It is a wonderful thing to be tested. Testing produces endurance and hopefully, in the end, you will come out unscathed.

We are beginning a new series Sunday mornings on the Sermon on the Mount. To add to the messages I will be blogging various things that I am learning as I study for the series. To start off I want to give you a list of the books that I will be consulting as I go along, for I am learning too! Alongside this list I am going to throw some quotes at ya that I thought were very cool. The quotes will be focusing on the Law and Grace tension that has always existed in Christian thought and is the focus of Jesus' most famous of sermons.

I recently listened to an excellent lecture by Dr. John Piper at www.theresurgence.com. For those of you who don't know who John Piper is you should take the opportunity to check out www.desiringgod.org. He is a blessing to me and I know he will be to you also.

Today is Cheri's birthday. She is impossible to shop for but easy to love. I am glad it is not the other way around! God bless my sweet wife on her birthday!