Talked With Scott This Evening

I talked with Scott on the phone for a little while earlier. He is doing well.

I have been inspired by Jill's journal to start one of my own. Mine is a little different than Jill's however. I started a blog and made it where only I can read it. It's pretty easy to set up though. Just start a blog at www.blogger.com and then set the permissions to where only the authors can see the posts. Then you have your own personal journal that you can write in where ever you are as long as you have internet.

Also, another easy way to keep up with this blog is become a "follower." If you have a blogger account you can go to your dashboard and click on the "blogs I'm following" tab. Then you can click "add" then type in the address of this blog www.theblessedbairdbunch.blogspot.com which will add this to your blogroll.

Jon

A New Baby at Wyatt!

Adam and Kelly Bishop welcomed John David Bishop into the world today. He was 6 lbs 10 oz and mom and baby are doing well.
Congratulations guys!

Jonathan

Tonight's Service

We had an excellent service tonight. We heard from Clif, Adam, and me how Christ has been sufficient this week. We talked about ways we can spiritually and practically minister to Scott, and then we heard from Donny how Christ has been sufficient for the past 2 and 1/2 years. It was an incredible time of worship and beholding God do a mighty work. I'm sure it will be posted on the Wyatt website soon and I will connect to it.

In the mean time you can hear a panel discussion that we had just a few weeks ago by clicking here.

The Service is Up on the Website

Click here to watch it.

Scott Is On His Way To Greenbrier

We just finished lunch with Scott and his parents, the Thomases, the Hymers, the Hardys, and Jordan Thomas. Our worship service was excellent both in the song service and the preaching. Jordan preached on Romans 8:1-11 and gave a great message of hope in the gospel. Scott is still doing well, and will hopefully have a good week of rest.

I had the honor of staying up and talking to one of our deacons last night and it was such an encouragement. I can't tell you how amazing the men of our church are, they are a further manifestation of the glory of God in the life of Wyatt Baptist Church.

Jill's service should be up on the website tonight (Lord willing!). Sorry we didn't get it up last night.

Clarification:
Scott is going to Greenbrier to spend time with his parents for the week. He will be back to El Dorado soon.

The Medicinal Effect of Seeing God To Be As Big As He Truly Is.

One of the most helpful things that we can do before and during times of suffering is to gaze upon our good and sovereign God. If it were not true that God was sovereign and good it would not be good to think of Him as such, but since it is true, it is very helpful to see Him in all of His glory.

This resource helps to do that very thing.

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

In the last few years, 9/11, a tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and many other tragedies have shown us that the vision of God in today’s churches in relation to evil and suffering is often frivolous. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, many Christians are choosing to become more shallow, more entertainment-oriented, and therefore irrelevant in the face of massive suffering.

In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God’s sovereignty as evidenced in his Word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.

You can buy this book here.

Psalm 46 and Romans 3:23-26

I'm sitting in Scott's living room talking with him right now, and these are some verses that have been going through Scott's mind. I would encourage you to dwell on these verses. Psalm 46 is not surprising, but Romans 3:23-26 may be. The gospel is our hope. Any comfort that we have not attached to the gospel, is really no comfort at all. Scott is dealing with this head on, with the armor described in Ephesians 6:10-20.

He is displaying an incredible faith in an incredible God.

Resources on Suffering

My good friend Clif asked if I knew of any good resources for grief. I thought it would be a good idea to post some resources that are helpful in times like this.

The first one is a short one from the CCEF.



When Bad Things Happen: Thoughtful Answers to Hard Questions

William P. Smith

Is a personal God really involved in our suffering? And if he is, what in the world is he up to? Why would a good God allow suffering in his world?

William P. Smith addresses these and other hard questions by reflecting on what the Bible teaches about suffering. Instead of pat answers, he shares the different ways God uses suffering to bring us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with him. You can learn to see the good that God brings out of suffering and be thankful—not for the suffering itself—but for God and his involvement in your life.

It can be bought here.

Easy Ways to Check for Updates

I can have the posts emailed to up to 10 email addresses. If you would like for me to set that up I can. Just email me at jonathandbaird(at)gmail.com and I will set that up for you.

Also you can set up a Google Reader account and add our, and other blogs or sites that have RSS feed capability. It is very easy. If you follow multiple blogs or sites that update content regularly, you will be glad to have this tool. For directions click here.

Thanks,

Jonathan

Stay Tuned For This Afternoon

The service will be posted later today, I think (one way or another).