And yes, we do have Group, Gospel Light, Standard, Concordia, Regular Baptist Press, Go Fish, Answers in Genesis and a lot more at EVERYDAY discounted prices. Stop reading and go to the other web site!

Serving you in Christ!

All new posts can be found there.

Thanks for reading and supporting!!!

The words “be strong and courageous” appear many times. As I looked at the Hebrew, I found the word “strong” to have some interesting connotations. Rather than alluding to a physical strength, it has the sense of “being fastened.”

Why would this be important to Joshua?

• The first step in Joshua’s journey was to cross the Jordan River at flood stage. They boldly did that in faith and crossed on dry ground.
• The next step was to have the men circumcised as a sign of the covenant with God. They boldly did that in faith. [An aside: From a military perspective, why was this especially strange? From a strategic point of view, they should have done this before they crossed the River. Why? Because all the men were then recovering from the process. (See Genesis 34 - esp. v 25-29) They were incredibly vulnerable to attack.]

Joshua and the Israelites were now acting in faith and trust rather than fear. Joshua and the Israelites were “fastened” to God. It wasn’t that they now had some incredible physical strength. It was that they were now going forward in God’s strength. Their courage was in what God was going to do through them. This is quite a shift from the way the Israelites acted in Numbers 13 and 14!

Whether you are looking at the New Year and some resolution or simply starting a new day, consider where you are connected. Is your strength found in being fastened to God or in what you can do?

The walls of Jericho were great – but our God is greater. Go forward in Him and rejoice in what He does through you!

Yours in Christ,

Marty

Sorry – I drifted off…

It is Christmas Eve. I’m hoping the snow doesn’t get too deep so we can have worship tonight. There is something wonderful about a candlelight service. The quiet, peaceful time of joy and celebration as we await the morning is a blessing. It’s a great way (I think) to help each person think about the Gift we received rather than the gifts we are receiving.

So, back to my daughter…

She texted me to come home. She has her mom’s affinity for bad weather. I have my Finnish bloodline’s response. Snow isn’t trouble until it’s above the knees. (Of course, I also have my Midwestern brain. I know other people sometimes don’t know how to drive slow and pay attention…)

I will exit the cave in a bit and check snow levels. The last thing I want to do is be stuck rather than at home with my family! But for now -

To all my LRM friends and family, I wish you a wonderful Christmas and God’s blessings upon your New Year. May your life and heart be His more in 2011 than ever before.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! To Him be glory both now and forever! (2 Peter 3:18)

Yours in Christ,

Marty

I did finish shopping with the kiddos. Presents are basically wrapped and ready.

The dad in me is looking forward to seeing the kids reactions. The husband in me is looking forward to my bride’s. And of course, the kid in me is looking forward to seeing what’s under the tree for me. (Come on new frying pan!!!)

The pastor in me is looking forward to the Christmas Eve service. I love the quiet, beautiful moment when we light candles. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s service (and a special music treat too!).

The LRM Executive Director in me? Well, let’s be honest, I usually get nervous this time of year. As my non-profit friends know, we rely on end-of-the year gifts to help carry us through the year. With economy in turmoil, how will things turn out? (And, ironically, Sunday’s message is on “Peace.”)

 Note to self: God gives peace!

Let’s get excited about the New Year. We are looking forward to exciting things. Events are coming up on the calendar. Celebrations, leadership retreats, conferences, workshops. And…

OUR NEW WEB SITE IS LOOKING REALLY, REALLY, REALLY COOL!

No sneak peaks! You’ll have to wait patiently.

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One note to supporters. This just came through courtesy of a friend. If you aren’t aware, check with your advisor for more info on the following press release:

Congress has extended legislation that allows donors ages 70½ and older to gift up to $100,000 from their IRAs to charity. It’s easy to make a gift by directing your custodian to transfer a portion of your required minimum distribution directly to charity. The gift is not counted as part of your taxable income, so it is tax-free!

The new law extends legislation for 2010 and 2011. Also, because of how late the bill was passed, IRA gifts made through Jan. 31, 2011 can be treated like they were made in 2010—applied to the 2010 required minimum distribution, the 2010 tax year, and the $100,000 limit for 2010.

• You see the tree – decorated with ornaments and lights.
• You see the presents wrapped and sitting underneath.
• You have ideas of what might be in each box.
• And yet…

YOU STILL HAVE TO WAIT!!!!!

I believe we used to call this “delayed gratification…”

Almost time to mark another day off on the calendar though!

Yours in Christ,

Marty

If you aren’t familiar with our designers, check out their work at www.kingdomprojectcreative.com!

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What looks good? What looks like a dud? How many kits do you typically review each year? Let me know!

The number one kit each year is from Group Publishing. This year, we see “Pandamania: Where God is Wild about You!” I was initially a little worried. The artwork seemed very young – almost preschool driven. However, Group took a step back and retooled much of the artwork so it should appeal to elementary ages. The program this year is based on Psalm 139. Various Bible points cover: God made you; God listens to you; God watches over you; God loves you – no matter what; God gives good gifts. Brought into the lessons are stories of Creation, Elijah, Jonah, Jesus’ resurrection and Hannah. Oodles of crafts, games, snack ideas and other resources abound. In addition, there is a “parent unit” and a special Sunday school extension option – enabling leaders to keep the decorations and extend the learning into the summer months. The biggest weakness? Although the music is going to be great, there still isn’t a “pack” option. The volume pricing is still available (and great at www.saveonvbs.com) but it is still tough to justify. Worth it – but tough on the budget at a time when many are watching pennies…

Group’s other offering this year is: “Hometown Nazareth: Where Jesus Was A Kid!” I don’t want to be biased, but I really have enjoyed the Holy Land offerings over the past few years. I believe it is very important to teach kids about the culture and context and these tend to do a great job. As we enter Nazareth this year, kids will learn: Jesus had a family; Jesus had a name; Jesus had a home; Jesus went to church; and Jesus served others. Each Bible point is reinforced with a Bible story and a “We do too!” application. Hometown Nazareth isn’t quite as easy to facilitate as Pandamania but it does have so much to offer. In addition, there is a good option for intergenerational study.

Gospel Light’s “Son” offering for 2011 is “Son Surf: Beach Bash VBS!“ Son Surf is based on John 14:6 – I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Each day, children will explore an aspect of Jesus’ life and understand some of the big questions about Jesus. Even if your church isn’t located in beautiful Ventura, CA (home of Gospel Light), you can have a lot of fun with this beach-themed offering. And be creative! Perhaps you could suggest the church funds a “research-trip” for you to go to the beach. Promise a sea shell for each leader and you never know!  ;o)

Gospel Light’s second offering is a return of “Son Harvest County Fair: Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit!” As the name would imply, kids will spend the week exploring the gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If your church has never used this particular theme, it has been very well received over the years. In fact, we have had frequent requests for the material throughout the months and years.

Standard Publishing wins the award for the longest title: “Inside Out & Upside Down on Main Street: Where Jesus Makes a Difference Every Day!” The kit offers a series of teachings on the parables of Jesus: “Whiny Workers; Roadside Rescue; Shocking Servant; Warmest Welcome; and Master’s Money. I’m not sure why Standard’s VBS doesn’t get the attention it used to but it is usually pretty solid material. We know they’ve cut back on production (they run out of stuff and don’t replenish…) so maybe that has played a role? Nevertheless, they do like to try to develop materials that have a “today” connection and artwork.

What else is available? Here are a few that aren’t the frontrunners but still worth reviewing:

• Answers in Genesis: “Gold Rush: Discovering the Rock of Ages”
• Concordia Publishing House: “Big Jungle Adventure: A Faith Journey with Jesus”
• Regular Baptist Press: “Rev it Up! Full Throttle for God”

As more information is released, we’ll try to post more complete reviews.

LRM will host its annual VBS Extravaganza on January 15, 2011. We’re trying a different feel this year to help make it a bit more intimate and easier to communicate with presenters.

Let us know if you have any questions or can share any insights for other VBS leaders! 800-747-0815 or www.saveonvbs.com!

Serving you in Christ,

Marty & the LRM team!

Will the world collapse prior to the Mayan prophecy of 2012?

Will Reformed believers brains explode in the coming months?

Good questions all!

If you are brave enough to tread the potentially life-threatening path AND you’d like a sneak preview of the updated NIV (New International Version) Bible text, now is the time to visit Biblica.com!  Follow the links to read about the Committee on Bible Translation, the new NIV text or Translator’s notes.

Just please, please, please don’t do it while drinking coffee or another caffeinated beverage. Your heart might not be able to take it! (Or you may spit some of it on your computer. Not pretty.)

Yours in Christ,

Marty

(I do hope you took the above with a grain of salt. Laugh a little!)

First, the press release from the Tourette’s Association:

The Medical Advisory Board of the Tourette Syndrome Association is deeply concerned about media reports that attribute violent criminal behavior by individuals to the fact that they have Tourette Syndrome.

In truth, the diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome in a legal offender is no more the reason for, or an excuse for such offense than other medical diagnoses — such as asthma or rheumatism. Scientifically, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between having Tourette Syndrome and criminal behavior.

The Tourette Syndrome Association and its medical advisers oppose such misrepresentations which serve to stigmatize hundreds of thousands of children, teenagers and adults with this neurological condition.   

Are you ready for my non-professional response? Claiming TS made her do it is a bunch of hooey. It’s absurd. Jennifer, her parents, her attorney and/or anyone else should be ashamed. It’s bad enough to have TS thought of as the “cursing” syndrome (obscene language) when less than 15% struggle with coprolalia. Do you really want to add another stigma?

God grants us strength to walk through a myriad of difficulties in life. There are ramifications of sin that we all must deal with while living in a fallen world. But this added stigma should not be one of them…

Yours in Christ,

Marty

(Now, don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve one. Bengie had a lot to do with both teams being where they are today. And, for those who follow MLB, the Molina brothers are well known.Yadier Molina plays for the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Molina plays for the Toronto Blue Jays.   If I’m not mistaken, they all have World Series Championship rings. )

But, I have to toss out the question. Is the ring diminished slightly if you aren’t on the winning team? Lots of other trades happened this season. Players come and go – something I greatly dislike!

This isn’t a fair comparison, but, since it sparked a bit of my devotional contemplation this morning , let’s redirect here to spiritual issues…

If you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and given your life over to His Lordship, then the battle is won. the victory is yours. BUT if you then you sit and don’t exercise your faith, what does your faith mean?

Is the hair standing up on the back of your next yet? Are you getting angry – perhaps theorizing I’m purporting some sort of “faith plus works?” Don’t worry – I’m not.

I can’t do anything to earn my salvation. Neither can you. It is through Christ alone.

I’m simply asking if you ponder James 2:20: “faith without works is dead.” I want to live out the faith to which I have been called. I want to know Christ more. I want to share Him with others more. I want to let others see Christ through me.

I am thrilled that the victory is already won and I am guaranteed the “prize.” I suppose what I am trying to say is that I want to fight the good fight throughout the entire race (see 2 Tim. 4). I want to go out swinging so those around me can enjoy it as well.

Ah – Monday morning contemplations… I hope this makes sense!

Yours in Christ,
Marty