I Found A Good Thing 17 Years Ago!

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22). Seventeen years ago today Autumn and I exchanged sacred marriage vows before God. I intend to spend the rest of my life keeping those vows and "rejoicing in the wife of my youth" (Proverbs 5:18). Not going to be a problem... I'm crazy about her! And it only gets better as the years go by.

Beautiful Feet!

This minister sure has style! I laughed when I saw this because I used to wear these exact shoes - but with a black leather jacket and a long mullet! As the Scriptures say, "As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:15)

Get Ready For Some Valentine's Day Snuggling!

It isn't often that pastors mention "Bible reading" and "snuggling" in the same sentence... but here is some great Valentine's Day advice from Pastor Kevin Deyoung:

"Sunday is Valentine’s Day: a holiday for Hallmark and flower shops to make money, an occasion for single people to feel miserable, a snare for the negligent husband, a celebration of rampant sensuality, and a common grace reminder for husbands and wives to delight in each other. It’s all in what you make of it. If you are married, I suggest snuggling up with your spouse and reading Song of Solomon’s eight chapters, the romantic jumper cables of the Bible."

Read the rest of his outstanding romantic advice for husbands here.

Sunday Quotes!

It's astonishing to me that Bishop JC Ryle, who died 110 years ago, wrote these words. When I read them, they sound like they could have been written yesterday. What insights this man had about the Church!

“There is a generation of professing Christians now-a-days, who seem to know nothing of caring for their neighbors, and are completely swallowed up in the concerns of number one--that is, their own and their family's. They eat, and drink, and sleep, and dress, and work, and earn money, and spend money, year after year; and whether others are happy or miserable, well or ill, converted or unconverted, traveling towards heaven or toward hell, appear to be questions about which they are supremely indifferent. Can this be right?”

“The vast majority of professing Christians, whether rich or poor, seem possessed with a devil of detestable selfishness, and do not know the luxury of doing good. They can argue by the hour about baptism, and the Lord's supper, and the forms of worship, and the union of Church and State, and such-like dry-bone questions. But all this time they seem to care nothing for their neighbors.”

Generous Christianity

Generosity should be an attribute of every Christian. And I'm not just talking about money here. I'm talking about a generous way of life. Why should we be generous? It's rather simple. God has been very generous to us. Think about it, the gospel is the most generous news you'll ever hear! God graciously and generously crushed His Son for us so that we could be forgiven. And that is not all. He also graciously and generously gave us His Spirit to be our Helper in this life. Furthermore, He has graciously and generously secured our future where we will forever be in His Presence. Perhaps "generous" might be an understatement.

This Sunday at SHF we will begin to explore Generous Christianity together. Join us!