A Message on Suffering, Free Streaming Session for Pastors & Elders, & Audio LSB

 Are you suffering illness or trials in your life?  

We generally want to escape suffering and pain and difficulty, but God may be using it to turn you to Him.

Don Green gave a message on January 16, 2024, that I recommend for you and those you want to share it with.  It's called, "What If Suffering Is a Gift?"

Free streaming session for newer elders and pastors on February 9, 2024, at 6 AM Pacific (9 AM Eastern and 2 PM GMT)!

Don Green is planning to share things that weren't taught to him in pastoral ministries classes. The streaming should be on the church site HERE (and you can see alternative sites to stream from on that page as well).

An audio version of the Legacy Standard Bible:

If you like the LSB translation and would like to listen to someone else's reading, it is available HERE.

Don't Look Away

 What Hamas did in Israel on October 7, 2023, was horrific.  I did not watch everything, but I saw some still photos that were gruesome.  I've read and heard accounts.  I know it happened.  Deniers are liars...just like those who deny the Holocaust of Hitler's time.  Some recently have said things like, "Do not look away."   I understand, as some want to deny the truth.... deny reality.... pretend like there is a good excuse.  They are deluded and blind to the truth.

I was thinking today about how I feel sometimes when I read the account of the crucifixion in the Gospels.  I feel like I don't want to read that part even though I should want to.  I don't like to think of the suffering and humiliation and the injustice.  Yet I know that what Christ suffered...physically and also the wrath of God (which he willingly suffered for others as He was sinless) ...well, that was the only way that my sins could be properly atoned for.  He was my substitute.  

So, while I can't see the physical blood of Christ, or know the depth of His suffering of the wrath of God against my sins and the sins of all who would ever believe, it is necessary to remember and to see the reality with the spiritual eyes He has given me.

Have you seen Christ on the cross in that way?  Have you seen the depth of your sins?  Turn to Christ.  Read His Word, and don't look away from the cross.  Look to Jesus.  Only in Him is forgiveness and eternal life. 

The Bible

The Wind Does God's Word

Praise Yahweh from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;

Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, doing His word;
Psalm 148:7-8 LSB

Doing His word.
They are to praise Yahweh.
This is a good reminder that God is in control.
A lot of people are trying to stir up panic today over the climate, and there are those who want to use that panic to gain control over the world and do crazy things (and waste a lot of money, resources, and effort, etc.).
But as I was reminded on another site, the wind and the seas obeyed Jesus.

There really is no need to fear, because all of the efforts of the climate alarmists will not change what God's plans are for the future.  I don't believe there is any climate crisis, but sadly some people want to shut down opposing viewpoints.  

For now, I can be content with knowing this:

While all the days of the earth remain, 

Seedtime and harvest,

 And cold and heat, And summer and winter, 

And day and night Shall not cease.”
Genesis 8:22 LSB

God sets up and throws down governments and determines boundaries.  

Even though the world is going crazy and evil governments are gaining control and there is corruption all over the place (even in the U.S.), I again can go to the Bible to remember that God is still sovereign even over governments.

And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding.
Daniel 2:21 LSB


and He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
Acts 17:26 LSB

I've been reading Job again lately, and it's a reminder that while Job suffered the loss of family, possessions, livestock, and health (boils and misery) that God was still sovereign even over Satan's evil schemes. 

God has purposes that we might not see now.  

Job is quite the example of blessing the Lord even though he did want the day of his birth cursed in chapter 3. 

Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.

Legacy Standard Bible Online, GCC Christmas Concert 2021, & Psalm 2 Music

The Legacy Standard Bible is fully online.

In case any of you missed reading about this, they have finished putting the Old Testament section of the Legacy Standard Bible translation text on their website.   So, the whole Bible is there now.  The large print hard copy edition isn't out until next year last I read about it.

Read Here.

Grace Community Church's Christmas concerts are coming up.  For those of you, like me, who can't go in person - December 19th at 6 PM Pacific / 8 PM Central / 9 PM Eastern - they plan to stream one of the concerts at their usual church site stream HERE.  I look forward to hearing the concerts whenever they stream them.  I only went in person once, but the music is excellent.

Here is information.

Psalm 2 Music

I recently saw someone sharing music of some of the Psalms.  I don't know everything about the person who did the music for the songs, but I looked up a little bit about him.  (I'm not vouching for him personally.)  The following song reminded me of the style of an old Petra one (The Road to Zion) for some reason.  This song sung by Brian Sauvé is focused on Psalm 2.  

Haiti Quake Relief, Legacy Standard Bible Update, & Puddleglum Song

Haiti Earthquake Relief

I've read that 2,200 or so people died in the earthquake in Haiti that happened recently.  Yes, so many other crazy things are happening around the world and in our country (and even some flooding in the state that I live in) that this major quake has gotten pushed into the background in many of our minds.

Yes, we as Christians need to pray for those in Afghanistan (Christians and also Americans), for those (especially Christians) in China being persecuted, and the myriad of things going on in the U.S. and Canada, etc..  There are a lot of things to focus on, but this circumstance is urgent as well.

There are Christians in Haiti, and people who have basic needs besides buildings that need replacing.  One church that is facilitating aid through those they know in the vicinity affected is Grace Community Church.

They have it set up so that a person can give by choosing "Haiti Disaster Relief" amongst their choices on their giving page.

HAITI DISASTER RELIEF

Legacy Standard Bible

The full Legacy Standard Bible is available for pre-order...at least the small print handy sized version.  I read that the larger sized print (well, I don't consider it large...more normal) should be available next year.  It's still exciting though!

Legacy Standard Bible (Pre-Order Site)

Puddleglum's Anthem

Some family members shared about a singer recently, and this was the first song by her that I listened to.  I know C.S. Lewis was off some (confused in thinking the ransom was paid more to the evil one rather than God saving us from His own just wrath).  At least that is the impression I've gotten about him.  Anyway, I still appreciate the fiction Narnia stories over all.  This song is more of a take off from it, because she jumps from the story to Peter's denial of Christ, etc.  I don't know the singer, so of course, I don't vouch for her on the whole.

This song is interesting though.