Sometimes We All Need Perspective

I know, I know. All politicians do stuff like this. I just wanted to make sure you know Obama is not above doing it either.

Update:
Just to put this in a better context... guess how much $100,000,000 is to $3.5 trillion. I know that's pretty tough so let's reduce the Obama budget to $35,000. So what kind of a reduction in a $35,000 budget would you have to do to achieve the same reduction Obama is talking about? Yep, you guessed it, one whole dollar. So basically Obama is talking about reducing the budget by 1/35,000. It's like my family reducing our budget by $2 in a year. Hardly newsworthy. He could have easily picked a bigger number like $1 Billion, but that wouldn't have sounded as big as $100 Million! Unfortunately this type of crap wins uncritical and ignorant people. "Wow, Obama is really working to reduce our government's expenses!" Yeah right.
I would be slightly impressed with a $100 Billion dollar reduction, but $100 Million is chump change.

Plagiarism

See my update to my post on my sermon text from the other night. I apologize publicly for misleading anyone, and to John Piper.

Anytime you see something profound on here, you should probably assume it is from someone else!

I Hope There Will Be More News Like This...

Phil Levy:

"For the second time in a week, the Obama administration has discarded a major campaign pledge on international economic policy. In its decision last week not to name China a currency manipulator, and now to forswear renegotiation of NAFTA, the administration avoided two potentially costly mistakes."

Thank you Mr. President!

HT: Greg Mankiw

Great Quote By C.S. Lewis

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be." - C.S. Lewis

This is a great corollary to Romans 8:28.

The Text From My Sermon Tonight

Romas 8:18-39

Our Predicament
Vs 18- The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us. I cannot imagine what kind of joy would make today and 5.5 months ago seem like nothing. Even though I can’t imagine it. That is really good news.

Vs 19- 22 The creation waits with longing for redemption. Something is not right. Babies shouldn’t be born prematurely. People shouldn’t be thrown from their vehicles. Tornados shouldn’t wipe out towns. Tsunamis shouldn’t sweep away 250,000 people. The whole cosmos is broken and waiting for redemption.

Vs 23-25 Not only the creation but we as Christians who have the Spirit groan. Times like these really cause us to groan and look forward to our redemption. God will one day make everything right. We will also know why all of the things that happened have happened.

Our Promises
Vs 26-27 In all of this talk about pain and suffering and how the glories of heaven will be so much more than the present sufferings, the Bible doesn't minimize the real pain that we feel now. The Bible is a very honest book and that is refreshing. Another promise here is that the Spirit knows perfectly how to intercede for us. Even when we don't know what to pray, we can trust that the Spirit is interceding for us.

Vs 28-30 This is one of the best promises in all of the Bible. This is a firm foundation that we can rest on.

Our Provision
Vs 31- God is "for" us. Who can be against us. How? vs 32
Vs 32- He gave us Christ, how will He withhold any good thing from us.
Vs 33- We have been justified so who can bring any charge against us? We are aquitted- no double jeopardy! Any pain that we have is not punishment (see verse 1) but for our good.
Vs 35- Who shall separate us? Answer: no one, nothing.
Vs 36- Even though we are being killed all the day long
Vs 37- IN: tribulation (catastrophe), distress (abandonment and fear), persecution (people physically or psychologically harming you), famine (no food), nakedness (no clothes), danger (risk to your life), or sword (death by slaying). Paul says "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Paul does not say instead of all these things, as though Christians will escape physical harm. Neither does Paul equate the love of God with physical sustenance, but with Jesus Christ.

We are more than conquerors- literally we "super conquer." To super conquer means that not only do you defeat your enemy but you make it your slave. Therefore death is not only defeated but is made our slave.

CHRISTIAN:

Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.

Where is your sting?

DEATH, sneeringly:

My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN:

I know that, Death. But that's not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.

Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is, my sin?

What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin—my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.

Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his servant. For me, you will have no sting.
Vs 38- Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.

Update:
I need to give credit on the hypothetical dialogue between Christian and Death above: This was done by John Piper in a Good Friday meditation. You can read the post here. I gave him credit in my sermon, just not in my notes. I'm normally more careful about giving credit. Plagiarism is one of my pet peeves.

Lilly Just Passed Away

Just wanted to give everyone an update that Lilly passed away at 8:47. Please pray for the Sandifers.

It's hard to process all of this, and we will never understand while we are in this life but Katie and Whit are trusting in our good and sovereign God.

Update on Lilly

To catch you up on the latest (if you don't know):
After taking Lilly up to Children's Hospital at Little Rock they did some tests to find out how severe her internal bleeding was a 4 (which is the worst rating). They decided to helivac Lilly and Whit back here to El Dorado so that Katie could spend some time with Lilly before they took her off life support.

Katie's father just came out and told everyone what was going on. Katie and Whit were able to spend some time together with Lilly and they will be taking her off of life support soon (if they haven't already). Katie and Whit are spending some time together now. I talked to Jake about Whit and he said he has been able to spend a lot of time with Lilly and has been very strong for Katie. Katie is obviously upset and is still very weak.

Please be in prayer for the Sandifers, in specific, pray for Katie's health she is still having high blood pressure and platelet issues. Pray for grace to be able to deal with this situation emotionally. Pray for the decisions they will have to make in the coming hours.

Consider Lilly

This twit just came through on Twitter from Jake or Whit.

"Lilly will be with Jesus soon, free from wires and tubes and medicine and sin and pain, and she will live with him forever."

Please pray for the Sandifers. Our church knows heartbreak so please pray for our church that we would be able to be there for them as we were there for Scott, and the Hymers before.

I'm preaching tonight on Romans 8:18-39 (really I'm going to read it and allow it to minister to us) but I'm going to interject this hypothetical dialogue between a Christian and death by John Piper.

CHRISTIAN:

Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.

Where is your sting?

DEATH, sneeringly:

My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN:

I know that, Death. But that's not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.

Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is, my sin?

What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin—my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.

Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his servant. For me, you will have no sting.

Baby Lilly

For those who don't know, our good friends Whit and Katie Sandifer had their daughter Friday. She was 11 weeks premature. Everything was looking ok until last night when Lilly's condition worsened. They took her to Children's Hospital in Little Rock. We are waiting to hear the latest news but please be in prayer for Katie, Whit and Lilly.

Wyatt Auction

Go here and visit the Wyatt Baptist Church auction for missions.

There are some good items on here. Just don't bid on anything that has J. Baird as the high bidder!

http://www.grinalittle.net/wyatt/auction.php