who calls who to worship?

At our church we sing from the Trinity pca hymnal. On occasion we will sing an RUF (reformed university fellowship) song and they are hymn-like. At first I couldn't sing along because I couldn't understand the old language used in that century. So I just read, and God opened my heart to the beauty and reverance of hymns. I grew up singing hymns from the Baptist Hymnal; songs like 'The Old Rugged Cross', 'How Great Thou Art' and 'When the Roll is Called Up Yonder'. There is a new depth in the hymns we sing now at our church. They help train my heart to worship God- not just sing notes on a page. The words are deep, convicting, sobering and truly glorifying to God. I grew up hearing "and now let us open our hymnals to page ____ and we ask the Holy Spirit to come into this place as we worship." A few years back I learned that is not at all what worship- Biblical worship- is like. We do not ask the Holy Spirit to come. The Holy Spirit is ever-present in the hearts & lives of the elect. When we join in corporate worship our "calling" should be focused towards our own rebel hearts. My heart is rarely in the correct place to worship a holy God so I must pray and ask that God align my heart with the Holy Spirit so that I can give glory to Him through my worship. It completely changes the way I worship. Now, when I feel my heart drifting I know that it's not the Holy Spirit that is still "not present". It's my "prone to wander" heart that I need to address. Like a child that gets off task in school, my heart needs constant shepherding. And He is always faithful to hear my prayer and give me the faith I need to worship in spirit and in truth.

Here is one of my favorite hymns:

471: "Tis not that I did choose thee" by Josiah Conder (1836)

'Tis not that I did choose thee,
For, Lord, that could not be;
This heart would still refuse thee,
Hadst thou not chosen me.
Thou from the sin that stained me
Hast cleansed and set me free;
Of old thou hast ordained me,
That I should live to thee.


'Twas sov'reign mercy called me
And taught my op'ning mind;
The world had else enthralled me,
To heav'nly glories blind.
My heart owns none before thee,
For thy rich grace I thirst;
This knowing, if I love thee,
Thou must have loved me first.

There is a reason that for centuries we have used these words and other like them to express our love for our Savior. They are deep calling to deep through which the soul awakens to revel in the love of God for whom we have been made.

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Why Low Carb Diets Fail For The Anaerobic Athlete

A great article by nutritionist & Pure Barre student Alex M. Fioroni:

What does the word “Anaerobic” mean and how does this affect the way I eat?

Well let’s look at the basic science of what this means and really get to the bottom of the way we look at a carbohydrate in regards to an active anaerobic exerciser Anaerobic basically means exercise without oxygen as the main source of energy. Guess what the number one source of fuel/energy is for an anaerobic exerciser? “Glycogen”…meaning glucose..meaning carbohydrates.

Now that we know that sugar (carbohydrate), (obviously the right kind and the right amount) is the number one fuel for an exerciser that trains like an anaerobic athlete, lets really define what kind of exerciser that is.

Basically if you are working out or playing a sport that consists of quick energy burst that last under 2 minutes and have periodic rests in between, you are classified as an anaerobic exerciser.

Example: Pure Barre workouts, weight training, lacrosse, football, hockey, golf, baseball, boxing, martial arts, etc. As you can see these are not only sports or recreational sports that individuals use to get in shape or to keep in shape but are some of the most common professional sports.

Now if carbohydrates are the number one fuel for an anaerobic exerciser then you can see why, when it comes to nutrition, sugar is so important. I keep saying the word sugar because I want you to realize that is what a carbohydrate is. Here in our society the wrong types of sugars and LARGE amounts of sugars per servings that we tend to eat have caused many illnesses. At the end of the day, sugar used in moderation and balanced with the correct ratios is more powerful for our body than the illnesses that are being created from unhealthy use of sugar.

If one does a low carb diet and trains like an anaerobic athlete the only loss of weight that will happen will be YOUR MUSCLE and the only gain will be irritability and low energy!!
The key is learning what types of carbohydrates are powerful enough to generate a high metabolism and ingesting the correct amount of grams every 2-3 hours. Sugar is what feeds the muscle. Sugar also feeds the brain. The average person needs at least 20 grams of sugar just for the brain to function for a couple of hours.

We get caught up in the “hype” of these fade diets not because they work but because we get caught in the quick fix approach due to the fact that we have bad habits that we do not know how to change.

The great thing is that you can and you will. You just need the right tools and the right coach and you will be in better shape and feel better than you could ever dream of.

Be smart, take your time, and enjoy what nutrition and proper science can do for your health and your future!

Romans 1 & Lady Gaga

I hear her lyrics in the hallways of the Christian school that I work at and I'm saddened. True, she is an icon in the music world; an "idol", a "role-model" for this generation. But boy is she the wrong kind. I will admit that I have used several of her songs as part of my warm-ups in dance classes but this last release of hers has sent it over the edge for me. After studying Romans for the past 8+ months with my church, I truly began to grasp the sovereignty of God. I mean, I preach it all the time but it really sank in to my heart deeper as I read the theological masterpiece that is Romans. The reality that God chooses to reveal His truth to some & save them is so humbling. The reality that God chooses not to save some is humbling. He is just; He is good; because of Christ. Lady Gaga is in darkness. Her mind has deliberately been darkened (as all of ours were once). She knows the truth-- that God is good and in control but suppresses this truth. (as all non-believers do) What's sad about Gaga is how she flaunts her knowledge and rebellion against a holy God. I dread her inevitable fate if God does not regenerate her heart. While she prances around dressed as a condom, or as a female "Christ" or as a hooker or some kind of sex toy, the truth is buried underneath. Here are the lyrics to her newest song, "Judas".

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as

When he comes to me, I am ready
I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me

I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby
I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as

I couldn't love a man so purely
Even darkness forgave his goofy way
I've learned love is like a brick,
you can build a house or sink a dead body
I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

In the most Biblical sense,I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind but in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offensed, or wear ear condom next time

I wanna love you, but something's pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue, Judas is the demon I cling to."

phew, now to come out of the pit and into the light....

Romans 1:16-25 says: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator."

I can be gangsta (so can my husband)

I really can't say enough about how amazing our youth group is at our church. D.R. & I volunteer with them every Sunday and we feel so blessed to be involved in such awesome kid's lives. Here is a sample of our youth movie that we just finished and premiered last night. "O Charter, Where Art Thou?" will be in theaters soon.

No, just kidding. But it is fabulous and our kids (and our stellar youth pastor, Zach) are to thank.

Enjoy our music video of Rebel/Identity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRNAcbjb2do

John Piper

This is why I have the utmost respect for him and his ministry.

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/john-pipers-upcoming-leave

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