Monday, November 30, 2009

Wintery Weather in the High Desert



The night after the Mojave Narrows photo was taken (see Saturday's post below), we had a cold rain here, and the San Bernardino - San Gabriel Range to the south of us got snow. Here are two examples of the view we get from the desert whenever winter happens. The first one was taken by Joseph Boyd. Below it is one that I got from the web, and was taken by either someone who lives around here, or was just passing through.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

ALMIGHTY  God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen(The collect from the Book of Common Prayer)

The Epistle
Rom 13:8-14

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (KJV)

The Gospel
Matt 21:1-13

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (KJV)



Saturday, November 28, 2009

Mojave Narrows


November 27th- The Narrows at the Mojave River


We are about a week past the colorful Autumn leaves. In another week or two, most of these trees will be bare.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Why is the Son of God called "Jesus," that is, Savior

LORD'S DAY 11

Q.29. Why is the Son of God called "Jesus," that is, Savior?

A. Because He saves us from all our sins, and because salvation is not to be sought or found in any other.

Mt 1:21; Heb 7:25; Isa 43:11; Lk 2:10-11; Jn 15:4-5; Acts 4:11-12; 1 Tim 2:5


Q.30. Do those also believe in the only Savior Jesus, who seek their salvation and welfare from "saints," themselves, or anywhere else?

A. No; although they make their boast of Him, yet in their deeds they deny the only Savior Jesus; for either Jesus is not a complete Savior, or they who by true faith receive this Savior, must have in Him all that is necessary to their salvation.

1 Cor 1:12-13, 30-31; Gal 5:4; Isa 9:7; Mt. 23:28; Jn 1:16; Col 1:19-20, 2:10; 1 Jn 1:7

__Heidelberg Catechism

Friday, November 13, 2009

"I used to be a Christian, but..."

The article below, by Rod Rosenbladt, concerns "...those who once professed that Christ shed his blood, freely justified them before God, forgave their sin, gave them eternal life--but now they don't believe it." The "having-given-up-on-it-all" ones.

Is the church itself to blame? Read the article, "The Gospel Is for the Broken."

The Gospel Is for the Broken | Ligonier Ministries

The Gospel Is for the Broken | Ligonier Ministries

Posted using ShareThis

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

All For Whom Christ Died


If Jesus Christ were to stand on this platform to-night, what would many people do with him? "O!" say some, "we would make him a King." I do not believe it. They would crucify him again if they had the opportunity. If he were to come and say, "Here I am, I love you, will you be saved by me?" Not one
of you would consent if you were left to your will. If he should look upon you with those eyes, before whose power the lion would have crouched, if he spoke with that voice which poured forth a cataract of eloquence like a stream of nectar rolling down from the cliffs above, not a single person would come to be his disciple; no, it wants the power of the Spirit to make men come to Jesus Christ.

He himself said, "No man can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him." Ah! we want that; and here we have it. They shall come! They shall come! ye may laugh, ye may despise us; but Jesus Christ shall not die for nothing. If some of you reject him there are some that will not. If there are some that are not saved, others shall be. Christ shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.

Some think that Christ died and yet that some for whom he died will be lost. I never could understand that doctrine. If Jesus my surety bore my griefs and carried my sorrows, I believe myself to be as secure as the angels in heaven. God cannot ask payment twice. If Christ paid my debt shall I have to pay it again? No.

From Charles H. Spurgeon's sermon, "HEAVEN AND HELL" based on the text: Matthew 8:11-12