back to back blogs on same email apology

      To everyone who receives this blog by email, I want to apologize for the latest post email and also say again, Thank you.  I am going on vacation 7/15-7/22 and do not anticipate posting anything.  I had extra time at work Sunday night so I completed 2 posts and will probably complete at least one more before vacation.  What I did not realize is that in completing both posts on same night is that they would go out in the same email.  In fact, the only way I discovered it is by scrolling down on the email.  So the Harry Potter related post actually showed first because it was the second one I completed.  I hope it wasn't overwhelming receiving both.  I am not ashamed of either but I do acknowledge that they have been heavy in topic and nature.

    I really do love people, lost or saved.  I want to see everyone come to the knowledge of Jesus and to understand what the full application of it should be.  I took a while to get some of that and my heart is 2 fold. 1. that God is glorified by the lives of  those who are supposed to be Christians.  That people would not misrepresent Jesus or experience unnecessary trials because of disobedience. That they would always be examining themselves daily as they grow in their Christian walk.  2.  That any lost or worse yet, those who don't realize they are lost because they have a form of religion would find revelation in the scriptures and truths presented here and would become aware of their need for Christ and aware of  the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

     So basically, my heart is to disciple believers and evangelize the lost.  Isn't that what God wants all to do. That's the Great Commission.  I pray that even though I present a touch message in a lot of my posts, that the Holy Spirit will have prepared the hearts of the people that needed to hear that message. If you didn't need it for yourself, perhaps it will be useful in your ministering the truth to someone else.  As long as God is glorified in my obedience, I am happy.

     I will be working on a series of posts over vacation getting into the depth of the Gospel as it applies to Salvation, Sanctification, Glorification, and Assurance of Salvation.  I am not a seminary student or grad however, I have grown up as a pastors son and am becoming a student of the Bible and am pursing a working knowledge of the Bible with a fervor. I am learning from a number of different solid Evangelistic and Discipleship driven ministries.  This series will be heavily influenced by a sermon series delivered by a pastor named Dr. David Platt.  He pastors a megachurch  in Birmingham, AL named Brook Hills.  He wrote the book Radical which is shaking the spiritual apathy of anyone who reads it.  He is solid as a Theologian/Teacher, and in Evangelizing and Discipling.  It has opened my eyes to some things and giving me a working knowledge of how to present what I already believed about the Gospel. I hope it will be a blessing to you, wherever you are in your walk with Christ.  I hope to begin that shortly after vacation. 

        I would like to say that the fact that I am giving credit for information in some of  my posts to other ministries is in no way intended to insult or undercut the value of my own pastor.  I don't believe anyone should be influenced by any one person.  Besides, the Bible is the ultimate authority.  We are just stewards of delivering it. Thanks for your support.

     I strive to love you all as Christ loved the Church, placing the value of the truth of the Gospel above the value of my own life or reputation and I pray that God will have his way in your life.

In Jesus name,

Josh