In reading Spurgeon the other morning, I thought of you. That's right: as I read in my devotions, RELAY came to mind. Here were the verses that enoked thoughts of you:

    Praise the LORD!
    Sing to the LORD a new song,
        his praise in the assembly of the godly!
     Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
        let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
     Let them praise his name with dancing,
        making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
     For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
        he adorns the humble with salvation.
 (Psalm 149:1-4 ESV)

One thing that I love about CCK is the passionate worship of God. It is not a restrained and cold duty, but an energetic and bold declaration of devotion. And as the verses above reveal, it's Biblical to praise the Lord with dancing, music and loud singing!

Do you find yourself this passionate about God and what He has done for us in sending His Son as a propitiation for your sins? Does Joy break forth from your heart into your eyes, hands and lungs? May it be that we are known not only for biblical doctrine, humble servant-hood, but also passionate worship of God.

Spurgeon's comments here also have some instruction for our youth:

"There are unusual seasons which call for unusual expressions of joy. When the Lord saves a soul its holy joy overflows, and it cannot find channels enough for its exceeding gratitude: if the man does not leap, or play, or sing, at any rate he praises God, and wishes for a thousand tongues with which to magnify his Saviour. Who would wish it to be otherwise?

Young converts are not to be restrained in their joy. Let them sing and dance while they can. Let us give the utmost liberty to joy. Let us never attempt its suppression, but issue in the terms of this verse a double license for exultation."

I want to encourage the youth in RELAY (and the parents) to express your worship of the Lord without fear of judgement. He is worthy of all of your (and my) praise. Let us worship Him with gladness and joy in the diversity of expression discussed in this (and the next) psalm.

This video is what happens when guys who really like Christmas buy Apple products and then spend a lot of time with them.

Stick around for the last section of the video, it's my favorite part!

I hope this gets you excited not only for the Holidays, but also in preparation to see the creative and exciting acts that RELAY has to offer for our New Year's Eve Party!!!

If you have been keeping track, you may know that there has been a poll here on our blog about what your favorite subject in school is (the fact that it's been up for months is irrelevant...)

Well, after much deliberation, the winner, by one vote is...

GYM!

I don't even think that's a real subject, but it wins! Surprisingly (to me anyway) foreign language came in second...or segundo...or deuxième...or...you get the idea.

Anywho, go ahead and respond to the new poll on the sidebar and let us know what your favorite Christmas story is!

In preparing a biographical message for VFC a few years back, I took a look into the writings and life of John Bunyan. Since then, he has become my historical hero. So, when I came across this blog post that not only covers the legalistic tendencies of our hearts (that Mr. Cooper preached about from our most recent RELAY Corporate Meeting) but was also pulled from one of my favorite Bunyan works, Pilgrim's Progress, I just had to post it for this week's devotional post...Enjoy!

CLICK HERE

P.S. The adopted child analogy used in the post is SO GOOD to remember! Alright, now go read and apply it! And Happy Thanksgiving...okay, now go read it.

Recently, we looked at applying the gospel to ourselves as we read the Old testament, particularly the first half of Pslam 116. Today, let's look at the conclusion of the Psalm.

10 I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

So what is the proper response to being saved by God? What did you read above? Thanksgiving (v.17), Trust (vv. 10 & 13) and displaying the worth and value of God to others (vv. 10, 14, 18).

Evangelism, sharing the good news of Christ's life, death & ressurection is one of the job descriptions of the Christian. There are no exceptions to this rule either. Some may not be gifted with courage or eloquence, but we cannot excuse ourselves from this task.

Jesus gave it to the disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) and consequently to us. But do not fear or be anxious when you consider your limitations and the task before you. v.17 Jesus has all authority AND He is with us v.20!!! How comforting!

I pray you will benefit from Spurgeons comments on this topic from his exposition as I have:

I believed, therefore have I spoken. I could not have spoken thus if it had not been for my faith: I should never have spoken unto God in prayer, nor have been able now to speak to my fellow men in testimony if it had not been that faith kept me alive, and brought me a deliverance, whereof I have good reason to boast. Concerning the things of God no man should speak unless he believes; the speech of the waverer is mischievous, but the tongue of the believer is profitable; the most powerful speech which has ever been uttered by the lip of man has emanated from a heart fully persuaded of the truth of God. Not only the Psalmist, but such men as Luther, and Calvin, and other great witnesses for the faith could each one most heartily say, "I believed, therefore have I spoken."

As we continue the Psalm devotional series, we take a look at Psalm 116.

Here are the first few verses:

116:1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
 my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

God is good and the Psalmist expresses it here again. As I was reading his commentary on this chapter, I came across the exposition on verse 5 and hope that it blesses as you read it now:

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous. In hearing prayer the grace and righteousness of Jehovah are both conspicuous. It is a great favour to hear a sinner's prayer, and yet since the Lord has promised to do so, he is not unrighteous to forget his promise and disregard the cries of his people. The combination of grace and righteousness in the dealings of God with his servants can only be explained by remembering the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the cross we see how gracious is the Lord and righteous.

Yea, our God is merciful, or compassionate, tender, pitiful, full of mercy. We who have accepted him as ours have no doubt as to his mercy, for he would never have been our God if he had not been merciful. See how the attribute of righteousness seems to stand between two guards of love: -- gracious, righteous, merciful. The sword of justice is scabarded in a jewelled sheath of grace.

What an example of how to apply the gospel to other parts of scripture. God's character is unchanging. We don't worship a different God than David, but the same. Therefore, as we read in the Old Testament, work hard and ask for grace that you might be able to apply the cross of Christ to your soul.

Thank You God for this man's insight, and may we see your grace, righteousness and mercy on display not only at Calvary, but everywhere else in scripture! Amen.

This article from Bob will serve you, as well.  It's perfect for every teenager in Relay (and the parents, too).  It's about "receiving the baton" of the gospel from the previous generation.

Enjoy it!  Apply it! 

Here's the link:

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/receiving-baton/

In grace,

Craig

Time: Meet near the entrance at 7:00 pm & look for Craig before paying

Cost: $10 per person (bring cash!)

Things to bring: Warm clothes & a flashlight

Directions:

There is road construction on Washington Pike just past Roberts Road on the way to Corryton Road. Please follow the Corn Maze signs and detour signs to get back to Corryton Road

Take the Knoxville Center exit (Exit 8) off I-640.
Go north on Washington Pike 10 miles.
Turn left onto Corryton Road, go 2.3 miles, and the farm is on the right.

Another route is to take I-40 to the Rutledge Pike exit (Exit 392).
Go right (north) 8 miles and turn left onto Roberts Road.
The 2nd stop sign is Washington Pike.
Turn right and go 3 miles.
Turn left onto Corryton Road, go 2.3 miles, and the farm is on the right.

8240 Corryton Road, Corryton, TN 37721

While we have briefly touched upon a few of the many subjects contained within Psalm 103, today we look specifically at verse 18 within the following verses:

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
 he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
 and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

In contrast to the transitory and fleeting presence of our lives here on earth, the steadfast and eternal natue of God are here displayed. But note the condition...His steadfast love is shown to whom...all men? In ways yes and no.

Yes, in that men all over, the just and unjust receive common graces from God such as those found in nature and providence. (Matthew 5:45). And No, in that this verse reveals that only some experience the everlasting and steadfast love of God. Namely, those that fear Him, keep His covenants and remember to do His commandments. (v.18)

So what is this saying? Are we to seek the love of God through our obedience, by how well we adhere to the law??? NO!!!! We are saved by God's grace alone in the imputation of Jesus' Righteousness and by the sacrifice of His life on the cross to pay for all our sins through the gift of faith. God saves not according to our works, so that no one may boast. (Romans 3)

So does that mean we need to even pay attention to God's commands? I mean, if we're saved by grace alone, based on Christ's works and not ours, does it even matter how we live? YES!!! As verse 18 reveals, his Love is shown to those who fear Him and obey Him.

Spurgeon words in beautifully here from his commentary:

"From the manner in which some men unguardedly preach the covenant, one might infer that God would bless a certain set of men however they might live, and however they might neglect his laws. But the word teaches not so. The covenant is not legal, but it is holy. It is all of grace from first to last, yet it is no panderer to sin; on the contrary, one of its greatest promises is, "I will put my laws in their hearts and in their minds will I write them"; its general aim is the sanctifying of a people unto God, zealous for good works, and all its gifts and operations work in that direction. Faith keeps the covenant by looking alone to Jesus, while at the same time by earnest obedience it remembers the Lord's commandments to do them."

So...what does your life look like? If you number yourself among the saints, would your life reflect that declaration? Do you fear the Lord, reverencing Him, holding Him in loving Awe and seeking to glorify Him through obedience to Him?

May these words spur us on. In light of God's mercies, may we present our lives as sacrifices, submitting all to the Lord, that He might be glorified! (Romans 3:31, Romans 12:1)

A few weeks ago, the featured devotional concerned Psalm 103; especially focusing on verse 2 and how it commends speaking truth to your soul. Calling your "inner man" to bless the Lord.

David then goes on with a laundry-list of reasons why we can bless the Lord. But verse 3, the very next verse, struck me so profoundly that I have stuck on that verse, and used it as a source of motivation to do what David commends, Bless the Lord. Here are the verses again...

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
 and all that is within me,
 bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Christian...are you aware of the implications of these verses? Are you amazed at the depth of God's salvation for those in Christ Jesus?

God has forgiven ALL of your iniquities! Isn't that good news??? Past, present, and future, God has made a way for all sins to be redeemed. And not just a temporary fix either. For later the Psalm states that they are now separated from us an immeasurable distance away, as far as the east is from the west. Now, this is not just poetical... Think about it, if God had said he put them a certain distance from us, there would be some possibility that they could be brought back to haunt us. But because they are as far removed from us as infinitely west is from infinitely east, they are in essence...GONE!!! Thank you Lord! Thank you Jesus that your sacrifice on Calvary forever satisfied the legal demands that stood against me because of my sin. Jesus paid for them all, and now I, though wretched and undeserving in myself, because of the perfect obedience of Christ covering me by faith, I am certainly clothed with and "crowned with steadfast love and mercy".

May this truth encourage you this day...All my sins are gone! It's all because of Jesus I'm alive!

So let's not approach God based on how we're doing in our obedience, but clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. And let's not come ashamedly, recalling our sins and seeking to set up a wall between us and God, as if He only loves us based on our performance. If we were saved by GRACE...God's Riches at Christ's Expense, then we continue in grace, undeserved favor, to approach our father. And please understand me on this point, we don't deal flippantly with sin...we are called to make war with our sin, to repent of it and seek to live righteously for His glory....but remember, it's not based on our righteousness that we are God's children, but HIS.

And remember, when your conscience condemns you, or Satan brings accusations against your soul, JESUS PAID IT ALL! Approach God in freedom today, as a forgiven and redeemed sinner and Bless His Name!

"These people were always finding water all over their pool deck and furniture, every time they came home, after being away for a few hours. They thought the neighbourhood kids were watching for them to leave, and using the pool. However, they could never catch them doing it. So, they set up their video cam and left. This is what they found out..."

For the past several weeks, I've been studying the Providence of God and how the LORD sovereignly, wisely, and lovingly governs and sustains all things in the world for the good of his people and the glory of his Name. 

When faced with difficult circumstances, so often my first response is to try to figure out "Why?" it is all happening.  I can even be searching for some divine purpose in it all, but my soul is not at rest. 

Psalm 131 leads us in a different direction.  In humility, the psalmist declares, "O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me." (v.1). 

The psalmist realizes that there are things too great and too marvelous for him to understand.  He did not assume that he could understand all of God's actions.  Dt. 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God."  Instead of insisting on full knowledge of God's ways with him, the psalmist declares trust in God and purposes not to lean on his own understanding (Prov. 3:4-7).  He was not wise in his own eyes.  He realized, instead, that God's judgments are often "unsearchable" (Rom. 11:33-36); they are beyond searching out.  So, instead of insisting on knowing everything, he humbly submitted to God's will and humbled himself under the mighty hand of God (James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:6-7).

What is the result of this kind of humility and trust in God?  Verse 2 tells us: 

"But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." 

Isn't this what we all need -- a calm and quiet soul?  A heart that is at rest and has the "peace of God that transcends all understanding" (Phil. 4:4-7)?

The psalm concludes with a call to all to trust in God like this.  Verse 3 says, "O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore." 

Let us all follow the psalmist's example here and learn, no matter what the circumstances are that we are facing, to humble ourselves in quiet, contented trust in the Sovereign hand of God for our good.

To end this post, here's a wonderful quote from John Piper's book A Sweet & Bitter Providence.  These thoughts have been serving me well:

“The life of the godly is not an Interstate through Nebraska but a state road through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee. There are rockslides and precipices and dark mists and bears and slippery curves and hairpin turns that make you go backward in order to go forward. But all along this hazardous, twisted road that doesn’t let you see very far ahead, there are frequent signs that say, ‘The best is yet to come’.[the whole of Scripture] was written to give us encouragement and hope that all the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good. They do not lead off a cliff. In all the setbacks of our lives as believers, God is plotting for our joy.” John Piper

This is incredible! At a conference this past summer, a friend of C.J. from another ministry does his impression of our well-known friend and pastor.

As we come to the 2/3 way-point through the Psalms, I am amazed to look back and see what God has been teaching us through them!

Not suprisingly, this week's devotional finds us encountering the psalmist as He instructs his soul, and ours as well, in Psalm 103. You might remember that we sang this at our recent corporate meeting, and so it should sound familiar.

Here are the first few verses:

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
 and all that is within me,
 bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I love what C.H. Spurgeon comments on these verses...especially verse 2. (Let me warn you...this is a lot of text, but after reading slowly and earnestly, I found my soul encouraged to delight in the Lord! I hope that is the effect for you as well)

Bless the LORD, O my soul. He is in real earnest, and again calls upon himself to arise. Had he been very sleepy before? Or was he now doubly sensible of the importance, the imperative necessity of adoration? Certainly, he uses no vain repetitions, for the Holy Spirit guides his pen; and thus he shews us that we have need, again and again, to bestir ourselves when we are about to worship God, for it would be shameful to offer him anything less than the utmost our souls can render. These first verses are a tuning of the harp, a screwing up of the loosened strings that not a note may fail in the sacred harmony.

And forget not all his benefits. Not so much as one of the divine dealings should be forgotten, they are all really beneficial to us, all worthy of himself, and all subjects for praise. Memory is very treacherous about the best things; by a strange perversity, engendered by the fall, it treasures up the refuse of the past and permits priceless treasures to lie neglected, it is tenacious of grievances and holds benefits all too loosely. It needs spurring to its duty, though that duty ought to be its delight. Observe that he calls all that is within him to remember all the Lord's benefits. For our task our energies should be suitably called out. God's all cannot be praised with less than our all.

Reader, have we not cause enough at this time to bless him who blesses us? Come, let us read our diaries and see if there be not choice favours recorded there for which we have rendered no grateful return. Remember how the Persian king, when he conld not sleep, read the chronicles of the empire, and discovered that one who had saved his life had never been rewarded. How quickly did he do him honour! The Lord has saved us with a great salvation, shall we render no recompense? The name of ingrate is one of the most shameful that a man can wear; surely we cannot be content to run the risk of such a brand. Let us awake then, and with intense enthusiasm bless Jehovah.

Amen! Let's take David and Mr. Spurgeon's advise here. Let's seek to recount all of God's goodness shown to us, and in His word, and appropriately bless His name!

With syllabi, paper due dates, and exams on the horizon, a new school year can be fast and furious in its demands. And fittingly, as I was reading in my devotional time a few mornings ago, I came across a verse that the Lord has used to comfort, and correct, my soul.

Psalm 94:19

"When the cares of my heart are many,
 your consolations cheer my soul."

Or, another version puts it this way...

"In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."

This verse was so helpful in this season of transition from summer to school year, as responsibilities multiply and the ever-growing to-do list can seem overwhelming.

So the question I would ask of you,and myself, is...am I resting in the Lord? Am I quieting my heart and my thoughts before Him, recognizing His sovereignty over every one of my responsibilities? Am I remembering that He has promised to be faithful, to never let me be tempted beyond what I can bear?

So, the next time you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by your task-list, or the cares of your heart, whether academic or spiritual in nature begin to drown out your prayers, recall this verse. David had trouble here too...you're not alone in this fight.

Soul, remember the faithfulness of God, His promises and character! Remember that He has promised to conform all things to His will, for the good of His people, (including you if you are in Christ through faith) and ultimately, He will be glorified as we trust and look to Him.

Wow, after you see this site from Stephen Altrogge's (That's Mr. Ogge's Son!) blog, your creative juices will flow as you apply this concept to some of your favorite pastors.

Would your ultimate collection include:

Bill "the Thrill" Kittrell's Rookie card?

How about Mr. Plewniak...when he still had hair!?!

Or even better...what if we could take the picture from Mr. Cooper's Q & A and trade that beauty around! Ha!!!

Enjoy this Fun-Friday Post HERE.

Relay Resources Recommendations // The Life of God in the Soul of Man

You know a book is really good when you’re reading another book, but spend the whole time wishing you were reading that really good one again. That’s my experience with “The Life of God in the Soul of Man” by Henry Scougal.

Once, I tried reading a Jonathan Edwards book, but had a hard time understanding it. I told this to a spiritual leader of mine, and he asked (told) me, “You’re not very smart, are you?” I thanked him for his observation. We were in the church bookstore at the time, so I began looking for a smaller, easier read. I found a small, un-intimidating book that was the color of newspaper and had zero thought—no, make that less than zero thought—to a cool cover design. I was immediately drawn to it. (I think I felt a little like Charlie Brown did toward his Christmas tree. “This book just needs a friend. I’ll be your friend, little ugly friendless book.”)

So I bought it. And read it. And loved it. And marked it up. And read it again. And marked it up again. And now I re-reread the marked up portions.

Needless to say, my copy is falling apart, ripped up, marked up and coffee-stained.

Why do I enjoy this off-brand-looking book so much? Let me read the title to you again: “The Life of God in the Soul of Man.” Think about that. God’s life…in my soul. That, Scougal says, is the essence of true Christianity. God, in regeneration, imparts his divine life to our souls. What?! Awesome, simple, beautiful.

Assignment: Find the book and read the table of contents. Reading the table of contents alone was enough to convince me to read the whole book!

Henry Scougal died of consumption in 1678, before he was 28. After he died, a friend wrote this of him, which perfectly describes what is so wonderful about his little book:

“His discourses are said to have been so full of thought, his style so plain, his manner of utterance and gesture so sweet, and so expressive of his concern for souls, as quite charmed men’s spirits. And all was so full of light and heat that I may say in the words of our Saviour, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’ His soul seemed to be swallowed up in the contemplation of Jesus Christ.”

Scougal’s words are light and heat. Pick it up, read, repeat.

So, while edapholgy, or soil science is a pretty obscure word, would you believe I found it in the Bible? Well, not the word exactly, but what it describes is. Edaphology: the influence soil has on organisms, especially plants.

Check it out for yourself here in Psalm 92:

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
 to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
 and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

The Psalmist here declares that the Lord is worthy of praise, that this is self-evident in what He has done and for who He is.

He goes on to contrast the fool, the stupid man, and wicked ones with the righteous. He does so mainly by employing the analogy of two kinds of plants. The foolish are like grass, they are numerous, quick to sprout, but equally quick to fade. They deny God's Lordship and do not see Him as majestic and worthy of praise.

The righteous on the other hand are like trees. In contrast to grasses, they continually grow. But note the specific place in which they grow...the courts of God. In the Lord's presence they are full of nutritious and life-bearing sap, they are still green and able to produce fruit even in old age! This psalm reminded me of Jesus' words in John 15, that He is the vine and we are branches, if we abide in Him, we can bear fruit. But apart from Him, we can do nothing.

So...have you noticed a spiritual dryness? Are you weary and find yourself unfruitful? Do you lack vigor and joy day-to-day? Well, here's another question if you say yes to any of the previous ones...where are you seeking to draw your energy from? Where are you sending out your proverbial roots for sustenance? Is it in God; His promises and the Good News of Jesus' Gospel? Or is it elsewhere?

If you wonder how you can, like the tree in this psalm, be in the presence of God...it is only through the substitutionary atonement provided by Jesus Christ. He hung on the cross, enduring the full wrath of God the Father's righteous anger against the sins of all those who turn and trust in Christ alone. Through Jesus, and His intermediary work on our behalf, we can come into God's presence and receive mercy and strength instead of judgment. Let this truth fill your branches with strength today, and along with me, praise our gracious God as we live for Him!

• Gates open at 6 pm, and the first pitch is at 7:15 pm. They’re expecting a large crowd that night, so be prepared to arrive early!

• The Will Call booth can’t make change, so you’ll need to bring exact change or a credit/debit card.

• Parking is $3 per vehicle

• Chairs aren’t allowed on the berm, but you’re welcome to bring blankets to sit on

• Outside food & beverages are not allowed into the park

Here are directions to the park in case you need them:

1. Head East on I-40

2. Take exit 407 toward Winfield Dunn Parkway

3. Turn left at Winfield Dunn Parkway

4. The park will be on your right

See you there!!

View Larger Map

I was floored as a read this blog post recently from Piper's blog about a man's testimony concerning his father's impact on his life. 

This blog post left me with wonder and faith in God's grace in that man's life, and also a burning desire to make much of Christ with the time I have been granted.

Is that your desire? Do you regularly recount the fact that you are mortal, and that we are called as believers to make the best use of the time we have been given? (Eph. 5:17)

I know it can be hard as a young man or woman to realize, and fully comprehend the inevitability of the finiteness of your earthly life, but it is wise to come to grips with this reality sooner rather than later (or not at all). David clearly understood this truth in the next two verses from Psalm 89:

47 Remember how short my time is!
For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
48 What man can live and never see death?
Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

And while David used these words as a plea to God to spare him from impending danger, in light of calvary, we can see the ransom language used here. What can ransom us, or save us from the grave? Physically, only God's sustaining grace. But even more so, Spiritually, only the shed blood of the perfect Lamb of God.

Because Jesus bled on the cross, receiving in His body the wrath of God against my sin, I have been redeemed. The price is paid in full! God himself, through the substitutionary work of Jesus, has delivered my soul from the power (the terror, fear, and eternal consequences) of Death itself! Glory to God in the highest!!! And this truth applies to all who have relinquished their own performance, and have repented of their sins and trust in Jesus alone. Thank You Lord!

In light of these verses from the psalmist, and the truth that we can relish in this side of the cross, enjoy this post from desiringgod.org with fresh affection for the Savior who made this testimony possible. You can read it HERE.

A funny prank... if it's not happening to you!  Watch the pilot (and the view out the window) closely...

In the Morning, 14 Puritans Teach Me to Pray

Essentially, that’s what happens when I open my copy of The Valley of Vision.
Mine looks like an oversized leather-bound New Testament…gilded edges,
ribbon bookmark and all. It’s has been a very, very dear companion for the
past 5 years. Essentially, it is a collection of Puritan prayers meant to guide our
souls upward to Christ in times of devotion. Many of these Puritans wrote these
prayers for themselves. It’s how they prayed. It’s one way they communed with
the Father. And more consistently than any other book or resource besides the
bible, it’s helped me commune with the Father.

Have you ever seen Cool Runnings, the Jamaican bobsled movie? Before they
sprint off the start line, they get synchronized and into a groove with a little
chant. “Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up! It’s bobsled time! Cool
runnings!” Then they run in unison down the track. Reading these little prayers is
like that little chant. It gets my soul up to speed and ready to commune with God.

I don’t always wake up thinking amazing thoughts of God, with high and holy
aspirations…go figure. But this books helps me. Check out these prayer titles:
Fullness in Christ, Union with Christ, The Love of Jesus, The Cry of a Convicted
Sinner, Kept by God, Yet I Sin, Pride, Morning Needs, Longings after God,
Resting on God, etc.

John Bunyan, Richard Baxter, Thomas Watson, Isaac Watts and Charles
Spurgeon coaxing our little hearts to enjoy God. Here’s an excerpt that will
probably endorse itself better than I could:

From “Need of Jesus”

Lord Jesus,
Be my good shepherd to lead me into
the green pastures of thy Word,
and cause me to lie down beside the rivers
of its comforts.

Thy cross was upraised to be my refuge,
Thy blood streamed forth to wash me clean,
Thy death occurred to give me a surety,
Thy name is my property to save me,
By thee all heaven is poured into my heart,

but it is too narrow to comprehend thy love.

I was a stranger, an outcast, a slave, a rebel,
but thy cross has brought me near,
has softened my heart,
has made me thy Father’s child,
has admitted me to thy family,
has made me a joint-heir with my self.

O that I may love thee as thou lovest me,
that I may walk worthy of thee, my Lord,
That I may reflect the image of heaven’s first-born.

Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up! It’s Puritan time! Cool readings!

Here are the first 7 verses of Psalm 86:

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.

I'm not sure if you've ever thought this, but if you're like me, you have been convicted in the past of not praying often enough. Whenever I hear a sermon about prayer, what it actually is and its effects, I renew my desire to pursue this siritual discipline. I hope that the effect of this short devotional is to spur you on, as I do myself, to be amazed at this privilege of communicating with God himself!

David's plea here in the beginning of this psalm is shocking in its boldness. He asks fervently for God to hear him. He lays himself bare before God, no pretention of self-sufficiency, but pleading for God's favor and grace (v.6)

Is this the way you pray? Is prayer for you a mere formality at specific times of the day? Or is it a continuous way of living? Do you see it as a tradition. or as a life-line with the heavenly Father?

May we, like David, pour our burdens, concerns, requests and praises to God our Father in prayer.

Why not start now?

And know, like David in verse 7, that the prayer of a Christian is efficacious, it brings about results, not based on our merit, but on the perfect righteousness of our mediator, Jesus Christ, who hung in our place on Golgatha that we might be forgiven and redeemed.

Thank You God for the gift of prayer!!! May we be a prayerful people!

  Wasn't ADVANCE great?!  Here are a few pictures from the trip to remind you of all that went on:

   It was great seeing so many of you at ADVANCE, and we're excited to hang out together again this week!  If you haven't heard, Relay is having a pool party at the Benington pool in West Knoxville in place of the August corporate meeting.  Here are more details:

When: 9-10:30pm.

Where: Benington-Farrington Pool at 8817 Colchester Ridge Rd.

Cost: The event is free!

What to Bring: Modest swimwear, a towel, and maybe a snack if you think you'll get hungry while swimming.

From I-40, the directions are:

Take exit 378B onto Cedar Bluff. Head South on Cedar Bluff.

Turn L onto N. Peters

Stay straight onto S. Peters as you cross Kingston Pike

Turn R at the first entrance into Benington Subdivision (Colchester Ridge Rd). The pool is located at 8817 Colchester Ridge Rd.

See you there!

Fad: an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, esp. one that is short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities.

While I don't know how widely shared these fads were, they are definitely awkward and short-lived. 

Enjoy!!!

(Ps. This is the last post prior to ADVANCE 2010!!! Can't wait to see you there!)

I bet they'll regret this decision one day...then again...maybe not

And finally, enjoy this unusually regular photo...except for the surpr-'eyes'

Spend a day exploring the estate, including the on-site winery, for $40 (regularly $60). Admission includes:

• Self-guided visit of the Biltmore house
• All-day access to the gardens
• Complimentary wine tasting at the winery
• Visits to additional exhibits, shops and restaurants in the connecting Antler Hill Village
• Parking

Tickets must be purchased by July 28, but can be redeemed anytime -- no expiration date or blackout dates apply. Biltmore is open 365 days a year. Visit before Sept. 6 and kids 16 and younger get in free (regularly $30). Complimentary kids tickets still must be booked in advance.

Call Biltmore Estate at 866-851-4661 and mention code "travelzoo" to the reservation host if you'd like to take advantage of this deal!

And now, a few fun facts about our fearless leader, Craig Cooper!

• When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

I grew up in Chattanooga, TN and from the earliest age I can remember I attended church on a weekly basis with my family. When I was a teenager, If you had asked if I was a Christian I would have said “Yes” (I remember being asked that question and thinking, “I go to church, and I’m not Muslim, or a Buddhist, or Hindu…; of course I’m a Christian”), but in reality my life was very dishonoring to God. I was characterized by hatred, malice, envy, and immorality. I was not a Christian, and I had no fruit of salvation in my life and no assurance. In God’s kind providence, I moved to Knoxville to go to college at the University of Tennessee and it was there that God began to reveal to me the depths of my sin. In the fall of my freshman year at UT, as I began to despair, someone invited me to a meeting hosted by Volunteers For Christ. That night, on October 26th, 1995, I heard the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ – that Christ died for my sins – and everything in my life changed as I was born again.

• When/how did you come to be a part of CCK?
  

I’ve been a part of CCK from the first weekend after my conversion, nearly 15 years ago. I have Bruce Landis to thank for getting me involved in CCK. He prayed for me when I responded to the gospel at the first VFC meeting I attended, and then he invited me to CCK and encouraged me to get plugged into the local church.

I can remember him saying something to the effect of this: “Jesus was a servant, and if you want to follow Christ, you’ll have to become a servant, like him. Now, you can come early to church and help the guys set-up for the meeting -- that would be a great way for you to serve.” That’s exactly what I did, and that was my introduction to the local church. (Back then, the set-up team met at the church office at 6:30am on Sunday mornings). I thank God for Bruce because he encouraged me to come to serve and he got me started off realistically and on the right track (not to mention that he met with me and my brother weekly to disciple us when we first became Christians. Bruce is one of my heroes and that’s why I named my son after him – Joshua Landis Cooper). Thanks, again, Bruce!

• What are some of your hobbies?

I love spending time with my wife, Laura, and our three kids: Karis (7), Joshua (4 ¾), and Charlotte (a very natural 2 year old!); I love reading and look forward to any moment I get to dive into a good book; I really enjoy golf (although I’m terrible at it!); and I love spending time with good friends.

• What do you do for a living?

I have the wonderful privilege of serving as a pastor and I’m thrilled to be the pastor of RELAY!!!

• What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it? (devotional or recreational reading)

Wow. Great question. I’m in the middle of probably 10 different books right now, so I won’t list them all…

I just finished Dave Harvey’s new book, Rescuing Ambition and really enjoyed it. It’s so helpful to be guided in the pursuit of godly ambition. Here are 2 of my favorite quotes from the book:

“We find no peace in life until we’re convinced our path is his way and our place is his choice… Fences and all.” (page 79)

“The gospel brings me explosive news: my search for approval is over. In Christ I already have all the approval I need…I no longer live for approval; I live from approval.” (page 56)

• What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

I have a passion to see young people’s lives captured by the grace of God and catapulted into serving Christ. There’s no reason why a 14 year old can’t know, love, and serve Jesus passionately. In a world filled with the distraction of video games and modern media, I want to see youth rising up as mature and useful contributors in the local church, for God’s glory. I want to see youth passionate for Jesus and devoted to good works. My favorite part of Relay is having a front-row seat to watching lives changed by God to that end.

• Along with these (and any other important info that you might want to convey) please answer a few, or all if you want, of the types of random fact questions below...

• Favorite: color, cereal, toothpaste, cartoon character, ice cream flavor, sport, etc.

My favorite color is red; my favorite cereal is Honey Bunches of Oats!; I don’t have a favorite toothpaste or cartoon character; believe it or not, my favorite ice-cream is plain vanilla (except after Thanksgiving and before New Years when Mayfield releases their seasonal “Peppermint Stick Ice-Cream” which is un-believe-able!); football is my favorite sport.

And now for the best part: the teenage picture.  All I have to say is, good thing Craig caught a large fish... it almost makes up for the outfit!

Asaph, along with King David, and other authors, wrote psalms. In particular, today we look at Psalm 82, and Asaph's warning contained within.

82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council;
 in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6 I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.” [1]

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!

A psalm like this needs interpretation and contextual clues to be given if we are to benefit. I am thankful this week for the exposition on the Psalms from C.H. Spurgeon for this exact reason.

Who is Asaph directing this psalm to? Who are the "gods" being referred to in vs. 1 and 6? Just by looking at the psalm ,we know they are men (v.7) And by further help from Mr. Spurgeon, I found out that it could be a sarcastic tone or a revelation of rank or stature. Words like honored or revered could also be substituted as meanings for the use of "gods" here.

Spurgeon further highlights that these men were those in authority over others, able to make judgements, many of which have been unjust, therefore Asaph is imploring them to act righteously.

With these context clues, the men most likely being addressed here are Isreal's rulers and judges.

And Asaph, in light of the injustice in Isreal vs. the Holiness of the God whom these rulers and judges are called to represent, kindly and boldly warns these men. God is Omniscient and knows every bribe, every partiality that is shown. While justice may escape us on earth due to the fallen world we live in, true justice will always be meted out from the heavenly throne where the sovereign and almighty Judge reigns.

This is both a comfort for the oppressed, and a sobering warning to the rulers.

So...how can we take heed and benefit from this psalm that was written for our good too?

One, we can rest in the sovereign and perfect justice of God. We know that we do better than we really deserve no matter our circumstances because if we are in Christ (if we have repented of our sins and look to Christ for forgiveness) we know that while we deserve hell and wrath because of our sins, we are forgiven and adopted as beloved children of God himslef!

Secondly, we are warned here by Asaph as well not to show paritality in our friendships, business, or even our thoughts. The poor and those in need are regarded and known by God, whether or not they are esteemed in the world's eyes.

So, with this Psalm is both a stinging rebuke as well as a call to live righteously. May we hear the warning and, by grace, live righteously.

Don't try this at your local drive-thru, unless you have a lot of skill...

and the money to pay for it when you get to the window!

And just if you're curious, no, in this Q & A I didn't get any cool surprises for guessing what Josh's favorites were...But anyways, enjoy this hilarious interview with Josh!

• When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

That's a hard question for me to answer. I just don't know! I did a lot of "praying to receive Christ" when I was young. I didnt want to go to hell. I was also very SELF righteous. I was proud about how much a read my bible, that I didnt do "bad" things, etc. When I was in middle school, though I do believe God started snapping the supports of self righteousness I stood on. I cried out to him at a conference to save me (one of many times), but I began to see fruit in my life and a desire to know God. But in college, God really revealed how desperate I was because of my sin and without Christ, and he gave me (either for the first time, or in a greater degree) TRUST in Jesus' death and resurrection and love for me. I'm just glad he won't ask me when I was "saved," but who I trusted.

• How did you come to be a part of CCK?

I was a freshman at UT in 2004. My first week on campus Julie Doss invited me to play ultimate, and Caleb Hancock invited me to a bible study and then to Cornerstone. It took me a while, and I didn't have many friends, but the Lord led me to jump in the Spring of that year.

• What are some of your hobbies?

Oh man. Sometimes I wish I didnt like so many things so I could actually get good at a couple of them! Sports-wise though, I really love Ultimate Frisbee. Disc golf is fun, and distance running is a recent hobby. Shooting my 12 gauge pump action shotgun at stuff! Graphic design and reading of course. I also play the mandolin and guitar (not very good), but it's really fun. And I don't know if coffee is a hobby, but I spend a lot of time drinking it, so I figure it should be.

• What do you do for a living?

I don't really make a "living" (like, with loads of money) per say. BUT I do Marketing. I also have an internship at an advertising agency...which doesn't pay. Maybe one day I'll get a real job that provides me a "living"!

• What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it? (devotional or recreational reading)

I just finished "The Life of God in the Soul of Man" by Henry Scougal. It's so good, this is my second time through it. I have tried before to describe it in a way that does it justice, but essentially, it is profound realities about God and our life as Christians described in a very down-to-earth and spiritual way. It's not as much "intellectual," as it is "spiritual." I can't read it without it grabbing at my soul and lifting my heart to Jesus. I also love that it's small and not intimidating. Haha. I'm also reading a History of the United States in the words of Theodore Roosevelt. And he makes me want to be a man and go camp and chop down trees and get a conviction about something and stand behind it and hunt buffalo and wave the American flag really high. All good things I think!

• What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

   

Well, I'm just starting out in Relay, but what I've noticed so far is the people love each other. I love my CHURCH. I love how we're investing in families and people with the Gospel, and I think there's a vision for Relay that will bear MUCH fruit in lives. This last year has been so cool seeing kids from Relay come into VFC. They've done so well, and served and evangelized and been such an asset to VFC. That's fruit from parents investing in lives (and the Holy Spirit)! Plus, it's fun. My favorite part though has to be Advance...even though I've never been.

• Along with these (and any other important info that you might want to convey) please answer a few, or all if you want, of the types of random fact questions below...

• Favorite: color, cereal, toothpaste, cartoon character, ice cream flavor, sport, etc.

• Green, Reese's Puffs, Crest, Wile E. Coyote's probably my favorite cartoon character because he's super persistent and likes hunting birds. Mint Chocolate chip. Ultimate's my favorite sport to play (I get pretty intense), then soccer and football. Condiment: Ketchup. Cheese: Provolone or Muenster...mmmm. I like country music and dislike Bill Murray...sorry. (All in respective order and everything, very impressive)

• Sport I'm worst at: Basketball. (I agree)
  

• Random facts: I used to be into animals a lot. I would cut out pictures of them from my Zoobooks magazine and hang them on my wall. Friends would come over and I'd show them my panda poster and my snow leopard poster. I also used to dream of having a pet black panther. AND I was scared that all my stuffed animals would get upset if I didn't sleep with every one of them, so I had to sleep with all of them. All 20 of them. Sad? (Yes.)

Josh, I think I speak for the A-team and Relay when I say, WELCOME! We are glad you are serving with us and look forward to God using your unique gifts in the future.

And thanks for not taking yourself too seriously, as evidenced by the submission of the photo below.

ps. Here's what Josh said: "Notice the stain from the water fountain on my shirt? haha."

Psalm 77 is about a man in trouble. He is going through a "dark night of his soul" and is depserately crying out for help. As he describes his predicament, I am provoked as I identify with him, if not in circumstance, in position before God.

There are times in life when one questions the goodness or nearness of God because it seems that your current experience defies all that God has promised concerning His redeemed ones. And the first half of this Psalm typifies this type of experience.

But the lesson for us to learn here is not that it is okay to state your case before the Lord, which it is... but rather the lesson is that Asaph turns from venting his frustrations and crying for help to reminding himself of who God is and what He has already done for his people. Note in verse 10 how the whole demeanor changes. The psalm transforms from a lament to a recounting of God's mighty acts of salvation.

This then is the lesson to be learned, God is God. He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, there is none besides or belike Him. And He has chosen to take from the rebellious men that He created....you. If you have turned from your sins, confessed aand repented of them and cling to the gift of salvation in the life and death of Christ, then you can know that the God who struck down the mightiest nation in the earth at the time (Egypt) to save His chosen people in Moses' day, is the same God who hears the cries of your heart and has promised to be faithful to you today.

Trust not in the circumstances you see before you (good or bad) but in the sovereign and loving God who is at work in your circumstances for His greatest glory and your ultimate good.

Asaph is our teacher here. He reminds us that if we forget what God has done and who He is, we will fail to rightly perceive our present circumstances or our future state.

God is faithful and good, remind yourself of these facts today, and praise the God who allows trials that we might not forget these truths.

Now that I have you hooked, enjoy this hilarious video. Not only is there a brief (and completely fictional) history of a great Hispanic food, but also a recipe is included inside (but write fast, they won't slow down the song for you!)

I can't get enough of this and will probably be singing it the next time I see you...Enjoy!

While it may seem weird, I am running out of other folks and so decided to answer the questionairre myself in order for you all to get to know me a little better. Enjoy!

When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

When I was about 6 years old, having learned about what sin is and the punishment for it in light of God's holiness, I couldn't sleep one night and was crying. My dad came in and asked me what was wrong. I shared with him my fears and, in God's kind providence, he reminded me of Jesus Christ and shared the good news of His life and death with me. That night, I repented of my sins and trusted in Christ. God saved me! While there has been much growth and maturing since then, I look back and thank God for His grace in saving an undeserving sinner like me!

How did you come to be a part of CCK?

I came to Knoxville as a freshman at UT in 2003. My girlfriend (now my wife!) Katie and her friend Holly (now Holly Robinson), were introduced to VFC through family and friends. We started coming to Cornerstone that Fall and have since grown to call this place our home!

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to read (fiction novels and doctrinal reading), exercise, play games, guitar and spend time with Katie.

What do you do for a living?

I am currently a senior (again!) at UT in nursing. I work part-time at a local hospital as well as a nurse's aid.

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it?

I am going through Knowing God by J.I.  Packer with a buddy of mine and am benefitting immensely. I am often marveling at the greatness of God, and His grace in allowing us to Know Him! It is a fantastic and very readable book about doctrine and practical application of it to everyday life.

What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

I want to serve, ultimately, because God has changed (and is changing) my heart to love to serve others. It is a great chance for me to practice true greatness by seeking to put others first. I love getting to meet the teens and their families and observe their interactions together. I want to model my family after the great examples before me in our church and live my life and lead my family to serve our Savior together in this context.

I love getting to play with the worship team. Playing an instrument and singing for God is a sweet time; whether in practice, corporate time, or private.

Some Random Favorites:

Color: Gray

Cereal: Life or Cracklin' Oat Bran (I know it sounds like it's for old people, but it's good!)

Cartoon character: Gromit (From Wallace and Gromit)

Ice Cream: You already probably know... Mint Chocolate Chip!

I hope you laugh at this silly picture from Highschool...

When I read this paragraph the other day, that C.H. Spurgeon wrote on his exposition of the Psalms, the words emboldened my weary soul. When I was reading that morning, I was confronted and overwhelmed with the horridness of my sin. Honestly, it is not a fun place, but it is so kind of the Lord to let me experience that kind of desperation and despair, becuase He is always faithful to comfort my soul with the Good News of Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice on my behalf.

In light of the context of my reading these words, I hope you are freshly amazed at the glory of God's grace as you read:

"v.2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old.

What a mighty plea is redemption. O God, canst thou see the blood mark on thine own sheep, and yet allow grievous wolves to devour them? The church is no new purchase of the Lord; from before the world's foundation the chosen were regarded as redeemed by the Lamb slain; shall ancient love die out, and the eternal purpose become frustrate? The Lord would have his people remember the paschal Lamb, the bloodstained lintel, and the overthrow of Egypt; and will he forget all this himself? Let us put him in remembrance, let us plead together. Can he desert his blood bought and forsake his redeemed? Can election fail and eternal love cease to glow? Impossible. The woes of Calvary, and the covenant of which they are the seal, are the security of the saints.

The rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed. So sweet a plea deserved to be repeated and enlarged upon. The Lord's portion is his people -- will he lose his inheritance? His church is his kingdom, over which he stretches the rod of sovereignty; will he allow his possessions to be torn from him? God's property in us is a fact full of comfort: his value of us, his dominion over us, his connection with us are all so many lights to cheer our darkness. No man will willingly lose his inheritance, and no prince will relinquish his dominions; therefore we believe that the King of kings will hold his own, and maintain his rights against all comers."

C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David. Vol. II, Pg. 273 (Emphasis mine)

For the believer, know that when your troubled soul questions God and asks, "Will you now leave me," with a resounding answer, you can know...NEVER! It is IMPOSSIBLE!!! Those words have never held so much power and comfort for me as they do in answer to these questions!

What comforting news for the Christian to know! While we will continue to batlle our sinful flesh, God will not ultimately give us over to our own rebellious hearts. He has purchased us with His Son's Life-blood and will keep us 'til the end. Hallelujah! What Grace!

Drumroll please....................................................................................................................................

And the Winner is:

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP!!!!

Is it a coincidence that my favorite ice-cream flavor won???

Yes, (But it goes to show you that I have good taste!)

BUT WAIT!

We have a tie!!!

The Mixes (Moose-tracks, Choc. Chip Cookie dough, etc.) Also won!

Ha!

Well, thanks for voting everyone!

Enjoy the newest poll, What is your favorite part of Advance?

Let newbies like Josh Cantrell and myself know what to look forward to (you can choose multiple answers when you vote!)

And Don't forget to register yourself for Advance 2010. Today is the sign-up deadline!!!!!

Last week we got to hear from Randy. This week, his wife is at the mic, answering the usual questions from our Meet the A-Team questionnaires. Enjoy!

• When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

I was raised in a home with parents who loved Jesus very much and went to church every Sunday. As I got older, I learned more about Jesus, and wanted to please him, but there wasn't much good fruit in my life. There was a little, but not much. I was a "good kid" that did what was right on the outside, but really didn't hate my sin. I never really understood the gospel until I came to Cornerstone. I'm not sure when I got saved exactly, but I know that the desires I have for God, the desire to fight my sin, and the changes that have occurred in my life since I was a kid, can only be explained by God's saving work in me.

• How did you come to be a part of CCK?

I came to Knoxville about 7yrs. ago after I graduated from my high school in Highland, IN. My oldest sister Amy (now Amy Maples) moved here for college long before I did, and discovered the church then. I was always able to meet a ton of people when we visited her, and really liked the Sunday morning meetings. I got accepted into the Interior Design & Architecture program at UT, so I moved on down!

• What are some of your hobbies?

Doing anything with Randy, running, baking, garage saling, window shopping, drawing

• What do you do for a living?

I am the Pediatric Personnel Coordinator for a healthcare service (we staff nurses in the homes of kids with special needs). Sounds boring, I know, but it's actually a really fun job!

• What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it?

Right now I am reading the book of James, and God has been showing me what true wisdom really looks like. I have been really thinking over James 3:13-18 in particular, and am eager to grow in the wisdom described in verse 17, and to fight the worldliness that is so harmful to relationship with God and my relationships with others.

• What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

I love serving in Relay! One of my favorite parts is seeing the closeness of the relationships the parents have with their kids. It is such a great example for Randy and I. Also, I love getting to hear Craig speak. I think I benefit just as much as any 12 year old there! Lastly, it's fun serving side by side with others with the hope of God changing lives, and He is doing that in Relay.

Favorites:

Cereal - Fruity Pebbles or Oh's
Color - Tough question - it depends! Fave color to wear? To decorate with? I don't think I can narrow it down to just one! (What a girl!!!)
Sport - Volleyball
Ice Cream Flavor - Cake Batter or Chocolate Chip cookie dough...mmmm! Take it easy!!

Thanks Julie for taking the time to let Relay get to know you a little better! It is a joy being able to serve together with you and Randy!

The pic below is another reason why we don't do lock-ins in Relay, slobbery pillows!

I really couldn't say this better...so here you go:

Desiring God's Post on Psalm 8

Dont forget, next Wednesday the 30th we meet again! (And if you haven't already registered for ADV 2010, do it!!!)

It's time to meet another member of the A-team! This week, we start another two-week stint of meeting a married couple who happen to both serve in Relay. First up, Mr. Randy Doss...

Of the many times God has changed me or has met me, I'm not sure which one was where He saved me.  Yet, there have been real miracles that I look back to very often in thanks to God for what he has done for me.  He has truly done a 180 degree turn for me from someone who pursued sin to someone who now by God's grace alone has come to love God.  Thank you Lord for rescuing me.

Upon graduating from college at Lee University I moved home to go to graduate school in central Florida.  My good friends that I went to college with Chad Ridner, Dave Sagraves, and Chad Schollaert began to harp on me to get me to move to Knoxville to come to Cornerstone.  I then agreed to go to New Attitude 2002 and then upon seeing the Lord at work in so many lives, I immediately moved up to Knoxville.

My hobbies are any sports.  I love to watch sports and play them.  Right now my focus is more on running, biking and swimming.  Yet, my favorite sports to play are soccer, football, and basketball.

I am an eighth grade teacher of science for a living.

I am currently reading Instruments in the hands of the Redeemer.  It is an awesome book to help you in counseling others or even in disciplining your own heart to get to target the heart.  In targeting the heart, the point is to become aware of what God-replacing-idol is present or of what else is being treasured or worshipped.

One of my favorite parts of serving in relay is getting to see young students holding their hands up in worship and honoring the Lord with their lives, attitudes, and service.  Especially, it is amazing to see how God is growing young boys into men as they transition from high school to college and our passionately seeking God.  This ministers to older men like myself and i really respect this in Cornerstones teens.

Some Random Randy Faves:

My favorite kids movie growing up was "the Goonies".  My first game system was the "Intellivision". (That means Randy is older than he looks!) Favorite sport right now is basketball.

Thanks Randy for taking the time to answer these questions and, more than that, to lay down your life by serving with Julie in Relay! Your servant's hearts are a great example and evidence of God's redeeming love in your lives!

If you read the Psalms, you will notice that the word "name" is found over 100 times! That's a lot! That means that on average, 2/3, or 100 out of the 150 psalms written in scripture contain the word name. So...what does it mean? I don't know if you are like me, but if I repeat a word enough times to myself in a row, I can begin to forget what it means or how to even say it rightly. (Try saying the word 'road' 20 times slowly and see what happens!)

All this to say, if a word appears that often in scripture, we should pay attention to it. So, what does it mean?

According to my dictionary:

name |nām|
noun
1. a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to

So, a name  is a label by which something is known. It describes (often) and marks the defining characteristics of whatever it is that is being referred to, so that in communication with someone, you can let them know what you are talking about.

So why is that mportant for the Christian? Let's take a brief survey of the Psalms and see how the word 'name' is quoted...

Psalm 5:11 (Show me Psalm 5)
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.

Psalm 8:1 (Show me Psalm 8)
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

Psalm 9:10 (Show me Psalm 9)
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 20:1 (Show me Psalm 20)
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

Psalm 29:2 (Show me Psalm 29)
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

(And I could put hundreds more!)

So, even from this brief look, we see that God's name is said to describe, be glorious and worthy of praise, and is a refuge and to be trusted.

Let this devotional spur you on into personal study of the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."(Isaiah 9)

Finally, Acts 4:12  reminds us: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jesus, the name, and the God that this name represents, is worthy of praise, for he is the savior of the psalmist, and of all who trust and hope in Him. May He be honored and glorified as we delight and trust in Him today!

If you know the comedy of Tim Hawkins at all, you know that he not only does good stand-up, but also creates hilarious song parodies.

Enjoy this one about Chick-Fil-A...Hilarious!

If you came to Relay's School's Out Party last weekend, you probably got to know Shaun a little better when he shared part of his testimony. But here today we have more exciting information from our exclusive interview, here on HollyW....just kidding! But seriously, enjoy getting to know our friend Shaun (who helps design graphics like the one with Mr. T above) and laugh with me at his ridiculous highschool photo below!

When and how were you saved?

I gave my life to Jesus Christ at VFC fall break retreat Anthem in 2007.  Ever since then, God has changed my heart to want to offer my life to Him as spiritual worship.  I'm still fighting my flesh, but my Lord has been faithfully redeeming me from the snares of sin!

When and How did you become a part of CCK?

In the spring of my freshman year at the University of Tennessee, Paul Steele, an old friend from the high school cross country team, introduced me to Josh Cantrell who invited me to check out CCK. After attending for a few months, I enrolled in the new members class and became a member!

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to run a lot, think about life, write and play music, read high school textbooks to name a few... (He really did say that!)

What do you do for a living?

I am currently going to school to see if I've got the right stuff to teach public high school.

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it?

The Psalms-- Reading the spirit-filled prayers of godly men of the old testament has cultivated a healthy fear and respect for the LORD. It has transformed my prayer life!

What makes you want to serve in RELAY? Why do you enjoy it? What is your favorite part?

Really, I just want to help the church grow. The Lord has provided great opportunities to serve here in RELAY. I love to build meaningful relationships that directs our gaze to Christ. Serving here has provided a wonderful ground for these friendships to take root.

Favorites:

color - blue

cereal - hot... i.e. oatmeal!

toothpaste - aquafresh, because it's patriotic

cartoon character - tigger

ice cream flavor - chocolate with gummi bears (so if you're tracking our current poll, chalk another one up for the mixes!)

sport - cross country

Thanks so much Shaun for opening up your life to us in this interview. It is a joy to see God at work in you and your obvious love for Jesus is compelling!

But seriously, this picture is hilarious! Look what God saved you from, a life of Elvis impersonations.

I recently began to re-read J.I. Packer's Christian classic, Knowing God, and have benfitted greatly even from my first reading, which became the inspiration for today's post. In the first chapter, Dr. Packer breaks down what the study of God is, why you should undertake the task, and the benefits of it.

I can hardly begin to touch the depth and eloquence of the author, so I will let Him do most of the writing for today's post after I briefly set it up.

Packer is stating that when one undertakes the task of studying God, seeing that it is beneficial and, in fact, essential to a follower of God, he pauses to commend that the reader ask 'What is my aim in studying God?' Basically, is it head-knowledge I desire, to know the 'right' answer, or is it something more?

"Look at Psalm 119-'teach me thy statutes'; 'open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out of thy law'; 'O how I love thy law'; 'how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!'; 'give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies' (verses 12, 18, 97, 103, 125)."

"...if you look at Psalm 119 again, you will see that the psalmists concern to get knowledge about God was not theoretical, but a practical concern. His supreme desire was to know and enjoy God Himself, and he valued knowledge about God simply as a means to this end.

"He wanted to understand God's truth in order that His heart might respond to it and his life be conformed to it...He was interested in truth and orthodoxy, in biblical teaching and theology, not as ends in themselves, but as means to the further ends of life and godliness...And this must be our attitude too...Our concern must be to enlarge our acquataince, not simply with the doctrine of God's attributes, but with the living God whose attributes they are. As He is the subject of our study, and our helper in it, so He must Himself be the end of it. We must seek, in studying God, to be led to God. It was for this purpose that revelation was given, and it is to this use that we must put it."

J.I. Packer, Knowing God, pgs. 18-19 (emphasis mine)

Let this passage remind us that our goal in devotions, in reading God's word, in studying God's character, in attending church and small groups and fellowshiping with friends is NOT meant ultimately to help us lead better lives, or to gain some personal satisfaction in knowing things about God...rather, it is to deepen our personal relationship with Him.

And we can only do this through Christ. When we consider calvary, and what actually transpired there, and what God offers to believers in the gospel of Jesus (free forgiveness and transferred righteousness through faith because of what the Son of God endured there) let us be in awe of the character of God, both in His justice and mercy.

Study on, and use it as a means to knowing your God and Savior better.

Hey Relayers!

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow at the School's Out Party!

Since Ken Green is hosting a BBQ School this weekend, I've been thinking about a song that gets lodged in my mind every time I'm around barbeque.  Let's see if this song gets stuck in your minds, too...!  Enjoy this video clip:

Amanda serves in Relay by singing on the Worship Team, so you have most likely seen her before. But what you may not know abut her might be answered in the Q & A below. Enjoy! (Also, stick around at the bottom of the post to see a photo of Amanda as a teen, as well as to find out what ice cream flavor she might be voting for in our recent poll)

When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

 I was saved when I was about 8. I grew up in a Christian home but accepted the Lord when I was listening to a children’s cassette tape where the gospel was presented. I remember feeling convicted of sin and knew I needed a Savior. At the time I didn’t understand fully what it meant to be a Christian but by the Lord's kindness I had parents who were able to encourage me in the Lord and grew up in a church that challenged me to pursue Christ and know him more deeply.

How did you come to be a part of CCK?

My senior year of college I was praying about several different locations to move to after I graduated from West Virginia University. I finally decided to move to Knoxville partly because I wanted the months of harassing and threats to end from my sister and brother in law who were members of Cornerstone (Kevin and Bethany Shipp).  I decided to make the move in August 08 and became a part of CCK at that time.

What are some of your hobbies?

Singing, listening to different kinds of music, and shopping with my sisters or friends.

What do you do for a living?

I am a nurse.

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it?

I am reading “Knowing God” by J.I Packer. I love being reminded that this is not our home or where we should seek joy and satisfaction, but that knowing God and pursuing a deeper understanding of him is what will bring us ultimate joy.

What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

I desired to serve in Relay because I love getting to know young people and seeing them grow in godliness.  I also enjoy observing different young people and others using their gifts to serve this ministry. Finally, one of my favorite parts is seeing junior high and high school kids attending with their parents and observing their transparent and humble attitude as they discuss the questions Craig provides.

Favorites:

Color-green

Cereal-Oh’s

Cartoon Character-Is it terrible to say that I don’t have one?! We watched Ben Hur (yeah, we were nerds) and the non animated TV series Batman and Zorro as kids. We did watch teenage mutant ninja turtles on occasion….so I guess maybe my favorite turtle was Michelangelo?!?!

Ice cream flavor- I like any and all kinds of ice cream. I do, however, particularly love Blue Bell’s Grooms Cake ice cream and Edy’s French Silk.

Well there you have it! Enjoy this picture of Amanda, who apparently underwent a reggae phase during her teen years.

Since this is a real farm with animals, farm machinery, electric and barbed wire fences, etc., the McCuiston's asked us to go by a few rules: 

Please DO NOT:
Touch any fences (you might get shocked!)

Chase any horses, cattle, or chickens

Go into the barns (we store machinery there)

Suggested items to bring with you:
An old pair of shoes

Modest swimwear underneath your clothes (we'll be getting wet!)

A towel

A change of clothes

Gloves (for a game involving rope)

Lawn chair(s)

Insect repellent

Directions to the farm from I-40 W (please carpool if you can):

Take I-40 to exit 350 (Midtown/Harriman)
Turn left at bottom of exit ramp
Take a right onto Highway 70 at first red light
Drive 5 miles
Turn left onto Post Oak Valley Road (You will know you are approaching our road's turn-off when you see the lake on your left and signs for Roane State Community College and Junction 382 on the right; do not turn onto 382, but immediately AFTER the junction our road appears on the left; if you pass a "Sunoco" gas station, you missed your turn.)
Drive 1.5 miles
McCuiston's house is on the left, #853 (look for a mailbox w/ a green roof) Red brick house w/ white shutters and dormers.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

View Larger Map

Did you know that God wants not only your devotion, but your joy?

Are you quick to acknowledge truths about God, but rarely find yourself taking delight in them? May it not be!

Take a look with me at a section of Psalm 68:

1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
 and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
 as wax melts before fire,
 so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
 they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
exult before him!

This Psalm begins by contrasting the fates of the wicked and the righteous. While those that hate God flee in fear before Him, the righteous sing for joy. And note where they are singing...before Him.

How can this be? How can the presence of God evoke both such fear and such joy?

God is HOLY.

He is perfect, righteous, and just. He is God and punishes all unrighteousness justly. That is why those who hate God run in fear.

But then...why doesn't everyone run? Romans 3:23 says that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", so shouldn't we be running too?

The amazing thing is that God is also a God of mercy, grace, and love. He sent His son, Jesus, who came and took on flesh, like us. Was subject to temptation and weakness, like us. And yet, unlike us, He never sinned. In fact, He always perfectly obeyed.

But if that's true, why did He die? Death is the result of sin, right? (Romans 6:23a) Yes. Incredibly, in His mercy (not giving what one deserves to receive) Jesus took on the sin of all those who would trust in Him and endured the Holy punishment from God the Father. He then rose, defeating death; for the price which would have taken us eternity to bear had been paid in full by Christ. And now He gives His righteousness and forgives all sins of those who humble themselves before Him, confessing their sin and trusting in His work on the cross for them.

Faith in Jesus is the reason that the presence of God also evokes joy and gladness, and not simply terror and dread.

Are you aware of these mercies on your life? Have you trusted in Christ's sacrifice? If so, heed this Psalm and exult, rejoice, be glad in God this day, and every one after!!!

So, go ahead and cast your vote for the question posed by all our A-Team Interviews so far...What is your favorite Ice Cream??? Cast your vote in the poll on the sidebar to your left.

ps. And thanks for voting for your favorite superhero! The winner was...

Here is an interview to help you get to know another member of the A-Team - Christen McCuiston. AS usual, a slightly incriminating picture of the interviewee is included at the end. (Her comments about the pic are the funniest part!) Enjoy...

When and what were the circumstances of you being saved?

I am blessed to have Christian parents who led me to the Lord at the age of five. I could not tell you the day it happened or even the time of year, but I do remember the moment. However, although I did pray and read my Bible occasionally as a young child, it wasn't until I was about 13 that I really began to study God's Word and know what it meant to have a personal relationship with Christ at a much deeper level. I'm thankful the Lord saved and protected me from so much at such a young age. 

How did you come to be a part of CCK? (How long ago, also)

In the spring of 2006 I was teaching dance in the Karns area when one of my fellow teachers broke her foot and they had to find a substitute teacher quickly. Enter, Ann LaMacchia, stage right! I met Ann and she told me where she went to church. I thought nothing of it at the time, but in the summer of 2007 my family and I began to visit different churches and I was so impressed by "Miss Ann's" character and the good things my family and I heard about the church from other friends, we decided to visit. The rest is history! We came the last week of July and never left. 
 

What are some of your hobbies?

Reading historical fiction, writing in my journal, choreographing dances (sometimes a hobby, most of the time a job requirement), taking long walks on our farm, working with horses, cross-stitching and knitting in the winter, and fishing with my dad and brothers in the summer. 
 

What do you do for a living?

I am a dance instructor. I began dancing in 1991 at the age of 6 and I began teaching dance in 2004 at the age of 19. I've been doing it ever since, and I absolutely love my job! 

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it? (devotional or recreational reading)

 I recently read "Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?" by Carolyn McCulley. It is a wonderful book about how to apply Proverbs 31 to my life as a single person, and I was very encouraged by it.

I also just finished reading "An Untamed Land" by Lauraine Snelling and was really impressed by how much our forefathers went through to settle America. I became freshly aware of how thankful I am to have running water and tile floors. Apparently, the pioneer women had to mix cow manure and water to spread over their dirt floors in order to make them hard enough to sweep. Thank God for "Mr. Clean!" 

What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

Teenagers are such a gift from God. I spend the majority of my time with children and teenagers whether at home or at work and I love their enthusiasm and zeal for life. I especially love seeing that turned into zeal for the Lord! It's an honor to know these families and have the blessing of benefiting from Craig's teaching. My favorite part? The Relay Retreat! 

Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food to Make: Pies and pastries. I also have a great recipe for chicken 'n dumplins that my great-grandmother handed down.
Favorite Cartoon: Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Favorite ice cream flavor: Butter pecan. Or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I also like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Praline Pecan and . . .

"I've also attached one of the worst pictures of me. Ever. Let's just say it's pre-braces and pre-discovery of anti-frizz hair products. I think I was about 16 here. Enjoy!" - Christen

I hope you're enjoying this series on The Psalms.  More importantly, I trust it's encouraging you to study and meditate on the psalms in your own personal devotional times. 

The psalms are deeply theological and intensly practical.  They speak to us in the midst of the stuff of real life, and they meet us wherever we are regardless of our circumstances.  Whether you are filled with joy or full of trouble, experiencing hardship or embracing blessings, fearful about your future or full of hope: the psalms are for you. 

That's why in my own devotional times, I've made it a practice to regularly be reading through the psalms every morning (in addition to other sections of Scripture, the psalms are a constant diet for me). 

Here's a psalm that I've continually returned to, and it speaks to me in every circumstance and in every situation -- Psalm 34.

This psalm begins with this statement:

"I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my

mouth."  (v.1)

See how comprehensive this statement is:  "I will bless the LORD at all times." This means that this psalm applies to me at all times.  And I'm so thankful that it does, because it's packed with encouragement and promises that always apply.

Psalm 34, like so many others, is written by David.  Maybe you remember the story behind this psalm...

David was destined to be the King of Israel, but he wasn't the King yet.  Saul was King, and as the King, one of Saul's driving ambitions was to kill David! (Saul was jealous of David and saw him as a threat to his own kingdom). 

Saul's son, Jonathan, was David's friend, and he had warned David that his dad wanted him dead (Now, it didn't take much to convince David of the danger because King Saul had already tried to spear him several times!). So to get away from Saul, David had fled to try to find a safe place to live.  He ended up going to a place called "Gath".  Gath was not part of Israel.  In fact, they were Israel's enemies, and it wasn't long before David's cover was blown and the people realized who he was.  When they did, they said of David:

"Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." (1 Sam. 21:11).  

Now, not only was Saul against David, but the king of Gath was against him, as well.  So, what did David do?  He acted like a madman, let spit run down his beard, and started writing marks on the doors of the gate in Gath.  In other words, he pretended to be completely insane.  His plan worked, and the king of Gath let him go free.  After staring death in the face again, David wrote this psalm.  Doesn't it help to know the background here?  Man, I love the Bible! 

Now read Psalm 34 in that light.  It's a psalm of thanksgiving and praise.  David had been delivered by God, yet again, and he wanted to worship and praise him.  In fact, he wanted everyone to exalt God ("Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!" - v.3).

There's so much wealth of truth in this psalm, but here are a few brief things that serve me whenever I review it:

• God is always worthy of our praise, and because of that David committed to bless the LORD at all times -- "his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (V. 1).  I should make the same commitment

• When I'm in trouble, I should seek the LORD.  God answered David in his distress, and he'll answer me in mine (v. 4 -- "I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears").  Read verses 5, 7, 10, 19, 22.

• The whole world could be arrayed against me, but GOD ALMIGHTY hears me when I cry out to him.  (v. 15 -- "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry"; v. 17 -- "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles").

This truth is perhaps the one that has served me the most from this psalm over the years.  I find myself praying these 2 scriptures very often and it encourages my faith when I pray.  God hears me when I cry out to him.  Not only that, but he has promised to deliver me out of all my troubles (v. 17; see also Psalm 50:15).  How amazing!  God is attentive to the cry of every Christian.  His eyes are toward us and his ears are inclined to our prayers.

So, what's troubling you today?  Have you told it to the Lord(v.4)? Have you asked for his help (v. 6)?  Have you asked Him to deliver you (v. 17)?

If you have been delivered from some trouble, have you turned back to thank Him (v. 1)?  Have you encouraged others with the testimony of God's grace toward you, so they can join you in giving Him praise (v. 3)?

Let's all join David and make it our aim that we will bless the LORD at all times and that his praise shall continually be in our mouths!      

How would you deal with a dead whale in your back-yard? 

Someone pointed me to this video a couple of years ago, and it is definitely share-worthy... Enjoy this Fun-Friday posting.

Here is an interview with Holly Harris about various topics, including a pic of her as a teen!

When and what were the circumstances of you being saved? (In a paragraph or less, if possible)

I did not grow up in a religious home.  I remember going to church only on Christmas and Easter.  I hated church and hated God.  In middle school, God used one of my best friends, Becca (who was a Christian), and my sinful desires for being popular and getting attention from guys, to get me to start coming to youth group.  I went to conferences and retreats and church on a regular basis, but God had not yet changed my heart.  I was still in love with the world and was living a legalistic lifestyle where I thought if I did good things and didn't do bad things, I would earn favor with God and deserve heaven.  By His grace, I kept coming to church events and, during a Disciple Now conference in February 2001, I heard the free gospel of Jesus Christ and my heart was regenerated.  It still amazes me to see how God used my sin to get me to come to church and ultimately be saved.

How did you come to be a part of CCK?

My senior year in high school, I had a mentor in the church who was an amazing woman of God.  She taught me reformed theology and the importance of the local church, and she urged me that the first thing I should do when I came to college was to find a solid, bible-preaching church with good theology and get plugged in.  So, I came to UT looking for a church to attend.  My second day on campus I was greeted by a VFC welcome booth, and two guys invited me to CCK.  That Sunday, I fell in love with the church and couldn't wait to go back!  I went through a rebellious period later in the year where I thought I could skip out on church and still survive as a Christian, but the Lord used my friends to correct me and remind me that we were not meant to live this Christian life alone.  Through much prodding, I went through the new members class and joined CCK in the spring of 2005.

What are some of your hobbies?

singing, reading, interior decorating, and shopping for deals!

What do you do for a living?

I work as an inside remarketing field manager (which means I maintain and sell repossessed manufactured homes).

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it? (devotional or recreational reading)

Just finished Shopping for Time by the GirlTalk bloggers... it's my second time reading it.  It's amazing how much differently a book can impact you based on your season of life!  I am trying to grow in biblical femininity and time management (both in my spiritual life and at home), and the content of this book is essential if you're trying to grow in those areas!

What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

I love "passing the torch."  RELAY is SO different from how my old church did youth ministry.  I appreciate that the parents are so involved.  I also love how the youth are instructed to look to their parents as their main instructors and mentors, not to look elsewhere because their parents aren't "cool."  I enjoy RELAY because my sense of humor rivals that of a 13-year-old, so I can identify with them easily. =)  And I love serving on worship team!

Along with these (and any other important info that you might want to convey) please answer a few, or all if you want, of the types of random fact questions below...

color:  gray
cereal: healthy: special K vanilla almond... unhealthy: pops
toothpaste:  colgate with the tri-color stipes
ice cream flavor:  mint chocolate chip (the green kind, not the white)
person to spend the rest of my life with:  Kevin Harris

Thanks Holly!

Well, our good friend, Caleb, is on vacation and he's asked me to fill in with a few posts for our devotional series. This week, I want to encourage you with a psalm that has had a dramatic impact on my life over the years and has become one that I continually return to for perspective and joy -- Psalm 16.

I can vividly remember the season when the Lord opened this psalm up to me and it burned like a fire in my soul.  It was during a time when I was struggling with a hope that had been deffered and godly desires that were unfulfilled.   

God used this psalm to communicate profound truths to me that led to contentment and joy in Christ, though nothing in my circumstances had changed.  There are so many riches to mine in Psalm 16 that a brief post won't be able to scratch the surface.  So, what I want to do is whet your appetite to study this psalm for yourself.

Listen to these God-inspired words of King David (a man after God's own heart) and as you meditate on them, may they transform your perspective and fill you with contentment and joy.

"Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
 I have no good apart from you.”  

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
 in whom is all my delight. 

 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
 their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
 or take their names on my lips.

 5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
 you hold my lot.
 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
 indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

 7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
 8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption. 

11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Have you ever struggled with discontentment? Have you ever been disillusioned in the midst of the difficulties in your life?  Have you ever had desires for something that hasn't panned out and that you're not sure will ever pan out?

Psalm 16 takes us back to what really matters in life.  In the midst of the unrest in our souls, it reminds us that the only thing we need is God Himself. "I say to the LORD, 'You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you' (v.2).  The psalmist is in effect saying, "He's not just God; he's my God, and if I have the Lord and nothing else, I have everything I ever need and more than I could ever deserve." That's a heart of contentment.

It's not enough for God to be my professed LORD.  He must be my functional Lord, as well.  He must be who I am living for.  This psalm tells us that those who run after other gods will only increase in sorrow (v. 4), but in the presence of God there is fullness of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures forevermore (v. 11).  That joy isn't dependent on circumstances or position in life.  It's a joy in God.

That's why David ran to God for refuge (v.1).  Where do I run for refuge?  Do I run to the God I profess and experience the joy of knowing Him?  Or do I run to other false refuges? 

This psalm humbles me because it tells me that I'm not God.  I'm not unlimited in my abilities or my influence.  I'm not omnipotent.  I have boundary lines and those boundary lines have been set by an all-wise and all-powerful God (v. 6). 

Discontenment looks at the edge of the fences of God's grace and covets what's outside the boundaries that have been assigned by God.  It grumbles and complains at where the lines have been set.  Contentment, on the other hand, focuses on what is inside the fences of God's grace and worships the Lord in awe for His goodness and His love.

What's inside the fences of his grace for every Christian? 

This is where it gets astounding:  David says, "The LORD is my chosen portion" (v. 5).  Now this is amazing.  Regardless of all my limitations (which are many), what falls inside the boundary lines for me is a relationship with God Almighty.  What else do I need?! 

What a wonderful lot I've been given by God! It's a secure lot (v. 5); the lines have fallen "in pleasant places"; Indeed "I have a 'beautiful inheritance' (v. 6).  I have a relationship with God!  He's my refuge (v. 1); he's my counselor (v.7); he's my protector (v. 8); he is my Savior; one day I'll see him face to face and know the joy of his presence and at his right hand, I will experience pleasures forevermore!  HE'S ALL I NEED!

Ha!

So, for our next edition of Meet the A-Team, I had to let us get to know Kevin Harris a little better. And BTW, his picture made me laugh, hard!

What is your testimony???

I was saved in middle school, around the 7th grade. A local church had a bible study every other friday night for middle school age kids. There was pizza and my friends were going so it seemed like a pretty good use of my time. I grew up in a home of christian values, but we never went to church regularly, so going to these groups consistantly was a way for me to hear the gospel over and over and the Lord used it to soften my heart and save me. 
 
How did you get involved at CCK?

I started going to CCK regularly in December 2005. I started college that year at UT and I remember running into some students from VFC at one of the welcome booths that they do every year. I was looking for a christian group to get involved with and going to VFC eventually led to my coming to CCK.
 
Any Hobbies???

I enjoy playing drums, reading, rock climbing, and playing video games, among others.
 
How do you make a living?

I'm an account representative at Vanderbilt Mortgage. That basically means that I'm a collector and my job is to call people who are late making their house payment. I find out why they're late and think of ways to help them get caught back up. 
 
What are you currently reading, and what about it are you benefitting from?

Right now I'm currently going through In Light of Eternity by Randy Alcorn. We've had the book for some time and when we were encouraged to read it going through the mission fund I decided to start it. The book has really helped me to shift my mindset to eternal things, and reminds me that everything thing we do has eternal consequences. When I start to get that mindset it gets me excited about serving the Savior and serving this church.
 
What do you enjoy about serving in Relay?

I enjoy serving on RELAY because of the people involved, and because of what it means for the next generation. I enjoy serving with the admin team and building relationships there, and I enjoy meeting the parents and teens and seeing a side of the church that I probably wouldn't otherwise. It's also exciting for me to be there and know how unique this is that teens get to hear such solid teaching, and get to build upon that with the help and guidance of their parents.
 
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Cereal: Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds
Favorite Ice Cream: Anything Chocolate

And now...............

"That's freshman year of high school in all its glory." - K. Harris

Today's post will be a little different than the norm. I decided to take a break from the Psalms series devotional, in order to whet your appetite for Advance.

In anticipation of the theme, Finally Alive, here is a quote from John Piper on why he wrote the book that this year's theme for Advance is coming from:    

You must be born again. It is a miracle. Many, I fear, don’t even want to think in terms of “being saved” as being in the category of a miracle that only God can perform. They want it to be a decision based wholly on human power involving no necessary miracle. That is deadly.

For those who are truly born again, I want them to exult in what has really happened to them. Many who are truly born again do not know the nature of the change that has happened to them. It is a good thing to know—so that Christ can be honored for the fullness of his glorious work, and so that people can enjoy the assurance of being the objects of that miraculous act.

Finally, I want the new birth to happen more and more. God does the new birth through the word. I pray that the sermons and the book will be a means used by God for the working of this miracle of new birth.

Amen!  May God use this conference to the end that Jesus Christ would be honored for the fullness of the glorious work of new birth!  And may we who have been born again enjoy the assurance of being objects of this miraculous act!  And, as a result of this conference, may this new birth happen more and more!

You can sign up for Advance online today. 

Meet Katie Crossen, a member of Relay's A-Team and wife of last week's feature, Harlen. Enjoy this short Q & A and stick around for a picture of Katie as a teenager.

In a paragraph, what is your testimony?

I can't say a particular day or even year when I was saved.  I grew up in a Christian home and had spurts of growth along the way.  I know that during High School was a definite time of  growth and change in my life.  I got plugged into my youth group and started taking more of an initiative to live a life that served God.

How did you get plugged in here at CCK?

When I was a Freshman at UT I joined the South Carrick Bible Study and became friends with Hannah Poschel and Susie Johnson and then roomed with them the next year.  So, I started attending CCK and a few years later I became engaged to another VFC member, Harlen Crossen, and decided God had plans for me here for awhile. So I joined in 2008.

Any Hobbies?

I like to read and write (Journalism major).  I also like running but haven't done a lot lately.  I love hanging out and visiting new places with Harlen.

What do you do vocationally?

I currently work for a collection agency, in the Facilitations dept. My job is to project how much we are going to make for the current month and three months out.  So, I basically work with numbers all day and don't do anything related to my degree.

What are you currently reading, and what have you been learning from it?

I have been reading back and forth between Joshua and Proverbs.  In Joshua I am definitely seeing that God desires our obedience and faith.  Reading this book makes me very glad for Jesus and God's forgiveness because I fall short of God's commandments.

What do you Enjoy about serving in Relay?

I love being able to serve in Relay because I am serving my local church and God with my husband.  When I was involved in youth group I was ready to absorb so much and having fellowship with other teens was really encouraging. So, I love seeing that play out at Cornerstone.

And Finally, What are some of your favorites???

Favorite color: Blue

Favorite cereal: Raisin Bran  

Favorite Sport: Cross Country Running

Favorite Ice cream: Mint chocolate chip  

(Is this just me, or is this a majority favorite? Sounds like a new poll question coming up!)

Visit the event page here for more details and to RSVP.

In reading the Psalms this week, I was made freshly aware that the gospel of Jesus Christ does contain bad news. In fact, this news is presented from the first to the last of the books of the Bible. As an archetype of this, David writes Psalm 53:

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;
together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,
where there is no terror!
For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

In reading these divinely inspired words, the words of God in fact, I felt a giant finger pointing towards me. I am that man described in the first 4 verses. And to be bluntly honest...it's you too.

We inherit the sinful nature of our forefather, Adam. He is our type, or representative, and through him, we are credited with lawlessness. And see the language of this psalm. It is not a mere dislike of God, or a tendency to turn from Him, it is outright rebellion and active war against our creator!

When we encounter this stinging truth, it should leave us humbled, realzing that we deserve the righteous wrath of God for our sin against Him principally. It should leave us broken, we have no defence or recourse to explain or justify our nature.

So how can David turn in Verses 5 & 6 to denouncing the evil? How can he not include himself in the judgments that he pronounces are coming for the wicked? How can he think that he will inherit the blessings of God's chosen portion?

The amazing truth is, that God, apart from any good or desireable thing in us, chose to place His sinless Son in the place of sinners. So that, He might be just to accept repentant sinners, whom He would call by name to trust in Christ's sacrifice for their sins, in His sinless life as credited to themselves through faith, and in His resurrection, proclaiming victory over the penalty of sin and the satisfaction of the Father's justice.

Sinners can be forgiven, the rebels turned to worshipers and children accepted and pleasing to God, through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Read verse 6 again with new eyes...salvation has come, in the form of God the Son, to the praise of His grace! Let us be glad that the "bad" news of the Bible is redeemed by God in Christ, that we can boast in nothing but God. Glory to Him!

Hey Relay!  Since we're on a super-hero kick after the Advance trailer we showed on Wednesday night, I thought you would enjoy this "Super Squirrel" that Brient Kittrell emailed to me. 

Also, you can take a poll (on the left of the home page of our blog) to tell us who is your favorite super hero!

Enjoy Super Squirrel:

Meet the next member featured on our Q & A Postings where we get to meet another member of the Admin Team. This week's feature is:

Harlen Crossen

 What is your testimony?

Well, I was born in Florida and had divorced parents that would occasionally attend church. I lived with my Mom and half-sister, but saw my Dad a lot. Neither was devoted to serve or faithfully attend their local church. My Dad raised me up to do the usual prayer before bed and before dinner and I would pray sometimes on my own, but did not care about God as I prayed purely from repetition (usually the Lord's prayer).

A time came when my Dad finally decided to move from Florida to Tennessee when I was 15. My parents felt that I was old enough to make the decision for myself to stay with my Mom or move with my Dad. There were many logical reasons to stay and very few to go, but I felt drawn to Tennessee. It turned out that the decision was too great for me and I struggled with it. So, as a last ditch effort, I prayed a half-hearted prayer saying, "Lord, I can't make this decision. Please help me." Then, I went to bed. Well, the Lord answered my prayer. The next morning I was FILLED with an excited energy, like I had slept for a very long time but woke up with no drowsiness. I can't describe this well, but I also woke up with a 'knowing' that I was going to Tennessee. Not like I saw it in a vision or had the decision made for me, but I just knew.

I didn't want to tell my Mom, but finally did and eventually moved to Tennessee that summer (June, in-between 9th & 10th grade). I started attending a small church near my new home and joined the youth group. The Lord continued to work on my heart and made me ask myself questions about the nature of God and the circumstances of my move. In August, my church had a revival. At the end of the last night, I went home with a lot on my mind. Laying in bed I "decided" that I believed in God and in Christ's sacrifice for me. I prayed the prayer I knew and asked Christ to be my Lord. I have never been the same since.

How did you get plugged into CCK?

When I came to UT as a Freshman I wanted to find a local church immediately. I didn't look for long before Matt Bowman invited me to VFC. The next Sunday I went to Cornerstone and decided to stay. I became a member that following Spring and have been for over 5 years.

What are some of your hobbies?

Spending time with Katie, snowboarding, racquet ball, music (playing and listening). I like to work on cars and anything that goes fast. I also like video games and figuring out how things work.

What do you do for a living?

I'm about to graduate from college and become an Aerospace Engineer!

What are you reading, and what are you learning from it?

I've been reading Acts and learning about the nature of God. How he desires for all people to be saved. I've also been thinking a lot about Heaven and what it means to have treasure in Heaven. I believe that God has shown me that one's heavenly treasure is not tangible like material things.

Why are you serving in Relay?

One of things I like most about Relay is that my wife and I can serve in it together. I really enjoy having the privilege of playing an instrument in service to God. I also know how valuable it is to have a ministry to train up our future generations.

And as usual, what are some of your random favorites?

Color: Dark Blue

Ice cream: Vanilla with caramel

Sport: To watch: Football; To play: Racquet ball

Favorite Superhero: Superman

Well, thanks Harlen for serving alongside your wife in Relay, and for taking the time to answer these questions. Hopefully the teens that read this will get to know a little bit more about a man they see serving all over the place!

See you there!

How much is it worth to you... Everything has a price...Not for all the money in the world...

These are all famous quotes concerning money and the cost of things, and I thought of many similar phrases this week after reading Psalm 49.This Psalm is full of wisdom concerning the purpose and use of monetary possessions. While there are a plethora of topics that we could cover, the main one is found in verses 7-9 as follows:

7 Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.

So..what do you think your life is worth? Verse 7 reveals that there is no price that we can pay God to ransom either ourselves, or others. This includes good works. No amount of effort, work, or sincerity will pay for your, or my, sins. Punishment must be meted out for God to remain just. Wrath can't be shoved under the rug or simply dismissed. God cannot be bribed or persuaded otherwise. The price must be paid.

THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM!!!

Christian, consider Christ and what He has done in a fresh way again as you read this. Jesus took all of God's righteous anger towards Your sin onto himself at Calvary. He hung, enduring all of the punishment in a few hours that would have taken us an eternity to experience. And now, it's gone! Never will God hold the Christian's feet to the fire, or demand payment for sin. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe!

And now, in light of the mercies of God as evidenced in the cross, we are to live out our faith as living sacrifices, for the renown of the One who bought us with His life-blood. (Romans 12:1)

See David's faith as expressed in this verse, and apply it to yourself in the (present tense) if you trust in Christ alone:

15 But God will(has) ransom(ed) my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah

Thank you, Jesus!

Caleb Hancock - hancock.caleb@gmail.com

General/Administrative:

Gabby Dalton - gdalton@knoxcstone.com

Graphic Design:

Shaun O'Connell - shaun.thomas.oconnell@gmail.com

Messages:

Craig Cooper - ccooper@knoxcstone.com

Snack Team:

Christen McCuiston - joyfulheart@bellsouth.net

Sound/Set-Up:

Matthew Reynolds - matthewgreynolds@gmail.com

Harlen Crossen - chevelle4s5s4@utk.edu

Worship Team:

Adam Robinson - mrarob@gmail.com

Caleb Hancock - hancock.caleb@gmail.com

Randy Doss - randywdoss@gmail.com

Again, sibling love isn't always appreciated.

Look carefully at this one.

And finally...say cheese.

Next up: Jonathan A.K.A. "Chappy, the Chapster" Chapman

While you may know that Chappy helps out in Relay by organizing sports and games, you may not know the following...enjoy. (And stick around at the end to see his picture!)

What is your testimony?

I grew up in a Christian home, thought I was a Christian. I came to UT my freshmen year and got involved with VFC, went to a Men's Conference and realized that I had head knowledge of God but had not allowed it to enter my heart. I accepted Christ. It has been a joy to live for him each and everyday since then!

How did you get plugged into CCK?

After getting involved with VFC my freshmen year I started attending CCK, so almost 4 yrs now.

What are some of your hobbies?

sports, reading, video/board games, pretty much doing whatever

What do you do for a living?

I am in my last semester at UT and working for Peninsula Hospital

What are you reading, and what are you learning from it?

I am currently reading "Celebrating the Disciplines" by Richard Foster...It has reminded me the importance of meditating on God's Word, spending time in prayer, and challenged me to make time for this crucial aspects of my christian walk.

Why serve in Relay?

I love kids and I want to let them know of the importance of living for Christ completely. I enjoy hanging out with these kids because I see the way they are growing up and how they are cultivating a love for Christ at an early age and it encourages me to love Christ more. I love Craig's messages, even though they are for the kids, I can apply them so easily to my own life!

                                                            Random Favorites:

color: orange

cartoon character: Scooby Doo

Ice cream flavor: mint chocolate chip

And the burning question on everybody's mind...

sport: basketball/soccer (it's a tie)

Check out the specs, as well as the tongue sticking out because he is concentrating on dribbling the ball! Ha! Thanks Chappy!

What do you think pleases God more, your passionate feelings about Him, or careful, thoughtful meditation on Him?

While I think you could argue for both, I often tend to think that my feelings about God are what he cares for most. That's why I was surprised when I read Psalm 48 recently. Here it is:

48:1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
 in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.

4 For behold, the kings assembled;
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
which God will establish forever. Selah

9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God,
so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14 that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forever.

Did you catch it in there? Verse 9 says: "We have thought on your steadfast love, O God". The psalmist here has given us a great example to follow.

C.H. Spurgeon in his commentary on this psalm said, "Holy Men are thoughtful men; they do not suffer God's wonders to pass before their eyes and melt into forgetfulness, but they meditate deeply upon them."

We can, instructed by this psalm, be compelled to meditate and think on the Lord; who He is (v. 1) and what He has done (v.3-8). 

And what naturally follows from thinking on the Lord, and who He is, is praise overflowing from our hearts and mouths! (v.10-11)

So, let us not only be thinkers of the Lord, but proclaimers of His grace!

Even more than the Psalmist, for the Christian, God has revealed His personal and boundless love for us in that Jesus took on flesh and bore the punishment that we deserve to receive on account of our sin. He satisfied God the Father's righteous wrath. It's gone! And He has credited, and given us His own righteousness, qualifying us to stand before Him and to have eternal life.

As a song from our recent past puts it, the message of this psalm is as follows:

"When I think about the Lord, how He saved me, how He raised me, how He filled me with the Holy Ghost, how he healed me to the uttermost, when I think about the Lord, how He picked me up, turned me around, how He set my feet on solid ground...it makes me want to shout 'Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus! Lord, You're worthy of all the glory and all the honor and all the praise!"

So...our first A-Team Member that was interviewed for both your information and entertainment, was none other than Mr. Jordan McDonnell!

I do not know a specific calendar date for my salvation.  Between being raised in a family that faithfully goes to church to hear the Word of God preached and taught, and then a hunger to read God's Word each morning before school (for so long I chalked that up to my superior discipline, but hindsight reveals that to be an incredible gift from God's good hand), the Spirit convinced me that Jesus alone is my Savior and Lord - sometime when I was 13 or so, and then slow but steady illumination through my teenage years. 

How did you come to be a part of CCK?

In Fall 2007, I moved to Knoxville from Lancaster, PA, to be a graduate student at UT.  My first apartment was just down the street from the VFC house, so I recognized them when they had an outreach booth set up on campus.  So I stopped by the booth, went to VFC that Thursday, to CCK the following Sunday, and have been there since. 

What are some of your hobbies?

Video games and video game programming (although I haven't gotten to invest too much in that of late - apparently they want you to work hard for a Ph.D. in physics); thorough enjoyment of contact sports like rugby and soccer without a ref; weight lifting

What do you do for a living?

Currently a physics Ph.D. student at UT.  Yes, I get paid to go to school.  When I complete the program, I will be looking for teaching and nuclear/particle physics research positions at small colleges.  So if anyone's looking for help with math or physics...

What are you currently reading and what have you gained from it?

Devotion-wise, I have two books by Martyn Lloyd-Jones in progress: Spiritual Depression (March's FX book of the month) and Old Testament Evangelistic Sermons. 
I only started Spiritual Depression this week, but the first chapter alone rocked enough to pay for the book.  It discussed the way joy in the Lord will show itself on our faces - we can't contain it. 
Old Testament Evangelistic Sermons contains transcripts of the preacher's messages directly addressed to Friday-night evangelistic meetings.  He takes "familiar" stories from the Old Testament (ranging from Jacob wrestling with the Lord at Peniel [Gen. 30], to the time King Jeroboam sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah to inquire about his son's illness [I Kings 14]...) and directly relates them to the message of the Gospel, as well as several startlingly familiar manifestations of unbelief he saw in the world around him. 

What makes you want to serve in RELAY, why do you enjoy it, what is one of your favorite parts?

The teen years are always interesting, and it is a key time for the Lord to do His work in a person's heart.  I look forward to interacting with the young'uns and seeing what God is doing in these whippersnappers' lives. (Jordan really did use those words, I did not edit them!)

 
Fun-wise... I can never get enough dodgeball.

color: dark blue
cereal: 2lb bag of Magic Stars from Kroger; Christmas Crunch around Christmas time
toothpaste: whatever gets the job done and doesn't taste nasty

How are you doing at taking your soul to task? I mean, when did you last sit yourself down, get your own attention, and really talk to yourself?

If the previous questions sound really funny to you, don't worry. You're not alone in that. However, for the Christian, talking to yourself is not a sign of an adverse psychotic event, rather, there is biblical precedence for this practice!

Psalm 42:5-6,11

"5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
 and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.

The Psalmist here is in trouble. He describes himself as being swept over by mighty waters. And does he despair? Does he pout, or worse, blame and accuse God? NO! Instead, he talks to himself: reminding himself of who God is what he has promised.

Let this be an example for each of us. In various trials and hardships, we can remember that God is sovereign, God is righteous, and that he works ALL THINGS for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes! (Rom. 8:28)

Let's remind ourselves that, no matter what circumstances we are in, we can look to Christ, and see that our greatest need, the forgiveness and payment of our sins in full along with the transfer of Jesus' perfect righteousness to us, has been met in Christ at Calvary.

So when you feel the fear build within you, or the despair sap the strength and joy from your heart, remind yourself (out loud if you need to!) that God is good and is worthy of praise!

This video by Lecrae is one of my favorite YouTube videos. A friend pointed it out to me, and I opened it not expecting too much. However, after watching this video and listening to the lyrics, especially, where he quotes from the Psalms (62), I was so edified.

I hope you are too!

Lecrae is a Christian Rap Artist who wrote this song from the viewpoint of a Christian living in Haiti during the recent earthquake. He starts the song questioning God's nearness and goodness and he ends it with...well, you'll see.

On Wednesdays, we have decided that it would serve you all well to get to know some more information about the folks who serve on Relay's Administration Team (The A-Team).

While we have nothing to do with Mr. T, the A-Team does love to introduce ourselves and give you opportunities to laugh at us.

So...here is the format for future posts for Wednesdays:

I have asked a series of questions, both serious and funny, to various member of the A-team and will label the questions in BOLD. Their answers will follow below.

Each Wednesday will feature a new member, until we run out! So, we hope you enjoy these and use them as an opportunity to come and introduce yourself to the A-team in the future.

P.S. We are going to include pics of the A-team member interviewed from when they were a teen! Get psyched!!!

Welcome to the first posting of a Relay's Blog devotional!

Craig had asked me to start a series, and so here is the fruit of his leadership and care!

We are starting off the devotional series by looking at the Psalms. This won't be a systematic or lengthy devotional, rather it is meant to remind us of the gospel from various points in the Psalms and what we can learn from them. We hope that you are able to regularly read and be encouraged from these posts.

So...look forward to next week's first posting from the Psalm series.

On Fridays, like every other blog that is currently in existence (obvious over-statement, but you get the point) Relay will be posting random fun facts, pictures, videos and anything else that seems interesting for your enjoyment.

You might have seen this video previously from GirlTalk's blog, but it is worth re-posting for the guys, or even for a repeat watching.

This act is incredibly creative, and silly. However, the words to the song really are true!

Enjoy!

Whew...so, the new blog postings are as follows:

Mondays: A short devotional (The first series will be on the Psalms)

Wednesdays: Meet the A-Team (A short Q & A with a member of the Relay Admin. Team, along with a picture of them when they were a teen)

Fridays: A Random/Fun post

We hope you really enjoy the new blog postings, and we look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night!!!

-Caleb H. (On behalf of the Relay A-Team)

See you there!

Don’t forget: Relay will be skatin’ it up this Saturday from 10:30am-12pm! Dress in your best skating outfits and get ready to bust a move at Skatetown in North Knoxville.  This event is free for everyone in Relay, but, due to a limit on the size of our party, it's only open to the Relay teens & their parents (rather than the whole family).  Here are directions to Skatetown once again:

From I-40 West:

Take I-40 W to I-640 E. Drive 2.5 miles on I-640

Take Exit 6 “Old Broadway/US-411.” Turn left at North Broadway. Go 2.5 miles on Broadway

After you see Cook’s Pest Control on the left, merge into the left turn lane to turn onto Madonna Circle. Skatetown will be on the left!!

The Relay New Years Eve Party is tonight!  We're very excited to ring in the New Year with everyone in Relay! 

Doors will open at 9pm and activities will start about 9:30pm.  This event is open for all parents and teens in Relay as well as their siblings; we'll have activities available for all.

If you're concerned about missing the UT Bowl Game, we have good news for you -- we'll be showing the game LIVE on the big screen in the auditorium, so you'll have a good view of how UT is playing!

Here's a reminder on what to bring:

• Families whose last names start with A-K, please bring a SALTY snack
• Families whose last names start with L-Z, please brings something SWEET

Can't wait to be together!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

--Craig

I'm looking forward to visiting with you here in 2010!

--Craig