Review - Sunday October 28th: Grow and Take Heed

Review of Lord’s Day: October 28th 2012

Pastor Shane Walker and Pastor Neil Jackson

Luke 2:39-52, Revelation 6

My take on Sunday's Sermons at Andover Baptist and other thoughts

LUKE 2
What happens to a stalk of corn grown indoors when you plant it outside in the elements? It doesn't have the strong fibers which enable corn to withstand the wind and the rain so it falls over and dies.  Jesus was faced with difficult life circumstances which enabled Him to grown strong and increase in wisdom.  And we need to seek to grow strength of character and increase in spiritual wisdom as well.  

Fernando Torres Red Card

Fernando Torres is a massive disappointment - that is true.  If you pull up the last picture I posted of Juan Mata on his way to another incredible goal you will see Fernando Torres in the background sitting with his feet propped up and a cup of tea in one hand and a newspaper in the other.  He's lost his hunger for goals.  Hunger for goals is what fuels a striker.  It is not enough to hold up play, be a creator, terrorize defenses, throw the other team "off balance," or any other such vague objective.  A striker must score goals and create goals.  Neither of which has Torres been able to do (although Mata has; scoring one and creating the other in this game).  This often requires a striker to play through fouls.  Football is a rough sport Fernando and you need to buck up, take the hits, stay on your feet, and then bury the ball in the back of the net.  This is the Premier League so save the tumbles for Serie A where you'll invariably end up if you want to play with guile rather than skill and power. 





Torres needs to be stronger - but not worthy of a Yellow!

 

Shakhtar Donetsk 2 - 1 Chelsea FC

Group E

			Home			Away			Total
	Clubs	P	W	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
1	FC Shakhtar Donetsk	3	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	1	0	5	2	3	7
2	Chelsea FC	3	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	7	4	3	4
3	Juventus	3	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	4	4	0	3
4	FC Nordsjælland	3	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	2	1	7	-6	1

Group E is shaping up to be quite interesting.  We've got two absolute football powerhouses in a group with two, how shall we say it? non-powerhouse teams.  Of course, one can always argue that any team in the Champions League is a top team - by definition a team has to finish in the top of their league or win the Europa to even qualify.  Teams like Tottenham Hotspur did not even qualify for the competition.  We're talking about the very best of the best.  And yet teams out of Belgium, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Denmark, and the Netherlands never seem to have as much success as teams out of Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. 

Hawaii Notes - Maui

Here is the view looking up from a volcano in Maui.  My parents are on a trip to Hawaii and then off to a cruise.  Since I won't be able to do trips like this for a few years, it is great to be able to follow along with them through pictures my dad has been texting me.

Jesus Lover of My Soul

Additional ending verses to “Jesus Lover of My Soul” written by Charles Wesley, 1740

By: Jesse Harlan

To the tune: ABERYSTWYTH 7.7.7.7. D.

6.

Jesus may I look to you! Set my mind on things above.

Even now my heart renew, wake in me my one true love.

Kill in me desire for sin - strengthen faith when it may fail.

For with you the war I’ll win! You who calmed the stormy gale.

7.

Jesus lover of my soul raise me up on that great day!

You dear presence is my goal. There forever I will stay.                                                        
Brother shall I be an heir with you of all things from God?

How can such a thing be fair? I will trust the word of God.

Review - Sunday October 21st: Joy to the World!

Review of Lord’s Day: October 21st 2012

Pastor Shane Walker

Luke 2:1-38

My take on Sunday's Sermon at Andover Baptist and other thoughts

There are many ways to wait for something.  We find ourselves waiting in boredom or anticipation depending on what we're waiting for.  There are two ways to wait; in idleness or in anticipation.

Locksmith

We arrived home this afternoon and realized that our back door lock was acting up again.  For some reason it gets stuck in place if you apply too much pressure to it.  My father-in-law has already helped us with this issue a couple times.

Here's what happened...

Preview - Luke 2

Preview – Luke 2

Pastor Shane Walker

My preliminary thoughts on the passage to be preached this Sunday

The incarnation

When we looked at Mary's song we saw a clear link to the Psalms of David as well as the appropriateness of Mary using similar language as her forefather to praise God regarding the coming of Jesus.  And the coming of Jesus was a fulfillment of the promise to David that he would always have a descendant sitting on the throne.  And so we see in the beginning of Luke 2 the family is returning to Bethlehem the city of David due to Joseph's lineage, for a census.

Tottenham 2 - 4 Chelsea: What's the Mata Villas Boas?



Thank you Senor Mata!


Roman Abramovich must surely feel that his decision to sack Andres Villas Boas was vindicated.  The game billed as a chance for Boas to show that he belongs as a manager of a Champions League caliber team became merely a showcase to expose his and his side's weaknesses.  

Worse Than Death?

What could be worse than death? I think for most of us, death is one of the worst things that we can ponder.  That is partly due to what is called the "self preservation instinct" that humans are born with. Also, the fear we have of the pain involved in death and the unknown are both good reasons to dread it.  But are there things that are worse than death?

Happy 5th Birthday Mark

Mark just turned 5 years old! Here are a few pictures of the big man.

Review - Sunday October 14th 2012

Review of Lord’s Day: October 14th 2012

Pastor Shane Walker & Pastor Neil Jackson

2 Corinthians 4 and Revelation 5

My take on Sunday's Sermons and other thoughts

Dr. John Byl took the Sunday School and dealt with problems which arise from "Old Earth" and theistic evolution.  I was unable to attend but heard it was a very helpful session.  Read some of Byl's excellent points here.

Preview - 2 Corinthians 4

Preview – 2 Corinthians 4

Pastor Shane Walker

My thoughts on the passage to be preached this Sunday

Although this passage applies to all believers, it particularly applies to those who are ministers of the Gospel.  But the embedded distinction between "all believers" and "ministers of the Gospel" in the previous sentence may be shown to be unclear due to the fact that, in a limited way, all christians show to others the beauty of the Gospel.  Many of us also speak the Gospel in informal ways as well.  "'I believed, and so I spoke' we believe and so we also speak."

Review - Sunday Morning October 7th 2012

Review of Lord’s Day Morning: October 7th 2012

Pastor Shane Walker

Luke 1:46-80

My take on Sunday's Sermon and other thoughts

The sermon begins with an introduction to the theme of "Enemies" using the example of baseball fans who cheer for their home team and also whatever team is playing against the New York Yankees.  Perfect! I feel a sudden urge to yell, "Let's GO O's!" but refrain and quickly return my attention to our text.

Spiritual Mindedness



John Owen

Below is a link to some very helpful notes on Spiritual Mindedness by John Owen. This is over at the Faith Seeking Understanding blog of Shane Walker.  

John Owen requires a good deal of time and effort to understand. These notes distill many of the helpful directives and gleanings from his book. If you can't read the book get the notes here:

http://www.andoverbaptist.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96:john-owen-spiritual-mindedness&catid=41:currently-reading&Itemid=98

End of the Road: Yankees 3 - Orioles 1

Thank you Baltimore Orioles for a great 2012 season and we hope to see you back in the postseason next year.  Although it would have been nice to pay the Yankees back for 1996 it just wasn't our year.  I don't think anyone even thought the Orioles would make the postseason much less force a fifth game in the ALDS on the road against the Yankees. 

It's great to see the Orioles turning around as an organization and they have made next season something for me and my family to look forward to.  I can't wait to take my sons to their first game next summer at Camden Yards!

Who would have thought baseball could be this exciting?

Yankees 3 - 2 Orioles ALDS Game 3 - Loss

Who is Raul Ibanez?  Right now he is my least favorite player.  We had our closer in to finish off the game, just as he has done so many times before, and here comes this no-name pinch hitter.  I thought this would be great. The Yankees are shaken and now we can finish them off.  They took out A-Rod and put in this guy?  Please - this is it, we're on to Game 4 and a chance to pay back the Yankees. 

Helpful Post by Jeremy Walker

Thanks for your helpful post Pastor Walker.

Check it out here:
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2012/10/surface-repairs-1.php

Orioles 3 - 2 Yankees ALDS Game 2 - WINNERS

The Oriole Bird was rosin up the bow in the 7th inning stretch.  As we sang a tune from John Denver raucously we wondered how long the dream could last.  I've never understood exactly what being a country boy had to do with Baltimore or baseball - but at that moment none of us cared.  We were just hoping our wonderful game two dream would end well and how it did!

Thanks to some great hitting at the right times and a base running error by Mr. Derek Jeter (sorry his name has to be included here - henceforth it will be the dreaded DJ) we were able to prevail.  I was particularly pleased when the dreaded DJ failed to tag up on a line drive and was called out at second while he stood at third.  Awkward.  I don't think the crowd was louder than that point.  With one exception.

Orioles - Remember 1996!

We've almost clinched the wild card spot (with only a +7 run differential??) but the dreaded Yankees have won the division.  Could the Yankees be any more detestable?  They disgust me and all Orioles fans for many reasons.  I don't have the time or the energy to go into this long and storied rivalry.  But lets at least remember one incident that, even as a non-baseball fan, I will never forget.  The memory has been seared upon my mind and emotions ever since it happened.

or Fishing

Mark: Daddy what is this?

Me: That is a paper to help people think about God.

Mark: Hmm or maybe they can think about fishing right?

Me: uhh... yes Mark or about fishing.

Thanks to Church of The Open Door in Westminster, MD for sending some folks over to our house to invite us to church.

Christianity, Math, and Science - Lectures

How do recent breakthroughs in Math and Science relate to our faith in God?  Have Math and Science completely debunked all that we've previously learned about God?  Click on the Link below to find out more about an upcoming conference by a noted scholar - I hope to attend and hope to see you there.

http://www.andoverbaptist.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=124

Chelsea v FC Nordsjaelland - A key win

Well my prediction was a bit off I must say.  I was quite sure that Chelsea would not be able to run away with a 4-0 win, but it is always nice to be wrong in this way.  There were a couple good things about the results from today's group stage matches. 

Chelsea v FC Nordsjaelland

Tomorrow Chelsea is playing a UEFA Champions League game against some Danish team that no one has heard of.  But don't worry, these types of group games can be very exciting. 

Preview - Luke 1:45-80

Preview – Luke 1:45-80

Pastor Shane Walker

My thoughts on the passage to be preached this Sunday
Luke chapter 1 is extremely long – it is the longest chapter in the New Testament.  No wonder we’ve broken it into two sermons at our church.  Last week we learned about the response of Mary and Zechariah when they were in the presence of Gabriel.  This week we see a more full response from both Mary and Zechariah and both of them are beautiful.