Media Habits of 12-24 Year-Olds vs. 25-54 Year-Olds -- Key to Shaping Your Nonprofit Marketing Agenda

Go read this article by Nancy Schwartz at the Getting Attention Blog

There is a tremendous amount of good information for those of us who have a message to communicate.

Vision News

Words and definitions

As I read or listen I often need to know what words mean. I am sure that you know these words but sometimes I have to look them up:

Hedonism-= Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses, Philosophy. The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good, Psychology. The doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

Pelagians The theological doctrine propounded by Pelagius, a British monk, and condemned as heresy by the Roman Catholic Church in A.D. 416. It denied original sin and affirmed the ability of humans to be righteous by the exercise of free will

Pelagianism is the teaching that man has the capacity to seek God in and of himself apart from any movement of God or the Holy Spirit. According to semi-Pelagianism, man doesn’t have such an unrestrained capacity, but man and God could cooperate to a certain degree in this salvation effort: man can (unaided by grace) make the first move toward God, and God then completes the salvation process. This teaching is distinct from the traditional patristic doctrine of synergeia, that the process of salvation is cooperation between God and man from start to finish.

Semi-Pelagians a Christian theological understanding about salvation; that is, how humanity and God are restored to a right relationship. The Semi-Pelagian teaching is derived from the earlier Pelagian teaching about salvation (see below), and teaches that it is necessary for humans to make the first step toward God and then God will complete salvation.

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Bible Maps

Something that I enjoy using while I am studying is an online program of Bible Maps. You simply plug in the chapter and verse and you will see a map of the locations that are mentioned in the passage of Scripture. I hope you will check it out and that it will be the blessing to you that has been to me.

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Radically scary

When you do not want to offend anyone and also you do not have the Word of God as your anchor it is amazing what you will allow yourself to believe. We must be students of the Bible. We must get into God's word. It is not a matter of pleasing people or being nice. It is a matter of being true to the perfect Word of God and saying what God says.





Vision News

Betty's article

I just came across this article that Betty wrote. I do not remember who she wrote it for but it has to to with us returning to the US and I thought it was interesting enough to hold on to.

As I sit here pondering how wonderful my Lord has been to me over the years, I don’t know why I sometimes doubt His guidance and plan for my life. I then have Scriptures such as Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33 come to mind. I have to remember that I am to do my part. I am commanded to trust Him with ALL of my heart and not to trust in my own reasoning or understanding. I am to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first and He will reward me with the things that I need. So many times I want to hold on or be in control of just a small part of my heart and life.

Recently I have had a tremendous change in my life that has literally turned MY PLANS upside down! For the past twenty years my husband and I have served with Macedonia World Baptist Missions in the country of Peru in South America. Our four children grew up there and two of the four, along with their families, are serving there now. Our youngest son is on deputation and will be heading back with his wife sometime in 2007. We have one daughter living in east Georgia that works alongside her husband in the printing ministry out of their church. During the many years that we were in Peru, we developed friendships with so many of the people that the Lord so mercifully saved. Marriages were mended and families were brought back together. We watched them grow in His love and grace. What a thrill! In other words my life, my heart and my all were in Peru.

In October of this past year, it became very obvious that the Lord was leading us to leave Peru and start a church with a training center for missionaries in Alpharetta, Georgia. My heart broke just to think of leaving the country, the people and the life that I had known for the past 18 years. I began to doubt the Lord’s wisdom in this matter and look for any excuse to be able to stay in Peru. Funny thing, 20 years earlier I was looking for excuses to stay in the states, when He was calling us to go to Peru. It just goes to show that no matter where we are, if we are in the center of God’s will, He will give us a peace and happiness that humanly we can not understand but which is so sweet (Philippians 4:7).

We are now here in the “good ole US of A,” working, praying hard and waiting to see what our God is going to do. My husband says, “At 51 years old I should be going through mid life crisis, wanting a red sports car, a girl friend and unbuttoning my shirt down to my belly button. Instead I am starting a church!” And as his wife I surely am glad that he has chosen the latter of the above mentioned list. I am scared to death yet at the same time excited to see what my God has for me this time around. I know that He only wants the very best for me. He has blessed me with innumerable blessings so undeserved. I pray that I will never forget all that the Lord has done for me and that I will always put into practice my life’s verse: I Samuel 12:24, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. “

Vision News

Good Questionnaires

I was just going through some old files and came across this old web page. It is very good as an idea of the type of questionnaire that is good for missionaries. Some are just plain ridiculous and only being used to weed out missionaries. This is one sent out as an attempt to be a blessing to their missionaries.

********* Baptist Church

Men’s Missionary Questionnaire

1. List all types of books that you enjoy reading

2. Do you have any favorite authors?

3. Are there any specific titles of books that you would like?

4. What titles and types of magazines to you enjoy?

5. What is your favorite aftershave or cologne scent(s)?

6. What type of socks do you like? (Color and size)

7. What are your favorite coffee flavors? Regular or decaf?

8. What types of candies do you like?

9. Do you collect anything? (Ex: Paperweights, baseball memorabilia, model cars, etc.)

10. What are some desk/computer supplies that you need?

11. What are your hobbies or interests? What supplies do you need?

12. Are you in need of any particular tools?

13. What kind of ties do you like?




************** Baptist Church

Women’s Missionary Questionnaire



1. List all types of books that you enjoy reading.

2. Do you have any favorite authors?

3. Are there any specific titles of books that you would like?

4. What titles and types of magazines do you enjoy?

5. What is your favorite perfume scent(s)?

6. What scents of lotions and soaps do you like? (Such as Bath and Body products)

7. What type of decorated stationary or note cards do you like? (flowers, animals, Americana, etc.)

8. What type of hosiery do you prefer? (Color and size)

9. What are your favorite coffee flavors? Regular or decaf?

10. What are you favorite tea flavors? Regular or herbal?

11. What types of candies do you like?

12. Do you collect anything? (Ex: bird houses, candle holders, etc.)

13. What are your hobbies? What supplies do you need?

14. What kind of scarves do you like? What designs and colors?



*************** Baptist Church

Children’s Missionary Questionnaire

1. What kind of music do you like to listen to? CD’s or tapes?

2. List the types of books you like to read.

3. Do you like to write? (Journal, notes, stationary)

4. What are your favorite snacks?

5. What kind of movies do you like?

6. What is your favorite candy or gum?

7. What are your hobbies?

8. What are your favorite colors?

9. Do you need any articles of clothing? Shoes? (sizes)

10. What types of bath and body products do you like? (girls) What type of cologne do you like? (guys)

11. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be?



Follow up Questions and Preparation

1. We ask that your wife and children plan to attend the conference with you. Will your wife and children be attending? Please list the names and ages of your children.



2. We also ask that you stay for the whole conference. Do you plan to arrive on Saturday afternoon, October 20th? Do you plan to stay through Friday morning, October 26th?



3. Do you plan to drive or fly to the conference?



4. If flying, when do you arrive? What is your flight number and airline? Do you need transportation from the airport?



5. Will you need any special audio visual equipment for you presentation?


6. On Monday you'll have the opportunity to play golf or go fishing. Which do you prefer?



7. Will you need equipment for golf? If so, what? Clubs?(left or right handed) Shoes? (Size)



8. If you have an electronic picture of you and your family please email it to me.

Vision News

Heart work!

by Charles Spurgeon

Our work, when earnestly undertaken, lays us open to attacks in the direction of depression. Who can bear the weight of souls without sometimes sinking to the dust? Passionate longings after men’s conversion, if not fully satisfied (and when are they?), consume the soul with anxiety and disappointment. To see the hopeful turn aside, the godly grow cold, professors abusing their privileges, and sinners waxing more bold in sin are not these sights enough to crush us to the earth? The kingdom comes not as we would, the reverend name is not hallowed as we desire, and for this we must weep. How can we be otherwise than sorrowful, while men believe not our report, and the divine arm is not revealed? All mental work tends to weary and to depress, for much study is a weariness of the flesh; but ours is more than mental work — it is heart work, the labor of our inmost soul. How often, on Lord’s-day evenings, do we feel as if life were completely washed out of us! After pouring out our souls over our congregations, we feel like empty earthen pitchers which a child might break. Probably, if we were more like Paul, and watched for souls at a nobler rate, we should know more of what it is to be eaten up by the zeal of the Lord’s house. It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus. We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices, whose lot is to be consumed; we are to spend and to be spent, not to lay ourselves up in lavender, and nurse our flesh. Such soul travail as that of a faithful minister will bring on occasional seasons of exhaustion, when heart and flesh will fail. Moses’ hands grew heavy in intercession, and Paul cried out, “Who is sufficient for these things?” Even John the Baptist is thought to have had his fainting fits, and the apostles were once amazed, and were sore afraid.

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Losing your zeal!

by Charles Spurgeon

We shall often find ourselves in danger of being deteriorated in zeal by the cold Christian people with whom we come in contact. What terrible wet blankets some professors are! Their remarks after a sermon are enough to stagger you. You think that surely you have moved the very stones to feeling, but you painfully learn that these people are utterly unaffected. You have been burning and they are freezing; you have been pleading as for life or death and they have been calculating how many seconds the sermon occupied, and grudging you the odd five minutes beyond the usual hour, width your earnestness compelled you to occupy in pleading with men’s souls. If these frost-bitten men should happen to be the others of the church, from whom you naturally expect the warmest sympathy, the result is chilling to the last degree, and all the more so if you are young and inexperienced: it is as though an angel were confined in an iceberg.

Frequently the audience itself, as a whole, will dampen your zeal. You can see by their very look and manner that the people are not appreciating your warm hearted endeavors, and you feel discouraged. Those empty benches also are a serious trial, and if the place be large, and the congregation small, the influence is seriously depressing: it is not every man who can bear to be “a voice crying in the wilderness.” Disorder in the congregation also sadly afflicts sensitive speakers. The walking up the aisle of a woman with a pair of pattens, the squeak of a pair of new boots, the frequent fall of umbrellas and walking-sticks, the crying of infants, and especially the consistent lateness of half the assembly ; — all these tend to irritate the mind, take it off from its object, and diminish its ardor. We hardly like to confess that our hearts are so readily affected by such trifles, but it is so, and not at all to be wondered at. As pots of the most precious ointment are more often spoilt by dead flies than by dead camels, so Insignificant matters will destroy earnestness more readily than greater annoyances. Under a great discouragement a man pulls himself together, and then throws himself upon his God, and receives divine strength but under lesser depressions he may possibly worry, and the trifle will irritate and fester till serious consequences follow.

Vision News

TWENTY CAUSES FOR PERSONAL FAILURE

By Curtis Hudson

1. Drifting through life without a definite goal.
2. Overly curious about other people's affairs.
3. Inadequate education or inadequate information on your subject
4. Lack of self-discipline
5. Lack of ambition to aim high
6. Lack of persistence in carrying through that which you have begun
7. A negative mental attitude in general
8. Lack of emotional control
9. The desire to get something for nothing
10. Failure to reach decisions promptly and definitely when all of the facts necessary for a decision are at hand
11. Fear of failure
12. Indiscriminate spending of time and/or money
13. Lack of control over the tongue
14. Having a closed mind; that is, unwilling to take advice from others
15. Lack of loyalty where loyalty is due
16. Lack of vision and imagination
17. Egotism and vanity without control
18. Having wrong motives
19. A desire for revenge for real or imaginary grievances
20. Unwilling to go the "extra mile"

"The person who succeeds is the one who does more than enough
and keeps on doing it."
Joshua 1:8
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but
thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest
observe to do according to all that is written therein: for
then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thou shalt have
good success."

Vision News

Enjoy the moment!

Boy do I need this one. I was just going through files that I had on my computer and came across this story. I am so guilty of living for tomorrow or always waiting on that next thing.

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it.

She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion.

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event-such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

I'm not sure what my sister would've done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing -I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write - one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband often enough how much I truly love him. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

Vision News

Leadership

John Gagliardi, the highly successful football coach at St. John's University in Minnesota, learned an important lesson in leadership from his mother's philosophy about-spaghetti. His wife had admired her mother-in-law's recipe for the Italian dish and tried to learn it by watching the older woman cook. But she soon noticed that her mother-in-law made her spaghetti with different ingredients and combinations every time, though it always turned out delicious. When asked about this, the coach's mother simply said, "Well, that's what I had in the house." Cooking, like leading, is a matter of bringing out the best in whatever-or whomever-you have with you.
-Adapted from NO-How Coaching, by Jim Collison (Capital Books)

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“Continue in the faith.” — Acts 14:22

Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a
beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as
long as life lasts. It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon:
he said, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain
me.” So, under God, dear brother in the Lord, conquest has made you what
you are, and conquest must sustain you. Your motto must be, “Excelsior.”
He only is a true conqueror, and shall be crowned at the last, who
continueth till war’s trumpet is blown no more. Perseverance is, therefore,
the target of all our spiritual enemies. The world does not object to your
being a Christian for a time, if she can but tempt you to cease your
pilgrimage, and settle down to buy and sell with her in Vanity Fair. The
flesh will seek to ensnare you, and to prevent your pressing on to glory.
“It is weary work being a pilgrim; come, give it up. Am I always to be
mortified? Am I never to be indulged? Give me at least a furlough from this
constant warfare.” Satan will make many a fierce attack on your
perseverance; it will be the mark for all his arrows. He will strive to hinder
you in service: he will insinuate that you are doing no good; and that you
want rest. He will endeavour to make you weary of suffering, he will
whisper, “Curse God, and die.” Or he will attack your steadfastness:
“What is the good of being so zealous? Be quiet like the rest; sleep as do
others, and let your lamp go out as the other virgins do.” Or he will assail
your doctrinal sentiments: “Why do you hold to these denominational
creeds? Sensible men are getting more liberal; they are removing the old
landmarks: fall in with the times.” Wear your shield, Christian, therefore,
close upon your armour, and cry mightily unto God, that by His Spirit
you may endure to the end.

Charles Spurgeon

Vision News

Jealousy

In South America there is a strange vine known as the matador. Beginning at the foot of a tree, it slowly makes its way to the top. As it grows, it kills the tree, and when at last the top is reached, It sends forth a flower to crown itself. Matador, means KILLER...jealousy... It appears harmless when it is small, but if it is allowed to grow, its tendrils of malice and hatred soon clasp themselves around the heart and eventually kill the soul. Yield not to temptation!
-J. A. Clark

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Rules to live by!

"Labor is one of the conditions of our existence"
"Time is gold; throw not one minute away, but place each one to account."
"Do unto all men as you be done by."
"Never bid another to do what you can do yourself."
"Never covet what is not your own."
"Never think any matter so trifling as not to deserve notice."
"Never give out that which does not first come in."
"Never spend but to produce."
"Let the greatest order regulate the transactions of your life."
"Labor, then, to the last moment of your existence."
"Keep good company or none."
"Never be idle."
"If your hands cannot be usefully employed, attend to the cultivation of your mind."
"Always speak the truth."
"Make few promises."
"Live up to your engagements."
"Keep your own secrets if you have any."

Vision News

Mark Driscoll on Joel Osteen

I thought that this was done well. It is so easy to accept any thing from the pulpit without thinking of what the Bible says. I hope you enjoy.

Vision News

Gutsy Guilt

Don't let shame over sexual sin destroy you.
John Piper | posted 10/19/2007 08:27AM

The closest I have ever come in 26 years to being fired from my position as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church was in the mid-1980s, when I wrote an article for our church newsletter titled "Missions and Masturbation." I wrote the article after returning from a missions conference in Washington, D.C., with George Verwer, the head of Operation Mobilization.
Related articles and links

Verwer's burden at that conference was the tragic number of young people who at one point in their lives dreamed of radical obedience to Jesus, but then faded away into useless American prosperity. A gnawing sense of guilt and unworthiness over sexual failure gradually gave way to spiritual powerlessness and the dead-end dream of middle-class security and comfort.

In other words, what seemed so tragic to George Verwer—as it does to me—is that so many young people are being lost to the cause of Christ's mission because they are not taught how to deal with the guilt of sexual failure. The problem is not just how not to fail. The problem is how to deal with failure so that it doesn't sweep away your whole life into wasted mediocrity with no impact for Christ.

The great tragedy is not masturbation or fornication or pornography. The tragedy is that Satan uses guilt from these failures to strip you of every radical dream you ever had or might have. In their place, he gives you a happy, safe, secure, American life of superficial pleasures, until you die in your lakeside rocking chair.

I have a passion that you do not waste your life. My aim is not mainly to cure you of sexual misconduct. I would like that to happen. But mostly I want to take out of the Devil's hand the weapon that exploits your sin and makes your life a wasted, worldly success. Satan wants that for you. But you don't!

What broke George Verwer's heart back in the 1980s, and breaks mine today, is not that you have sinned sexually. It's that this morning Satan took your 2 A.M. encounter—whether on TV or in bed—and told you: "See, you're a loser. You may as well not even worship. No way are you going to make any serious commitment of your life to Jesus Christ! You may as well get a good job so you can buy yourself a big widescreen and watch sex till you drop."

I want to take that weapon out of his hand. Yes, I want you to have the joyful courage not to do the channel surfing. But sooner or later, whether it's that sin or another, you are going to fall. I want to help you deal with the guilt of failure so that Satan does not use it to produce another wasted life.
God Makes a Way

The backdrop of Colossians 1-3 is Colossians 3:6: "On account of these the wrath of God is coming." Hanging over the whole world is the holy, just, unimpeachable anger of God at sin and rebellion. His wrath is coming, and the salvation spoken of in Colossians 1-3 is the only rescue from it. No one wants to meet the wrath of "the Lamb" when it comes (Rev. 6:16). So God in his mercy provides a way out.

Christ did something in history before we existed that obtained and guaranteed our rescue and the transformation of all who would come to trust in him. The distinctive and crucial thing about Christian salvation is that Christ accomplished it decisively, outside of us and without our help. When we put our faith in him, we do not add to the sufficiency of what he accomplished in covering our sins and achieving the righteousness that counts as ours.

The clearest verses on this point are Colossians 2:13-14: "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the Cross."

Those last words are the most crucial. God set aside this record of debt that stood against us, nailing it to the Cross. Make sure you understand this most glorious of all truths: God took the record of all your sins—all your sexual failures—that made you a debtor to wrath. Instead of holding them up in front of your face and using them as the warrant to send you to hell, he put them in the palm of his Son's hand and nailed them to the Cross.
Beautiful Substitution

Whose sins were punished on the Cross? The sins of all who despair of saving themselves and trust in Christ alone. Who was punished on the Cross? Jesus. That is the beautiful thing we call substitution.

Paul wrote in Romans 8:3, "By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh." Whose sin? Ours. Jesus had none (only the likeness of sinful flesh, not sinful flesh). Whose flesh? Jesus'.

Have you ever wondered what the next verse, Colossians 2:15, means? Right after saying that God nailed the record of our debt to the Cross, Paul says, "[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." This is a reference to the Devil and all his demonic hosts. How are they disarmed? How are they defeated?

They have many weapons. But they are disarmed of the one weapon that can damn us—the weapon of unforgiven sin. Be sure you see the connection between Colossians 2:14 and 15. In 2:14, it says God nailed the record of our debt to the Cross. It's punished. It's finished. And in the next breath, it says that God disarmed the rulers and authorities. He triumphed over them. Sure, they can beat us up, tempt us, scare us, and accuse us, but they cannot damn us. That weapon is out of their hands. Only unforgiven sin damns. And that was nailed to the Cross.

Many see so little of the beauty of Christ in this salvation that the gospel simply sounds to them like a license to go on sinning. If all my sins are nailed to the Cross, then let's all sin that grace may abound (Rom. 6:1). Paul confronted that blindness in his own day and said, "Their condemnation is just" (Rom. 3:8). The reason they will be condemned is that we are saved by grace through faith. This faith connects you with Jesus so that his death counts for your death and his righteousness counts for your righteousness (compare Rom. 5:1, "by faith," and Rom. 8:1, "in Christ"). This faith receives Christ. It's not an adding to what Christ has done. It is a receiving. Saving faith receives Jesus as Savior and Lord and the Treasure of your life.

This faith will fight anything that gets between it and Christ. The distinguishing mark of saving faith is not perfection. It is not that I never sin sexually. The mark of faith is that I fight. I fight not with fists or knives or guns or bombs, but with the truth of Christ. I fight anything that diminishes the fullness of the lordship of Jesus in my life. I fight anything that threatens to replace Jesus as the supreme treasure of my life.

So if all you can see in the Cross of Jesus is a license to go on sinning, then you don't have saving faith. You need to fall on your face and plead that God would open your eyes to see the compelling glory of Jesus Christ.

I haven't mentioned justification, but it is very closely related to the work of God in nailing our sins to the Cross. Justification is the act by which God declares us not only forgiven because of the work of Christ, but also righteous because of the work of Christ. God requires two things for our right standing before him: (1) Our sins must be punished, and (2) our lives must be righteous. But we cannot bear our own punishment, and we cannot provide our own righteousness (Rom. 3:10).

Therefore, God, out of his immeasurable love for us, provided his own Son to do both. Christ bears our punishment and performs our righteousness. When we receive Christ as the Savior and Lord and Treasure of our lives, all of his punishment and righteousness is counted as ours (Rom. 4:4-6; 5:1; 5:19; 8:1; 10:4; Phil. 3:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:21). Justification conquers fornication.
False Hopelessness

Being armed with biblical knowledge of God, Christ, the Cross, and salvation can give such ballast to the boat of your life that the wind of temptation will not be able to tip it over easily. The reason this is not a popular remedy for temptation today is because it is not a quick fix. It's the work of a lifetime.

You have a tremendous weapon against the Devil when you know your punishment for sin has already been paid in Christ and your righteousness before God has already been achieved in Christ, and you hold fast to these truths with heartfelt passion.

With this passionately embraced theology—the magnificent doctrines of substitutionary atonement and justification by faith (even if you don't remember the names)—you can conquer the Devil tomorrow morning when he lies to you about your hopelessness.
I WIll Rise

What will you say to him? Micah 7:8-9 is a picture of what you say to your enemy when he scoffs at your defeat. I call this practice "gutsy guilt." The believer admits that he has done wrong and that God is dealing roughly with him. But even in a condition of darkness and discipline, he will not surrender his hold on the truth that God is on his side. Pay close attention to these amazing words. Use them whenever Satan tempts you to throw away your life on trifles because that's all you're good for.

Micah 7:8-9 is what victory looks like the morning after failure. Learn to take your theology and speak like this to the Devil or anyone else who tells you that Christ is not capable of using you mightily for his global cause. Here is what you say.

"Rejoice not over me, O my enemy." You make merry over my failure? You think you will draw me into your deception? Think again.

When I fall, I shall rise. Yes, I have fallen. I hate what I have done. I grieve at the dishonor I have brought on my King. But hear this, O my enemy, I will rise. I will rise.

When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. Yes, I am sitting in darkness. I feel miserable. I feel guilty. I am guilty. But that is not all that is true about me and my God. The same God who makes my darkness is a sustaining light to me in this very darkness. He will not forsake me.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. Oh yes, my enemy, this much truth you say: I have sinned. I am bearing the indignation of the Lord. But that is where your truth stops and my theology begins. He—the very one who is indignant with me—will plead my cause. You say he is against me and that I have no future with him because of my failure. That's what Job's friends said. That is a lie. And you are a liar. My God, whose Son's life is my righteousness and whose Son's death is my punishment, will execute judgment for me. For me! And not against me.

He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. This misery that I now feel because of my failure, I will bear as long as my dear God ordains. And this I know for sure—as sure as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is my punishment and my righteousness—God will bring me out to the light, and I will look upon his righteousness, my Lord and my God.
Falling Less Often

When you learn to deal with the guilt of sexual failure by this kind brokenhearted boldness, this kind of theology, this kind of justification by faith, this kind of substitutionary atonement, this kind of gutsy guilt, you will fall less often. Why is this so? Because Christ will become increasingly precious to you.

Best of all, Satan will not be able to destroy your dream of a life of radical obedience to Christ. By this Christ-exalting gutsy guilt, thousands of you will give your lives to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

John Piper is the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. This article is adapted from a message delivered at Passion '07.

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Prosperity Gospel by Piper

I thought this was a good message. Thanks Trent.

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How to teach students

More of what was on my reading and studying list today that might have at least something that I can learn:

glumbert - A Vision of Students Today

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Wow--Snakes in the pulpit

I told you that I would just be putting here the things that I am reading and seeing. Here comes one tough video



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check out the kid preachers

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/223/popup/index.php?cl=4492237

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questioning?

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For the girls

I found this to be interesting on Perry Noble's blog

Last year I did a post entitled “Five Things A Single Dude Needs To Know” that I felt like really challenged guys and gals…at least the e-mails proved that to be true. AND…one of the questions I received for several week after was, “What about the girls, when are you going to challenge them?” Well–after about eleven months here goes…

#1 - Girls Chase Boys, Women Wait To Be Pursued.

Ladies, please believe me when I say that if you are pursuable then a godly man will take notice at just the right time…wait. If you have to pursue a guy and initiate all of the conversations and planning then the dude is not ready to lead…which would automatically disqualify him biblically from being your husband.

Ladies–admit it–the desire of your heart is to know that someone thinks you are lovely enough to pursue…and when a guy makes an effort to win your heart–there’s just something about that that makes you feel special.

God created you–designed you…and it wasn’t so you can throw yourself at a guy, hoping that he notices. Fall in love with Jesus and a godly guy will notice, I promise.

(If you are whining right now saying, “But I am in love with Jesus and no one is noticing” then you need to stop and listen to yourself…trust me, a dude doesn’t want to pursue a woman who whines!)

#2 - Set High Expectations

This sort of goes along with the first thing…but ladies–let me say this clearly–Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, which means that you should not look at a guy and say, “I can fix him up and he might work.” As I often say, you are NOT the Holy Spirit–”fixing people” is the job of Jesus…not you!

When you get married you need to be willing to say, “I will love this person AS IS for the rest of my life, if NOTHING changes I will love them!” BECAUSE, when you get married, change is NOT a guarantee…so don’t listen to promises of change if evidence is not shown beforehand.

I am SICK and TIRED of godly Christian young ladies settling because of insecurities in their lives OR because their friends are getting married and they think that they are going to be 28 and single–which would be the end of the world!!! I have seen girls get here and panic–and then date and marry some dude, only to be in divorce court in less than five years–which brings about another set of issues altogether!

Ladies–remember–Ephesians 3:20! Is he more than you could ever ask for or imagine?

#3 - Don’t Over Analyze!

Girls are HORRIBLE as this…a guy will ask them out and they will think the following…

* “He just asked me out–what does he mean by going “out?”
* “If I go out this once then does that mean we are dating?”
* “What if I don’t like going out with him–and he asks me out again?”
* “Is he thinking marriage? Oh my–if we had kids they just wouldn’t be cute!”
* “He hasn’t called me in a day, he hates me, did I have broccoli in my teeth?”

I could literally go on and on…but ladies, if a guy ask you out and you want to go–then go, and don’t spend the 72 hours before and after trying to analyze things that probably will never happen. Seriously, God probably hasn’t even invented some of the problems that ladies get stressed out about–CHILL!

#4 - Be Honest!

If I have one pet peeve with girls…it’s this–they will go out with a guy, say they had a great time…he will ask can they go out again and she says, “Call me.”

So he calls…and calls…and calls! The girl never answers when she sees its him on caller ID, she thinks if she ignores him then he may just go away. BUT, because he’s a guy and probably a little clueless–he keeps calling.

Finally they accidentally run into each other somewhere…I say “accidentally” because she had NO INTENTIONS of ever speaking to him again. He says, “I’ve been trying to call you,” and she replies, “Really…yeah, uh, I’ve been…uh…you know…busy.”

He says, “That’s cool–I understand…so, what are you doing tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow night? Uh…well…uh…I have plans.” (This is always the safest answer, right?)

“Plans–well what about the night after that…”

This conversation goes on and on with the girl making some obscure reference to having to check her schedule and for him to call her–and the game goes on.

Ladies–please–be honest. If you like the guy and want to go back out–and he asks you–then say yes. Don’t play games…say yes and go. BUT…if you have no intentions of ever going back out with him again…then please, tell him because he is probably driving his friends crazy!!!

Those are just a few hints…we are doing an entire series for singles next year–should be FUN!

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Abortion

Well I have been away in Peru and have not put up much in quite a few days but this morning as I am getting caught up I am seeing several things that are very interesting. Here comes a video of a kid preaching against abortion. I hate abortion. I am not sure how much good this does but I found it interesting enough to want to save the video. I am sure that we should all be more vocal about the wicked sin of abortion.

glumbert - Young Preacher

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WHAT CAN I DO IN MY CHURCH

I am cleaning up old files and just came across this and thought it might still have some value

TO BETTER REACH PERU, SOUTH AMERICA AND THE WORLD!


· Be faithful in your service to the Lord in your church. That means get to church on time, tithe, attend all the services, find something that you can do as a service for the Lord in your church. Your service to God in your church will build on what you are doing in private. Be sure to take care of your walk with God, your personal devotions, your prayer time, your soul winning etc.



· Pray for the ministry of your church and pastor. Pray for souls to be saved. Pray for God to send forth laborers to His harvest. Pray for your missionaries by name.



· Share your testimony--what you have seen, felt, and heard.



· Write personal letters to the missionaries--stay in touch. Learn about their personal needs--share them with others. Really pray about those needs and share them or carry them both personally and spiritually. Pray seriously.



· Send the missionary things that he needs--also just send them care packages to let them know that you love them and think of them. Often times it is “out of sight--out of mind!”



· Adopt a missionary family for at least one year and invite others to do so. Sunday School classes (and families) can do the same. It would be better if each family would take one specific missionary so that they can really get involved in their lives.



· Keep up with their birthdays and special needs. Send them a small gift and a card, etc. Remember them at Christmas.



· Study up on the different countries. Find out about the need there. Keep up with their country in the news.



· Find out about different projects that your missionaries have and get involved in them however you can.



· Send the pastor’s sermon tapes and even video tapes of the services and special activities. Make them feel like you haven’t forgotten them.



· Study the Scriptures about the needs of missionaries.



· See the work of a missionary as equal to that of a Pastor. Talk about it. Promote it. Don’t look at it as a guy in the back country that couldn’t cut it in the states.



· See the world’s problems as being a result of sin and the lack of God’s Word!



· Send personal comments on your pastor’s preaching tapes and especially greetings or comments from him.



· Invite retired missionaries or furloughing missionaries to your youth camps etc. Get them in your Sunday School class. God can use them to reach young people for the work.



· Really get to know your missionaries personally and have a genuine interest n their lives and ministry. You meet the need in their life before they ask or mention it because you are keeping up and are interested.



· Have a mission’s closet.



· When the missionary comes to your church be sure and talk with him about his work and ministry. Ask him what you can do to help him get set up. Take him to the pastor’s office and introduce him to the pastor. Show him where the bathroom is etc. Be careful to be very friendly to their children. It is very difficult going to a different church every service and feeling like you are an outcast, different, have no friends, etc.



· Show interest in his display. Most of the time no one looks or talks unless it is the children. He spent a lot of time fixing it up to show you about his country. Be interested. Ask questions. Learn.



· Tell God that you are ready and available to serve Him anywhere in the world that



· He desires. Give yourself to Him to take His gospel to the world. Don’t ask others to do what you aren’t willing to do.

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Third world

According to J Herbert Kane in Wanted World Christians on page 39 we get the following distinctions as to the first, second, and third world terms.

The First World includes the United States and its allies. The Soviet Union and its allies form the Second World. The remaining nations are usually lumped together as the Third World. The phrase was first used at the Bandung Conference in 1955 and has been used ever since.

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Too Lazy to Plow

This article will be a blast to read. It kicks hard but gets to the point. It is one of my favorites by Bob Jones Sr.

I HAVE a verse of Scripture about which I want to talk to you. I want to drive it home to your hearts. I pray God to bless us as we try to think about it together. It is the 4th verse of the 20th chapter of Proverbs.



"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing."



That is what God's Word says. You talk about good, common sense! You won't get in all other literature as much common sense as you get out of the Bible. If you want to know how to succeed, learn how from the Bible. If you want to know about salesmanship, study the Bible. You can get out of the Bible more good, practical, common sense than you can get in all the other literature in the world.

Now, get this text this morning. If you turn back from difficulty you will go hungry some day, or somebody else will have to feed you. All the failures I've ever met in my life were people who turned back when they met difficulties. Here is a student who comes to Bob Jones College and gets up against it. Then he begins to try to find an excuse to back off, an excuse to get home, an excuse to go back to mama. Occasionally a student will build up the most pious reasons. "The Lord has led me to go back to take care of my mother. I shouldn't stay here, I should go back and be kind to my daddy, my poor old daddy! He needs me so bad!" The only thing wrong with that student is that he is too rotten lazy to study. You know there is nothing in the world that makes me so disgusted as to have a fellow offer a pious excuse for doing something that is not pious. I get so tired of the shams and humbugs I meet along life's way.

The worth-while things in life are difficult. You show me the kind of difficulty you can drive through, and I'll tell you what you are, what kind of character you have. We read here in the Bible in one of these Proverbs that a fellow wakes up in the morning and says, "There is a lion in the street." He won't get up. He is a sluggard. The very thing that should make him get up, keeps him in bed. If there is a lion in the street he ought to get up. He ought to do something about it. But he wakes up and sits up in bed. There he is with the cover tucked about him. He says, "There is a lion in the street! There's a lion in the street! There is a lion in the street." And he lies back down. He lets the lion eat up somebody. Say, if there is a lion in the street, get up! That is the very time you ought to get up. Do something!

The sluggard wakes up and says, "Well, it is too cold to plow today. I don't like this kind of weather. I will just stay in bed." All right, buddy, wait until harvest time when folks around you have a good crop. You will be starving, and the fellow who plowed in the cold will have something to eat.

Do you know that a big percentage of the human race are dependents? And the reason usually is, they didn't plow when it was cold. They turned back from the difficulties of life. You are going to meet difficulties. Listen! The greater God's purpose in your life, the greater will be the difficulties you will have to face. If you study the records of the men who have moved the world for God, you will find they were always men who drove through great difficulties. There is no royal, easy road to success.

I never shall forget the time I heard Paderewski play. Somebody said I couldn't enjoy classical music. I didn't know anything about classical music. The reason people don't enjoy classical music is that they just don't get much of it. Even ordinary people like the classical when they get it. Some things are palmed off for the classical when they are not classical. But I went to hear him play, expecting to be bored to death. I sat back there just a poor, old, blundering country man without any knowledge of music; but my soul was thrilled. I never shall forget how as I watched him play my heart was moved. Somebody said to me, "Did you know he travels on the train with his piano in his special car and spends hours and hours a day practicing?" Just think of it! Some people don't make musicians because they are too lazy to practice. They have musical hearts but lazy fingers!

You know, downright laziness is what is the matter with most people. Just too good-for-nothing, no-account, lazy-that is all. Somebody has to feed them, has to bring them something to eat. Now, this is what God says about it. I am just telling you in modem words what God says in classical language, God says the sluggard who won't plow when it is cold, begs when harvest comes. That is what God's Word says about it. Now you are going to have to learn to plow when it is cold. Don't be looking out for your comfort. Don't be looking for a nice place to sit down.

Sometimes a student comes here all pepped up. He is going to do big things. He uses Christian language -talks pious. But once you put him to work, his spiritual barometer drops. You say, "Now, buddy, you are going to get down and work today. Hit the routine!" He won't be shouting when he gets his nose in a mathematics book. Personally, I never could shout over a problem in geometry! When you get to digging into Greek you won't be "Amen-ing" much. But there is as much religion in working a problem in mathematics as there is in saying "Hallelujah" at a camp meeting. And I haven't any respect for a young man who says "Hallelujah" at a camp meeting who won't dig out his lessons in an honest, faithful way when he is in college.

You are in one place that believes in "the old-time religion" and good, everyday common sense. "Amens" don't take the place of sweat in this school. Buddy, you will mop your brow many a time this year. You won't know it is cold! If you don't like to work, you are in the wrong pew. Listen, listen! We won't see you for dust, you will be moving around here so fast. You will be running around and you will be so tired your tongue will be dragging almost between your legs when you go across the campus. I am telling you about it, and I am not overestimating it. This is going to be the "out-workingest" working year you ever worked in your life! We have made up our minds to it.

Always before this year we opened school on a Wednesday morning. We opened on Tuesday night this year. We never got down to red business in past years until about Monday. This is what-Friday? This is Friday, and we are running on full schedule. And we are going to do next Tuesday's work tomorrow. That is going some! We are getting down to business! And we don't want you begging us for some of our wheat when harvest comes. If you are not going to work, don't hang around here. Don't you be a lazy loafer around here and then when we get a good crop come up and say, "I'd like to have a biscuit." We want to eat our own "grub." If you are too lazy to plow when it is cold, then just starve. You know St. Paul said, "If they won't work, don't let them eat." Mel Trotter said, "I have seen many a religious 'bum,' but I never saw a Christian tramp in my life." Listen, I never knew God to let any man down who worked and prayed and trusted. The college word this year is "Pray!" Pray! Pray! Pray! PRAY! But we haven't taken that word "Work" out of our vocabulary.

"Work wins." God won't do for you what you can do for yourself. I have told these old students-and now you new ones listen: God Almighty is not going to master mathematics for you. One day a student came to me and said, "I've been praying the Lord to help me pass my examinations." "Well," I said, "He's not going to do a thing for you. Do you suppose God Almighty is going to endorse your laziness?" Think about a fellow who doesn't study coming to God and saying, "Now, Lord, I was too rotten lazy to study and I want You to help me out." God would say, "I won't help you. I don't endorse your laziness." God won't do for you what you can do for yourself.

You go out and start to walk across the street out there. You say, "I'm going to trust the Lord. I am going to shut my eyes and walk across the street. Now, Lord, take care of me; I am trusting You." You try that, and some fool will run over you. You will get hit on both sides! If you get out there and start walking across the street, the thing to do is to use both eyes and pray, too. Even then some fool may run over you.

Amanda Smith, that great colored woman whom God raised up and used in such a wonderful way-just a poor washerwoman, a maid-one time found that she couldn't hear in one of her ears. She got anointed and asked the Lord to heal her. She just kept on asking the Lord to heal her. But she got worse and worse. One day Amanda went to see the doctor. She said, "Doctor, I asked the Lord and He didn't do anything for me; see what you can do." She had good sense. She had asked the Lord, but she went around to see a doctor and said, "Look in that ear, Doctor, and see what is in it." The doctor just got a little wax out and she could hear. Old Amanda said, "The trouble was I wanted the Lord to wash my ears for me!" There are some people who want the Lord to wait on them. God is not going to clean your ears for you. Wash your own dirty ears! Don't you ask God to press your pants. He is not your tailor! If you are too lazy to press your pants or get them pressed, He will let them bag off you!

There was a woman one time who had a boy in our school. He was in high school. (Warning bell rings) Just a minute-I want to finish with this boy. That woman sent that boy here to our Academy. He was a little "ornery" fellow. The mother wrote me a letter and said she was praying he would come out all right. I said, "Your boy doesn't need prayer. He needs an energetic mother with a stick." God won't whip a mother's "kid" for her. He will let her heart break sometimes because she didn't whip him! The God I worship has good sense. The God I serve is a God who is infinite in wisdom. God sends the sunshine, God sends the rain. God gives the soil. God gives you the physical strength to plow; and if you are too lazy to plow, God won't send you any wheat when harvest comes.



Now, let's get down to business. You know, all of us are lazy. I've always been lazy. If I am lazy, what about you? Nobody ever accused me of being lazy, but I am. I have been accused of everything in the world but being lazy and running. I never ran away from a fight and never was accused of being lazy. But I'm lazy. Everybody is lazy. I don't like to study except what I like to study. I don't like to work. I sweated here this summer in my office, when I would have given almost anything in the world to have had a vacation.



If you start off in life backing off from everything except just what you want to do and leaving undone what you don't want to do, you will never amount to a "hill of beans." God won't let you make good. Some young people go off to school and take just what they want to take, just what they like. That is what is the matter with the world now. Everybody in this school ought to take some subject he hates. Every student ought to have to do something he despises to do, and then do it well. If you haven't taken some subject this year that you don't like, there is something wrong with your character. Under the old educational system we were told what to take. We were told that what we disliked most, we needed most. That old system worked, too.

Now, what did God say, What did God say makes men beg? He said men beg because they will not go out in the cold. They will not plow unless the weather suits them!

Prayer: "Our Father, save us from being lazy. Save us from mental laziness. Save us from physical laziness. Save us from spiritual laziness. Some of us are too lazy to pray. Help us to learn to plow when it is cold. Help us not to turn back when the sun gets hot. Help us to not turn away from mathematics, or science, or literature, or history, or whatever we ought to take. Help us to do what God wants us to do. And may we go through with Thee this year to victory so after a while when harvest time comes we can gather in the sheaves for the glory of God. We ask it in Thy name! Amen."

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Life of David Brainard

I am listening to a copy of the book Life of David Brainard by Jonathan Edwards and must tell you that it is well worth your time. I am amazed at his desire to please God and to be holy. I know that I want to do the same.

As I listened he told a story that reminded me of one of my failures--sins against almighty God.

He was in the chapel with just his closest friends. One asked what he thought of the prayer of a certain professor. Brainard's response was that he had no more grace on him that the chair. A student overheard the comment and told the faculty. Brainard was called to give an account.

He had said it in confidence to his closest friends but now he was in trouble. He would eventually get kicked out of the school and never allowed to return.

When confronted he reacted far differently than I have been known to react. He said that true or not he had no right to talk about a person of superior position than his. He recognized that he had sinned against God and would willing confess so in front of others thought it was said in private.

He realized that he should not speak badly about others.

God dealt with my heart. I have often said things that I should not have said. They are not mine to judge. Though as Brainard said things might be taken out of context and made to sound worse than they were intended it was still wrong and a sin.

I hope that I have learned my lesson from my own experience and the chance to listen to this book.

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Resolved

I am trying to keep up with not only my reading on here but what God is showing me in other ways also. I have just finished listening to John Piper talk about Jonathan Edwards. Much of the talk was based on the Resolutions by Jonathan Edwards. I wanted to post them here for my future reference as I am kind of using this as my file and also that the few of you that might be interested could read them.

I have placed some of the ones that really touch me in bold print though all of them are probably worth being put in bold.

THE RESOLUTIONS
of
Jonathan Edwards
BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God' s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Proverbs 20:6,‹A faithful man who can find?Š may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.

34. Resolved, in narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord' s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.

43. Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God' s; agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.

44. Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. January 12, 1723.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12 and 13, 1723.

46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye: and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, to endeavor, to my utmost, to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented and easy, compassionate and generous, humble and meek, submissive and obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable and even, patient, moderate, forgiving and sincere temper; and to do at all times, what such a temper would lead me to; and to examine strictly, at the end of every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.

55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. June 9, and July 13 1723.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 11, and July 13.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4, and 13, 1723.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty, and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, to do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man:‹knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.Š June 25 and July 13, 1723.

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. January 14 and July 13, 1723.

64. Resolved, when I find those ‹groanings which cannot be utteredŠ (Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those‹breakings of soul for the longing it hath,Š of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton' s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.

66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. August 11, 1723.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. August 17, 1723.

Vision News

church planting ideas

I thought the following were great ideas. I got them off of this blog

Hey - I'm assuming that some who are reading this are future church planters. Hopefully you'll be able to steal some of these ideas (in fact, we stole many of them ourselves). So here's a random list of some of what we did:


2. We did several absolutely free car washes in the community. We accepted no donations. We gave each person a free bottle of water with a Forefront label, and a free frisbee that said "Forefront is coming!"

3. We did donut dropoffs. People on the Launch Team chose businesses, and hospital emergency rooms, and schools - and then once a week (or more) dropped off one or two dozen donuts to the employees of that place, with a "Forefront is coming!" sticker on the box. Some people did this with pizza's instead of donuts.

4. We did a bunch of block parties, where we had our Launch Team invite all their neighbors over for a party. Some set up screens and borrowed our projector and showed a movie at night for families. At these block parties some just discreetly tried to have conversations about the new campus. Others made short announcements that they were a part of a new church startup and to see them if you had questions.

5. We handed out water bottles all over the place. We had Forefront labels on them.

6. We sent a series of 3 postcards to 57,000 homes in the vicinity of our new Sunday morning campus. (These cards did NOT land on the days they were supposed to. That really stunk.)

7. We did radio ads on four secular rock stations and ESPN radio for the week before launch, and the week after launch. The ad played about 5 or 6 times per station, per day. (So about 1,000 ads over two weeks.)

8. We had our people put about 15,000 doorhangers on the homes around the vicinity of our Tuesday night campus.

9. We did 240 days of prayer, where each day we had at least one person who "owned" praying for the launch(es) for that day. This person committed to spend as much time as possible praying (fervantly) for the launch(es).

10. We followed those 240 days with 240 hours of prayer, where we had at least one person praying every minute for 10 straight days. We had calendars where people signed up for round-the-clock praying. (Got this idea from Acts 1-2, sort of via Mark Batterson, where the Christians pray "constantly" from Passover-ish to Pentecost (10 days) and then ... Pentecost happens.)

11. We had lots of people fast for the new campus(es), some for up to ten days.

Vision News

Discover the Difference

Reading the same book and came across the story of Verle Ackerman. He revitalized the church and got it up and going again. I really liked what he used as a slogan--Discover the Difference. I am thinking about using that here at Vision.

Here are the things that he did to get the church back on top again. I think that they work for us.

1. Created esprit de corps among the people
2. Got the Sunday School functioning properly
3. Instituted a visitation program
4. Cleaned up the properties
5. Began an advertising campaign
6. Created a vision for the future--that is the old way of saying that he cast a vision.
7. He built a youth program

Here is what he said about training his workers. I like it and think that it is the way that we must do it

1. A potential or future teacher observes the class that is to be taught
2. Methods of teaching are taught in the teachers meeting
3. The future teacher catches the spirit of the Sunday School by being in the teachers and workers meetings
4. Actual in service training is used to prepare teachers


I thought that all of these are valuable for us.

It also causes me to think that I want to change the name of our teachers and workers meeting to a Volunteer meeting which includes all that do volunteer service at our church. Teachers, greeters, ushers, you name it.

I will be planting that idea and working on it to see how it turns out.

Vision News

still reading America's fastest growing churches

The book was published in January of 1972 and cost $4.95 so you can get the idea that it is quite old.

This chapter is about Verle Ackerman and the First Baptist Church of West Hollywood, Florida. He gives some interesting things that I might could apply to our church. The keys to turning a dead organization around were

1. giving people a deep spiritual direction
2. creating an organization that functions
3. showing a deep love for each person in the organization
4. being enthusiastic in all that is done

page 78

much more to come later

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When did John the Baptist get so mean

Mat 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Without a doubt we need to preach the truth straight and hard but it is interesting that in this passage where we John the Baptist literally ripping into the people it says that he has seen the Parisees and the Sadducees.

These were two religious groups. They were the spiritual leaders of the day. They were not the common people. If anything they were those that were confusing the people of the day and hiding the truth.

Remember before you get mean in your preaching who you are talking to. Also remember whose example you are following.

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chappell--larry

Larry Chappell says in the book about the fastest growing churches something that is very good. It is something that we can focus on doing. It says

Quality and quantity cannot be separated. If a church has quality teaching, it will grow into a large quantity. page 46

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My heart's desire

I am reading through America's fastest growing churches again rapidly. I noticed that Falwell page 28 had a My Heart's Desire campaign during the month of December. He had every person in the church write the name of one person for whom he would pray and work to get saved.

I think we could do this in our church during the month of December. It could be that My Heart's Desire is to see ---saved for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

We will use Romans 10 as the verse and state that My hearts desire for --- is that they might be saved.

The secret to the growth of Falwell's church was saturation evangelism page 31

that means preaching the gospel to every available person at every available time by every available means.

Falwell's evangelistic program 1. Contact 2. Continuous contact 3. consciousness of no limitations

Falwell's reason for using Saturation Evangelism

1. the population explosion demands it
2. the imminent return of Jesus Christ commands that we reach every man with the gospel soon
3. people are dying every day

the regular way of evangelizing is simply not going to work.

He used the telephone

we need to set up the phone tree to say something like he did--Hello we are calling from Vision Baptist Church. My pastor, Austin Gardner, asked me to call and invite you to our services for a message based on verse by verse Bible study that has real applications to your life. Come learn what the Bible says that applies to your everyday life.

Sunday School bus evangelism

start making the cds available to shut ins, nursing homes, etc

get our messages on the internet as soon as possible

put up video excerpts from our messages on youtube

start a monthly newspaper that can be sent to everyone that visits our church in whatever state they are in

use promotions in our Sunday School and other ministries to get people to church

Plan a camp for next year

start a ministry to reach the deaf

start a ministry to reach people that deal with addictions

get started in prisons and jails


those are the ideas I just gleaned from a study of the chapter about Jerry Falwell

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Synagogue

What is a synagogue

was a gathering of Jews to worship. The requirement was for a minimum of 10 men to be present. A Jewish boy at the age of 13 was counted a man--not in the sense of government responsibility, nor getting married etc but in being responsible for his behavior, sin, keeping the commandments, etc.

the word also referred to the house of assembly or the gathering or assembly for the worship of God.

the synagogue was a house of prayer, a house of study, and many other functions.

good information

By the way I have spent a lot to time today reading from this page and you might find it very interesting.

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so spake

Here is a question for you: In Acts 14:1 it says that they so spake that a great multitude believed.

How did they so speak?

I would assume that it was speaking

with the power of the Holy Spirit
with boldness
with clarity
with good persuasion

It appears that they have just arrived in Iconium and they spoke in such a way that both Jews and Greeks believed. I assume that these Greeks were already attending the synagogue.

they must have used the Old Testament clearly. They must have been exciting and knowledge. It must have been clear and with logic or they would have rejected them.

There is a message in so spake.

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Twisted society

I found this interesting quote in the Reader's Digest. I think it about sums up how twisted our society has become and perfectly illustrates the truth.

"No one knows better than humorist Tom Lehrer just how much things have changed over the years. 'In my youth, there were certain words you couldn't say in front of a girl; now you can say them, but you can't say girl.'"

How about a society that kills human babies and saves baby whales and seals. How about a society that lets a woman who kills her husband with a shotgun blast to the back out in less than 3 years and someone else gets drunk and spends more time in jail.

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Acts 14

Possible message ideas

I need to explain what a synagogue of the Jews was since it is used so frequently in the Scriptures

I am thinking of preaching and explaining the fact that they spoke boldly in the Lord--there is a lot I could see in the Bible there

1. they spoke about Jesus Christ so much that all wanted them to shut up--there message wasn't about the church or themselves but Him
2. speaking about Jesus caused them a great deal of discomfort but they felt honored to speak in his name and could not be dissuaded from doing so
3. they prayed that they would have boldness to speak instead of praying to get out of the problem or for God to soften hearts.
4. an interesting thought that comes to mind right now is that they didn't even pray that the people would believe but rather that they would have boldness
5. they spoke so much about Jesus that they filled the city of Jerusalem with their doctrine
6. God gave signs and wonders to them as a testimony of his word
7. They spoke and some believed and others rejected--to them the job was to speak and God's job was to convert

Right off the top of my head the other things that I need to preach from this chapter will be to explain Signs and Wonders and why we do not have them in our church currently.

Another message would be how to deal with persecution because sometimes they ran, sometimes they stayed, sometimes they were liberated and sometimes they died.

Another message from the chapter would be how they refused to allow men to honor them as anything more than men

another message would have to be the missionary methods that we find in the chapter.

Now my problem is to figure our what I should do tomorrow

Vision News

Porn

This is from http://www.jeffkapusta.com/2007/10/06/porn-sunday/

and contains some good material that should be part of our preaching to make sure that people have the weapons to over come this problem


Tomorrow kicks off not only our BRAND NEW SERIES: EXPOSED, but also our first ever PORN SUNDAY.

PORN FACTS:

• Number of pornographic web sites: 4.2 Million.

• People who regularly visit Internet porn web sites daily: 40 million.

• Christians who said pornography is a major problem in the home: 47%

• Breakdown of male/female visitors to pornography sites: 65% male - 35% female.

• 30% of unsolicited e-mails contain pornographic materials.

• Women, far more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs.

• Porn revenue is larger than the combined revenues of all professional football, baseball and basketball franchises.

• US porn revenue exceeds the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC at $6.2 billion.

The average age a person is exposed to porn: 11 years old.

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Divorce?

I must take a strong stand in favor of marriage and against divorce. God hates putting away and dealing treacherously with the wife of our youth. I know that a great deal of people are divorced but that is not the point. I must make my decisions based on what the word of God says. I must be a student of the Bible. I must be an expositor. I can not make my decisions based on what will be popular or what is convenient for the society that I live in.

Mal 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
Mal 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Mal 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

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What have we been giving God?

Mal 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
Mal 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
Mal 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

I am afraid that we like the Jews have spent to long thinking of ourselves and working on what we want that we have forgotten that He is our father. He is our master. What are we putting on His altar.

Have I been going to him seeking what I wanted as though I was the master. Have I been trying to get him to bless what I am doing for the good of my ministry. I am sorry for thinking of using God for my purposes instead of being used for His purposes regardless of what that means.

I will no longer give God that which costs me nothing nor will I try to get Him to build my church rather I will give myself for him to get glory through me anyway that He wants. I will rejoice in the Lord.

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Good ideas

Well I was just reading a post by Vince Antonucci and he mentioned some of the things that he does in his church that I think have some merit for my ministry. We do not have the same style ministry since I am an independent Baptist but he does make a very valid point in this post. I will quote some and then note what I want us to do in our services at Vision.

... but I would encourage you to wrestle with this and figure out how you need to apply the principle in your setting.....

When you walk in there is music thumping. It feels like a party. All of the songs we play pre-service are secular. Christians disagree with this, but we don’t care because we’re not trying to reach Christians.

When you enter the auditorium and take your seat the same music is cranking, and a series of slides appear on the screen. Some offer helpful information about our church, but more are just goofy. You’ll see strange pictures of strange things, read bizarre facts, laugh at funny graphics.

So we’re now six or seven minutes into the service and nothing especially “spiritual” has happened but hopefully new people are now opened up and ready to experience something spiritual.
....

I think that it is a very good idea that we have very happy music going throughout the entire building when people arrive. We will play godly, Christ honoring music that should set the stage for our services. We do want God's people in our church but I will admit that often our building and services can feel very dead and we need to do away with that.

I do care what Christians think. I more care what God thinks and I will have to do what I feel comfortable doing.

I think that it would be a good idea to have announcements and other slides showing all over the building also. That is a very good idea.

I want to set the stage and the mood and so I want to apply this principle.

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