Life in Narnia

Often times the weather were I live is extreme. Because of our elevation, we have much cooler temps and heavier snow. For example the forecast for Canton NC, was snowy and a lo of 9 degrees. At my house it was very snowy, high winds and a balmy 2 degrees. That is ridiculous.
So we call it Narnia. These pictures were taken one year ago when we graciously received 26 inches a week before Christmas 2009.

We are however thankful for our mountain home, it fits us well.

Blessings

A Life of Greatness...

What is a great life to you? In our post-modern society greatness is sought out by everyone. Everybody wants to be great. Greatness is usually judged by how famous, rich, and important you are.

How does God judge greatness? The word of God tells us of a man named John the Baptist. We learn much about him. The most amazing thing we hear about him comes strait from Christ. Jesus calls John the baptist the greatest man ever born. What a statement...In Gospels we can find some aspects of his greatness.

You will notice throughout the Gospel's description of John the Baptist some aspects of a great life....
Background…
1. No royal birth, born into a plain common ministry family
2. He had no formal education, lived isolation
3. He made no fashion statement, he had no concern for what was in style
4. He was not involved with any institution
5. He started no real movement
6. The religious leaders despised him…he despised them
7. He spent his last days in Jail, eventually was beheaded.
8. Despised, hated, and decapitated, at a young age (early thirties)
In the worlds eyes this is anything but greatness

I. Life that is Christ Centered
a. “He must increase, I must decrease”….”I am unworthy”
b. Understood his calling ---to prepare
c. Uncertainties…he went to Christ..
II. Life that Calls for Repentance
a. Requires a Response
i. Living in such a way that the lost people in your life respond with persecution or repentance
b. True Repentance
i. Not, religious repentance---having sorrow for everyone elses sins and not yours…pointing out theirs and not yours, self –righteousness,
ii. Pagan-assuming God is not good and we have to manipulate him “if I tell God I am sorry he will he is obligated to help me, GOD is Sovereign and good and free to do what he wants…he is not a good luck charm
iii. Worldly Sorrow—feeling bad and seeking someone to tell its okay…celebrities are notorious for this….Oprah…Dr. Phil, or Barbara Walters..No new life, No Holy Spirit, No Jesus….counterfeit.
iv. Mere Confession—this is confusing …I was wrong I am sorry…”I thought you were sorry last week…you will be sorry next week too”
v. Blame Shifting---I did this but it was their fault….Adam, Eve…
vi. Minimizing---At least I did not kill someone….Well I am not a Nazi…
vii. Excuse making – Yeah I did it, but it was the way I was raised, I did not get hugs when I was a kid
c.
i. Is …Conviction…this is of God through the Holy Spirit…through the conscience, the scriptures, bible teaching, testimonies…
ii. Confession…this is agreeing with God..telling God your sin
iii. Repentance….is not managing or minimizing your sin…its killing it…
iv. Reconciliation….This were God and people are reconciled
III. Life that Endures
a. Critics
i. Scoffed him
ii. Spectacle
iii. Confronted them
b. Persecution …
i. he was in prison for…
ii. he died by losing his head
iii. By the way…if you are not experiencing persecution you will
IV. Life that is Mastered …he did not master anything…he was mastered by Christ
a. By the Word of God
b. The Holy Spirit
i. Spirit filled…..Life out of the box….
c. Even unto death---Are you willing to let God lead you into what he has for you even if its death?

What to GO fishing!!!

Usually I stay pretty serious on the blog but this could not be resisted. This car was in Waynesville Wednesday afternoon. I thought this was hilarious. The picture was taken with a phone, and sent to me.

I love it!!!!!

Pa Burnette...

(another entry from my wife's blog...this one is about my great grandfather, Emma and Macy's great great grandfather)

This year Pa Burnette will turn 95, and lately he hasn't been doing too well. We are coming to the sad realization that there won't be many more Christmas lunches at Pa's house, or pictures of the five generations every year. So my family took some time to go visit with Pa Burnette this week.

Even short visits with Pa are rich with wisdom. Here are few things about Pa you might be interested to know: This year is the first year he has not tended a garden (of over 100 tomato plants, mind you!). And though his name is Elbert, they call him "Tobe". He got the nickname from the family mule years ago. Why? Because he worked as hard as a mule and was just about as stubborn. Pa has been married and widowed twice and loved them both more than life itself. I only met Jenny, his latter wife, who was as much a gem as he. And of all the times I have visited Pa he never fails to mention her name....and how much he misses her. Another interesting thing about Pa...he's never owed a man anything. When visiting with him the other day, he told me that he gave Jenny $500 back in '65 to get a new TV. She came home with an $800 TV and told Pa she hard charged the other $300. He immediately gave her $300 and told her to go pay it off, he never intended to be in debt for anything, especially not a TV! Another fond memory of Pa....his dog, Holly. She's a deaf cocker spaniel who walks with a limp and can't see a thing. And she's fat as mud because Pa feeds her candy.....her favorite...Werther's Originals. And despite her deaf ears, Pa still issues the old commands, "Get up in your chair" (Jenny's chair) and "Shut up!"

Such fond memories, and you know what I love.....No matter when you go see Pa and no matter who is there, it will always be the same memories. Emma will eat all his peppermint candies, she'll feed Holly all of the Werther's, Macy will sit in his lap the whole hour and just pat his belly, we'll talk about gardens and good old fashioned hard work, he'll share fond stories of Jenny, and before we leave he will give us bean seed and rhubarb.

Maybe it sounds boring to most, but to me its precious. Oh the blessing of gleaning wisdom from older generations! And what a testimony a 95 year old man has when he can say he has seen the work of God throughout five generations!

Joel 1:3-4
"Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation."

Hey Guys here is a post from my wife's blog ......She is amazing

Cracks

Last evening (Sunday) we rushed home after a day of church and began our usual bed time rush. Spring Break is over (sadly), and I knew Emma needed to be in bed at a decent hour, which had passed two hours prior to "the rush." I automatically started dishing out the usual commands, "Emma, brush your teeth......Emma get your pajamas on!.....Macy, I've got your cereal. Are you ready to eat?......Timmy did somebody let Smokey out?.....Emma, I said brush your teeth.....And did you potty before bed?.....No, it's too late for a snack.......I SAID BRUSH YOUR TEETH!!!!!
(Do you get why I call it "the rush"?)

Anyhow, I finally got everyone settled down, and I went to tuck Emma into bed. My plan was to get it done quickly and she would go to sleep quickly (yeah, right!). But nonetheless we began our usual routine. We got a drink of water. We turned her night light on, and we sang her lullaby (which happens right now to be "Glory, glory, glory Jesus touched me). When we finished singing she said, "Momma, I was wondering if you could just lay down with me for a few minutes." I started to say, "No, it's bed time. You have school tomorrow.' But then I thought....I should never be too busy to snuggle. Twenty more awake minutes won't make that much difference at 7:00am tomorrow. So I paused, and we snuggled, and I am so glad I did because God used 20 simple minutes to again teach me a complex truth.

You see, Emma is afraid of the cracks in her room. Her bed is next to the wall, and that leaves a small crack between the wall and her bed. In her six year old mind, something might come out of that crack at night, especially in the dark, and get her. So just to be sure she's safe, we line that crack with pillows every night.

After we took care of all the cracks in the room, she tried to go to sleep, but I could tell she seemed worried I might leave, so she hugged me as tight as she could, even while we sang. Then, when it came time for our prayers, she said, "Momma, can you just pray tonight?" Of course that was fine, so I began praying, and in my prayer I began praying specifically for Emma. In the midst of mentioning her name several times, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I paused, looked down, and I saw Emma hold her hand up as if to say, "Stop." Then she said, "Excuse me, but could you just ask Him to help me not be afraid?" And I did. And within 5 minutes she was gone.....solid gone!

So, here's my big truth from my little moment....

You see, our life is full of cracks. Big ones, small ones, dark ones, scary ones. Some of our cracks are fears that leave us terrified and frightened, others are sins that leave us defeated and beaten, others are pressures that leave us weary and down trodden. And what do we do? We try to cover the cracks, but soon we find that there just aren't enough pillows.

But you see, Emma had the right concept. She knew those pillows could be easily moved. But she also knew there was one who was greater than those pillows and bigger than her fears. You see, we have a heavenly Father who knows, is interested in, and has even created the most delicate parts of us. I love that Psalm 139 reminds us, "O Lord you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up ; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. "

He knew Emma's fears before I even prayed for her. He, too, knows our cracks when no one else does and before we ourselves are even aware of them. And, yet, he gives us a great promise...a great comfort in Isaiah 41:10, "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Why? Not because we deserve it, but because he is God.

Created 3 days ago by Beth Burnette •

Separatists...

“The anvil is not afraid of the hammer.”.......Charles H. Spurgeon

In recent days I have been away from the "blog world". During this time I have been reflecting on life in general. One thing that I truly began to notice is the "revival" in pro-separation in the SBC and other evangelicals. The separation is rooted in one's view on the origin of salvation (monergism...salvation coming from God alone, which should be rallying point instead of a point of division) and then moves on to subjects like Calvinism, hyper-Calvinism, Armenianism,...etc...etc.

This type of separation is also found in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement as well. The particular type of separation that I referring to is the sometimes called 2nd degree or 3rd degree separation. For example, If I hang out with someone who you think is a heretic,(keep in mind my convictions have not changed) you my brother who thinks like me, will not hang out with me because of who you "think" is a heretic, is associated with me.

Now, this type of separation may be justified when someone is truly living outside of scripture, but when it is an issue likened to that of Calvinists/Armenians, in which brothers from the same denomination disengage from fellowship, it becomes ridiculous and sinful.

Some questions that frustrate me....(theses questions are for both sides of the argument)...

When did Baptist theological debates become a spectacle, where calling the opposing argument equal to militant Islam become acceptable?

Why has many modern SBC pastors distorted their own history to make a point?

When did winning a debate and tampering with surveys, to prove a stance, become the priority of many Pastors in the SBC?

Why will a reformed baptist not attend a SBC church that does not have "reformed" in their sign?

How can those who love the doctrines of Grace not practice the very thing they argue over?


On this day...the day our Lord suffered for our sins, absorbed the wrath of God, appeased His Anger and won the Victory....let us remember what binds us together....THE GOSPEL...not a system of theology

To all my BROTHERS, who are Calvinists, Armenians, and everything in between.....GRACE AND PEACE TO YOU FROM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST .....

"may the Lamb who was slain receive the reward of his sufferings"
Take a look at these sites
www.9marks.org
www.founders.org

Ministers

Some of the best student ministry I have ever seen has been done by those who do it for free. It is not the youth pastor with all the degrees or the youth guru at a conference. The best are those who come faithfully to the functions and invest their lives and time into teenagers. Thank God for you sunday school teachers, D-leaders, volunteers, cooks, etc..

thanks, "mom" "Old School" jordan, jake, Justin, Matt and Melissa, beth, "Larbee"Michelle, Scott, Greg, Shannon, Brandi, alicia, bill, and....all of you from the past, present and future thank you so much...

I love you guys with all my heart and I am constantly learning from y'all.....

thanks

Seek first.........

I am getting ready to start a series through the book of Matthew. In preparing for this series it never ceases to amaze me how much God has to say in His word.

In Matthew 6 we find Jesus in the middle of His sermon on the mount and he is speaking volumes to us. He tells us to study the birds and the flowers. He asks if these creatures seem to worry or toil. Of course not, they do what God created them to do, and that is Glorify HIM!! Our father knows our needs and He will take care of them. Jesus says...."seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (our needs) will be added unto us".

Just like the birds and the flowers our Job is to glorify God. We are to enjoy him and take joy in Him. This makes him look good!!!

Pray for me as prepare the messages.

SOLI.DEO.GLORIA

timmy

A White Advent

Hey guys well we have received a blessing from God here in WNC. HEAVY HEAVY SNOW....alot of heavy SNOW.. here is a picture of Emma suiting up...very cute

The second picture was taken during friday when the snow began. After the storm only one rail on that same fence was able to be seen. It still looks like Narnia at my house. On Cold Mountain we had around 24". So as long as the rain does not take it all away from the ground....we will have a White Advent.

Advent!?!

It was free love that Brought our savior from the throne of Glory into the realm of sinful man. Are we to forget the importance of the Savior's birth and celebrate the Gifts under the tree? Heaven forbid. Let us be reminded each day of the essential nature of the Gift of God. It took the precious blood of Christ to save the vilest sinner.

SO why should we call it advent? Because advent means to come....it is the celebration of the Coming of Christ.........yet we wait as well. Brothers and sisters let us celebrate with vigor the HOPE that came to man in the form of a little baby. And celebrate the coming KING of KINGS on the WHITE STEAD. SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Advent!

Turkey and other thoughts.....

Well after three thanksgiving meals....yes three....I am ready for a cheeseburger and some hot wings! The thought of turkey and dressing is just not as appealing as it was last week. Spending time with family was awesome though! Tuscola advanced to round 4 in the play offs!!! So the boys have another battle Friday night. Beth, Emma Grace, and Macy Willow are all great. I am so blessed to have the family that God has given me!!!

Thank God for all the blessings of life!

The Princess Posse!

Well all who follow me..

We have had our new bundle of Joy. Included in the "bundle" is restless nights and dirty diapers....instant love, snuggling on the couch, moments that will only happen once. On of the Greatest things about being a dad is you voice. When I speak my girls automatically hear me and search for me in the room. This is especially seen in Macy. When I speak she will strain her neck to find me.....I am so undeserving of the love my family gives me......

This reminds me of how we should be with our heavenly father. We should seek him out and hear his voice when speaks.

Check out Ephesians 5 on this issue.....

mom and baby are ready to come home
....beth wants pasta haha see yall soon

Willow

Macy Willow Burnette 7.4 pounds 20 inches was born today. Mom was a champ today and baby seems to be doing well. Willow Gaelic form of 'freedom". Our first child has the name Grace...reminding us of God's marvelous grace. Willow shall remind us of the freedom we have from the chains of sin. God is good...I am speechless...

In His Grip

Timmy

Hey Guys

Well it has been a while since I posted. My wife and I are expecting are second child (little girl) any time now. I will be posting pictures and updates in the next few days. Be praying for us.

Magnifying Christ in Death, Pain, and Suffering

Magnifying Christ through Pain and Death

(Here is a great friend of mine--Nate. Nate lives to magnify the Lord in all aspects of his life. I have seen this first hand. This is a picture I took of him while we were on a mission trip in Wyoming. The mountains in the background are the Grand Tetons. May the Lord bless you and your family and the ministries that he has planned for you.)

How can we live a life not wasted while we are going through hardships? This is a question we all will deal with in one way or another. It all goes back to our passion for living….and dying. God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives.

SO, how are we to do this in a Pain and suffering and eventually death? What are we to do with statements like; “to die is gain”,” I will honor Christ in my body through life or death”. Philippians 1 answers these questions. In verses 20 and 21 we see the answers.

Philippians 1.20-21

I. Living a Life that is Unashamed.

This is an unusual statement. Look at verse 20. Paul’s desire is to love a life that was unashamed. He wanted Christ to be honored in his body. He did not want himself honored but Christ. He wanted all glory and praise to be pointed toward the Lord. Notice how he stated that he hopes, and expects Christ to be glorified in His body, whether it be death or Life. Nobody likes shame. We don’t wont shame, because we want honor. Not Paul. Yes, he did not want to be shamed, but he wanted the honor to go to the Lord. He is different because Christ was the burning center of His life. We can learn a lot from Paul. As long as Christ was exalted, Paul could take it. You see what we value most will drive our actions. And if what we value most is anything but Jesus, then we a guilty of idolatry.

What is so different about Paul and the “normal” Christian? What are some things that get in the way of living a Life that is unashamed? Why do we struggle with this?

II. Honoring God in our bodies

The key to honoring God is in the treasure. What do you treasure above all things? Whenever you treasure something or something has tremendous value to you, you cherish its beauty or power or uniqueness, you want to tell others about it and draw their attention to it so they can experience what you have. This is why Paul’s goal was that Christ be magnified. This was so that others would see the Joy that Christ brought to Paul. This is what it means to Magnify Christ…..to show the MAGNITUDE OF HIS VALUE!

Why should Christ be the treasure? What about Christ brought Joy to Paul’s life?

III. Glorifying God in Death

Death comes and interrupts the plans of life. This happens many times. I could not tell you how many people I have seen get caught unexpected by death. It causes stress and sometimes destruction. How can we Glorify Christ even in death? Because death robs us of our earthly treasures and relationships many people fear death. Paul could embrace death, pain, and suffering because his treasure (Christ) rules over death, pain and suffering. This is why Paul could say “to Live is Christ, but to die is Gain” . Paul had resolved that while he was living he would live for Christ. But if and when he died it would be Gain. Why gain? Because he would be with Christ, he would behold his treasure. This is how Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and the like lived their life. FEARLESS……May we live this way. As the song says, “I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way HE LOVES US” This would have been on Paul’s IPod. How can we have hope even in death? Why should we live fearless in this life? What have we to fear knowing that the sovereign LORD Jesus Christ controls and Conducts our lives?

He Loves us

hello yall
Here is a few pictures from camping. God has blessed me with an awesome family.
Well we are in the final leg of baby #2...in a few weeks will have another little princess in the bunch. We have named ourselves the princess posse!

Well God has richly blessed me so much. I have been reading a book called the Gospel Primer. The book allows you to preach the Gospel to yourself. I daily need to be reminded of the Gospel. Currently the book has focused on God's love for us. I have thought about it daily of the love he has for us. Here is a quote from a song
That is currently on my IPod

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane I am a tree

Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by Glory
And I realize just how beautiful you are and great you affections are for me

O How he loves us so
O how he Loves us
How he loves us so
Yea He loves US! O how He loves Us! Yea He loves us! Oh how He Loves

We are his portion, He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the Grace in His eyes
If Grace is an Ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meet earth when He offered His Best
My heart beats violently inside my chest
Cause I dont have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way....

He Loves Us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us , Oh how he loves!

To die is Gain

Can you imagine threatening Lazarus after he had been raised from the dead? Nero says, "Lazarus I'm going to kill ya"....Lazarus: "haha ha" Nero: Stop haha haing I'm going to kill you like I'm killing all the Christians"...Lazarus: Haven't you heard death is dead death is DEAD death is DEAD How do threaten one with death, who has been there, and Knows the one who has let him out?

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

Some thoughts on death...I am writing lengthy paper on death for in one of my classes. What is your thoughts on death?

Soli.Deo.Gloria.

timmy

The Rooted Christ Follower

The Rooted Christ Follower

A true display of Christianity is so needed in our world today. Oh we need this in our world today. We have weak kneed believers who have never got off the milk of scriptures and moved to the meet. How we need to present ourselves before God mature in the faith.
Colossians 2.6-7
I. Lives by Grace (we receive Christ through grace..not on our own merits) I must live in full dependence of Him, who is he
a. Accepts Christ as Substance of Christianity (totally embraces)The burning center
i. Doctrinally, (scripturally)
ii. The Person –Character-- historical Jesus
iii. The Lord-king and controller of all your life
b. Accepts Christ as the Substance and Sum of the Hope of Man
i. Because we cannot live this life on our own with all these pressures, emptiness of doing it on your own….I CANT DO IT!!
1. The husband, daddy, preacher (I will fail)
2. He is our hope because of Grace we receive this:
a. John 1.11-12 sons
b. Heb. 9.15 Eternal Inheritance
c. Rom 8.17 co heirs of the kingdom
d. Matthew 11.28 rest for our souls
e. Hebrews 7.25 security of salvation
c. Sufficient unto sanctification
i. When we walk in Him as the Truth, the Way, and the Life, changes are made able to Glorify God.
ii. All of our Strength, guidance, motives ARE to be found in Him.
iii. His grace is all we need. When all things leave you in this life His Grace is sufficient. It will get us through.
II. Built on Truth –this truth is Jesus. He is the Lord,
a. Act of Rooting
i. Past act. It was done once and for all at regeneration. “The tree may shake at the top most branches, but its roots are firm because of the earth” the firmness is Christ. Psalm 1 talks of the man who heeds to the word is like a tree…
b. Process of Building (illustration –the church…..)
i. The foundation that upholds, the roof that shelters and covers, the mortar that hold it together, the water that sustains, the electricity that gives power.
ii. Process- once again he is faithful to finish what he has started in you
c. Confirmation of Faith
i. We are established….just like the metal rebar that goes into the concrete as bracing strengthens the building our faith is confirmed by what he is doing inour life. Allowing us to continue to be built upon and fully trust him!

III. Abounds in Praise
We have fallen asleep Wake up put on strength and praise him..Oh how we must praise our God. Not just give lip service, but true praise (abundant praise life filled praise God Glorified, Christ Centered, Bible Saturated, unquenchable praise!!!!!!!! Let us not focus on the negative, let us proclaim the Lord. The Lord longs to hear His Name made Renown and Glorified!!! Christ is not valued unless he is valued above all-Augustine
a. For his Grace (the called are the chosen, the sinners and thieves, but from the ashes come the song of the redeemed)
i. Salvation, awakened to sin, deliverance
b. For his Blessings
i. Remedy for sin
ii. Forgiveness of debt
iii. Coming again
iv. Amazing perfect love, incomparable
v. That he accepts the broken, beat, worthless, wounded, weak, sinners
c. For Him
i. Oh let us fall on our faces at his feet and worship the Lamb that was slain for the sins of fallen man. He is the one saved, the one who forgave
d. Glorifies God
e. Fulfills man
f. Keeps you accountable
g. It displays our relationship with Christ.
Conclusion
Are you rooted? This all starts with being reborn. Made anew by the work of Christ. Christ saves sinners, allowing us to have a relationship with God. Freeing us from guilt and shame and sin. When God saves us he starts a work in our lives that he will complete.
Christian are you relying upon your own strength to be the husband, wife, daddy, mother, son, daughter –don’t depend on your own strength. Live in his GRACE , BUILD on truth….
God deserves our praise….with all we have… how he made you…is he getting it…do you abound in praise. We have so much to be thankful for!!

John the Baptist

John the Baptist is one of the most interesting characters in scripture. We first here of the one crying in the wilderness in Isaiah. Then we meet his parents Elizabeth and Zechariah. These two old Messianic Jews were used by God to raise a mighty man of God. In Luke 1.67-79 we read a poem that was prophetic in every word. John's daddy sings a song over his son, telling what he would be in the eyes of God. John grew and becomes strong in the spirit and goes to the wilderness. John was unique...in his appearance and in his message. There is no doubt he looked different than most religious folks of the day. He was wearing a camel hair jacket for crying out loud. Not to mention his preferred food (locusts...grasshopper like creature). But his message is what stands out. It was a message of repentance and turning from sin.......Notice his humbleness how he centered himself around the Christ.

We as called men of God should stand with the preachers of old. Like John we need to be the voice who cries in our wilderness. A cry for repentance, for preparation. May we too be humble and center ourselves around the Lamb of God.