compelled

This little piece of an article by Ben Paisley, along with a great conversation I had with my pastor today further convinced me of Jesus' heart for the lost...read on...Peter

There is something else to consider as we look for the Levites' role in evangelism: In 1 Chronicles 25: 1 we find that "David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals." These were Musicians and Singers who were to prophesy? Before we jump to the conclusion that this was some mysterious, future-telling skill set to music, let's consider a couple of basic passages. In understanding prophecy we should first note that the word simply means "to speak a divinely inspired message". Prophecy is simply communicating the heart and will of God to people. Revelation 19:10 says it this way, "the spirit of prophesy is the testimony of Jesus". In other words, the essence of prophecy is exploding the reality of Jesus into the world. Sure, there is future vision and mystical insights to prophetic communication, but the foundation of the work is simply making God clear. There is no better place to see this than in 1 Corinthians 14. After we are all encouraged to pray for the gift of prophecy we are told in verse 3 that "everyone who prophesies speaks to men". I had always assumed that this prophetic gift was for believers--but hold on--after a chapter of illustration Paul makes it very clear for us in verses 24 and 25. "But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" Is this not evangelism?! Is prophecy not for unbelievers?! If we prophesy the lost will see God clearly! To the point, some of the Musicians and Singers were set apart for the work of prophesying: making God known to believers and unbelievers!

Our Church Family

L to R: Janelle, Jan, Jonatha, Aidan, and Peter, Sidney, Brandon, Michelle, Zach, Tara, Josiah, Jeff, Asher, Josh, Julie, Brooklyn, Kris, Taylor, Jocelyn, and Natalie.

Breakfast Man

Aidan feeling generous this morning by making breakfast for the family while we were getting ready for the day...he didn't even make a mess!

1st Bus Ride

Jonatha had her first bus ride to school today...my kids are growing up!

"As Iron Sharpens Iron"

I posted this picture recently and decided to post it again. Last night I was reminded how sweet it is to fellowship with my brothers. The men met last night at Josh's apartment and spent time in prayer and study of God's Word until 11:00pm. Last week we met at my apartment and spent nearly two hours straight praying together. On neither occasion did anyone complain at the time spent in prayer or the late hour of study.

Last night, we all spent some time in confession together and sharing our concerns and God was in our midst! I cried tears of joy last night as I participated in the prayer time, meditating on God's Word and being reminded that I could not ask for a better group of men to serve with in ministry. And wouldn't you know it? God revealed once again he is in the middle of the details of our lives when Kris was led to read Job 38 during our prayer time. I just happened to read those very verses a few hours before (see blog below). I asked Kris if he had read the same devotional and he said no, he just felt led to read those verses. The Spirit does, indeed, lead us when we don't know how to pray (Romans 8:26).

If you do not have a smaller group of people you meet with regularly for fellowship and accountability, find one now. My life has been enriched greatly this year through this group of men, and I am thankful for what God has been doing in my life through them. Praise God!

Who am I?

Who am I to question why certain events occur in my life? God's providence is his, not mine...yet I often want in on the knowledge of why he does what he does. I am reminded today it's simply not my place. Just when I feel I am in a valley, I find an abyss. Yet, I am comforted because I know my earthly woes do not hold a candle to Jesus' suffering for me. What blessing we have when faced with trials and hardship. It is through them that we are brought into an intimate fellowship with our Savior! Peter

From Truth for Life...

HAVE YOU ENTERED INTO THE SPRINGS OF THE SEA? Job 38:16 Some things in nature remain a mystery even to the most intelligent and enterprising investigators. Human knowledge has boundaries beyond which it cannot pass. Universal knowledge is for God alone. If this is true in the things that are seen and temporal, I can be certain that it is even more so in spiritual and eternal matters. Why, then, have I been torturing my brain with speculations about divine sovereignty and human responsibility? These deep and dark truths I am no more able to comprehend than to discover the source from which the ocean draws her watery supplies. Why am I so curious to know the reason for my Lord's providences, the motive of His actions, the design of His visitations? Will I ever be able to clasp the sun in my fist or hold the universe in my palm? Yet these are as a drop in a bucket compared with the Lord my God. Do not let me strive to understand the infinite, but spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect I can possess by affection, and that should be enough for me. I cannot penetrate the heart of the sea, but I can enjoy the healthy breezes that sweep across it, and I can sail over its blue waves with propitious winds. If I could enter the springs of the sea, the feat would serve no useful purpose either to myself or to others; it would not save the sinking ship or restore the drowned sailor to his weeping wife and children. Neither would my solving deep mysteries avail me a single whit. The simplest act of obedience to Him is better than the profoundest knowledge. My Lord, I leave the infinite to You and ask You to put far from me a love for the tree of knowledge that would keep me from the tree of life.

Labor Day

Trip to NE this Labor Day weekend...we enjoyed fellowship with the Jacksons, Joedemans and Udds. Lots of 4-wheelin', barrel walkin', garden pickin', country worshippin' and, as always, good eatin'. Trip was smooth and we returned home to CO at 1 am Monday morning.