Growth Group: March 13, 2013 (Lyrics)

How Deep The Father's Love

How Deep the Father's Love for us, How vast beyond all measure

That He would give His only Son, and make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar' the chosen one, bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulder

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there, Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything, no gift no power no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart, his wounds have paid my ransom 

In Christ Alone

In Christ Alone, my hope is found, He is my light my strength my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled and striving cease

My comforter, my all in all, Here in the love of Christ I stand. 

In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fulness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness, scorn by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin, on him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground, His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth, in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands, in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me,

From life's first cry, to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny,

No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hands

Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Bless the Lord

Chorus

Bless the Lord O my soul, O my soul, worship His holy name

Sing like never before, O my soul, worship His holy name

Verse1

The sun comes up it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass or whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

Verse2

Your rich in love and your slow to anger

Your name is great and your heart is kind

For all your goodness I will keep on singing

10,000 reasons for my heart to find 

Verse3

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing your praise unending,

10,000 years and then forever more

All I have is Christ

Chorus
Hallelujah All I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life

Verse1
I once was lost in darkest night, yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life, has lead me to the grave
I had no hope that you would own, a rebel to your will
And if You had not loved me first, I would refuse you still

Verse2
And as I ran my hell bound raced, indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state, and lead me to the cross
And I beheld God's love displayed, you suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved me, now all I know is grace

Chorus
Hallelujah All I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life

Verse3
Now Lord I would be Yours alone, and live so all might see
The strength to follow your commands, could never come from me
O Father use this ransom life in any way you choose
O Father use this ransom life in any way you choose
And let my song forever be, My only boast is You

Chorus
Hallelujah All I have is Christ
Hallelujah Jesus is my life

The Kingdom

Three Assumptions about the Kingdom

1. At any given moment I am either building the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Darkness. Period.   -God has sometimes called us to ridiculous things: sell your house, quit your job, adopt a child, share the gospel with someone, etc. and one of two choices arise for us. We either obey or disobey. If we obey, we believe in our heart, that the Kingdom of God is being advanced (even if it is to our earthly demise and ridicule, or earthly 'success'). If we disobey (i.e. sin), that antithesis (or opposite) occurs, the Kingdom of Darkness is being advanced. 
-So when we aren't advancing the Kingdom of God, we are advancing the Kingdom of Darkness. We cannot be in neutral on this position. There's no middle ground. Practically, when we aren't obedient the Kingdom of God is not gaining territory. 

2. It is possible to participate in Church expansion and unintentionally be an agent of shrinking the kingdom of God.
-When studies were made about the most churched/christian populated cities, European (note the post-modern bias) researchers asserted that the Church had no social benefit to cities or societies. They went to the most churched/christian populated city and ran up statistics about the societal problems (abortions, rape, murder, etc.) and found that they reflected that their societal problems fell in the lower 15% of the world's problems. That is to say, they looked just as worse (societal health) as the worse cities in the world. And when they looked at other cities, that were predominately unchurched, they found great "societal health". Pastors interviewed from the most churched/christian populated city were asked about what they do about those horrific statistics, in which they replied, "Not my problem, my job is to just shepherd my flock." 
-When we think about the kingdom we often just note how one enters into the kingdom, but we should also note how we ought to live in the kingdom. 

3. It is possible to unknowingly value the Kingdom of God before acknowledging the value of its source; the King.
-Many non-believers may enjoy the self-satisfaction of helping the helpless, mending the broken. We see this in charity work and we see this in people that have no religious affiliation that stun us with their kindness to random people (as seen in some commercials). But what people miss is the eternal destination and purpose of the Kingdom, the glory of God. 

-All adapted from Jeff Christopherson's guest lecture at SEBTS from his book Kingdom Matrix. 

Music.

http://johncrosland.bandcamp.com/

We Need Your Presence

I am currently working with Alabama Rural Ministries in Tuskegee Alabama. I truly feel as though I am on the mission field, mainly because I am. The Lord is opening my eyes to how dark it is in this place. It's dark during the day just like it's dark at night. There is just an overwhelming amount of opposition in this place. Even as we pray walk, we can just tell in this community how dark and broken this place is. It's not because of the broken homes, poverty stricken families, or hungry children. It is dark because of this culture. It's dark because of how people have been raised. But mainly, it's dark because of Satan's presence in this place. It's dark because evil is at work in this place. It's dark because of mistaken identities.

BUT

The Holy Spirit is at work in this place. He's moving in this staff. He's making us one as He is One.

My prayer:
That we might start on our knees in prayer and end in our knees in worship. That we would testify about the gospel of the grace of God that we have been commissioned as stewards of. I am praying for anguish for the lost.

I am excited about this summer and what the Lord is going to do.

Quick Update

Life is happening rather quickly:


-Graduating on May 9, 2011 from Auburn University with a Secondary Ed: Social Science Degree (High School History Teacher)


-Have a job for the summer working for Alabama Rural Ministries, as a site coordinator.


-Looking for jobs in the fall.





All in all, He is good. He's always been good, regardless if I felt like it today or not. He is faithful when I am not.





I've been really diving into who the Holy Spirit is. Starting in Matthew, currently in 1 Corinthians. Pushing forward to the end of the New Testament. It's been a great study so far (and I wouldn't expect anything less). Not reading anything secular right now.





Not really listening to anything in particular. Civil Wars are hot right now, Mumford and Sons are always good, Classic Shane and Shane, Parachute Band newest CD is pretty good, Needtobreathe needs to come out with a new cd, so does Mumford... Will Reagan's: Lockstep has been a favorite.





Favorite moment this semester: my friend buying a bible for the first time.