Matt Chandler

If you've not been in the habit of using the internet to hear sermons by godly men, you should start. One of the men I've been greatly encouraged by is a brother called Matt Chandler. He serves as the lead pastor at the Village Church in the Dallas area. He's been gifted by God with a tremendous ability to exegete and proclaim the truths taught in Scripture. Chandler also happens to be about the same age as me.

Thanksgiving morning Matt had a seizure that caused him to fall and hit his head. After tests, the doctors found that he had a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain, which they removed apparently successfully last Friday. I have been blessed to share Matt's testimony with my children as we've been trying to help them to understand how God's people live in the midst of incredible trials. Julie and I have faced a temporary job loss this winter and we've made a real effort to praise our Lord through every bit of it and show complete reliance on Him for our needs. We hope this will serve as a teaching opportunity for our children, and Matt's circumstance and perspective has gone along really well. We continue to pray for Matt and his family and I wanted to share this video that he sent his church. Click here to watch the video.

God Bless

Technical Difficulties

I am sorry about the format on the previous post, Rock of Ages, but I've done all I can to fix it and can't. The verses to the song just won't line up right. I hope you can enjoy it anyway!

God Bless!

Rock of Ages

Augustus Toplady was born in England in 1740. He was raised by his mother as his father died a short while after he was born. He was an only child. He never got married. He had hardly any friends. But he was a great man of God. He spent a lot of time studying and worshipping. As an introverted person, I can understand his desire to be alone and alone with God as much as possible. I've been enjoying Chris Rice's version of Toplady's classic hymn "Rock of Ages;" look at these lyrics and worship your Lord!

 1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;   

     let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed,   

     be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.  

 2. Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's commands;   

     could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,   

     all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.   

 3. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling;   

     naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace;   

     foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.   

 4. While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death,   

     when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne,   

     Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.

Take that theology with you to church tomorrow!