My Advocate

What is an advocate?  It's someone who intercedes on behalf of another.

In I John 1:1, Jesus is called our advocate.

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

Apart from being covered by the blood of Christ, I can't stand before the Holy God, but in Jesus, I find refuge because He paid the price for my sins.

The Greek word behind "advocate" is the same word translated "Comforter" in John 14:16.  In that passage, the Holy Spirit is called "another Comforter."

Apart from demonstrating that the Spirit of God and the Son of God are both God, this name shows that Jesus is my Comforter.  He comes alongside me to help and deliver.

Through His sacrifice, he has appeased God's wrath toward my sin.  That's the idea behind the word "propitiation."

"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."  I John 2:2

He was made sin for us so that we can find forgiveness of sins through belief in His name.  Also, He offers forgiveness to ALL.  As the text says, "...The whole world."  Jesus didn't die for just the "elect" as Calvinistic doctrine would have us to believe.  He died for the whole world.

The Son of God is my Advocate, my Comforter.  I would be a hopeless mess without Him, and I would not have a home in heaven if it weren't for the High and Holy Advocate.

Almost 3 Miles

 

Tuesday was a perfect day for a run!

I didn't get to 3 miles.  My legs were starting to cramp up from a previous workout.

My goal is 3 miles in or under 30 minutes.  I stink at running, but I sure do enjoy it 😏

Yesterday's work consisted of 15 second bursts with about 1 minute off.  Run as fast as you can for 15 seconds and then walk for a minute and catch your breath.

This builds power and works on those fast-twitch muscle fibers which start to deteriorate after 30ish.

Thankful for the Resurrection

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

                                                                                                                                        John 11:25, 26

With the approach of Resurrection Sunday, I am thankful for the power of the resurrection.  Without it, salvation would not exist.  Because Christ overcame death, He is able to give that same victory to the one who trusts in Him as Savior.

The resurrection also gives me deliverance from the power of sin in my life.  The day I trusted in Christ, the power of my flesh was subjugated by the Holy Spirit of God Who took up residence in my soul.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

                                                                                                                                        Romans 6:6

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

                                                                                                                                     II Corinthians 5:17

I am grateful for the solid hope of eternal life.  I am grateful for power over my flesh.  Because of the resurrection, I don't have to serve my flesh.

A Good Run Day

 

The sun was out (an oddity these days in KY 😄), so I decided to go for a steady-state cardio run.  It was a good run for me.  I felt energetic ... something that I don't always feel when running!

What do you enjoy doing that gets you outside?  The next time that the sun is out and it's not freezing, get out there and move!

A Gospel-Preaching Church in Yellowknife

I, along with 4 siblings, grew up in Arctic Canada.  In particular, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories was the far-north town that I, Tammy, and Josh called home for many years.

My Dad was a pastor of a church in that town.  

Eventually, the small church building was sold, siblings moved out, and I and my parents moved away.

Since those days, I haven't met anyone who is from Yellowknife or anyone who knew anyone from Yellowknife, so I was shocked the other day when, at church, the music director told me that he is giving online lessons to a couple who live in Yellowknife.  Wow!!  

I asked him if they are Christians.  He said that they are, and that they attend a Baptist church called Central Arctic Baptist Church.  I visited their website, and they seem to be a faithful group of people who love God and stand on the truth.

I praise the Lord for keeping a witness in a dark place!  I praise the Lord for allowing me to hear about this church that is being a witness for Christ in the small, icy town of my boyhood.

The Grind

 

Strength training isn't always fun, but it's always necessary.  From building bone density to improving your mood, strength training is packed with value.

Steady-state cardio is great, but don't neglect those weights.

Today's routine was ...

Squats, lunges from a step, deadlifts, single leg squat, chest presses, hip lifts, chest fly, bent over fly, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep presses, crunches, back extensions, and a stretch routine

I used two 25 pound weights and two 12 pound weights.

Find a routine that works for you, and lift some weight!

The Just Shall Live by Faith

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."  Habakkuk 2:4

In Sunday School, I am leading my class through the Book of Habakkuk.  This verse is timeless.  At a time when judgment was about to come upon Israel through the Babylonian army, God reminded Habakkuk, and anyone who is willing to listen, that the one who is justified before God is the one who believes what God has said.

"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."  Genesis 15:6

Through faith, Habakkuk looked forward to a coming Messiah Who would die in his place to pay for his sins.

Through faith, we have believed in a Messiah Who came and died for our sins and rose again from the dead.

By faith in Jesus Christ, I am justified before God.  God accepts, not my works, but my faith in His finished work on the cross.

Habakkuk's prophecy is quoted four times in the New Testament.  All four times, Paul quotes the verse, and each time he does, we get a slightly different picture of what it means to live by faith.

"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith."  Galatians 3:11

By faith in Christ, the justified sinner is delivered from the condemnation of God's righteous Law.

"For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."  Hebrews 10:36-39

By faith in Christ, the justified sinner procures both the promise and pleasure of God.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."  Romans 1:16, 17

By faith, the justified sinner gains access to the righteousness of God Himself.  I must have this if I am to enter into the kingdom of God, because I do not have any righteousness of my own.

Glad to See It Go

An air compressor with a John Deere engine was brought into the shop for issues with the after-treatment system.  

The engine power was derated, and the engine control unit had one code that wasn't much help in pinpointing the issue.

Long story short, all she needed was a sensor and some verification tests, and now she's fixed.

I'm glad to see this one go because it was located 2 hours away.  Troubleshooting and repairing a machine that's 2 hours away was a bit of a pain.

I'm thanking the Lord today for the fact that this one is in the books!

An Excellent Bible Study Resource

I don't have many books, but the ones that I do own, I like.  This handy resource is one of those books that is worth keeping on the shelf.

It contains colorful, detailed maps of the Middle East.  It also includes timelines and descriptions of major places, people, and events.

If you're not a big reader, but you would like something to help you understand the historical context, places, and events of the Bible better, then you may want to pick up one of these.

Sandra was trying to find a Bible for a friend, so she went to a Christian bookstore and bought some different styles.  The friend didn't care for any of them, so Sandra took them all back.  She felt bad for the store owner, so she picked up this little study tool for me.  I must say, it is one of the nicest gifts that I have received.

The book includes a map of the "then" layout of the land and a "now" plastic overlay that shows the current boundaries and cities of modern times.

A Healthy "Milkshake" When You're Feeling Down

Greetings friends!  This week has been one of sickness for me and my dear wife.

Sandra does a great job preparing healthy food for us, especially when we are ill.

Today, she made a "Shamrock Shake."  There isn't one bad thing in it.  From the healthy fats of the avocado to the antioxidants of the cacao nibs, it's one big green drink of pure goodness. 

Give it a try!

Look up the recipe online.  It's easy enough to find.  This one has ...

Avocado

Spinach

Coconut Milk

Dates

Peppermint Extract

Cacao Nibs

Today's Post-Workday Workout

 

When I arrived home from work, the sun was out and the temperature was pleasant, so I decided to make it a running day.  Sandra is doing the Couch-to-5K program, so I borrowed from her intervals today.

3 minute warmup walk

3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk

5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk

3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk

5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk

Afterwards, I retreated to my garage for a 10 minute upper body circuit.

40 seconds of pushups, 20 second rest

40 seconds of rows with a loop band, 20 second rest

40 seconds of crunches, 20 second rest

40 seconds of pull ups, 20 second rest

40 seconds of back extensions while extending arms and legs (face down on floor), 20 second rest

Repeat the entire circuit