The City of Brotherly Love

We spent the night in New Jersey and then headed to Philadelphia, PA in the morning. There was so much to see!

Independence Hall.

George Washington in front of Independence hall.

A replica of the English Coat of arms which was displayed in Independence Hall before the War for Independence.

This was the first supreme court in the colonies located in Independence Hall.

The room where Independence was born! The chair at the very front of the room is original.

This is what the top of the original head chair looks like. It symbolizes the rising sun of America.

The cane on this table was Thomas Jefferson’s.

The inside of Independence Hall is very grand! This is looking toward the court room.

I thought this big clock on the side of Independence Hall was interesting.

This is where the House of Representatives met before Washington DC.

What is your opinion Representatives?

The Senate’s room was very pretty!

It was amazing to think that this is where so many of our founding fathers met to worship Jesus Christ, here in Christ Church.

Our family sitting in the Washington family pew.

Hanging in the tree structure is a bell that rang along with the Liberty Bell to announce Independence.

We were able to ring the same bell in Christ Church.

Of course, being in Philly, we had to have a Philly Cheesesteak. It was good!

To end the day, we visited the Liberty Bell. It was interesting because we have heard about the Liberty Bell all of our lives and then all of a sudden, there it was!

“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
~ Leviticus 25:10

There is so much history to learn and see in Philadelphia! We enjoyed what we were able to see.

The rest of today will be spent in traveling to Cape Cod which will be our base for the next 5 days.

Marriage Conference

Last weekend, we were so blessed to be able to attend a NCFIC conference called “Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church.” It was incredible!

"Until we understand the cross, it's almost impossible to understand marriage, because at the center of marriage is the cross. That's why Paul says 'This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church". What he's saying is 'I'm speaking of the cross'. Marriage is meant to display the glory and the accomplishment of the cross. On the cross was the ultimate sacrifice. It was also the ultimate accomplishment as He won, from every tongue and tribe and nation, those who hated Him. That's why Paul said 'God forbid that I should boast in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ'. Paul said in Romans 5:6-8, 'Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' And that, brothers and sisters, is the meaning of Ephesians 5:21-33."

~ Scott Brown

Paul Washer gave two messages, one on Principles of “Courtship” and the other was a Presentation of the Gospel. The Presentation of the Gospel, we believe, was the best part of the entire conference. Mr. Washer demonstrated so much passion and God really used him to make the story come alive. What a blessing!

“When we say that Christ died for God and when we say that Christ died for His own glory, that does not extinguish His real love for His redeemed. This is amazing! He loved His people! And He loved them when they were vile and hated Him. He loved them when His holiness would not even allow him to look upon them. He loved them! He really, really loves you. This is amazing. This is not some God coldly manipulating things in order to show how great He is. This is not God just coldly wanting to show something to creation about who He truly is. He loves you! This is the thing that is the most amazing to me. He loves me.”

“From where does zeal come? From where does courage come? It doesn’t come from some sort of John Wayne “power within us”. It does not come from some natural steel in our backbones. It comes from this: What Christ paid changes everything! A man or a woman grabs ahold of this truth and they will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives within the confines of the love of God. It will be these truths that guide them. This is the mystery of all true piety and godliness! That Christ has come and that He has taken our sins upon Himself and that He has died. This is what must drive you. Not even the desire to change culture or fix this world should drive you. If that is your guiding strength it’s idolatry. The thing that must drive you is what God has done for you in Christ!”

~ Paul Washer

Doug Phillips gave several excellent talks including "Wedding Ceremonies and Covenants," "Jurisdictions After Marriage," and "How Fathers Qualify Suitors and Receive Daughters". He is one of our family’s favorite speakers.

There were around 2,200 people at this conference. It was so wonderful to hear these messages on Biblical principles and also to fellowship with like-minded families.

Kevin Swanson was also one of the speakers. He is a very dynamic speaker, full of passion for the Lord, His Word, and families. We enjoyed him.

“God calls fathers to really engage in this area. If you love God, and if you love His kingdom, you have got to engage His kingdom work in the discipleship of your sons and daughters. Why? For you? No. For your daughters? No. For your sons? No. It is for God. It is for your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You ought to be willing to lay your life down. If you have to go through that courtship and you have to forgive that young man 79 times or 4,767 times, it is for the sake of the kingdom of God. There were martyrs who had their skin taken off and they were dipped in boiling oil for their love for Christ. Can you make it through this courtship through the love that you have for Christ and His kingdom? Do you have that kind of commitment? Let me tell you this: if we’re going to make it through some of these difficult challenges ahead, it has to be because there are men who are willing to lay their lives down for the kingdom of God.”

~Kevin Swanson

Near the end of the conference there was a Q & A panel which was very helpful in answering practical questions.

For more information about this conference and if you are interested in ordering the CDs click here.

Enjoying lunch in the cool fall weather.

We missed the peak, but it was still beautiful!

We are again “en route” heading to New England and enjoying the beautiful countryside.

Stay tuned for more!

Reformation Day Quiz

Since Reformation Day, October 31st, is coming up, we thought it would be fun to provide a bit of a challenge and play a "Reformers Matching Game." Below are quotes, pictures, and a list of various Reformers. See if you can match the mixed up pictures and quotes to the names at the bottom. Let us know your guesses by comment. Have fun!

(a)

1. "Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace."

(b)

2. "All who call on God in true faith, earnestly seeking from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour in in the measure, or the very thing which they ask. Yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask."

(c)

3. "The Bible is for the government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

(d)

4. "We are not our own: let not our reason nor our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds. We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours. Conversely, we are God's: let us therefore live for him and die for him. We are God's: let his wisdom and will therefore rule our actions. We are God's: let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal."

(e)

5. "Scripture is a light, and shows us the true way, both what to do and what to hope for, and a defense from all error, and a comfort in adversity that we despair not, and strengthens us in prosperity that we sin not."

(f)

6. "If God commands one thing, and the king commands the contrary, what is that proud man that would term him a rebel who refuses to obey the king, when else he must disobey God?"

(g)

7. "Reformation ends not in contemplation, but in action."


Here are the list of reformers whose quotes and pictures are above.

~ William Tyndale
~ Martin Luther
~ Samuel Rutherford
~ John Calvin
~ John Knox
~ George Gillespie
~ John Wycliffe

Let us thank God for the mighty way in which he used these men and many others to make a stand for Sola Scriptura in the face of persecution. These men fought and died for the many freedoms that we now possess. It is up to us to carry on their legacy and continue to push for higher ground.

"Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2

Verses of the Day

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23

"Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised."
Psalm 113:2-3

Deacon

We have a new addition to our pet family! One of my dad's coworkers found this 11 day old kitten at a church. His mother and siblings had been relocated but this little guy had accidentally been left behind. We decided to name him Deacon.

He is so cute and playful!

He likes to be cozy.

We used a dropper for the first week but now we've switched to a bottle, much easier!

He has grown since this picture was taken about a week ago. He doesn't quite fit in our hand anymore.

"Did someone call me?"

We have enjoyed our new little pet very much!

"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches."
Psalm 104:24

Happy Birthday Philip!

On September 9, 2006, we welcomed a special gift into our family...

Philip Rader Johnson

Five years later.

Five candles makes quite a lot of smoke:)

The honored birthday chair.

Clara made this beautiful stool for Philip and Davis made a table to match.

Oldest and youngest.

Thank you Daddy!

Grandma taking in the scene.
(While on our Grandparents visit, Grandma let Clara put some ponies in her hair. It caused quite a bit of laughter! For your sake Grandma, we will not display them here but we would be most happy to if you wish.)

Grandpa on Philip's level.

We love you Philip!!

Who is our God?

If somebody asked you this question, what would you say? Where would you begin? God is impossible to completely describe because He is so different from us. Here are some Scripture passages that just begin to describe who our God is.

"The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy."
Psalm 99:1-3

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands..."


"...They shall perish, but thou remainest:
and they all shall wax old as doth a garment."
Hebrews 1:10-11


"Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?"
Psalm 106:2


"and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure..."


"and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?"
Isaiah 40:12


"Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?"
Isaiah 40:13-14


"Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance...All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity."
Isaiah 40:15 and 17


"To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Isaiah 40:18


"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity,"
Isaiah 40:22-23


"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Isaiah 40:26


"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measure thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
Job 38:1-7


"I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things."
Isaiah 45:5-7


"And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
Revelation 4:8-11


"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"
Psalm 8:4

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."
Hebrews 2:9-11


Do you have a relationship with your perfect, holy Creator God? This God who could not look at you because of your sin, so sent His Son to die in your place? What does your life tell others of your relationship with God?