Week In Review: Top Ten

10. Bucks Game--I went to the Milwaukee Bucks game and (courtesy of a friend) sat five rows from the court. Very exciting being that close--and the Bucks won.

9. Meeting with Roger--One of the highlights of my week is meeting with another guy leader from my Sunday night class and sharing Christ with them. This week I met with Roger Crum. This guy is a godly dude! He really encouraged me to love Jesus more.

8. ABF--TK taught high school class on Sunday and did an excellent job breaking down the difference between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom. He showed us how often the wisdom of the world slips into our thinking without us even noticing.

7. Youth Group--This last week in youth group, our small group broke down differences we have with people and how they keep us from loving people like Christ wants us to.

6. Dinner at Purdy's--I went over to the new restaurant in Sturtevant: Luann's Kitchen. She taught me how to make lasagna, and even better, I got to sample the lasagna she made.

5. Sleepover--Friday night, eight high school guys spent the night at the house. Three quick hits: We had an NBA Jam tournament, the guys ordered pizza that got delivered at 1:45am, and Goose and I went out and got Munchkins for breakfast.

4. Joe's Play--Saturday afternoon we got to see Joe Laumann star as the lead in a production of Schoolhouse Rock.

3. Christian Birthday--Highlight: I got to celebrate the third birthday of Christian Beilgard. Lowlight: He cried when others blew out the candles on his birthday cake.

2. Discussion on Care--Sunday night in class, we discussed how to confront others and how to care for others. I learned a ton about how to better handle difficult situations from some very wise people in youth ministry. Correcting others is a sensitive issue and starts as we daily confront sin in our own life.

1. Prayer and Fasting--Last Friday, a dozen high schoolers fasted from food for the day and spent the day praying for the youth group. It was such a blessing to see these students give up their Friday night to pray for their peers to seek the Lord's face.

Lord’s Day 7: Heidelberg Catechism

Q20: Are all saved through Christ just as all were lost through Adam?

A20: No. Only those are saved who by true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all His blessings.

Q21: What is true faith?

A21: True faith is not only a knowledge and conviction that everything God reveals in His Word is true; it is also a deep-rooted assurance, created in me by the Holy Spirit through the gospel, that, out of sheer grace earned for us by Christ, not only others, but I too, have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God, and have been granted salvation.

Q22: What then must a Christian believe?

A22: Everything God promises us in the gospel. That gospel is summarized for us in the articles of our Christian faith--a creed beyond doubt, and confessed throughout the world.

Q23: What are these articles?

A23: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Lord’s Day 6: Heidelberg Catechism

Q16: Why must He be truly human and truly righteous?

A16: God's justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for its sin; but a sinner could never pay for others.

Q17: Why must He also be truly God?

A17: So that, by the power of His divinity, He might bear the weight of God's anger in His humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Q18: And who is this Mediator—true God and at the same time truly human and truly righteous?

A18: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given us to set us completely free and to make us right with God.

Q19: How do you come to know this?

A19: The holy gospel tells me. God Himself began to reveal the gospel already in Paradise; later, He proclaimed it by the holy patriarchs and prophets, and portrayed it by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; finally He fulfilled it through His own dear Son.

Top Ten: Cabin Fever

This last weekend, seven of us guys (me, Pete, Tim, Bryce, my dad, Tim's dad, and Ace) went up to the Haumersen family cabin. It was a blast, here's a top ten from the weekend:

10. Weather--Absolutely perfect. It was upper 70s during the day with a fantastic breeze off the lake. Night was (somehow) even better, dipping into the 50s--perfect for sleeping.

9. Sleeping--I slept very well last weekend. I shared the bunk house with Pete and Bryce. We shared the same mindset: sleep in until the cooks (pops, Pete H, and Ace) wake us up with breakfast. My queen futon was quite comfortable.

8. Sunset Kayak--The first evening, Tim took us on a sunset kayak ride across the lake. While navagiting around turtles, seaweed, and narrow passages, we watched a beautiful sunset go down over the water.

7. Swimming/Pontoon Boat--One big highlight was riding on the pontoon boat around the lake. Not only was this much easier than being the weak load on the two-man kayak with Tim, but we got to swim off the pontoon. No worries, though, I was safely secure in my adult lifejacket.

6. Powlison--A book that I brought along for the weekend and got to read from was Seeing With New Eyes, a book on counseling by David Powlison. Very helpful book on speaking God's truth into other's lives.

5. Food--Phenomenal. The three dads did a fantastic job in preparing food. Even in buying the food. Great food choices--with tons of food available at each meal. A sampling: made to order omlets, lasanga, cookout, snacks, and cake.

4. Lazy River--On Saturday, we went kayaking down a local river. Tim and I got to shoot the breeze while rowing past drunk tubers and other sketchy party groups. The river was very pretty and perfect for a Saturday afternoon ride.

3. Fish--Ace caught us some fish. Pete H showed me how to clean them and then let me have a try (I was terrible). Somehow, Pete H took my butchered work and made some very tasty fish out of it. Nothing like eating something that was alive minutes earlier.

2. Outdoor Shower--I loved this outdoor shower. To save filling the holding tank, a fenced-in outdoor was available. It was great. I felt like Lewis and Clark (except for the shampoo, soap, retractable shower head, temperature control, hot water, and fenced in part).

1. Prayer/Worship--It is really a shame that I don't pray more with other Christians. This last weekend, we met together and prayed. We read Scripture together, shared requests/praises/attributes of God, and prayed for each other (and others!) a lot. We even were led in singing by Tim and Bryce.

Lord's Day 5: Heidelberg Catechism

Q12: According to God's righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: How then can we escape punishment and return to God's favor?

A12: God requires that His justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of His justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.

Q13: Can we pay this debt ourselves?

A13: Certainly not. Actually, we increase our guilt every day.

Q14: Can another creature--any at all--pay this debt for us?

A14: No. To begin with, God will not punish another creature for what a human is guilty of. Besides, no mere creature can bear the weight of God's eternal anger against sin and release others from it.

Q15: What kind of Mediator and Deliverer should we look for then?

A15: One who is truly human and truly righteous, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.

Top Ten: Last Week of Summer 2010

The following post is a top ten list from the last week of summer (unofficially August 15-21):

10. Salt-and-Light Season--Our final game of the year was last Thursday. The relationships on the team go beyond just playing a game together. The prayer, accountability, and encouragement are all huge parts of every Thursday night in the summer.

9. Drew in Seminary--Drew spent the week in Indiana...starting seminary! God has laid a passion for His people on Drew's heart and Drew is faithfully obeying his God to serve Him with his life.

8. Psalm 34--In youth group on Wednesday, we studied Psalm 34. We talked about: communal worship, tasting and seeing the goodness of God, and clinging to God's character in times of trial.

7. Ikea Run--Cortney, Luann, and Bryce came with me to Ikea last Tuesday and helped fill my house with furniture. Not only were they a blast to hang out with, but they have an eye for what looks good together in a living room.

6. Rob Druktenis Party--Saturday we had a party at Rob's house. He threw the party to celebrate God's goodness to his family in providing Rob with a new job. What a great, biblical thing to do--celebrate God!

5. Fantasy Football Party--I closed the week with what probably can be classified as the nerdiest event of the year...the fantasy football draft. We had three pizzas, 4 packs of soda, and taco dip. What more do you need?

4. Worldliness--On Sunday in youth group, we talked about how worldliness slowly creeps into our lives and causes us to drift from God. What excited me was to hear how students are going to make specific changes to their life to fight worldliness. Especially encouraging was hearing how students were encouraging one another in the fight.

3. Lunch with Tim--I got to eat lunch with a good friend during the week and he encouraged me in my walk with the Lord. Tim is a good brother who loves Jesus and is faithful to obey Him. I was blessed in meeting with him.

2. High School Leaders Meeting--I am excited about the upcoming year of youth ministry. Friday night we gathered at the Purdy's house (Luann made A+ food...again). We talked about our hearts, the direction of the group, and the changes we'll make for next year. God has brought some of His best children to serve in the youth group. Its going to be a good year.

1. Prayer--Most of all, I am grateful for prayer. I am grateful God hears prayer. I am grateful that even when I'm not always with the people I love, I can always pray for them. I am grateful that my friends pray for me. I need it. Badly. God is so good and I am grateful for the way I can love others through prayer.

Lord's Day 4: Heidelberg Catechism

Q9: But doesn't God do us an injustice by requiring in His law what we are unable to do?

A9: No, God created humans with the ability to keep the law. They, however, tempted by the devil, in reckless disobedience, robbed themselves and all their descendants of these gifts.

Q10: Will God permit such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?

A10: Certainly not. He is terribly angry about the sin we are born with as well as the sins we personally commit. As a just judge He punishes them now and in eternity. He has declared: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law'.

Q11: But isn't God also merciful?

A11: God is certainly merciful, but He is also just. His justice demands that sin, committed against His supreme majesty, be punished with the supreme penalty--eternal punishment of body and soul.