by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Iron sharpens iron. And one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 ESV
“I love your sermon notes, Cathy! I’ve been trying to take a computer-sabbatical on Sundays, so these have been great to read on Monday mornings.”
Susan Stilwell recently left the above comment for one of my Sunday Snippets posts. As I read it, a faint but divine shrill pierced my conscience.
Could God possibly be calling me to a computer-sabbatical on Sundays as well?
After a few weeks (I’m a slow learner), I realized the depth of Susan’s comment. God used it to sharpen — awaken — my discernment in regards to the Sabbath.
As a result, I now plan to take notes on Sundays, but post them on Monday mornings. Sundays on Mondays, if you will.
Yet another reminder of how melodic the shrill of steel-on-steel can be in a Christ-follower’s life.
Where would we be without one another?
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
From the hologram-like star on the cover to the teddy bear’s fuzzy belly on the final page, pure delight awaits a child’s senses as Jill skillfully weaves the birth of Jesus Christ throughout.
Piper never fails to reach for this touch-and-feel book when she visits. If you have a little one nearby, I encourage you to pick up a copy — and if you bring it to Blue Ridge next May, I bet Jill will be happy to sign it for you as she did for Piper. (Thanks, Jill!)
One Night in Bethlehem was illustrated by Paige Keiser.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
I plopped down on Lifeway’s blue armless chair, arms filled with the latest bible studies, and bowed my head. I mean, one can’t go wrong in choosing a study as long as we’re in the Word, right? In the big picture, I believe this to be true—but I also believe God is in the details of our personal lives. So I pray.
Lord, You alone know who will attend this study. You alone know our true journey — where we are, where we desire to be, our strengths, our weaknesses, our everything. Pour out Your wisdom and direct me clearly in choosing our next study, as I am confident You have a purpose and a plan for each of us.
And pour out He did. Two hours, and nearly fifteen studies later, one study stood out: Abide in Christ, by Andrew Murray and Bo Stevens.
“It would be easy to study this parable to gain more knowledge, but this was not our Lord’s intent when He shared this parable with His disciples. His intent was for them to experience an abiding relationship in Him. He has the same intent for you and me today. He wants us to learn to abide, not simply learn what it means to abide.” -Bo Stevens
This modern-day version of Andrew Murray’s The True Vine invites us to dive in the Word throughout the week and come up for air on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m.
While the study itself is only 6 weeks, we will have an introduction the first week, and on our final week, we’ll come together for a very special Vine & the Branches tea party that you’ll not want to miss.
Begins: Tuesday, September 4th
Ends: Tuesday, October 23
Time: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Place: Be Encouraged Ministry House, Simpsonville
Led by Cathy Baker and Becky Kirby
We’d love to see you there!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
When it comes to the new Fiber One 90-calorie brownies, I can down two Weight Watchers points with swift success, but when it comes to decluttering? Bring on the bite-sized chunks—they’re doable, chewable, if you will—which is why I’m loving 8 Weeks to a Less Cluttered Home.
Stephanie @ The Keeper of the Home invites her readers to assess their belongings, keeping only those things we truly need, use, and love. The best part? She offers a FREE download on how this can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less per day, in 40 days.
[And our homes take a collective sigh of relief.]
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
The Gospel changes all our relationships.
- Relationships are hard—they’re a mess, exhausting, and draining—but they’re also life-giving. So we don’t walk away.
- The way we do life testifies that Jesus is Who He says He is. This is why we cannot say, “I’m done.”
- One mark of a Gospel-centered friendship is that we’re willing to give our life away. We’re able to do this once we’re fully convinced of God’s love and acceptance for us. This kind of confidence frees us to love others unconditionally.
Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1
- Who are the spiritual? We are. Every person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells—Christ followers. A Gospel-centered friend neither enjoys confrontation or avoids it.
- The legalist says to one in sin: “I will never understand how you…” The Gospel-centered friend realizes the same potential for sin exists within him/her and says “I’ll get involved.”
- We can be available to bear burdens of our friends because we know there is a true and better Friend who bore the ultimate burden of sin and death for us.
Two questions:
Do we have these types of friends?
Am I being that kind of friend?
– Notes taken from today’s sermon at Summit Church Upstate, given by Jason Malone. To listen to the sermon in its entirety, please click here.
