Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach and more Cannon Beach.

These are pictures from my last two visits to Cannon Beach.

Becky and I crashed the Woods vacation at the Oldright's cabin. We had amazing enchiladas made by Amy. Ryan taught me how to skip rocks. It was fun. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

My little nephew Gavin Joseph Born 9/29....

Discipline and Dependence.

I am reading the Disciplines of Grace by Jerry Bridges. I was reading about discipline and dependence. Bridges paraphrases 1 Corintians 3:7 which says: "So that neither the one who plants or the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth." Paul meant this in reference to ministry and that is always how I have read it. But when you apply it to your life it is a good reminder that God is the one who causes growth for your spiritual life. He talks of two extremes. One is being passive in your walk with God. Expecting growth with no effort. Bridges writes, "The Holy Spirit does not do the work for us; rather he enables us to do the work. We often use the expression 'Let the Lord live His life through me.' I am personally uncomfortable with this expression because it suggests passivity on our part. He does not live his life through me. Rather, as I depend on Him, He enables me to live a life pleasing to Him."

What an excellent reminder to not become passive with our faith. John Owen also puts it well. He says: " But out duty and out Grace are nowhere opposed in the matter of sanctification; for the on absolutely supposes the other. We cannot perform our duty without the grace of God; nor does God give his grace other than to perform our duty." We can rely on God completely while still putting work in to our spiritual walk.  

Another way is that we depend to much in spiritual disciplines. I think that I lean more in this area. While reading your bible and praying are wonderful things to be doing the act itself is not what causes growth. Like i said before it is God who causes the growth. We can be reading our bibles and praying all we want but if God is not in the equation nothing will happen. Bridges says " But those disciplines are not the source of our spiritual strength. The Lord Jesus Christ is, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit to apply the strength to our lives. This goes back to 1 Corinthians, we can plant and we can water but God causes the growth. This is such a good reminder in two ways. One to be completely and humbly surrender to our Lord. To be wholly dependent on him for everything, especially our spiritual growth. Second to not be lax about our faith. To always be striving to know God better. I am so thankful for this simple yet profound reminder to rely fully on God. 

While not putting it this way I think that if I follow a set mandate for spiritual growth then I will grow. I realized through reading this chapter that I do not rely fully on God for spiritual strength. I in essence rely on myself. Because I am the one deciding to read my bible and pray. Bridges tells How Jonathan Edwards had seventy resolutions to govern his spiritual conduct. Talk about being disciplined but at the beginning of his resolutions he wrote this:

. " 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." Jonathan Edwards. 

I am humbly entreating God to enable me to be more disciplined with full reliance on Him. 

updates on my life.

Wow! It has been a really long time since my last post. Well I went to Arizona to see my folks. I had a really nice time. It was culture shock because their was like 15 people staying in the same house. I have had my brother Bryan with me this week. He is visiting from Arizona. Also been an adjustment because I am so used to doing my own thing by myself mostly and then all of a sudden I have this fifteen year old boy with me all the time. Don't get me wrong I have really enjoyed spending time with Bryan. It has been good to get to know him again. I am used to being the orphan wandering around from house to house. With a fifteen year old that is hard. :)
I am house sitting for the Lents this month. I am horrible allergic to something in their house. I have been sick since I got their. It sucks! Well this is short and I will hopefully post something again soon.

hmmm...

I really appreciated Ryan's sermon on Sunday. I think that I needed to be reminded that no one is out of reach for God's grace. Sometimes I see how far away some of the people I love are from God and think that they will never come into a right relationship with God. But I need to consider more that it is only through God's grace that I am walking with Him. He is the one that draws me to him each day. I should be thankful for the amazingness of that. I did not on my own accord decide to follow Jesus. I think that is something that, while I know, I should be living out more. Just because outwardly I seem to be taking all the right steps toward God, sometimes inwardly, I am in rebellion to my Savior. I am, without God's ,no better than the worst of sinners. I get so caught up in making sure that everyone thinks I am doing right, that I forget to actually check myself and make sure that I am doing it all for God's glory and not my own. I also get jealous of families that have such great relationships with eachother. I am frustrated with the fact that I am a part of a family that is so disconnected. All of this to say I am not having a thankful heart. Sure sometimes I do but alot I don't.
I want to do ALL things for God's glory. So when I pray for my friends and family I want to do that out of a true concern for their souls and not because it is what I should do. I want to be honest with my own sinfullness so that I can be more in tune with God's grace. I want to be painful aware when I am doing things to please others and not God so that I can ask God to re focus my attention back to his Kingdom. I want to never forget the wrath that God took me away from so that I can be constantly thankful for his Son. I am sick so my head is foggy so I hope this makes some amount of sense.
I will leave you with a verse I have been thinking on lately.
"For the mind set on the flesh is death but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace."
Romans 8:6

Pictures from my day at the zoo!

Some of these are just of the cute animals and some are of the cute kids. The one of Rylie and Me by the polar bear is funny because I squatted down to be on her level but then she squatted down like me. Thanks Amy for the picutres! Again I had fun! Thanks Angela for inviting me and getting me in for free! Well hope you like to pictures.