Notes

At the beginning of my freshman year at Cornerstone I started writing down notes from sermons, chapel, and missionary sessions. The notebook is now full…it was amazing to look back through it and remember all that the Lord has taught me though the preaching, teaching, and encouragement of godly people over the past year and a half. Here are just a few tidbits from that notebook.

The preaching of the cross shows the love and grace of God, which no other way can show. NEVER STOP PREACHING THE CROSS!

Christ is glorified through sinners being conformed into the image of Him!

To bring glory to God should be our highest motivation!

Make your plans in pencil – God’s ways are not our ways.

Good judgment comes from the Word of God.

Is there anything we do that does not have to include God?

Is God just a fire escape to me or is He the ruler of my life?

We base much of our theology on what we sing and the music we listen to.

The Spirit NEVER leads us to be entertained by evil.

Jesus is the greatest blessing ever given to man!

Two thirds of Moses’ life was spent in preparation. God is constantly preparing us for what He has for us in the future. God’s time is different then my time. God is not concerned with time as we are.

Bringing glory to God does not come through what I do – it is what Christ does in me and through me!

I am identified with Jesus Christ. How does knowing this affect the way I live?

Christ was born to die so that we may have life!

God’s work needs to be done in God’s way.

Knowing God helps us to live right.

Our lives are a manifestation of what we think about God.

The fire purifies the gold. When the goldsmith can see his face reflecting in the gold he knows it is pure. The Lord purifies us so that we are a mirror of Him.

Often we want God’s approval of OUR plans rather than HIS plans

Thankfulness Gage – My thankfulness is a gage of my relationship with Christ.

Do not sacrifice truth for “peace”.

When I pass up an opportunity to share the gospel with someone because I say “Oh, they probably won’t accept it” is me not having faith in God’s power in the gospel of Christ.

“Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. AMEN” – 2 Peter 3:18

Thanks to God

Thanks to God

By August Ludvig Storm

Thanks, O God, for boundless mercy

From Thy gracious throne above;

Thanks for every need provided

From the fullness of Thy love!

Thanks for daily toil and labor

And for rest when shadows fall;

Thanks for love of friend and neighbor

And Thy goodness unto all!

Thanks for thorns as well as roses,

Thanks for weakness and for health;

Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine,

Thanks for poverty and wealth!

Thanks for pain as well as pleasure

All Thou sendest day by day;

And Thy Word, our dearest treasure,

Shedding light upon our way.

Thanks, O God, for home and fireside,

Where we share our daily bread;

Thanks for hours of sweet communion,

When by Thee our souls are fed!

Thanks for grace in time of sorrow

And for joy and peace in Thee;

Thanks for hope today, tomorrow,

And for all eternity!

Cease not to give thanks

It looks like Christmas here….CBI is covered in a white blanket. But it is not Christmas, it’s the season of THANKSGIVING! Oh give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good!! God has blessed me beyond measure! To name just a few, I am thankful for…

- Jesus Christ; my Savior, King, and Friend!

- The Word of God which lives and abides for ever!

- The conforming work of God in my life!

- The wonderful family that God placed me in! Pa and Ma – the ones who love me more than I know, point me to the Lord, pray for me, and are two of my best friends! Isaac – my comrade all growing up, the one I can talk to about anything, challenges me in my walk with the Lord. Luke – my pal, and co-laborer in camp cleaning for many years, bestower of many knives and gun holsters :D Ezekiel and Moriah – the two little munchkins that were born on the other side of the world but God’s plan was for them to be in our family!!

- The Shively family, my family away from home and friends!

- My grandparents – for their godly example, encouragement, and support.

- Cornerstone Bible Institute. A place to be challenged in the Word of God and to prepare me for ministry! The impact this school has had on my life cannot be placed into words

- Friends - for fellowship around Jesus Christ, times of hilarity and contagious laughter, and companion in times of study as well as procrastination.

- The faculty and staff of CBI who love the Lord, serve him moment by moment, give their time to invest in our lives, are always willing to listen, teach us as well as laugh with us, open their homes to us, and love us!

- For Lopez Canyon Bible Camp, the best place in the world to grow up, all that the Lord taught me there about being a servant, and all the practical tasks I learned to do that can be put into use wherever the Lord may lead me.

- For Black Hills Bible Church, the times of gathering around God’s Word, fellowship and fun times, and the opportunity to teach Sunday School!

- For each new day that the Lord brings. The Lord’s mercies are new every morning and each day there is more to be learned about of who He is!

- The trails and challenges of life that God allows and uses to conform us into the image of His Dear Son. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: - 1 Peter 1:7

Cease not to give thanks!

Redeemed

Understanding more and more of Greek is so rich. It is like reading in color. For our one English word for “Redeemed/Redemption, there are three Greek words.

agorazo - has the meaning of “to buy in the market place”

exagorazo - has the meaning of “to buy out of the market place, never to be resold”

lutroo - has the meaning of “to loose, or set free by paying a ransom”

We put them together and it says:

Christ bought us out of the slave market of sin. We are eternally secure in Christ. Christ set us free from sin’s bondage by paying the price sin demanded – DEATH!

This is redemption! We are bought with a price. We are not our own. We belong to the Lord!! Walk Worth of our very worth God!

GO.....For the Sake of His Name

Go to the world for the sake of His name; to every nation His glory proclaim. Pray that the Spirit wise will open darkened eyes, granting new life to display Jesus’ fame.

In Jesus’ power, preach Christ to the lost; for Jesus’ glory, count all else but loss. Gather from every place trophies of sov’reign grace. Lest life be wasted, exalt Jesus’ cross.

Love the unloved for the sake of His name; like Christ, befriend those whose heads hang in shame. Jesus did not condemn, but was condemned for them. Trust gospel pow’r, for we once were the same.

Rescue the lost for the sake of His name; as Christ commands, snatch them out of the flame. Tell that when Jesus died God’s wrath was satisfied. Urge them to flee to the Lamb who was slain.

Look to the Throne for the sake of His name; think of the throng who will share in His reign. Some for whose souls we pray will share our joy that day, joining our song for the sake of His name.

In Jesus’ power, preach Christ to the lost; for Jesus’ glory, count all else but loss. Gather from every place trophies of sov’reign grace. Lest life be wasted, exalt Jesus’ cross.

Life....

...it moves on very fast. It is hard to believe that I have been back at school for a month. It is also amazing to see all that the Lord has taught me just in these past 4 weeks! My classes this semester are:

- Biblical Greek

- Theology (covering: man, sin, and salvation)

- Exodus - Deuteronomy

- Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim - Titus)

- Galatians

- Ministries of the Christian Woman

- History of Missions

- Choir

Outside of the class room I am involved in teaching Sunday School (6-9 year olds), Youth Group, cooking for the school on Friday nights with Sarah (fun times we have together! :-D ), and hanging out with fellow students. It is such a blessing to be in fellowship with other young people who have a desire to grow in their relationship with our Lord and want to serve Him with their life!

One of the MANY things the Lord has been teaching me is to pray without ceasing. We as believers have the privileged to go strait to the throne of grace, not just when in need but also just for fellowship with our Father! It is such an encouragement to pray with others in the body if Christ and to know that fellow students, faculty, family, and friends are praying for me!

"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you"

- Col. 1:3

Thankful!

I've been blessed with an amazing family! I'm thankful for them, for the time I've been able to spend with them this summer, for the chance to get to know my little baby sister and brother! <3

Ask

What do we ask for when we pray? Often it is for things or that things will happen in a certain way. Yes, our Father does want us to bring everything to Him in prayer. But where is our heart behind our requests?

For my personal devotions I have been in the books of the Kings. In 1 kings chapter 3, God speaks to Solomon in a dream, and tells him to ask anything and He will give it. Solomon could have asked for anything, Health, Wealth, Land, Power. But he instead asks the Lord for Wisdom that he may rightly rule God's people, Israel.

"And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days". - 1 Kings 3:13-16

What an example we have in the request of a king!

I have been pondering this account on Solomon for a few days. For your family devotions we just started reading James. This thought ties right in.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it (wisdom) shall be given him. But let him ask (for wisdom) in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." - James 1:5-6

So often when situations arise in our life we ask God to work in it according to how we see fit. Rather we should be asking for wisdom for the situation that we may respond in a godly way and that Christ would be glorified.

Do our requests please the Lord?

Joy in Serving Jesus

When you truly love someone you want that person to have what he wants. More than wanting your own pleasure, you want his.

"When obedience to God contradicts what I think will give me pleasure, let me ask myself if I love Him. A little quiet reflection will remind me that yes to God always leads in the end to joy. We can absolutely bank on that." - Elizabeth Elliot

How often we get caught up in the things of this world that we think give us pleasure. Yet they are so unsatisfying and have no eternal value. Serving the Lord takes commitment and sacrifice. But there is no greater joy and peace than what come from serving God!

There is joy, joy, joy in serving Jesus! Joy that never shall depart!

Service

"Where shall I work today, dear Lord?"

And my love flowed warm and free.

He answered and said

"See that little place?

Tend that place for me."

I answered and said. "Oh no, not there!

No one will ever see.

No matter how well my work was done,

Not that place form me!"

His voice, when He spoke, was soft and kind,

He answered me tenderly,

"Little one, search that heart of thine,

Are you working for them or ME?

Nazareth was a little place....

so was Galilee."

- Unknown

Memories of Choir Tour

My favorite memories of the Walk Worth Tour 2011....

The wonderful times with amazing friends who love the Lord and want to serve him!

Staying in trailers in Dix.

Everyone buying knives at Cabelas (everyone, as in all the people who realized that knifes are a good thing to carry around :D )

Rain for the first 8 days of Tour.

The storm in St. Frances as we sang ALMIGHTY UNCHANGEABLE GOD!

The "Theology Lesson" that God gave to Job

Watching Alligator Hunters with Bekah, Po, Sarah, Chrystal, and Mr. Culwell! :D

Singing in Steamboat Springs

Glenwood Springs!

Singing in the Gun Museum!

Spending time with Papa and Mama Friesen!

Driving to Burns and wondering if we were ever going to get there...:P

Breakfast at the ranch!

Having devotions on the pond dock!

Seeing the beauty of God's creation!

Singing "Jesus Lives" at Grace Bible Church in Colorado Springs!

Talking Papa Friesen into letting us get Ice cream :)

Staying with Bethannie!

Meeting Bekah and Ron.

Trying not to laugh while singing when Mama Friesen would start to laugh :P

CAMP JOY!

ACTUALLY getting to meet the Rio Grand team!

All the DUCKS that joined us for lunch....QUACK

The very interesting books that Bekah and I found in Barns and Nobles. HAHA

The Cosmosphere!!!

The IMAX!!! What an AWESOME God we have!

Walking around in the Franklin's back yard late at night trying to find internet connection :P

Studying Philippians!

"She was a very shady Lady" :P

Being one BIG family! :P

Listening to Papa Friesen reminis about his childhood! :)

Having my first Sonic

Staying at the house with the heated pool with a slide and fountains.

The Bathrooms not working at the church out in the middle of no where, Parkervile. :P

Mine and Bekah's stay with Elma Norman :D

Our last concert in Newton.

But most of all what I will remember about Choir Tour is the blessing it was to me to minister to the body of Christ and the refreshment of the fellowship in the churches that we sang at! There is no greater joy then knowing the Lord and serving the Him!

The Heavens Declare the Faithfulness of Our Father

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." - Psalm 19:1

I have always loved this verse. Living here at camp we have amazing dark nights making visible millions upon millions of stars! During choir tour this past Spring we had the opportunity to visit the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas. We were able to watch "THE HUBBLE" in the IMAX there! AMAZING to see the vastness of the universe! This is the handywork of our Father who we know personally! The heavens are filled with beauty that we cannot even see with our necked eye, yet our God created it for His glory and for His good pleasure!

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." - Revelation 4:11

Seeing the pictures taken from the Hubble cause me to worship my Lord who is so mighty and so vast...YET He LOVES you and me, and cares for us, and teaches us!

God created all this to display His unwavering faithfulness!

Latally I have been thinking about Israel and God's faithfulness to His chosen people. The book of Hosea pictures Israel as an harlot who has left her husband, God, and gone after other gods and committed idolitry and adultery. YET God does not forsake her!

"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." - Hosea 2:14

So many nations and people today believe that God is finished with Israel, that all the promises that were made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not going to be fulfilled literally, that the Church has taken Israel's place in the sight of God. This is NOT true!

This is am AWESOME verse....

"Thus saith the LORD; IF heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD." - Jeremiah 31:37

GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE ISRAEL!! The only possible way that God would cast of Israel is if the heavens could me measured. We know this is impossible from scripture "the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured" Jeremiah 33:22 And we know from what we can see from pictures taken of space that this is impossible!

May this be an encouragement to us, that this same God who is faithful to such a nation as Israel is faithful to you and me!

"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" - Hebrews 13:5

May this be an encouragement to us to pray for Israel. God's chosen people!

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." - Psalm 122:6

Because of who Christ is.....

For the past 6 months my devotion time has been camped in the book of Hebrews. It was been an amazing study and awesome to see the superiority of Jesus Christ our Savior. I could talk on Hebrews all day long and write many many blog posts, but this time just simply look at our Lord and how He is seen in this amazing book....

JESUS CHRIST:

- Superior to the prophets (1:1)

- Heir of all things (1:2)

- Creator of the world (1:2, 10 and 2:10)

- The visible manifestation of God Himself (1:3)

- Upholder and director of all things (1:3)

- Seated at the right hand of the Father (1:3)

- Better than the angels (1:4)

- Inherited a better name than the angels (1:4)

- Worshiped by the angels (1:6)

- Eternal (1:11)

- Unchangeable (1:12)

- The victorious one (1:13)

- Our Savior (2:3, 9)

- Ruler of all (2:8)

- The Captain of salvation (2:10)

- The victor over death (2:14)

- The deliverer from bondage (2:15)

- Our helper through trials (2:18)

- Our High Priest, the One sent from God to represent God to us (3:1)

- Builder of God’s house - believers (3:3)

- He is God (3:3-4)

- Our Sabbath rest (4:1-9)

- Knower of all (4:13)

- Perfect (5:9)

- Author of Eternal Salvation (5:9)

- The power of an endless life (7:16)

- High priest forever (7:23-24)

- Holy, Harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens (7:26)

- The way into the Holy of Holies (9:8-11)

- The mediator between us and God (9:24)

- The Author and Finisher of our faith (12:2)

- The One by whom we praise God (13:15)

From looking at our Savior, let us look at our response as the children of this Almighty God.

LET US:

- Labor - 4:11 (because Christ has finished the work)

- Hold Fast - 4:14 (because we have a great High Priest)

- Come Boldly – 4:16 (because we have a sinless High Priest that understands our temptations)

- Go On – 6:1 (because we know the foundation doctrines, we move on to perfection)

- Draw Near - 10:22 (because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross which made a living way)

- Hold Fast our profession of faith – 10:23 (because Christ is faithful)

- Consider One Another – 10:24 (because of Christ’s faithfulness we are to encourage each other)

- Lay Aside ever weight and sin – 12:1 (because we have the witness/example of the heroes of the faith in chapter 11)

- Run with Patients – 12:2 (because Jesus Christ is the Author AND finisher of our faith)

- Have Grace to Serve God– 12:28 ( In the Greek, this word “grace” means “Graciousness, Joy, Liberality, Pleasure, Thanks”. Because we are secure in Christ and His kingdom/reign cannot be moved, let us have pleasure and joy in serving Christ!)

- Go Forth – 13:13 (Because of Christ sacrifice and salvation, we leave the world behind and be identified with Christ)

- Offer Sacrifice of Praise – 13:15 (because of what Christ has done and because it is a sacrifice that is well pleasing to God!)

We often ask, "What is God's will for my life?" The book of Hebrews and the whole Bible is full of the revealed will of God. We can run the race God has before us with joy and confidence because of who our Lord is!

God's Call to Evangelize

A struggle arises over the Biblical teachings of election and the call to evangelism. The Word of God clearly teaches both. But why is there a need to evangelize if God, in His sovereignty, has already elected those who will be saved? A look into Scripture will show that, apart from the sovereignty of God and divine election, evangelism is fruitless.

Acts 16:31 states that one must believe in order to be saved, whereas Romans 9:11-18 clearly indicates that God has elected people to salvation. Lewis Chafer declares, “Election assures that those chosen will be saved, but it alone does not save them. People are saved through faith in the substitutionary death of Christ, and, of course, they must learn about the death of Christ somehow in order to have content to their faith. Thus election, the death of Christ, testimony of His death, and personal faith are all necessary in the salvation of an individual. Election alone does not save.”[1] Ernest Pickering agrees, “Those who respond to the evangelistic appeal were not chosen because they believed. They believed because they were chosen.”[2] II Thessalonians supports this, stating that man is saved because he is chosen and because he believes the truth. Therefore in God’s order, evangelism is God’s plan to bring His elect to salvation. Chafer encourages, “By faith we must assume that God chose the best possible plan and that if a better plan could have been put into operation God would have chosen it.”[3]

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) People must hear the gospel in order to have faith in it unto salvation. Romans 10:14-15 says, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” God has chosen to use believers in this step of bringing the lost to Him. What an awesome privilege to partner with Jesus Christ in His purpose and plan!

The Bible declares that the preaching of the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18). God has chosen to use evangelism as His powerful tool to bring the elect to Him. “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). God has placed this mighty tool in the hands of believers as the means by which the chosen hear and believe.

Evangelism is commanded by God (Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Timothy 4:2). “It is this sovereign, powerful God who has commissioned us to preach His Word and to evangelize the lost.”[4] Obedience to this command should come out of a heart of love for the Lord. John 14:21 says, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:” The two great commandments are: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 22:37-39). A believer’s love for God is why he obeys God in evangelizing. Love for others is why he evangelizes, that the lost might come to saving faith in Christ.

Evangelism is part of God’s revealed will to man. J.I Packer reminds the believer, “While we must always remember that it is our responsibility to proclaim salvation, we must never forget that it is God who brings them to faith in Christ. Our evangelism work is the instrument that He uses for this purpose, but the power that saves is not in the instrument: it is in the hand of the One who uses the instrument.”[5] Proclaiming the gospel is the believer’s calling and responsibility. Packer encourages, “We should not be held back by the thought that if they are not elect, they will not believe us, and our efforts to convert them will fail. This is true; but it is none of our business, and should make no difference to our actions.”[6] Just as election and predestination do not take away man’s responsibility to accept by faith the gift of salvation, neither does it take away believer’s responsibility to evangelize. Charles Spurgeon says, “My business is to give the general call – the Holy Spirit will see to its application to the chosen.”[7]

God, in His faithfulness, promised to sustain the believer as he walks in faith, obeying God’s revealed will of spreading the gospel. II Corinthians 4 talks of the ministry believers have in preaching the Good News of Salvation to the lost. Verse one assures believers that the Lord will give them the mercy to fulfill this task. Verses 2-6 show how God has chosen to use the lives of believers to shine the light of the Gospel and the life of Christ to the unsaved. I Timothy 1:11 tells believers that the task of spreading the gospel was committed to their trust by God. I Thessalonians 5:24 gives confidence and assurance to the believer as he steps out in obedient faith, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” It is God that enables His children to fulfill His command. The encouragement to the believer is to be faithful to the faithful Father.

Evangelism is part of God’s doxological purpose. Scripture teaches that man is totally depraved. “It means that the corruption of sin extends to all men and all part of man so that there is nothing that is in man that can give him merit in God’s sight.” Romans 3:10-22 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” No man or woman could or even would come to God on his own accord. But God in His abundant mercy and grace saved some. There is nothing that would bring God more glory than an unregenerate sinner coming to salvation. Pickering points out, “Evangelism is not presentation of ourselves, the glorification of the church, or the magnification of our program. It is the presentation of a wonderful Person who came into the world to save men from their sins.”[8] What a tremendous opportunity the Lord has given believers to preach the Gospel that God Himself might be glorified through it. “Sing unto the LORD, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.” (Psalm 96:2-3). Do all for the glory of God!

Not only did God establish evangelism for His glory but also for His own pleasure. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1Corinthians 1:21). “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presents. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord!” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29,31). Why evangelize? Because it pleased God to include evangelism in His faultless plan. Psalm 115:3 says, “Our God is in heaven: He hath done whatsoever He pleased.” In obeying to God’s command to go into all the world and preach the gospel, believers bring pleasure to the Almighty and sovereign God!

“The sovereignty of God in grace is the one thing that prevents evangelism from being pointless. For it creates the possibility – indeed the certainty – that evangelism will be fruitful.”[9] In light of the total depravity of humanity, if God was not sovereign, if God did not elect, evangelism would be utterly futile. Apart from this there is no way anyone, not one person, would come to Christ as their Lord and Savior from eternal death. “We are participants in the victorious evangelism of a sovereign God!”[10]

---

[1] Ryrie, Charles, “Basic Theology” (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1999) 363

[2] Pickering, Ernest, “The Theology of Evangelism” (Clarks Summit, PA: Baptist Bible College Press, 1974) 32

[3] Chafer, Lewis, “Major Bible Themes” (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974) 233

[4] Pickering, Ernest, “The Theology of Evangelism” (Clarks Summit, PA: Baptist Bible College Press, 1974) 11

[5] Packer, J.I. “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God” (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977) 27

[6] Packer, J.I. “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God” (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977) 99

[7] Spurgeon, from his sermon “Election No Discouragement to Seeking Souls”

[8] Pickering, Ernest, “The Theology of Evangelism” (Clarks Summit, PA: Baptist Bible College Press, 1974) 3

[9] Packer, J.I. “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God” (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977) 106

[10] Pickering, Enesst, “The Theology of Evangelism” (Clarks Summit, PA: Baptist Bible College Press, 1974) 39

For His Good Pleasure

Starting a blog is something that I having wanted to do ever since I came to Cornerstone Bible Institute. A place to share thoughts of what God had been teaching me through His Word and circumstances that He brings into my life to conform me into the image of His dear Son. I hope that this blog would even be a blessing to those who read it!

The past few months as I have been studying, verses have been standing out to me that talk of what brings God pleasure.

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." - Revelation 4:11

God created us for His pleasure!

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." - Ephesian 1:5

God saved us for His good pleasure!

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13

God works in and through us for His good pleasure!

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." - Hebrews 10:38

It brings God pleasure when we walk by faith!

"The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." - Psalm 147:11

Is your life bringing God pleasure?

My Father's sufficient GRACE

"Are you all right?"
"No sir."
"Do you need help?
"I think I will be alright after I just lay here for a min."
I try to move my arm....nothing...I reach to find it...nothing there...(*thought) *its gone, its up the mountain someplace*
"Rachel, breath...breath down deep...like we do in choir."
People all around me... excruciating pain...can't focus...can't breath
"Isaac, pray for me, pray for me!"
"I am praying"
Prays out loud...
People all around asking questions...
"What's your name?"
"Rachel"
"My name is Caleb"
Others tell me there name but I can't remember...Oxygen mask covers my face
"Where are you, Rachel"
"Copper Mountain"
"Why are you here?
"Skiing"
"What day is it?"
"Saturday, January 29th"
"What hurts"
"My arm"
"Is it a sharp pain, pinching, pocking, pressure?"
"I don't know, it just HURTS!"
Pressure on my fingers
"Can you feel this?"
"Yes"
"Where does it hurt?"
"My elbow"
"Between 1-10 what is your pain level right now?"
"I DON'T KNOW IT JUST HURTS!!"
"A 1 is the least pain you have ever had, 10 the most you have ever had"
"OK, A 10 THEN!!"
Arm starts to tingle....whole body starts to tingle..
"Can you feel this?"
"NO, I CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING"
Something up my nostril, the other one pushed shut
"Breath deeply, Rachel"
Breath...cough...(other nostril) breath....cough...
"Can you feel this?"
*I think I can feel it*
"If that is my fingers you are pressing I can feel it."
"Between 1-10 where is your pain level?"
*They just asked me that*
"TEN"
"We are going to try and move your arm"
Pain like I have never felt before...I think I screamed
"We are going to take you down the mountain now, Rachel"
"OK"
"How is your pain now between 1-10, any better?"
*I think I am going to get tired of this question really quick*
"A little...maybe a 9"
"Alright, Rachel we are going to lift you onto the sled"
Grit teeth trying not to cry out as they (who knows how many) lift me onto a sled and cover me with tarp like blanket
"Alright, Rachel, we will be right with you as we take to down, let me know if the pain gets worse"
Sled starts to move...faster...
"Dear Lord, I know you allowed this to happen for a purpose...I thank you for it, whatever it is...even though it really hurts right now! Help me! Help me to be a witness for you! Thank you for taking care of me! Thank you that Your GRACE is sufficient!"
"How are you doing now, Rachel?"
"I think I'll be OK"


"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9


This verse has been my favorite this past month as I recover from surgery on my right arm. (The above is what I remember from on the mountain that day.) The Lord's grace has been sufficient and He has taught and is teaching me so much through it! It is a blessing to know that God's ways are perfect and trials come that we may grow in Him. Most gladly therefore will I face whatever He places in my life, upheld by His strength!