The Dawning of Indestructible Joy

I-n-d-e-s-t-r-u-c-t-i-b-l-e  J-o-y -- That is Awesome!  How can we get it?  The title of this post comes from the advent book, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy, written by John Piper and published this year by Crossway.  Each day in December Piper focuses on a concise, chewable nugget of gospel truth related to the coming birth of Jesus Christ.  The book has been a blessing for me during the month of December as I prepare my heart for Christmas and celebrate Jesus' birth who is the Word who became flesh and made His dwelling among us (John 1:14). 

In one of the daily readings, I was reminded that advent means "coming." You see, Jesus came on a rescue mission to save you and me from our sins. "The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).  Our sins deserve God's wrath and eternal punishment that is to come.  Check out these verses in Romans 2:4-11; Romans 5:8.

Here is the good news. God loves you.  His Son, Jesus, came not only to live, but to die on a cross for you and for me. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

I am thankful for advent and "the coming" of a Savior who became to save you and me from our sins.  With this we have much hope, purpose to live for His glory, and joy that is indestructible.  "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-10).  

Do you have indestructible joy? 

November Notes

October Recap in November

Thanksgiving: Grace

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
  I once was lost, but now am found;
 was blind, but now I see.”  As I reflect on another year I am thankful for God’s grace in my life.  It is amazing.  Why? I thank God for saving me from my sins.  “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:9-10)  I see each day more sin in my life from what I think, say, and do.  I know I need the forgiveness of my sin that only comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ – “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22b).  I am thankful for saving grace!

I am a new creation in Christ, but daily battle indwelling sin (Romans 7:14-20).  More times than not I live for self rather than loving God and others (Matthew 22:37-40).  Praise the Lord that when I sin there is forgiveness of my sins!  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).  Thankful for God’s sanctifying grace!

Again this year I’ve faced challenges at work, challenges with people, physical trials, and walked through challenging times with others.  One thing remains reliable, constant, and ever abundant – God’s grace!  “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  Grateful for God’s sustaining grace!

Lord, thank you for your grace that  saved me, is necessary and abundant in the process of sanctification (being more like your son, Jesus Christ), and is available each day to rely on, know, and live out for your glory and the good of others.

September Summary

Wow -- what a month!  Travels to Washington, D.C. for an annual conference with a visit the Philadelphia Int'l Produce Terminal Market then to Newark, DE to visit Produce Marketing Association's headquarters, and Lancaster County to visit a Four Seasons Produce and my former employer Conestoga Wood Specialities.  Knoxville, TN for a University of Tennessee vs. Alabama football the month has gone by quickly.

These pics capture my visit.

Inside the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. It's a state of the art facility.  A forty degree temperature is maintained throughout the building so that fruit and vegetables stay fresh and tasty.

Procacci Brothers is off the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.  They're one of the largest tomato shippers in the United States. Mr. Joe Procacci, CEO, in his late 80's and still going strong, is in the center of the picture.  His son, J.M. Procacci, COO, is on the far left and Mike Maxwell, President, is on the far right.  My boss, Jim Carr, is to the right of Joe Procacci, and my colleague, Frank Sanchez, is behind me.

Summer 2014

The Grand Canyon

A week ago I went to the Grand Canyon. It was my first time.  Words cannot adequately describe the grandeur, immense size, and shear beauty that is on display through His creation at the canyon.
The psalmist writes, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1).   After taking a half a day to see many views of the canyon, I leave in awe of an awesome God!

There is no way after going to the Grand Canyon that one can say, "There is no God."  "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language  where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).    

Snow

Snow, we got a lot this year.  That may be an understatement.  We got a more snow than I have ever seen in my life!  Due to the severe cold and snow we received this winter, Chicago was renamed Chiberia (Chicago +Siberia = Chiberia).

Today we picked up another 3-5" depending where one lives in the Chicagoland area.  This snow fall was like no other one we have received this season. It was wet and clung to the trees.  As result, this snow was a beautifully, awesome display of God's glory.  Even these pictures cannot capture what the human eye could see today.

The word "snow"is used a lot in the Bible.  Here are some verses that throttle my heart.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:12-13

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.  "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;  wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

"As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.  His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool."  Daniel 7:9

No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets.