While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14

Take just a few moments and count how many times “In Him” appears in the text above.  I’ll wait as you read and count.

How many did you find?  I counted 6 times that phrase was used in the text.  (I hope my counting was correct!) In who or what do we center our focus?  It appears to me that it can be very easy to take out the supreme position of Christ in our lives with substitutes.  Here is a list of things that rob me of what my focus should be.

1. In my control of things
2. In music
3. In worrying
4. In disc golf
5. In coffee (yup, had to confess that one)

What would be on your list?  Be honest with yourself today.  Christ redeemed us from the curse of our own depravity by absorbing the wrath aimed at us.  Christ placed us in a position to have perfect righteousness in eternity.  Christ has offered us unceasing joy in His intercession on our behalf.  In Him we should walk.  In Him, we should talk.  In Him, we should worship.

Look at your list again.  Read Ephesians 1:3-14 again.  What will be your focus today?  May it be…In Him.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people”

1 Timothy 2:1, ESV

Have you ever promised someone that you would pray for him or her?  Have you failed in that promise?  It seems the honest thing we should do as followers of Jesus is to either fulfill our commitment in intercession prayer or not make the promise to begin with.

For example, what if when someone asked for prayer, we replied with, “I really hurt for you, but I since I won’t remember your request, I can’t promise you I will pray.” What a horrible thing to say in church!  Well, at least it’s honest.  You see, we tend to treat prayer like a passing gesture instead of a divine privilege.  May this blog post today encourage you to pray…and really pray.

Paul wrote this verse with great passion to his young friend in regards to biblical worship.  1 Timothy 2 is immersed with a Spirit-led guideline for worship.  It should come to us at no surprise that prayer begins the section.

Without pure and honest prayer, how can we truly worship?  How can we believe and trust in the greatness of God if we refuse to speak to Him?  Friend, we have a divine privilege each day to enter into His presence through Christ, our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).

I believe it’s time we quit treating prayer like a nice comment or gesture and handle it with graceful privilege.  As the bride of Christ, let us pray for one another with sweet intercession.  May our prayers for our leaders not be for our selfish conclusions but rather God’s sovereign plans.  May our promises to pray for others not be forgotten.

Why did I write on this today?  Well, last night after the Wednesday night movie time with my students, I walked into the student center to grab a bottle of water.  As I was walking into the room, some students were circled together near the stage.  My intern was on the stage with a mic in his hand praying.  I grabbed the bottle of water quietly and proceeded to the door.  Right before my hand touched the door, I heard my name lifted up in prayer.  I stood near the door for almost a minute as my dear friend prayed for me.  The sweet intercession brought sweet peace to my soul as I drove home after a long day at the church.  I was prayed for that night.

Pray.  Pray for someone today.  Make a promise to pray for someone else…and really do it.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

My father-in-law loves this hymn.

My wife loves this hymn.

I love this hymn.

There is something that stirs within my soul when I sing of the cross. When I think about the price paid for the redemption of my soul, I’m moved to many emotions.

I believe we don’t sing enough of the cross in our day today lives. We don’t sing enough of the blood shed by our Redeemer. We don’t sing enough of the perfect atonement made for our sins. We, guilty sinners, have been made whole through the cross… what else would we want to sing about?

I find sometimes we sing and get consumed with things of this world that cannot bring us to God. We sing of love; but do we know of His love? We sing of joy; but do we have His joy? We sing of our needs; but are we satisfied in Him? I want to cling to the cross for I know through it, I was made righteous in the sight of the Holy Father through the death of His Holy Son.

Paul writes, “But may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world!” Can we write that with the same genuine passion that Paul carried with him throughout his life?

I love this verse. The word boast, kauchaomai (kow-khah’-om-ahee) has the idea to vaunt (in a good or a bad sense) — (make) boast, glory, joy, rejoice. What do we do this in/with?

I see in the south much boasting in college football. Can this boasting produce the fellowship we need with the Father?

I see many students boasting in their own selfish bubbles (facebook, myspace, texting, cheerleading, band, various sports, school clubs, etc.) Can this boasting produce within them the everlasting joy that we receive in Galatians 5:22?

I hope you will join me in never boasting about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus. May we join Augustus M. Toplady when he wrote in his hymn, Rock of Ages — “Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.”

Join me as I cherish the old rugged cross. Take time today and praise the Father for the grace that He displayed on the cross of His Son! May we boast in nothing more.

The Old Rugged Cross by George Bennard

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,The emblem of suffering and shame;And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,Till my trophies at last I lay down;I will cling to the old rugged cross,And exchange it some day for a crown. (chorus)

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,Has a wondrous attraction for me;For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,A wondrous beauty I see,For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;Its shame and reproach gladly bear;Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,Where His glory forever I’ll share.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” – 1 Peter 2:2-3, ESV.

Today was a hot day.  Living near Birmingham, Alabama has exposed me to the reality that the summers are HOT.  Today, I had the privilege of attending a summer work out with one of the area high school football teams.  While I was standing on the practice field with my friend and coworker, Steve, I got hot.  Have you ever walked outside for just a few minutes and immediately felt the need for something to drink?  That was my day today.  Water never tasted better than after standing outside in the heat.

While I was driving back to my house, 1 Peter 2:2-3 came to mind.  I’ve learned more about God’s Word as a new father.  My 5/12 month old daughter continues to show and communicate to me the beautiful riches of the Gospel.  I started to think today about her.  She longs for much-needed nourishment daily.  Milk is not an option for her. It’s a necessity.  Without a healthy supply of milk, she will get weak.  She longs for milk in a way that makes it vital.  She craves it in a way that increases its importance.  I wonder if we crave the Word like a baby craving milk…would it radiate more worth to others?

We tend to ignore the riches of Scripture until convenient seasons.  When we are lonely, we may open it.  When we want to win a debate, we may study it.  When we want answers to our questions, we may invest time in it.  However, do we long and crave for it daily?  As His children, we need to long for His Word like a baby longs for needed nourishment.

It’s interesting to see that in the Greek understanding of “long” we get the word epipothēsate.  This word can mean, “to long, desire, or crave after.”  I like the idea of craving after the Word.  I like the idea that believers crave after His Word in a way that makes it go from being a head treasure to a heart treasure.  We tend to long and crave after things that don’t satisfy.  Isaiah 55 speaks a lot on that tendency.

Friend, it’s time to crave after what can eternally satisfy.  Is His Word good to you?  Have you tasted and seen that He is good? (Psalm 34:8).  Have you developed more taste buds for His Word? (1 Corinthians 3).  I pray you will start today with longing after what truly and eternally satisfies; His good Word.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

This past Saturday, Brooke and I spent the afternoon looking for our new house in Alabama.  The search lasted several hours.  I’d love to inform you that the search reached a wonderful conclusion…but I can’t.  We are still searching.  The process for us will take even longer with our house in Georgia still on the market.

These times can be some of the most frustrating times for any family that is in the middle of transition.  Each house we stepped into yesterday had its pros and cons.

One house had everything Brooke wanted in one area, yet lacking in another.  One house had incredible curb appeal with the inside looking close to a college dorm room.  One house we toured had the owner in the house…with us…during the tour.  (Please make note; if you are trying to sell your home…DON’T STAY INSIDE WHILE OTHERS ARE LOOKING INTO BUYING).  The search will continue until we both find peace in the house that we will reside in.

During this transition time, I’ve been drawn to Philippians 3:12-21.  In this rich text, Paul writes to the church at Philippi with great joy over obtaining the goal of Christ.  What is the goal of your life?  To what goal do you invest the hours of the day?  What is the joy inside that goal?

For many, goals can be found in temporary pursuits like money, popularity, politics, etc.  These temporary pursuits will culminate into nothing but pointless vanity.  Friend, don’t waste your pursuits.  Paul gives us a much needed challenge in this text.  Take just a moment and read Philippians 3:12-21.  If you don’t have a bible with you, visit www.biblos.com for help.  I’ll wait.

Philippians 3:20 really jumps out at me.  Paul writes, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  This verse has joined me here lately in the great Snyder house search.  This side of God’s blazing glory is only temporary.

In Christ, we have a permanent home waiting for us.  In Christ, we don’t have to search for this home.  In Christ, this home has searched for us!  In God’s amazing love and grace, He came to the world in the person of Christ to bring His children to their future home.

Friend, don’t waste your days in pointless pursuits for satisfaction that offers no eternal joy.  Where will your eternal citizenship be?  May you join me in living out the days not searching for temporary houses, but enjoying the blessing and peace of the future home in glory that awaits.