Category Archives: Uncategorized

Thank You!!!

Thank you for donating to The Philippine Project!!!  The need is great and we are thankful for your help. Every dollar you have given will be used to feed, help, encourage, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with these precious people.  Missionary Josh Adams and others are working fervently to minister and aid all of the Filipinos that were affected by this typhoon.

God bless,
Lamar & Heather Powell

2013 – Thirty Days of Thanks – Day One

2013 – Thirty Days of Thanks – Day One

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

The Word of God encourages us to be thankful.  A grateful heart not only recognizes the blessings of God but also the God of those blessings.  May we express thanksgiving for all our great God has done for us.

 

2013 – Thirty Days of Thanksgiving

2013 – Thirty Days of Thanksgiving: I created this series on being thankful for the month of November. You can create your own or use mine.  The idea for the series is to set aside some time each day and focus on being thankful for something important in your life and for the God from whom all blessings come.  Enjoy!

 

The Philippine Project

Philippines – Super Typhoon Hiayan

Please help?  Missionaries and workers are on the ground right now helping, feeding, encouraging, and sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the people of the Philippines following Super Typhoon Hiayan. Cash donations are needed immediately to purchase and provide food, basic needs, and supplies.  Any amount will help.  EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO THE FIELD.  A PAYPAL link is being provided for your convenience and to expedite this pressing need.  You may also contact me directly if you need additional information.





Going without Television

Our family made a decision to go without television for sixteen days beginning February 24.  This was prompted by one of our church families who does this annually adding an additional day each year.  One of the primary reasons for doing this was to create more quality family time and personal spiritual time.  I will let you know how it goes in the days ahead.

The word FAITH

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is…”

Faith is one of the most important and foundational words in Christianity.

“And now abideth faith, hope, and charity…” 1 Corinthians 13:13

The word faith is used 247 times in 231 verses in the King James Bible.  I find it interesting that It is only found twice in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:20, Habakkuk 2:4) and while It is used throughout the New Testament it is not found in the Gospel of John, 2 John, or 3 John.  It is used one time in 1 John 5:4.

  • The use of the word “faith” in Habakkuk 2:4 in very important.  It is found in the phrase “the just shall live by faith.”  This verse is quoted three times in the New Testament: Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38.  These passages are key and foundational verses in each of these letters.
  • Even though the word “faith” is found only once in the Apostle John’s writings, its use in 1 John 5:4 is also fundamental. John says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

FAITH is FOUNDATIONAL because without it…

  • There is no Spiritual Life
  • There is no Hope
  • There is no true Love
  • There is no Trust in God or God’s Word

We are SAVED by FAITH – Ephesians 2:8

We are to LIVE by FAITH – Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38

We can only PLEASE God by FAITH – Hebrews 11:6

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

By FAITH we SEE – Hebrews 11:1,3

By FAITH we UNDERSTAND – Hebrews 11:3

FAITH DEFINED…

Faith involves trust and belief in someone and/or something.

Faith involves acceptance that something said or done is truthful or true.

Faith is the exercise of an assured reliance in/on the character, ability, strength, and truth of the one true God.

 

 

 

 

I Resolve…

Resolution: A firm decision to do or not to do something. A bringing into focus fine details.

New Year’s is often a time of reflection and goal setting. We review the past year’s accomplishments and consider the possibilities of the coming year. I always find myself doing this very thing. I have even jokingly stated my resolution for this year is to make no resolutions. But, I cannot help myself…to be honest…I need improvement. Reflecting and making resolutions help me challenge myself to be a better individual, husband, father, business owner, and a believer in Jesus Christ. This process also challenges my desire to do and give more. Personally I have a desire to impact my generation, my community, and my world for the cause of Christ. I can do more. I can give more. I can make a difference. It is just hard for me to accept the average or think otherwise being a child of God and a student of the Bible.

I believe resolutions are a good thing. Hopefully, prayerfully, by God’s grace, and with resolve I will have made some forward progress by year’s end. Happy New Year!!!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

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Great Bible App with Audio

bible

A great Bible app with audio and reading plans is the YouVersion Bible.  It is available for computer, tablet, and smartphone.  I use it on my laptop, iPad, and iPhone.  My use of this app is primarily for listening to the Bible (great while traveling), simple searches, and the Bible reading plans.  I also like it because my settings are saved and the same across all of my devices.  This does require

you to sign up for a free account and be logged in.  While some apps require you to have a internet connection for reading, the YouVersion Bible app allows you to download the Bible for reading offline.  Unlike E-Sword which has a massive amount of study tools and resources, the YouVersion app is more simplistic and designed for reading and listening.  There are some tools for note taking and connecting with some of the social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.  Overall this is a great app to have and best of all it is free.

YouVersion website LINK: www.youversion.com

iTunes App LINK: YouVersion Bible App 

 

Annual Bible Reading Plans

There is an app for that! Reading your Bible on a regular basis is a good thing.  Reading your Bible through in one year is a great thing.  Now would be a great time to make that commitment since we are beginning a New Year.  Bible reading plans are available in printed form, online, and apps. They are also available across all platforms: smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.  Do an online search and find one that works best for you.  One of my favorite Bible programs for my laptop and iPad is E-Sword.  I have used this software for many years and love it.  Recently an app for the iPad was made available, which I purchased for $4.99, and use almost daily (The computer version is free and loaded with an amazing amount of study resources).  I am also a big fan of Pocket Sword, an app for the iPhone.  Many of it’s features are similar to E-Sword.  E-Sword comes with several daily Bible reading plans. This year I have committed to reading through the Bible chronologically. This means I am reading the Bible through in historical order. One of the greatest blessings for me was when I read completely through the Bible for the first time.  It was a tremendous help in gaining a more complete understanding of God’s Word.  Let me encourage you to find a reading plan that works for you and commit to reading through God’s Word in 2013.

Link to E-Sword: http://www.e-sword.net/

App Store Link to the E-Sword app for iPad: E-Sword iPad App

App Store Link to the Pocket Sword app for iPhone: Pocket Sword App