Tag Archives: Alistair Begg

Goodbye July Hodgepodge

Another Summer Wednesday Hodgepodge today with thanks to Jo From This Side of the Pond.

1. According to author Gary Chapman there are five love languages-words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and receiving gifts. Which one is yours? 

If you mean which one do I receive as love, I’d have to say acts of service with true words of affirmation coming in close. On the other side, the giving not receiving, I like to give gifts.

2. What are five foods you eat every day? 

As it stands, I’m in a period of trying to drop some pounds so according to that regiment here are five foods I’m eating at present:

High Fiber Cereal from Trader Joe’s with 9 grams of fiber per serving, a good handful of blueberries, low fat string cheese, eggs and an assortment of veggies.

3. Five places you’d love to visit?

Prince Edward Island, Ireland, New England States, More National Parks, More of Great Britain

4. Something you’ve done recently that deserved a ‘high five‘?

I’ve lost a good solid 12 pounds.

5.  Give us five 5-letter words that describe your July. 

Water: with the summer heat I’ve been watering, a lot.

Shade: If I’m outside I try to find shade. We have also put up our shade cloth.

Walks: Early morning walks have started in July.

Grands: July has lots of opportunities for fun in the sun with our Grands!

Focus: Working on a more God-Centered focus. Something I read yesterday in a devotional by Alistair Begg: “Jesus made it clear that in order for us to embrace a God-centered focus, we must first understand who we are without Him. In fact, Jesus explained to His disciples that apart from Him they could do nothing; after all, “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17) Our need for Jesus is not partial; it is total. None of us can even breathe without God’s enabling. How can we think of taking credit for any work that He’s done through us? We are absolutely impoverished without divine help.”

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Speaking of our grands and July, on Monday we went into the Colville National Forest to a very remote area to help our kids get stocked up with fire wood for the winter. I’ll do a whole post on our time there. Here are the grands who persevered a whole 4 hours!

A Spring Like Summer

So far this summer we have had a good amount of rain and it still feels like Spring. Not grumbling just documenting. If this bodes well for a short fire season we will take it!

The plants are enjoying the rain and flourishing.

Our oldest and his bride of 21 years are visiting us this weekend so we are busy with lots of conversation and activities. I’ll be scarce this weekend. Hope you will be enjoying yours.

I’ll leave you with these excerpts from a book I’ve been enjoying called Name above All Names by Alistair Begg and Sinclair B. Ferguson. I highly recommend the book.

“Back again to Sunday School in Scotland! Our teachers used to teach us some of the most amazing songs. They are etched into our memories–and some of them really are marvelous. Here is one that drives home the nitty-gritty, day to day, practical difference it makes to know Jesus is King. In it’s child-friendly, child-attractive fun way (and surely children had fun with Jesus?), it underscores the power of the gospel. It says: “Come on now, you don’t have to be bedeviled and overwhelmed by all these things that are coming at you.” Here are the words:

“Come leave your house on Grumble Street
And move to Sunshine Square
For that’s the place where Jesus lives,
And you’ll be happy there!

Well you say, “That isn’t exactly a brilliant lyric. What were they doing teaching mischievous little boys that kind of poetry?” 

Yes, but we got the message of these choruses. It wasn’t necessary to master a systematic theology textbook to see the point:

“Come on now; we say that Jesus Christ is King . Why then are our faces sad? Jesus Christ is King. Where then is our hope? Jesus Christ is King and Lord; where is our enthusiasm for the Lord Jesus? We do need to leave our house on Grumble Street and move to Sunshine Square. That’s the place where Jesus is. We’ll be happy there.”

Is there a Sunday School song from your memory that pops into your head now and again?

Truth for Today #21

Thursday June 2nd

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth this year!

Note: I will not be posting a Truth for Today on June 9th as I will be traveling and away from my computer. It will resume on June 16th.

Colossians 1:21-23

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I Paul, became a minister.

I’m adding a paragraph from Alistair Begg’s devotional, Truth for Life,  on these verses:

“The good news of the gospel is the fact that Jesus of Nazareth came on our behalf to bring an end to our alienation. He, and He alone, has done what we most need but could not do for ourselves. So the call to us is very simple: to “continue in the faith…not shifting from…the gospel.” We never need to move on from the simple gospel of Christ crucified, risen, and reigning; in fact, we dare not. And yet how easy it is for us to grow cold to these truths; for familiarity to breed if not contempt, then complacency. So consider your heart honestly. Acknowledge your sin. And come back to the gospel once more, in awe “that thou, my God, shouldst die for me.”

From Vera:

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭

From Leonard:

2 Timothy 2:22
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

When All Thy Mercies, O My God ~ Hymn

When All Thy Mercies, O my God.

When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I’m lost
In wonder, love and praise.

O, how shall words with equal warmth
The gratitude declare,
That glows within my ravished heart!
But Thou canst read it there.

Thy providence my life sustained,
And all my wants redressed,
While in the silent womb I lay,
And hung upon the breast.

To all my weak complaints and cries
Thy mercy lent an ear,
Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned
To form themselves in prayer.

Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From whom those comforts flowed.

When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe,
And led me up to man.

Through hidden dangers, toils, and death,
It gently cleared my way;
And through the pleasing snares of vice,
More to be feared than they.

When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou
With health renewed my face;
And when in sins and sorrows sunk,
Revived my soul with grace.

Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
Hath made my cup run o’er;
And, in a kind and faithful friend,
Hath doubled all my store.

Ten thousand, thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart
That tastes those gifts with joy.

Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I’ll pursue
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

When nature fails, and day and night
Divide Thy works no more,
My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
Thy mercy shall adore.

Through all eternity to Thee
A joyful song I’ll raise;
For, oh, eternity’s too short
To utter all Thy praise!

Words: Joseph Addison, (1672-1719).

Choose Joy!

Photo Credit: Auntie Lolo!

Note to self; Don’t grumble or murmur. The Holy Spirit has been working on my heart and mind through God’s Word about that habit of complaining. In my daily readings in reading the Bible through in a year we are in Exodus reading about the Children of Israel and how Moses had to deal with Pharaoh. I’ll share the last paragraph for February 19th in Allistair Begg’s new devotional called Truth For Life. Guilty as charged! If you are a Believer you’ll understand…

“We have faith in Christ, we’ve been set free from slavery to sin- even our complaining! We’ve been liberated by a sacrifice: the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. And we too have set out on a journey, not to Canaan but to Heaven. In light of that, God has given us both wonderful promises and necessary warnings. Do not presume upon His provision or grumble about the route He leads you on, but instead be filled with gratitude for all He has provided materially and spiritually. The cross lies behind you, heaven lies before you, and the Spirit dwells within you. There is not need, or excuse for grumbling.”

Asking forgiveness and for the help I need to identify, recognize when I’m slipping into murmuring. Read that word out loud and listen to your speech and see if it sounds similar. Ouch. Mur…mur…ing…

Hope this helps you like it has helped me. Looking forward to what lies ahead!

Happy Saturday.

We are getting ready for breakfast for seven of our family that will be together on this side of the mountains until Monday. Uncle Joshie, Auntie Lolo, Jamie, Addy, JJ, me and Dear will enjoy Dear’s labor of love, Swedish Pancakes. Adding some little smokies and sliced oranges to the breakfast table!

Truth for Today #3

Thursday January 20th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth this year!

I read this prayer from Alistair Begg in his new devotional called Truth for Life and wanted to share it with you. If you are looking for a good devotional to guide your reading this year I can recommend it. His prayer is an encouragement to read God’s Word, the Bible.

“Lord Jesus, help me to become a student of the Book, to no longer live with confusion or uneasiness but to be filled with Your knowledge as one who resides in Your company, that I might live and grieve with hope.” 

My verses this week are from the Apostle Paul telling of his conversion story to King Agrippa.

Acts 26:15-18

And I said, ‘Who are you Lord,?’ and the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles-to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

From Vera:

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

From Leonard:

Matthew 14:27

“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

From Patricia:

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things is no law. 

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice.

From Karen:

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

From Cindy:

Samuel 22:2

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.

Hello Summer!

Now that summer is here our temps have been lower. I’m not complaining. I much prefer temps in the 70’s instead of the 80’s and 90’s.

Addy is happy with a storage tub filled with some water to play in. Who needs a fancy blow up pool?

I don’t know if I’ve shared these quotes from Alistair Begg before but I’m posting them here for my benefit.

“Don’t erect a monument to all your disappointments.”

“There is a perverse sense of satisfaction in our feeling sorry for ourselves”

And some verses from Psalm 119: 133, 160, 175:

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Let my soul live and praise you and let your rules help me.

Have a good Saturday everyone.

The Rest of the Tour

After we left the University, Laura and I took Flat Stanley to see The Fremont Troll, some floating houses, views of the Space Needle and a statue of Chief Seattle.

Here’s a link if you want more information on the Troll. The sad thing about this fun Seattle sight is that drug addicts have chosen to use this sight to shoot up and discard their needles here. When we were there a concerned citizen had already picked up over 30 discarded needles. He was warning people with children to watch out.

Some of the floating houses on Lake Union in Seattle.

Views of downtown Seattle from Queen Anne’s Kerry Park.

This statue of Chief Seattle is in the Belltown area of Seattle between 5th Avenue and Cedar Street in the shadow of the Space Needle. I’ll add a link for anyone who wants to read more about the man Seattle was named after here. I found this quote about him interesting:

“What we know of Sealth (pronounced SEE-elth, with a guttural stop at the end) and his life is mostly conjecture based upon myth with a little bit of extrapolated fact. That he was a tyee, or chief, has never been disputed. His father, Schweabe, had been a tyee, and the title was hereditary, though it conferred no power upon the holder. The Suquamish listened to the tyee only when he said what the people wanted to hear. The remainder of the time, a tyee was expected to share his largess with the rest of the tribe during a potlatch.”

Seattle, Chief of the Suquamish, A Friend of The Whites. For Him the City of Seattle was named by it’s Founders.

This week I’m adding three quotes from my readings that I want to remember.

“Loving, not being loved, is essential.” John Piper

A line from a hymn by John Newton, 1779, that Alistair Begg shared on an interview about Prayer:

“Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring”

I’ll be sharing the full hymn on a Sunday in the future.

This last quote and the longest is from The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur, page 46.

“The call to Calvary must be recognized for what it is: a call to discipleship under the lordship of Jesus Christ. To respond to that call is to become a believer. Anything less is unbelief.

The gospel according to Jesus explicitly and unequivocally rules out easy-believism. To make all of our Lord’s difficult demands apply only to a higher class of Christians blunts the force of His entire message. It makes room for a cheap and meaningless faith – faith that may be exercised with absolutely no impact on the fleshly life of sin. That is not saving faith.”

Have a Thursday filled with good thoughts!

Thoughtful Thursday

O my heart, take care that thou be in all things on the side of truth, both in small things and great; but specially, on the side of Him by whom grace and truth have come among men! ~ Spurgeon

There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacy of Scripture, and you may yet continue sick unless you examine and search the Scriptures to discover what “he has said”. ~ Spurgeon

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18 (ESV)

The following thoughts are from listening to Alistair Begg from Truth for Life broadcasts:

God’s eternal plan of redemption is all about Him rather then all about us. It concerns us, it transforms us, but it’s all about God.

When reading and studying the Bible the question we should ask ourselves is, what does this tell me about God?

Hope you all have time on this Thursday to read, search, examine and behold wondrous things!

Friday’s Fave Five

It’s been awhile since I’ve participated in Susanne’s Friday’s Fave Five. I hope to visit some old friends today.

Friday’s Fave Five is a place to come on Friday’s and think back over your week and just post about 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, great internet finds, etc., etc. Go ahead and grab the button and make your own post. Be as detailed as you like, the more detail the more fun for those of us visiting.  More guidelines can be found on Susanne’s blog, Living to Tell the Story.

1.Thankful for our snow covered landscape for many reasons. One of those reasons is the fact that we can ignore what’s under all that snow. No mowing or clearing brush or pulling weeds. Another snow episode is forecast for us today into tomorrow.

2. We dropped off our original wedding bands, my original engagement ring and my birthstone ring to the only jeweler in Colville to be sized. I’m thankful for the in-house service and that we’ll be able to wear those rings again after many many years of them sitting in storage instead of on our fingers.

3. We had a lovely dinner last evening at our kids’ home with our DIL’s family. Addy is loved by a so many.

4. I received a thank you note in the mail yesterday addressed to Aunt ellen from our niece, Hope, handwritten. That was the favorite piece of mail I’ve had in a month.

5. Thankful for great Bible teachers like John MacArthur at Grace to You and Alistair Begg at Truth for Life. February 9th is the 50 year anniversary of John MacArthur as pastor at Grace Community Church in California. Grace Community Church was the first church Dear and I attended when we were married and living in West Los Angeles in 1974-1975. I like to listen to the daily broadcasts from these two organizations and they enrich my life.

A bonus shot…

Addy has a new ride and she’s doing exceptional with potty training.

We are thankful for a car that can maneuver in the snow with good snow tires. If we get a new car for this area it will have a heated steering wheel and heated car seats!

What’s a favorite of yours this week?