Do this for Your Family

I read Ron Ethridge's blog regularly. Ron lives in Muscle Shoals and is currently Interim Pastor at Moulton Baptist Church. He made a list of suggestions to do for your family in the wake of his father's death "DO This For Your Family." It is a great blog with many practical helps. Read it here.

Great article about David Platt

David Platt, Senior Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, is featured in this week's Christianity Today. I have been "following" David since he was at New Orleans Seminary and I listen to his IPod messages almost every week. To see a pastor in a large, metropolitian church preaching 55-60 mintues every Sunday morning and then his compassion for the world and poor is such a role model. Enjoy the article posted here.

John MacArthur on The Gospel

Randy Alcorn on pain and suffering

Randy Alcorn is a worthy author to read. His books on Heaven and money I have in my library. When I saw this blog post interview with him I immediately read it. Then I saw it was about a book on suffering so I did a double take.

With the series of messages on suffering, I think it would be worth your time to read this blog interview. Especially if you have interest in reading more, he makes two book recommendations to read.

See the complete blog here.

Sermon Notes August 2, 2009

Here are the sermon notes from Sunday, August 2 "God's Purposes in Suffering" Part I. Sorry for the delay. See them here.

The Bridge of Grace

I was reading through a blog the other day and came across the following quote:


“The bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. I can hear their trampings now as they traverse the great arches of the bridge of salvation. They come by the thousands, by their myriads, e’er since that day when Christ first entered His glory.
They come and yet never a stone has sprung in that mighty bridge. Some have been the chief of sinners and some have come at the very last of their days but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight. I will go with them, trusting to the same support. It will bear me over as it has for them.” – Charles Spurgeon

"Cry Out to Jesus"

As we are preaching this series of messages on suffering, there is a song "Cry Out to Jesus" that is just awesome. Third Day sings it and you can see it via YouTube here. Here are the lyrics. Read and listen.

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

Chorus

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith and love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering

Chorus

When your lonely (when you're lonely)
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight