How Deep the Father’s Love For Us
I have a new favorite song. The lyrics bring the meaning of the cross to the surface for me. We’ll be singing this one this Sunday! It’s written like an old hymn, so I was surprised to find the author still alive! (Sorry Mr. Townsend, but thanks for the great song). You can read the story behind the song on his blog.
How Deep the Father’s Love for UsWritten by: Stuart Townend
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr’s, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
© 1995 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music
CCLI# 1558110
In the News: A Skeleton in God’s Closet
Don’t fret over James Cameron’s claims to have found Jesus. Here’s some links to some helpful info about this “Breaking News.”
A brief and concise argument from Paul Meier, noted scholar of Ancient Archaeology and professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University. He actually authored a fictional book about this scenario called “A Skeleton in God’s Closet.” Those of you at Hope Church who went through our DaVinci Code Small Group study may remember Dr. Meier. Click here for a link to his concise and helpful comments.
For extended reading see James White’s site, www.aomin.org. Updated regularly.
I’m sure we’ll be celebrating on Easter Sunday.
Why I Love My Wife
Heather and I finally got to go out for Valentine’s Day last night, thanks to my wonderful Mother-in-law (Nelda), Sister-in-law (Beth), and brother-in-law(Zach). Here is an excert from my 2007 Valentine’s Letter to my wife. I couldn’t post it all – much to hot for your eyes – but you’ll get the drift.
Why do I love my wife?
1) She’s the best friend I could ever have. Always listening. Always caring.
2) She’s the best mother I’ve ever known. Always knows just what to say. Always thinking about what’s best for the family.
3) She’s the best wife I could dream of. Making me look better than I am. Helping me along life’s journey. Forgiving me for my wrongs. Satisfying my needs.
4) She’s sincere. Never shying away from criticism. Always striving to get to the bottom of her shortcomings. Ready to learn and grow.
5) She’s merciful. When I think I’m ready to give up on me, she’s not. She understands my weakness and listens to my problems.
6) She’s tough. She has no patience for my pity. She doesn’t let me get by with saying nothing is wrong. She moves me closer to God and to maturity.
I could go on, but I’ve got to leave something to write next year. Thank You Heather Noelle Corley for being my wife.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Lane
Love and Respect
“Help me understand the opposite sex.” I’ve been teaching through Ephesians 5, looking at what God’s commands to wives say about their husbands and vice versa. Dr. Emerson Eggerichs has a great book on this subject called Love and Respect. Here are the acrostics I’ve shared the last two weeks. The say a lot about what she needs and what he needs. Copies of the sermons are available through the church office.
How to Spell Love to Your Wife:
C – Closeness – She wants you to be close.
O – Openness – She wants you to open up to her
U – Understanding – Don’t try to “Fix” Her; just listen
P – Peacemaking – She wants you to say, “I’m sorry”
L – Loyalty – She needs to know you’re committed
E – Esteem – She wants you to Honor and Cherish Her
How to Spell Respect to Your Husband:
C – Conquest – Appreciate His Desire to Work and Achieve
H – Hierarchy – Appreciate His Desire to Protect and Provide
A – Authority – Appreciate His Desire to Serve and to Lead
I – Insight – Appreciate His Desire to Analyze and Counsel
R – Relationship – Appreciate His Desire for Shoulder to Shoulder Friendship
S. – Sexuality – Appreciate His Desire for Sexual Intimacy
Also, check out the author’s website, www.loveandrespect.com.
“…doing it the Lord’s way.” – Tony Dungy
Check out this article. Wow! What an unbelievable guy. I’m praying that I can be as bold and solide in my faith as the men at the top of the NFL world right now. What would success do to your faith? What would you say your most proud of when commended? Thank God for men like Tony Dungy! May all of us follow his lead.
Get this book: Living the Cross Centered Life
Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney. This one moved my heart closer to Christ. Well worth reading. Here are a few key things that moved me along:
– Mahaney says that there are three main tendencies/temptations we face that move us away from the gospel:
1. Subjectivism – basing our view of God on our changing feelings and emotions.
2. Legalism – basing our relationship with God on our own performance.
3. Condemnation – being more focused on our sin than on God’s grace.
That covers about all of us. Getting beyond feelings, performance, and our failure is what the cross helps us do, but these keep us from the blessing of the cross if we choose them over Jesus.
Needed: Real Men
What’s the greatest need in society? What’s the greatest need in the church? What’s the greatest need in my home? For me to be a man and love and lead my family to Christ. Missing from my generation is men with the courage, boldness, conviction, discipline, and determination to be such a leader. The men in my small group also determined that we’re missing examples of such men. We haven’t been left a legacy of leadership by our fathers. That will be the focus of our discussions @ our monthly Men’s Breakfast this year. How do we lead our families & churches as God wants us to? We’ll be reading together a book by Steve Farrar called Anchor Man. Below is a article from his website, to wet your apetite – “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Leading at home
If a man isn’t a leader anywhere else in his life, he must be a leader at home.
That’s an order that comes straight from the Lord. All believers are called to be salt and light, yet a society without strong male leadership is doomed. I’m not talking about strong male leadership at the capitol building, as important as that may be. Without male leadership in the family, we are one generation away from anarchy in the streets. Much of the turmoil and violence plaguing our society directly results from the absence of a strong male presence in the home.
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New Year’s Resources
A new year brings an opportunity to close a chapter & start a new one. Let me encourage you to do two things: 1) Ask some tough questions about where & who you are. Am I spiritually growing or plateaued? Am I being used by God or taking up space? How can I improve in my areas of weaknesses? Below is a link to some good questions to ask. 2) Start a new habit or pick up an old one that made you more effective for God. A few suggestions: Read the Bible everyday (see Bible Reading Plan link below); pray for five people a day on your church prayer list (God might surprise you and answer! 1 John 5:14-15); Invite one person a week to church; Share the gospel at least once per week.
Do something for God this year & watch yourself grow.
Lane
TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK AT THE START OF A NEW YEAR:
https://lanecorley.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/ten-questions-to-ask-at-the-start-of-a-new-year.pdf
BIBLE READING PLAN:
https://lanecorley.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/bible-reading-plan.pdf
Resolutions
I don’t make resolutions. I like the word re-committment instead. As I’m looking for New Year’s inspiration, I always look at Jonathan Edwards resolutions written in 1723. Worth reading often. Pick out a few for your New Year’s commitment.
THE RESOLUTIONS of Jonathan Edwards
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BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD’ S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST’ S SAKE.
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Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’ s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
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Lane Corley 