The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13: "Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. "

I have been thinking about this verse lately because its truth is something I've been wanting to include in a song I have been working on recording. But, in general the subject of self-denial has been something I've been wrestling with for some time and after reading a post by my friend Rod Carroll on a book he recently read by John McArthur I was challenged even further to think about this issue. Here are some of my conclusions:

1. We do not earn our salvation by self-denial......it is by self-denial that we show we are saved.

2. If we believe in Christ alone for salvation and fogiveness of sins, it has to be because we have a broken and contrite heart over our sins.

3. If this faith resides in us, then we will love Christ.

4. If we love Him, we will want to obey Him and His word and commands will be the standard that guides our love driven obedience.

5. Such love will go against the grain of our yet fallen (but regenerated) natures , and so to obey will often involve a stuggle with the flesh (remaining sin in us).

Thus the gate is narrow that leads to life. Only those with this faith in Christ love Him enough to want to obey Him when it goes against our nautural fallen desires and ambitions or in difficult circumstances. The broad way has plenty of room and space enough to accomodate our amalgamations of selfishness and notions of faith in Chist. It is magnanimous enough to allow us to continue in known sin and feel good about our relationship with God. Yet, ........in what is the best explantion of self-denial, our Lord Jesus had this to say after speaking on taking up our cross and denying ourself:

Luke 9:24: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it."

Putting to death sin and all self-rule. That's it...SELF-RULE and all its expressions of selfishness and sin must die to enter the narrow gate and stay on that narrow path. And Jesus said few are those who find this way to life. Why?? It goes against our fallen nature. It is all of grace that any of us have entered this narrow gate. This way of salvation is open to all who want it. But herein lies the problem. We by nature to not want it on Christ's terms.

Yet,........Fly to Jesus......and be at peace with God.
He still receives sinners.

Snow Day in the Deep South...5.5 inches

I got out of bed this am and walked into the living room.....glanced outside and thought to myself..."man, we sure got a good frost last night"....and then realized it was snow and was still snowing. Woke everybody else up to check out and play in the snow.....just doesn't happen that often around here. The weather man predicted a possible snowy/wintery mix of moisture up north of us but only a low temp. of about 36 degrees. Well, guess who was wrong! The Lord sends even His snow on those he chooses!
Here are a few pics........!!!


Julie and Lauren....

Little Will......

Me and my girlfriend..!!!

Christmas Hymns

If you are like myself you most likely grew up singing the same 8 to 10 "Christmas Hymns" each year over and over again, .....of which many do have excellent texts. However, what I was not aware of is that there are a great number of Christmas Hymns out there that for one reason or another have not made it into the average hymnbook over the past 50 to 100 years. In fact, there are tons of good hymns out there that just aren't being used ........with rich biblical texts full of sound theology. Hymns from which you can really be thought good doctrine. Texts that take you on a good journey and point out the glory of God.
With this in view I would like to take a few posts to share some of my favorite "new" Christmas Hymns. However, this first selection is not one of those but one of the more familiar standards that happens to be my all time favorite Christmas Hymn. Try and read it without singing it like a poem you have never read. The theology is amazing. Enjoy!

Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the new born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,God and sinners reconciled!
"Joyful, all ye nations rise,join the triumph of the skies;
with th' angelic host proclaim,"Christ is born in Bethlehem!
"Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the new born King!

"Christ, by highest heaven adored;Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;hail th' incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell,Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the new born King!

"Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,born that man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,"Glory to the new born King!"

Charles Wesley

College Regular Season is in the books......

Here's is how the SEC West played out in conference play: (www.secsports.com)
Alabama 8-0 impressive..
Ole Miss 5-3 surprising....
LSU 3-5 disappointing...
Arkansas 2-6 hmmmmm.....
Auburn 2-6 are you kidding me....??
Miss. St. 2-6 sadly, not really surprising....

I believe the SEC media had picked Auburn 1st followd by LSU. I guess that's why predictions don't mean a thing.....ya gotta tee it up play the games.
Once again the SEC finished up strong in the National standings and if Alabama or Florida wind up winning the National Championship it will make 4 out of the last 6 years a SEC team has won it all and 3 in a row.......LSU03, FLA06, LSU07, ALA/FLA08????? We'll have to wait and see.
Hey, but does anybody really care.......? I guess some of us in the SEC do.......but in life's big scheme, it is just a game that big boys play!! Let's not lose any sleep over it.
Any nascar fans out there??