Sermon Text: John 1:14-18

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
John 1:16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
John 1:17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Combined Service this Sunday

We will be joining our sister church in Manchester this coming Lord's Day.

For information, click here.

Sermon Text: John 1:9-13

John 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

I can't stand the BCS, perfect illustration

This was sent to me by my brother in TX. If you have been following College Football, this will totally make sense. If not, it is very difficult to explain, but in short, a computer determines the ranking of teams, and it is a broken system.

BCS DECLARES GERMANY WINNER OF WORLD WAR II
US Ranked 4th

After determining the Big-12 championship game participants the
BCS computers were put to work on other major contests and today the BCS
declared Germany to be the winner of World War II.

"Germany put together an incredible number of victories
beginning with the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland and
continuing on into conference play with defeats of Poland,France,
Norway, Sweden,Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. Their only losses
came against the US and Russia; however considering their entire body of
work--including an incredibly tough Strength of Schedule--our computers
deemed them worthy of the #1 ranking."

Questioned about the #4 ranking of the United States the BCS
commissioner stated "The US only had two major victories--Japan and
Germany. The computer models, unlike humans, aren't influenced by
head-to-head contests--they consider each contest to be only a single,
equally-weighted event."

German Chancellor Adolph Hiter said "Yes, we lost to the US; but
we defeated #2 ranked France in only 6 weeks." Herr Hitler has been
criticized for seeking dramatic victories to earn 'style points' to
enhance Germany's rankings. Hitler protested "Our contest with Poland
was in doubt until the final day and the conditions in Norway were
incredibly challenging and demanded the application of additional
forces."

The French ranking has also come under scrutiny. The BCS
commented " France had a single loss against Germany and following a
preseason #1 ranking they only fell to #2."

Japan was ranked #3 with victories including Manchuria, Borneo
and the Philippines.

Sermon Text: John 1:3-5

John 1:3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
John 1:5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Sermon Text: John 1:1-2

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

This really cracked me up

I could not stop laughing, in part because my wife likes Barry Manilow.

Read this.

I can just image the look on the faces of those teenagers listening to hours of Barry Manilow. Not a pretty picture.

New Biography of Francis Schaeffer

Saw this on my Google Reader.....

Click Here to Read....

Kinda interesting to see the connection between L'Abri and OMF. Given my respect for Hudson Taylor and Francis Schaeffer, I thought that was pretty neat.

I feel a connection with these men. Schaeffer ministered less than 10 miles from my hometown, his article on infant baptism is very good. Hudson Taylor and his love for China. Great men of faith.

Anyhow, great to see Francis Schaeffer getting some recognition.

Sermon Text: John 6:1-21

ohn 6:1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).
John 6:2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.
John 6:3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.
John 6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
John 6:5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”
John 6:6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
John 6:7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.”
John 6:8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him,
John 6:9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”
John 6:10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
John 6:11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
John 6:12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”
John 6:13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
John 6:14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
John 6:15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
John 6:16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
John 6:17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
John 6:18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
John 6:19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened.
John 6:20 But He *said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
John 6:21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Historical Sermon : Martyn Lloyd Jones

We did this once in the summer, and I got a wonderful reaction from the congregation, so I thought we would try it again.

Last time we had George Whitefield preach, but this Sunday we will hear from someone who lived through the greater part of the 20th Century.

I really enjoy his preaching and reading materials, and I hope you will too. To read a short article on Martyn Lloyd Jones, click here.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Romania Missions Trip => Spring 2009

The Presbytery of Northern New England is sponsoring a mission's trip to Romania to work with a an agency that helps care for orphans. Romania has a very high percentage of orphans.

There is a video about the trip that is quite good, and shows who we will be partnering with. I will warn you, it may make you cry.

Click on the link to download the video.

If you are interested, contact me and I will give you further information about the trip.

Unbelievable Avaition Miracle => Wow!

I thought this was a joke at first, until I saw it on BBC. I can not imagine what this man was going through. Going blind while flying, and landing safely. Incredible.

Click Here to read the Article.

Sermon Text: John 5:1-47

John 5:1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.
John 5:3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters;
John 5:4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]
John 5:5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”
John 5:7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
John 5:8 Jesus *said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”
John 5:9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.
¶ Now it was the Sabbath on that day.
John 5:10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”
John 5:11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’”
John 5:12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”
John 5:13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”
John 5:15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
John 5:16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
John 5:17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
John 5:18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 5:19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:20 “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.
John 5:21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.
John 5:22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,
John 5:23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
John 5:26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;
John 5:27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
John 5:28 “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,
John 5:29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
John 5:30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
John 5:31 “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.
John 5:32 “There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.
John 5:33 “You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
John 5:34 “But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
John 5:35 “He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
John 5:36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.
John 5:37 “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.
John 5:38 “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.
John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
John 5:40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
John 5:41 “I do not receive glory from men;
John 5:42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.
John 5:43 “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
John 5:44 “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
John 5:45 “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.
John 5:46 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.
John 5:47 “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Great Comment by Mark Driscoll

Read this prior to the election. I think Mark is right on about our world looking for saviors in all the wrong places. He also talks about ministers getting sidetracked. Here is a quote from his blog.

"Lastly, for those preachers who have gotten sidetracked for the cause of a false king and a false kingdom by making too much of the election and too little of Jesus, today is a good day to practice repentance in preparation to preach it on Sunday. Just give it some time. The thirst will remain that only Jesus can quench. So, we’ve still got work to do….until we see King Jesus and voting is done once and for all."

Click Here to read the entire entry.

Daylight Savings => Time to "Fall Back"

A friendly reminder, it is that time of the year to change your clocks and get an extra hour of sleep!

Sermon Text: John 4:43-54

John 4:43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee.
John 4:44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
John 4:45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.
John 4:46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.
John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.
John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”
John 4:49 The royal official *said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
John 4:50 Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.
John 4:51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living.
John 4:52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household.
John 4:54 This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Rooting for the Home Team

I was disappointed with ESPN's headline yesterday, but today they fixed it. I am looking forward to the game tomorrow night, should be a good one! Go Penn State!

Sermon Text: Jn 4:1-30

John 4:1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
John 4:2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),
John 4:3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.
John 4:4 And He had to pass through Samaria.
John 4:5 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;
John 4:6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
John 4:7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
John 4:8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
John 4:9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
John 4:11 She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?
John 4:12 “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”
John 4:13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
John 4:15 The woman *said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”
John 4:16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
John 4:17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;
John 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”
John 4:19 The woman *said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
John 4:20 “Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
John 4:21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
John 4:22 “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
John 4:23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”
John 4:26 Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
John 4:27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?”
John 4:28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men,
John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”
John 4:30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

Sermon Text: John 3:1-15

John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
John 3:2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
John 3:11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.
John 3:12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
John 3:13 “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.
John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
John 3:15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Modern Day Nineveh no place for Christians

This was very sad to read. Click to read the article.

After spending a year preaching on Jonah & Nahum, I have an interest in Mosul, which is built on the ancient site of Nineveh.

We need to remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in Mosul.

Old Penn State Joke

My kids know this about me, but I am not sure how many folks outside of my family do. I like College Football, and I always am rooting for Penn State, my dad's and my brother's alma mater.

Anyhow, it is football season and the Nittany Lions are looking very good, undefeated. so I thought I would pass on an old joke that my dad recently sent me. Enjoy!

After former Florida State head football coach dies and enters the Pearly
Gates, God takes him on a tour. God shows Bobby a little two-bedroom house
With a faded FSU banner hanging from the front porch.

God says, 'This is your house, coach. Most people don't get a house up
here.

Bobby looks at the house, then turns around and looks at the big house
Sitting on top of a big hill. It's a huge two-story mansion with white
Marble columns and little patios under all the windows. Penn State flags
Line both sides of the walkway, and a huge Penn State banner hangs between
The marble columns.

'Thanks for the house, God. But, let me ask you a question. I get this
Little two bedroom house with a faded FSU banner and Paterno gets a mansion
With new Nittany Lion banners and flags flying all over the place. Why is
That?'

God looks at him seriously for a moment and says, 'Paterno's not dead.
That's my house.'

Sermon Text: John 2:12-25

John 2:12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
John 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 2:14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
John 2:15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;
John 2:16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”
John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”
John 2:18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”
John 2:19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 2:20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
John 2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
John 2:22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
John 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.
John 2:24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,
John 2:25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Sermon Text:

John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
John 2:2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.”
John 2:4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.”
John 2:5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2:6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
John 2:7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.
John 2:8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.
John 2:9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom,
John 2:10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

Aviation Photo

As many of you know, I like things related to flying.

And my favorite website is www.airliners.net, I check in almost every day and even participate in the forums.

Every day they have fresh photos, and some are very impressive. You should take a look. Some great shots over the years.

Anyhow, I really liked this one photo. Could you imagine what that landing was like? Wow!

Leaf Peekers Everywhere!

The Wakefield Family loves the fall colors. We like to make special trips through the countryside to gain a peek at the changing colors.

I recently returned from Newport, NH where the colors are nearing their peak.

What caught my attention the most was all of the leef peekers. What is a leaf peeker? Folks outside of New England who are hear to catch a glimpse of the Fall Colors.

Michigan, Washington, North Dakota, Florida, North Carolina, were just some of the license plates I saw on my way home. Enjoy the scenery, it will not be around for much longer!

OMF Conference in Peabody, MA

We have had some busy weekends, and will continue I am sure.

This past weekend the family attended an Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) conference in Peabody, MA.

If you are not familiar with OMF, it is the descendant of Hudson Taylor's Missionary Group, China Inland Mission. They are based out of Singapore and are focused solely on Asia.

It was great to spend time with these folks, and hear from people who have a passion to spread the gospel. The highlight was watching a DVD called "Breakthrough" I bought a couple copies to share, it is very moving.

Dr. David Wells on Recent Book

This was something I was very fortunate to be apart of.....

I am the fraternal delegate to the Southern New England Presbytery and 2 weekends ago they met in Manchester, CT.

As part of the meeting, the Presbytery invited Dr. David Wells from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary to speak on his recent book, the Courage to be Protestant. It was a good talk and it included the future of the PCA. You can download the talk at this website. Enjoy!

Sermon Text: John 1:29-51

John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’
John 1:31 “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
John 1:32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
John 1:33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
John 1:34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
John 1:35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,
John 1:36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
John 1:37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
John 1:38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”
John 1:39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
John 1:40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
John 1:41 He *found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).
John 1:42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
John 1:43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me.”
John 1:44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
John 1:45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
John 1:46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.”
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
John 1:48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
John 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
John 1:50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
John 1:51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Back to Church Sunday in Great Britian

I read this article today, thought it was not a bad idea.

Looks like the churches in England are aware that many folks would appreciate an attempt to make them feel welcome. I like it, what do you think?

Sermon Text: John 1:6-8, 19-28

John 1:6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
John 1:7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
John 1:8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
John 1:19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
John 1:20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
John 1:21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
John 1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
John 1:23 He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John 1:24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
John 1:25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John 1:26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
John 1:27 “It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
John 1:28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Common Ground Online Conference

One of the PCA ministers in our Presbytery alerted me to this.

Apparently there is quite a discussion going on among younger PCA ministers ( which I am one of, but had no idea) about the future of the PCA.

Sounds good, but apparently it has sparked some debate. That debate has reached the 21st century and can be found here.

I am still trying to get my head around this, but I thought I would pass it along. Tim Keller, Ligon Duncan, Mark Driscoll, Phil Ryken are all weighing in on this discussion.

An interesting Article in the Telegraph

A church member pointed me in the direction of this article.

A study done by a professor from Cambridge in London set out to do a personality map of the U.S. It sounds like any interesting study. New Hampshire ranks 50th in the U.S. when it comes to be an extrovert.

This explains a lot from my perspective. I guess the silent New Englander seems to have some validity.

New Sermon Series : Gospel of John

John 20:30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

The purpose of the Gospel of John is made clear in these 2 verses. This Sunday we will begin this new series with a brief introduction of the Gospel of John. Please plan to join us!

Young Scots embracing Christianity, what a surpise!

Read this article today, and I could not help but smirk a bit.

Presbyterianism has its roots in Scotland, and so when I hear about the church in Scotland I naturally am interested.

Secular Europe seems like to me as an impenetrable fortress. It has evolved to a more secular view of the world. Christianity has nothing to offer, and is seen by some as a lame duck.

And yet I have seen over and over again, that out of that kind of environment, people begin to rethink whether secular though has all the answers. Is it possible that there is a God? Apparently, more and more young people in Scotland are saying yes.

This is why I have hope in a place like New England, that has followed the trends of Europe. God's Spirit is always at work in our world.

Sermon Text: Psalm 41

Our last visit with the Book of Psalms this year. Psalm 41

Psa. 41:1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.
Psa. 41:2 The LORD will protect him and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
Psa. 41:3 The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, You restore him to health.
Psa. 41:4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
Psa. 41:5 My enemies speak evil against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
Psa. 41:6 And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.
Psa. 41:7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,
Psa. 41:8 “A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
Psa. 41:9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.
Psa. 41:10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
Psa. 41:11 By this I know that You are pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
Psa. 41:12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And You set me in Your presence forever.
Psa. 41:13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Day Trip to Boston

We spent Labor Day 2008 in Boston. And it was a beautiful day. It began on Spectacle Island hiking to the top of the highest point and see a 360 view of Boston Harbor. Very nice.

After taking the ferry back to Boston, we decided to walk around Faneuil Hall & the North End. Highlights include:

* Eating at Quincy Market
* Eating Cannolis in the North End
* Walking the Freedom Trail
* Getting a Tour of the Old North Church
* Spending time together as a family

Sermon Text: Psalm 39

Psa. 39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
Psa. 39:2 I was mute and silent,
I refrained even from good,
And my sorrow grew worse.
Psa. 39:3 My heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
Psa. 39:4 “LORD, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
Psa. 39:5 “Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
Psa. 39:6 “Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.
Psa. 39:7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.
Psa. 39:8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Psa. 39:9 “I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is You who have done it.
Psa. 39:10 “Remove Your plague from me;
Because of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing.
Psa. 39:11 “With reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;
You consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely every man is a mere breath. Selah.
Psa. 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner like all my fathers.
Psa. 39:13 “Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may smile again
Before I depart and am no more.”

Women in the Church

Just got this email yesterday and am still reading the articles, but I thought it was important enough to pass along quickly.

I was frustrated we did not get anywhere at General Assembly about women in the church, but I think that has changed. Read along...

To: ByFaith Readers
From: Richard Doster, editor
Subject: Two articles in the current magazine

In June the PCA’s General Assembly rejected Overture Nine—to form a study committee investigating the issue of women deacons.

In his defense of this decision, Fred Greco, chairman of the Overtures Committee, urged more discussion at the local level. “There are,” Greco said, “venues for this discussion to take place in a less confrontational way.”

These discussions are underway—formally and informally—calmly and not so calmly. To encourage unity and civility, we’ve published two articles on the subject in the most recent issue of byFaith. They come from two of our most highly respected pastors, Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller. Both men know and love God’s Word. Both have unwavering allegiance to its authority. And, though they differ, each one respects the other.

As you approach these articles, we want you to be aware of these points of agreement:

* Both writers are firmly complementarian.

* They agree that no credible, biblical case can been made for the ordination of women to the teaching and ruling office in the church.

* They affirm that our polity and practice is to be informed by, and corrected by, Scripture alone.

* They urge us to engage the question with full respect for our fellow churchmen who hold different views.

* They urge us to focus on Scripture rather than to respond—either by reaction or adaptation—to the culture.

* And both agree, “The real question we ought to be asking is not should we have ordained female deacons or deaconesses but rather, what kind of deaconess, or female diaconal assistant, does the New Testament authorize?”

In publishing these articles, we hope to promote the peace and purity of the PCA.

For the sake of the kingdom,

Richard Doster
Editor

The Case for Commissioning (Not Ordaining) Deaconesses

Tim Keller, Issue Number 21, August 2008

The Case for Our Current Policy on Female Deacons

Ligon Duncan, Issue Number 21, August 2008

Facebook

A church member had been regularly encouraging me to join facebook, and being a sluggard, I never got a around to it. I had a myspace account, which I have not frequented for some time. I thought, what is the point of facebook? Another networking website I won't use.

Well I could not be more wrong.

I set up an account and have found it extremely useful in connecting with people. If you don't have one, I would encourage you to look into it. www.facebook.com

Psalm 23 Again

I had a feeling this was going to happen.......

Even though Psalm 23 is only 6 verses, it is 6 verses that have been studied and meditated on for centuries. For that reason, there is a lot of work on Psalm 23 and numerous insights that are very interesting.

Take for example the reference to a table being prepared in verse 5. Before I studied the passage, I am thinking a standard table that you eat at. But in actuality, it is referring to something else, and it is related to sheep. ( big surprise).

So this past Sunday I was unable to finish the sermon and will finish Psalm 23 this coming Lord's Day.

Oh well, it will happen from time to time, but for some one who plans out sermons it kinda messes up my schedule, which is a little annoying. But if I am looking for someone to blame, the finger points back at me.

Our Guide through Psalm 23

When you come to a passage in scripture that is well known, like Psalm 23, it is sometimes a challenge to preach a sermon.

I think there are a number of reasons why that is so. I think the leading reason for me is feeling a bit intimidated that the passage is so meaningful to so many people that I want to make sure I do it justice.

Somewhere along my Christian Journey I heard a sermon on Psalm 23 that used Philip Keller's book, A Shepherd's look at Psalm 23 and was really impressed. Written in 1997, it is a classic and a must read if you want to truly appreciate Psalm 23.

Philip Keller will be a our guide this Sunday as we look at Psalm 23, I think it is going to be a very different sermon, and a very inspirational one. Come and join us this Sunday.

Sermon Text: Psalm 23

1The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Monsoon Season in New England

This July, it rained 18 days out of 31.
So far in August, it has rained 11 of the 12 days.

We have already exceeded our annual rainfall amount, and it is only August 12. Insane.

And of course, it is raining as I blog.

Rain, rain, go away!

Wow! My Favorite Olympic Moment so far

I, like many in our world love watching the Olympics.

I stayed up late to watch the men's swimming relay and boy, was that exciting or what? If you have no idea what I am talking about, click on the article.

Go U.S.A.!

Guest Speaker: Rev. David Stewart

We are blessed to have Rev. David Stewart from Portland, ME. David is the Associate Minister at Christ the Redeemer Church in Portland and a member of our Presbytery of Northern New England.

David will be preaching out of the Psalms which is great, because that is where we are as a church this summer. Come and join us this Sunday.

Sermon Text: Psalm 125

Psa. 125:1 Those who trust in the LORD
Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.
Psa. 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the LORD surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
Psa. 125:3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous,
So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong.
Psa. 125:4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
Psa. 125:5 But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,
The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel.

A Reason to watch Larry King Live

I am not sure I have ever watched one of his shows, but I have a reason to do so now.

Steve Curtis Chapman, one of my favorite musical artists is a guest on the Larry King Show this coming Thursday Night.

If you remember, they went through a terrible tragedy in May with the lost of their 5 year old daughter. She was killed when their teenage son ran over her in their driveway.

I thought I would share this as it is one of the first times Steven Curtis Chapman has shared since that tragedy.

Sermon Text: Psalm 22

Psa. 22:1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
Psa. 22:2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
Psa. 22:3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Psa. 22:4 In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
Psa. 22:5 To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
Psa. 22:6 But I am a worm and not a man,
A reproach of men and despised by the people.
Psa. 22:7 All who see me sneer at me;
They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,
Psa. 22:8 “Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
Psa. 22:9 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
Psa. 22:10 Upon You I was cast from birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
Psa. 22:11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near;
For there is none to help.
Psa. 22:12 Many bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
Psa. 22:13 They open wide their mouth at me,
As a ravening and a roaring lion.
Psa. 22:14 I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It is melted within me.
Psa. 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And You lay me in the dust of death.
Psa. 22:16 For dogs have surrounded me;
A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa. 22:17 I can count all my bones.
They look, they stare at me;
Psa. 22:18 They divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing they cast lots.
Psa. 22:19 But You, O LORD, be not far off;
O You my help, hasten to my assistance.
Psa. 22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
My only life from the power of the dog.
Psa. 22:21 Save me from the lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
Psa. 22:22 I will tell of Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
Psa. 22:23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him;
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
Psa. 22:24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from him;
But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
Psa. 22:25 From You comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
Psa. 22:26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.
Let your heart live forever!
Psa. 22:27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
Psa. 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S
And He rules over the nations.
Psa. 22:29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.
Psa. 22:30 Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
Psa. 22:31 They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

A new trend....."Are you kidding me?"

Came across this on the BBC News Website, all I can say is what were these parents thinking.

Here is the article.

There seems to be a new trend in giving very unique names to children.

an example of a child's name => Yeah Detroit

Apparently these parents are hoping to eliminate any opportunity for their children's future.

Unbelievable

Sermon Text: Psalm 19

Psa. 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Psa. 19:2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
Psa. 19:3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Psa. 19:4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Psa. 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
Psa. 19:6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Psa. 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa. 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa. 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
Psa. 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Psa. 19:11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Psa. 19:12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Psa. 19:13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Psa. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Attention turns to China, but not good news for everyone

I am not sure how bias this article is or not, but it was disturbing to read.

I lived in China and saw persecution first hand, I know this can be very real for many Christians. I am glad the Olympic Games are coming to Beijing, I think it is a good thing. At the same time, it can also bring a lot of pressure, and particularly on the church.

Remember to pray, pray for the church in China, particularly in and around Beijing.

Fun @ Fenway

There are many historical sites in New England, Bunker Hill, Concord, Boston Harbor, etc..... And on top of that, there are just simply famous places..... Cape Cod Area, Arcadia National Park, Mt. Washington, Lake Champlain, etc.....

Well one place that fits in both categories is Fenway Park in Boston. And the Wakefields had a chance to visit this famous ballmark.

My alma mater, Grove City College, organized a tour of Fenway. We had a nice time seeing all the behind the scenes places you normally do not get to go. On a day like today ( hot, hot hot), the Press Box was probably one of our favorites.

Anyhow, we had a nice time, and we were glad we went. Now all we need to do is get to a game!

NECEP Interns next 2 weeks

I am getting a break from preaching for the next 2 weeks, and the help comes from the New England Center for Expository Preaching.

Two separate men will be preaching the last 2 Sundays in July on the Book of Psalms which we are faithfully studying this summer.

I appreciate the opportunity to work on Fall Planning and sermon prep for the fall, which I most desperately need to do.

If your curious, sermons often have a lot of prep outside of the immediate prep for a Biblical text that a congregation is studying on a given Sunday. I like to plan a year out the Biblical book we will be looking at, and also read and listen to sermons related to the text.

All of this takes time, and I am grateful to have these men preaching so I can work ahead towards the fall.

Sermon Text : Psalm 8

Psa. 8:1 O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Psa. 8:2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
Psa. 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
Psa. 8:4 What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Psa. 8:5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
Psa. 8:6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
Psa. 8:7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
Psa. 8:8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
Psa. 8:9 O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

What New Hampshire is known for in Religious Circles

Last year some of our elders from our Presbytery travelled to Uganda to teach at a seminary. All of them were from New Hampshire.

At first, they were not welcomed and it was unclear why. After reassuring the Uganda Christians of these elders' credentials, being biblical and conservative everything seemed fine. They had a great time

The problem was with where they were from, New Hampshire. New Hampshire in the mind of many in the church is now associated with one man, Gene Robinson.

You might have heard about him being heckled in England this past weekend, it seems not everyone in the Anglican church is still not settled on what to do next.

But in the eyes of the universal church, particularly those who are traditional, New Hampshire has a negative connotation. Next time I travel abroad, I might not want to mention I am a minister from New Hampshire.

Sermon Text: Psalm 5

Psa. 5:0 For the choir director; for flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.
Psa. 5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
Consider my groaning.
Psa. 5:2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
Psa. 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
Psa. 5:4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
Psa. 5:5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.
Psa. 5:6 You destroy those who speak falsehood;
The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
Psa. 5:7 But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,
At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.
Psa. 5:8 O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes;
Make Your way straight before me.
Psa. 5:9 There is nothing reliable in what they say;
Their inward part is destruction itself.
Their throat is an open grave;
They flatter with their tongue.
Psa. 5:10 Hold them guilty, O God;
By their own devices let them fall!
In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out,
For they are rebellious against You.
Psa. 5:11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them,
That those who love Your name may exult in You.
Psa. 5:12 For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.

The Glitch & God's Providence

I mentioned in the previous post there was a problem on the trip.

After 1300 miles on bumpy roads ( particularly I-84 & I-87) I was driving up our street thrilled that nothing major had gone wrong on the trip.

On our previous trip, we blew a tire on the Mass Turnpike. But on this occasion, we seemed to be prepared. That was until I started backing up the trailer into the driveway.

A simple maneuver, done dozens of times. Except in this case, I heard a large bang. I got out to find the right tires nearly touching. Shocked, yet tired, I just simply unhooked the trailer and figured I would tackle this problem the next day.

The problem is a broke weld, which is not suppose to happen. It could have been quite dangerous for us if it happened while going 65 mph. A number of friends and neighbors were astonished it happened while it was being slowly backed into the driveway.

Can we say, God's Providence? I am inclined to think so.

Travel Notes

Yes, the Wakefields were traveling again, this time to Slippery Rock, PA, my old stomping grounds.

It was a nice trip, we got to see lots of family, enjoy a week of rest and relaxing with the grandparents. The kids love going out to PA and were depressed as we made the long trip home to Nashua, NH.

The highlight for the kids was going to Idlewild Park, a family friendly amusement park near Ligonier, PA. The Wild Mouse was their favorite ride.

It was a good trip, enjoyed getting away. There was one glitch on the trip, but I will blog about that in the next post.

Global Church News

I keep up with church news around the world. In part, I am a news junkie and I like to keep on top of trends and changes with in the church.

The 2 biggest news stories out there that I have been watching are these 2 stories.

From the BBC, the split in the Anglican Church

&

The largest drop in attendance since 1974 in the PCUSA denomination.

I have friends in both denominations and that's why these caught my attendance.

Thanks to Memorial Presbyterian from TN

This week we had some assistance in bringing the gospel to Nashua.

Memorial Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, TN youth ministry team, Ignitus, came with 18 able bodies to run VBS, a Soccer Clinic and assist local mercy ministries. They have been a blessing to the church and to Nashua and I am thankful for their ministry in Nashua.

Saturday they head home to TN so I wanted to let folks know of their ministry and support. Thanks for all of your efforts to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to New England!

Guest Preacher : Bradley Barnes

Bradley Barnes is preaching this Sunday. Bradley is at Harvard University ministering as a chaplain. It is always a pleasure to have him with us. Come and join us as he preaches from the Book of Romans!

CT Article on WALL-E

I was not that interested in seeing the next Pixar Movie, WALL-E until I read this article by CT. Sounds like a worthwhile movie to see!

Tim Keller in CT Article

No surprises here, if you are familiar with this blog and Tim Keller, you know all about the book, The Reason for God.

But I thought I would pass this article along in case you have not read up on this exciting book. No#7 on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Notes from General Assembly in Dallas

The Stated Clerk of the PCA makes a report each year of General Assembly. It is a summary of the actions and highlights of the meeting.

Anyhow, if you are interested, click on this link to read the report. It gives some insight into the workings of the PCA.

Society of Biblical Literature Annual Mtg.

Okay, for most folks this will be not interesting in the least, but I am putting on the blog for my benefit.

The Annual Mtg for SBL is in Boston this year, and there is breakfast for Regent Students which I may choose to go. But if your interested in the SBL, I encourage you to check out their website.

Sermon Text: Psalm 4

Psa. 4:0 For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
Psa. 4:1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
Psa. 4:2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
Psa. 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The LORD hears when I call to Him.
Psa. 4:4 Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Psa. 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in the LORD.
Psa. 4:6 Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”
Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!
Psa. 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
Psa. 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.