Real Hand to Hand Combat
May 3, 2010 at 3:55 pm | Posted in encouragement, pray, warriors | Leave a commentTags: encourage, intercede, prayer, quotes
The picture below is from the front of a t-shirt and sweatshirt that I have. I really like wearing them and I think they sum up my feelings about prayer. Below the man is written THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD. (2 COR. 10:4)
These are two of my favorite pieces of clothing. I used to wear them when I went to karate classes. One of them was a gift from my youngest son.
I used to like studying and practicing martial arts. I am a little rusty now and not as practiced as I used to be. I like the combat arts the best. Some of you know what I’m talking about, the real stuff. You see, for me there is a difference between martial arts and martial sciences. To me there is a big difference between sport karate and functional hand to hand combat. Spiritually there is a difference between asking God for something for ourselves and interceding with God for someone else. To me intercessory prayer is one of the most unselfish ministries we can be involved in. You see, real disciples learn to be unselfish.
When I was a little younger there were times I would get antsy. I needed a good workout, a good fight. My wife would tell me to “go fight with Bryan. You need to fight.” I love my wife; she knows when I need a good fight. As for Bryan, he was my sensei and friend. At times he would call me “the fighting pastor.” I can’t beat him and he sure knows how to fight. I have to admit, I miss fighting with him and working out with him. He hit me so hard one time; I literally saw stars, little silver things shooting in at me from all directions! Man, I miss working out with him. I can’t go back there, but I can still get a good fight – on my knees in prayer!
But that brings me to this. Those martial arts workouts were just physical and fun. There were rules for each participant’s safety and development. In spiritual warfare our enemy doesn’t play by the rules. But there are Kingdom rules that can defeat him. Almighty God wants you and me to grow spiritually and develop as prayer warriors. People and churches need us to do battle in prayer. Intercessory prayer is spiritual and necessary. People are dying and going to hell. Sinful lifestyles are destroying lives and families. Many churches have quit looking for the return of the Lord and have quit sharing the Gospel and making disciples.
Prayer is the first work. Prayer is the important work. The work of the devil, our sworn enemy is to keep us from praying. Will you take up the challenge and develop into a prayer warrior? Will you make the time or take the time from your 24 hours to become a prayer warrior? God the Holy Spirit will empower you (Romans 8:26); God the Son will intercede for you (Hebrews 7:25); God the Father will answer you (Jeremiah 33:3). With all that help and the Word of God as your manual how can you lose? You will be victorious and more than a conqueror! To God be the glory!
There will be more to come on prayer. Stay faithful and hopeful! Keep fighting the good fight!
GRACE and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; John 15:7
“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on Him being with them.” – J. Hudson Taylor
“The self-sufficient do not pray, the self-satisfied will not pray, the self-righteous cannot pray. No man is greater than his prayer life.” – Leonard Ravenhill
“For decades we Christians have boasted in sermon and song that our God is great, the He loves us, that He answers prayer and that there is nothing too hard for Him. Isn’t it high time to prove that with some-down-to-business-prayer?” – Lyle Eggleston
(3)For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (4)The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (5)We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
Coffee Review – Guatemala Huehue Tenango
May 1, 2010 at 2:15 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | Leave a commentTags: Chemex, community coffee, French Press, Guatemalan Huehue Tenango
My wife and I were looking forward to trying this coffee from Community Coffee (www.communitycoffee.com). We’ve tried about nine of their coffees plus two decafs. You can’t go wrong keeping a bag of their ground traditional roast on hand. It is probably the best grocery store ground shelf coffee I’ve had. Our favorite from them is the Evangeline Blend followed by the French Quarter Fusion Blend. So you can tell by the history we were looking forward to trying this coffee.
We planned on brewing it three different ways. First up was the auto-drip set and ready to go for when we woke up. It was good though there wasn’t a lot of aroma. This is a medium-dark roast, but it tasted kind of light to me. It left a good taste in the mouth, but I would have preferred a bolder coffee to start my day.
Next we brewed it in the Chemex (www.chemexcoffeemaker.com). We brewed enough for two cups. The Guatemalan Huehue Tenango (GHT) had a better aroma. My wife thought it had a slightly tart taste midway through the sip. It had a medium to full body. She liked this brew the best of the three. It was stronger or fuller than the auto-drip, but not bitter.
Lastly we brewed the GHT in the French Press. As I drank the coffee it had a slight tang to it. It also had a fuller body and feel. I thought there was a nice aftertaste when I swallowed the coffee. This was my favorite brew and flavor of the three. As I’ve said before, we are not coffee snobs or experts. We know what we like and what we don’t like. Both of us liked this GHT.
We enjoyed the Guatemalan Huehue Tenango in the Chemex and French Press with our lunch. We enjoyed this coffee as a lunch or afternoon drink. Both of us liked it and would get it again. We recommend it to anyone who likes a medium-dark roast coffee. We would say it is our third favorite coffee from Community Coffee. You can find them at www.communitycoffee.com . If you like good coffee, you can’t go wrong trying theirs.
You can also see the ongoing differences between husbands and wives. We both like the GHT, we just favored different brewing methods. It helps add spice to our marriage. We look forward to brewing and reviewing other coffees in the future. We received the Guatemalan Huehue Tenango for free from Community Coffee to review and our review is objective feedback.
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill and Kim
(Romans 15:13)
Pray for Veterans, part 1
April 30, 2010 at 1:22 pm | Posted in encouragement, pray, Veterans | Leave a commentTags: Memorial Day, military, pray for veterans
Sometimes we Americans really take for granted the privileges of freedom. We also struggle with the truth that freedoms we have and most other countries want were bought at a price. Today I want to encourage my readers to pray for the brave men and women who serve in our various branches of the military. Let’s remember those who are either active duty or retired and take the time to intercede for them and their families.
Memorial Day is coming up and it is an important holiday. When I was a little kid my family used to go Bedford Ohio to watch the parade in the morning. We would go and stand in front of the Bedford Cemetery on Broadway to watch the parade. I remember a lot of people showing up for the parade. We would wave flags and clap as the parade went by. My grandmother would put flags and flowers on my grandfather’s and uncle’s graves. Now my uncle puts flowers and flags on those graves and the grave of my father also. Some traditions are worth repeating and communicating to coming generations.
When I was younger I did not understand all of this. I didn’t understand why some people were crying. I didn’t understand why some people were putting their right hand over their heart. I didn’t understand why most people clapped and cheered as the Veterans of Foreign Wars went by. I didn’t understand why all the time was spent just standing in front of a grave. As I type this I can still see it in the pictures of my mind. It is not just something I imagined; I experienced the importance of Memorial Day.
I cannot say that I fully understand what all those men and women went through because I never served in the military. Me and two of my friends registered for the draft when we were seniors in high school. But I think the draft stopped the same year so none of us were drafted. Some readers are too young to know anything about the draft. Birthdates were drawn lottery style and if your number came up, you were in the Army. You also had the option of joining one of the other branches of the military too.
As I got older and was able to do what I wanted to do and go where I wanted to go, I began to understand freedom and its privileges a little better. After God saved me and called me into the ministry and I began to counsel men who had served in Vietnam and I realized how little I knew about the military life and being in combat. So I began to learn and read and ask questions and listen and not judge. I had fewer answers and a lot more questions.
There is still a lot that I do not understand. The older I get the more thankful I am for GRACE. I may even have more questions and fewer answers to why some people go through what they go through. I recently read Daily Strength for the Battle by Chaplain (Col.) Scott McChyrstal (ret.) and I highly recommend it. You can read my review on my Book Review page. If you know of someone who served or is currently serving in the military I suggest you get it and send it to them.
But even more important than that is to pray for them. So let’s pray for the brave men and women who are currently serving and for those who have served in our country’s military. You can personalize these prayer points with specific names if you know someone or pray in a general way. Let’s pray for:
1. Their protection, spiritually, emotionally and physically.
2. Their family’s protection and for God’s provision in their lives.
3. Many to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
4. The many godly chaplains to do their ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit.
5. The families that have had loved ones die to experience God’s comfort, mercy and presence as they grieve (2 Corinthians 1:3).
6. The general public to appreciate what these men and women do to serve their country.
7. The healing of broken bodies and emotions because of what they have gone through.
8. That no matter what the circumstances they have experienced, they would turn to God and not away from Him.
9. However else God may lead you to intercede for someone.
Thank you for praying. Your prayers make a difference and they are important. Someone may not know you are praying for them down here, but Almighty God knows you are praying. God responds to His people’s prayers. Stay faithful and hopeful!
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; John 15:7
A “veteran” – whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to the “United States of America,” for an amount “up to and including his/her life.”
– Anonymous
– Daily Strength for the Battle, p.12.
____________________________
“The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.”
– Thucydides
If I Knew Then by Brian Willis, p. 59.
Come, Thou Fount
April 29, 2010 at 9:44 am | Posted in encouragement, hymns, Praise | Leave a commentTags: Come Thou Fount, hymns
Come, Thou Fount
By Robert Robinson (1735-1790)
1. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount – I’m fixed upon it – Mount of Thy redeeming love.
2. Hither to Thy love has blest me; Thou hast brought me to this place;
And I know Thy hand will bring me Safely home by Thy good grace.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger Bought me with His precious blood.
3. Oh, to grace how great a debtor, Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, as a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee;
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it – Seal it for Thy courts above.
There are a lot of hymns that I like to sing. That’s not to say I like every hymn ever put in a hymnal. I also like many choruses and praise songs and some of the modern songs written for church. What I’m trying to say is that I like a blended song selection to be sung in church. I don’t like the singing part of a worship service to be all one way or the other. I like balanced song selection and singing.
So I will try to pick a hymn a week to put in this blog for my readers. My hope is that they will appreciate the words and thoughts behind them. I also hope they may sing them as an offering to the Lord in their personal prayer or study time. They may even want to suggest to their church’s song leader to consider singing them some Sunday. I do think that our singing in the worship service should be balanced between old and new, traditional and contemporary.
Those are just my thoughts. There will be another hymn next week.
I read an interesting Spurgeon selection this morning at: http://www.reformationtheology.com/2010/04/and_this_was_just_part_of_spur.php#more
If you have the time you should check it out. God bless you, stay faithful and hopeful!
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Coffee Review – John Conti, “Cafe Tarrazu”
April 28, 2010 at 4:07 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews, Coffee Shop Reviews | Leave a commentTags: Cafe Tarrazu, Coffee Reviews, John Conti coffee
My wife and I finally made it to the John Conti (www.johnconti.com ) shop on Bardstown Road in Louisville. We have seen their coffee in local grocery stores but have never purchased it. Since we are trying to go to all of the coffee shops in Louisville and try the different coffees we decided to go there.
When we got there we did not know that you couldn’t purchase brewed coffee. You can only buy whole bean or ground coffee. The salesman, Nick, we talked with was very helpful. He could give sales people a good reputation. When we told him our story about wanting to try coffee from all of the coffee shops in Louisville and write about our experiences, he went to their break room and brought us out two cups of coffee to try. That is service beyond what we expected.
The coffee we tried is a light roast called Café Tarrazu. It is described as “A combination of Central American coffees specially blended to produce a sweet, balanced cup, smooth, but with a complex blend of fruit, nut, citrus, and floral flavors.” It was developed after their master roaster took a trip to El Salvador to visit coffee plantations. It is one of their most popular roasts. We ended up purchasing a bag of Café Tarrazu and two sampler packs.
We intended to brew it three different ways when we got home (not in the same day of course, I couldn’t handle that much caffeine!) and then write about how it tasted. First up was the auto drip so that the coffee was ready when we got up in the morning. There isn’t much aroma and it isn’t a bold coffee. It tastes good, but we like a bolder coffee in the morning. This was our least favorite way of brewing and drinking Café Tarrazu.
Next we brewed the coffee in the Chemex coffee maker (www.chemexcoffeemaker.com). You could really taste the subtle flavor of the coffee. Here is where I noticed both the flavor and fruitiness. The light crisp flavor really shined here. This was my favorite brew and tasting style.
Then we brewed the coffee in a French Press. This helped the coffee taste a little bolder, but not too bold. This was my wife’s favorite style of brewing and tasting. The coffee left a nice taste on your tongue and was stronger tasting, but not overpowering.
I’m neither a coffee snob nor a coffee expert, but I know what I like and if I would buy it again. I did not like drinking the coffee in the morning because I like a bolder morning coffee, but I did like it in the afternoon. We thought it has a nice crisp, taste and light body. Overall we liked Café Tarrazu and would recommend it as an afternoon or desert coffee. We will definitely try some of their other coffees, probably some medium or dark roasts though.
Nick, the salesman that helped us probably doesn’t realize how much his helpfulness “sold” us. If all John Conti employees are like him, it explains why they have been successful in Louisville for so many years. You can learn more about John Conti here: www.johnconti.com .
I’m also looking forward to the next coffee date with my wife. Brewing and tasting the coffees with her at home is fun too.
GRACE and peace to you,
Bill
(Romans 15:13)
Daily Strength for the Battle
April 27, 2010 at 2:44 pm | Posted in Book Reviews, Devotional | Leave a commentTags: Army, daily strength for the battle, devotional, military
Just posted a new book review/recommendation on Daily Strength for the Battle by Chaplain Scott McChrystal. Chaplain McChyrstal is a retired Colonel who served with the United States Army for 31 years.
cleftRock Retreat Center
April 26, 2010 at 6:31 pm | Posted in prayer, Retreats, rural | Leave a commentTags: cleftRock Retreat Center, Literacy Missions, rural Kentucky
Over the past weekend my wife and I had the privilege to attend a Literacy Missions Leaders Retreat in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. It was held at the cleftRock Retreat Center (www.cleftrock.org). This is in rural southern Kentucky. For people who have spent most of their lives in very populated areas this was going to be a cross cultural experience. Since my wife and I like to drive through the country I decided to drive the back roads and stay off of the freeway.
We went south on Route 31 to Route 150 east to Route 1249 (I think?) to the cleftRock Retreat Center. This took us through a lot of small towns and cities. We stopped in Danville for coffee. The service was poor to very poor, but the coffee was pretty good. We’ll post a review on the coffee shop later. It was a nice leisurely drive to Mt. Vernon.
Once in Mt. Vernon, I called the retreat leader for some directions. We were told to turn the wrong way and once I got that corrected we were on our way into who knows where to get to the center. We were now going by the mileage and looking for signs. The road was narrow, twisting and at times had a steep drop-off with no guard rail. It was fun! When we saw the Rebel flags waving in some yards and the wooden shacks with satellite dishes on them, I think my wife said to me, “where are you taking me?”
I was beginning to wonder that myself. In my head I was starting to hear the banjo and guitar song from Deliverance. But I was just imagining that, at least I think I was. As we drove more and more into who knows where, I think I called the leader two or three times to make sure we were going in the right direction. Then we got there.
Man, let me tell you, it was worth the trip! cleftRock was started by former missionaries to Israel who had a burden for a place that would minister to pastors or missionaries and their families. It is a non-profit organization and it borders the Daniel Boone National Forest. It is in a beautiful setting and God has provided it all! It is an amazing work of prayer and ministry.
The housing facilities are top notch. The room we had was better than some hotels we’ve stayed in. There are no televisions or radios. The food was very good. The staff was helpful and gracious. They cared about helping you enjoy your visit and be ministered to. Anyone can go to cleftRock, and they give pastors and missionaries a discount. If you need a break and are looking for a quiet, beautiful place to recharge and reconnect with God I would encourage you to go there.
You can find out more about cleftRock Retreat Center at www.cleftrock.org . You won’t be sorry if you take the time to check them out on the web. You’ll be even happier if you go there for a retreat. My wife and I plan to go back again for a couple of days to relax, walk the trails, pray and spend some good quality time with each other and God.
GRACE and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; Exodus 33:12-23
Book Review of R. C. Sproul’s ……….
April 25, 2010 at 7:56 pm | Posted in Book Reviews, Children's Books | Leave a commentTags: children's books, R. C. Sproul, The Lightlings
I’ve added a new book review tonight of R. C. Sproul’s The Lightlings. This is a children’s book that was read and reviewed by my wife. You will find it in the Book Review page.
Pray For the Unemployed
April 9, 2010 at 6:11 pm | Posted in men, pray | Leave a commentTags: difficult times, prayer, underemployed, unemployed
There are a lot of people who are unemployed or in danger of losing their jobs. Recently I saw a news report that 44% of adults have been experienced unemployment. I hope I heard that wrong. The other report that I heard was that the majority of the unemployed, about 70% are men. Most of these men who are unemployed want to work but can’t find jobs. If they find jobs they don’t make as much and/or they don’t get a job that they are qualified for.
I don’t want to get into gender issues, but men need to work to really feel like men. A good man wants to work and earn a living if he is physically and mentally capable. It’s part of being a man. A working man, whether white or blue collar doesn’t want to collect unemployment, he wants to work and provide for his family. He will even take a job where he is underemployed and undervalued just to work.
You may know some men like this. They may be discouraged and tired. They may be close to being depressed thinking the situation will never change. If you watch the news the job outlook is not too good. But there is a God who created men with a desire to work and to provide and He knows the problem and the answer. So let’s take the time to pray for men to be able to find jobs so they can provide for their families. Let’s join our faith and intercede with for:
- These hard economic times to help us humble ourselves before God (1 Pet. 5:6-7).
- Good jobs to become available in spite of this bad economy.
- Men who want to work to find good work so they can provide for their families.
- Families of the unemployed to overcome difficulty and grow in hope (Rom. 4:17, 20-21).
- The Church to step up and view these times as opportunities to minister in tangible ways.
- Men who do not want to work to come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
- All of God’s children, the employed and unemployed to be thankful (1 Thes. 5:16-18).
- God’s children to give generously and joyfully whatever their circumstances (2 Cor. 8:1-9; 9:8).
There have been difficult times in the past and there will be difficult times again in the future. But God is faithful! Let us be faithful also. Let’s pray and trust God to do what only He can do. Thank you for praying, it does make a difference.
Much grace and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13
(Psalm 50:23) – He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.
Victory In Jesus!
April 4, 2010 at 7:52 pm | Posted in Easter songs, encouragement, hymns | Leave a commentTags: Easter service, Easter songs, hymn, Victory in Jesus
Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ believers can sing this song with both joy and confidence. Believers have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit actively at work in their lives. What a blessed truth to have in one’s life. There may be things that we can’t explain too well to an unbelieving world, but we can be confident in our Victory in Jesus! What a great, great privilege it is to believe in what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
For almost the past 30 years I have had some type of leadership or preaching responsibility on Easter Sunday. I preached my first Easter Sunrise service in a cemetery in 1981. Today my wife and I attended a friend’s church as worship service visitors. We were blessed to be in church today. The Easter musical was good. The preaching was good. The praying and singing were good. It was good to be in one of God’s local churches worshipping Him.
Some of the songs we sang this morning were, Lord, I Lift Your Name on High; Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; He Lives; Christ Arose; Give Thanks; and Only Trust Him. My friend the pastor preached on “Real Hope and Change” from John 14:1-6. It really was good to be in church this morning. The church we were at is not that big, but it was packed today. The presence of God was there and you could sense humility before God. We were blessed.
I hope you were blessed today. I hope you will be blessed tomorrow as well. It is so good to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. May you find strength and rest in being yoked with Him. (28)”Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29)Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30)For My yoke is easy and My burden is Light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
Much Grace and peace to you,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; Psalm 21:6
Victory in Jesus
By Eugene M. Bartlett (1885-1941)
1. I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me.
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning.
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory.
(Refrain)
Oh, victory in Jesus, my Saviour, forever! He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood. He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.
2. I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing,
How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see.
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit”;
And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.
(Refrain)
3. I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,
And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea,
About the angels singing, and the old redemption story;
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.
(Refrain)
Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.
Entries and comments feeds.
Take Courage 
