A year later the class had doubled in size.

{July 2007 at the lake with the Glovers.}

{October 2007 – Halloween at the Mathias’}

In 2008 a few more couples joined our YMYF class and more babies were coming into the picture!  This was a challenging year for our class.  God was really showing us how important it is to be there for one another as we had a family deal with the death of a child while another was struggling with major marriage problems.

{May 2008 – Baby shower for the Mathias family – I think 4 people are pregnant in this picture. }

{July 2008 – Lake with the Glovers}

Check back next week for Part 2…2009 and 2010!  These were major years of growth for YMYF at LBC.  God is so good!!!  I am so thankful for you all!

Something for you and your spouse to consider: I heard today that the college ministry is looking for two couple teachers to take over teaching duties since Jerry Freeman is now working with senior adults.  We love sending people from our class back out into the ministry of the church. If you and your spouse are interested in serving our church by teaching the college class and want some more information, let me know.  Kathy and I did it for two years before starting our YMYF class and had a great time teaching there.

Will you and your spouse consider jumping in and getting your hands dirty?

- Devin

“When I speak of growth in grace, I do not for a moment mean that a believer’s interest in Christ can grow. I do not mean that he can grow in safety, acceptance with God, or security. I do not mean that he can ever be more justified, more pardoned, more forgiven, more at peace with God than he is the first moment that he believes. I hold firmly that the justification of a believer is a finished, perfect, and complete work and that the weakest saint (though he may not know and feel it) is as completely justified as the strongest. I hold firmly that our election, calling, and standing in Christ admit of no degrees, increase, or diminution. If any one dreams that by growth in grace I mean growth in justification, he is utterly mistaken about the whole point I am considering. I would go to the stake (God helping me) for the glorious truth that, in the matter of justification before God, every believer is complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10). Nothing can be added to his justification from the moment he believes and nothing taken away.

When I speak of growth in grace, I only mean increase in the degree, size, strength, vigour, and power of the graces which the Holy Spirit plants in a believer’s heart. I hold that every one of those graces admits of growth, progress and increase. I hold that repentance, faith, hope, love, humility, zeal, courage, and the like may be little or great, strong or weak, vigorous or feeble and may vary greatly in the same man at different periods of his life. When I speak of a man growing in grace, I mean simply this: that his sense of sin is becoming deeper, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, his love more extensive, his spiritual mindedness more marked. He feels more of the power of godliness in his own heart; he manifests more of it in his life; he is going on from strength to strength, from faith to faith, and from grace to grace. I leave it to others to describe such a man’s condition by any words they please. For myself, I think the truest and best account of him is this: he is growing in grace.”

- J.C. Ryle

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. ” – C.S. Lewis – (“Is Theology Poetry?”)

I’ve been on a scripture memorization kick for the last few weeks.  Teaching Sunday school has really pushed me to not only know more of the bible, but to recall where certain verses are in the bible.  Knowing your bible is so practical when you are having conversations with believers and unbelievers.  It really helps when you are discussing a bible topic and you can quote verses that illustrate your point!

So, I’ve made a little challenge for myself to memorize at least 100 verses before my birthday (April 22).  I dunno, I probably know 50 or so random verses already (?) so I should only have 50 or so to go.  My goal may be way too low (or high – I have no idea…) so I might adjust on the fly, but for now I’m going for 100.

What inspired this was watching a YouTube video of a few pastors I respect a lot quote a sick amount of scripture from memory. Take a look:

John Piper quotes Romans 8 (awesome!) -

John Bloom quotes the book of Hebrews -

• Hebrews from memory

John Piper quotes the book of Philippians -

• Philippians from memory

Sam Crabtree quotes the Sermon on the Mount -

• Sermon on the Mount Video

My approach is going to be to memorize some small passages, maybe one big chunk of a great chapter in scripture like Romans 8, Galatians 4, John 3, etc., and maybe 20 or so random verses I use often.

 ***If there are any takers, I would love some fellow competitors with the 100 verse challenge (or a modification of where you are in your walk – 50 verse challenge, 150 verse challenge, or 10 verse challenge)!!

- DEVIN

 God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs

And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain:

God is his own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

By: William Cowper (1731-1800)

jsb

Here is a copy of the email from Danny & Catherine:

Hey everyone, 

Catherine and I wanted to invite everyone over to our house this up coming Sunday evening to watch the Super bowl. The game is at 6:25 and you don’t want to miss Carrie Underwood singing the national anthem so make sure you are there on time. Catherine and I will provide the paper products and drinks (And a baked brie as requested by Michael Mathias) if everyone could just bring a tailgate/appetizer type dish we should have plenty to eat. Feel free to bring the kids we have enough room for everyone.

Hope to see you there
 
Danny and Catherine Higginbotham

jsb