This characteristic has two distinct branches. Part One considers the fact that a godly man is a servant of God.

“We are the servants of the God of heaven” (Ezra 5:11); “Epaphras, a servant of Christ” (Col. 4:12).

A godly man is a servant of God in seven respects:

1. A servant leaves all others, and confines himself to one master. So a godly man leaves the service of sin, and makes himself the servant of God (Romans 6:22). Sin is a tyrannizing thing; a sinner is a slave when he sins with most freedom. The wages which sin gives, may deter us from its service: “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  A godly man enlists himself in God’s family, and is one of his menial servants: “O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant” (Psalm 116:16). David repeats himself, as if he had said, “Lord, I have given my pledge; no one else can lay claim to me; my ear is bored to your service”.

2. A servant is not independent, at his own disposal—but at the disposal of his master. A servant must not do what he pleases—but be at the will of his master. Thus a godly man is God’s servant. He is wholly at God’s disposal. He has no will of his own. “May your will be done on earth”. Some will say to the godly, “Why cannot you behave like others?” The godly are God’s servants; they must not do what they want—but be under the rules of the family; they must do nothing but what they can show their master’s authority for.

3. A servant is bound. There are agreements and contracts sealed between him and his master. Thus there are indentures drawn in baptism, and in conversion the indentures are renewed and sealed. There we bind ourselves to God to be his sworn servants: “I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep your righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:106). A godly man has tied himself to the Lord by vow, and he makes conscience of his vow. He would rather die by persecution than live by perjury (Psalm 56:12).

4. A servant not only wears his master’s uniform—but does his work. Thus a godly man works for God. Paul “spent and was spent for Christ” (2 Cor. 12:15). He worked harder than all the other apostles (1 Cor. 15:10). A godly man is active for God to his last breath, “even unto the end” (Psalm 119:112). Only “the dead rest from their labors” (Rev. 14:13).

5. A servant follows his master; thus a godly man is a servant of God. While others follow after the beast, he follows after the Lamb (Rev. 13:3; 14:4). He wants to tread in the steps of Christ. If a master leaps over hedge and ditch, the servant will follow him. A godly man will follow Christ through afflictions: “If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Peter wanted to follow Christ on the water. A godly man will follow Christ though it is death at every step. He will keep his goodness when others are bad. As all the water in the salt sea cannot make the fish salty—but they still retain their freshness; so all the wickedness in the world cannot make a godly man wicked—but he still retains his piety. He will follow Christ in the worst times.

6. A servant is satisfied with his master’s allowance. He does not say, “I will have such provisions made ready”. If he has meager fare, he does not find fault. He knows he is a servant, and accepts his master’s carving. In this sense, a godly man is God’s servant; he is willing to live on God’s allowance; if he has only some leftovers, he does not grumble. Paul knew he was a servant, therefore whether more or less fell to his share, he was indifferent (Phil. 4:11). When Christians complain at their condition, they forget that they are servants, and must live on the allowance of their heavenly Master. You who have the least grace from God, are debtors to his mercy.

7. A servant will stand up for the honor of his master. He cannot hear his master reproached—but will vindicate his credit. Thus, every godly man will stand up for the honor of his Master, Christ. “My zeal has consumed me” (Psalm 119:139). A servant of God stands up for his truths. Some can hear God’s name reproached, and his ways spoken against—yet remain silent. God will be ashamed of such servants, and reject them before men and angels.

To apply this great truth, consider the following:

1. God is the best Master. He is truthful in all his promises: “There is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keeps covenant and mercy with your servants . . . not one word of all his good promise has failed” (1 Kings 8:23,56). God is of a most sweet, gracious disposition. He has this quality that he is “Slow to anger” and “ready to forgive” (Psalm 103:8; 86:5). In our needs, he relieves us; in our weakness, he pities us. He reveals his secrets to his servants (Psalm 25:14; Proverbs 3:32). He waits on his servants. Was there ever such a Master? “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them” (Luke 12:37). When we are sick, he makes our bed: “you will make all his bed in his sickness” (Psalm 41:3). He holds our head when we are fainting. Other masters may forget their servants, and cast them off when they are old—but God will not: “you are my servant: O Israel, you shall not be forgotten of me” (Isaiah 44:21). It is a slander to say that God is a hard Master.

2. God’s service is the best service. There are six privileges in God’s service:

(i) FREEDOM. Though the saints are bound to God’s service—yet they serve him freely. God’s Spirit, who is called a “free Spirit” (Psalm 51:12), makes them free and cheerful in obedience. The Spirit carries them on the wings of delight; he makes duty a privilege; he does not force—but draw. He enlarges the heart in love and fills it with joy. God’s service is perfect freedom.

(ii) HONOR. David the king professed himself one of God’s pensioners: “I am your servant” (Psalm 143:12). Paul, when he wants to blaze his coat of arms, and set forth his best heraldry, does not call himself “Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews”, or “Paul, of the tribe of Benjamin”—but “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1). Theodosius thought it a greater dignity to be God’s servant, than to be an emperor. Christ himself, who is equal with his Father, is nevertheless not ashamed of the title “servant” (Isaiah 53:11). Every servant of God is a son; every subject is a prince! It is more honor to serve God than to have kings serve us. The angels in heaven are servants of the saints on earth.

(iii) SAFETY. God takes care of his servants. He gives them protection: “You are my servant; fear not; for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:9,10). God hides his servants: “in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me” (Psalm 27:5). That is, he shall keep me safe, as in the most holy place of the sanctuary, where none but the priests might enter. Christ’s wings are both for healing and for hiding, for curing and securing us (Mal. 4:2). The devil and his instruments would soon devour the servants of God, if he did not set an invisible guard about them, and cover them with the golden feathers of his protection (Psalm 91:4). “I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you” (Acts 18:10). God’s watchful eye is always on his people, and the enemies shall not do the mischief they intend to do; they shall not be destroyers—but physicians.

(iv) GAIN. Atheists say, “It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances?” (Mal. 3:14). Besides the advantages which God gives in this life (sweet peace of conscience), he reserves his best wine until last; he gives a glorious kingdom to his servants (Heb. 12:28). The servants of God may for a while be enslaved and abused—but they shall have promotion at last: “where I am, there shall also my servant be” (John 12:26).

(v) ASSISTANCE. Other masters cut out work for their servants—but do not help them in their work. But our Master in heaven gives us not only work—but strength: “you strengthened me with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3). God bids us serve him, and he will enable us to serve him: “I will cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezek. 36:27). The Lord not only fits work for us—but fitsus for our work; with his command he gives enablement.

(vi) SUPPLIES. A master will not let his servants be in need. God’s servants shall be provided for: “truly you shall be fed” (Psalm 37:3). Does God give us a Christ, and will he deny us a crust? “The God who fed me all my life long” (Gen. 48:15). If God does not give us what we crave, he will give us what we need. The wicked, who are dogs, are fed (Phil. 3:2). If a man feeds his dog, surely he will feed his child! Oh, then, who would not be in love with God’s service?

3. We are engaged to serve God. We are “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). This is a metaphor taken from such as ransom captives from prison by paying a sum of money for them. They are to be at the service of those who ransomed them. So when the devil had taken us prisoners, Christ ransomed us with a price, not of money—but of blood. Therefore we are to be only at his service. If any can lay a better claim to us than Christ, we may serve them; but Christ having the best right to us, we are to cleave to him and enroll ourselves forever in his service.

At Harmony, everything is pregnant. Our church is pregnant with a new baby church that will come out soon. Each Home Group is pregnant with another baby Home Group that will come out soon. Every believer at Harmony is pregnant with reproducing themselves. And we see bands as no different.

Our God is in the business of growth by multiplication, not just swelling. The way this applies to worship is the way we approach the band. Many times, when musicians come into the church, we incorporate them on a rotation. While this is inclusive of everyone, we feel that there may be another way to do this that will result in a better environment of worship during our gatherings. We see multiple bands leading us in worship; this is different than a “worship team”.

The primary difference is that in a worship team, the thing in rotation is the individual musician. One Sunday, the leader will have one set of musicians, and the next Sunday there may be a couple different musicians. In a multiple band scenario, the thing in rotation is the community of musicians. The same 4/5/6/7 musicians are playing together every single time they play, including the worship leader.  This leads to greater band cohesion, and therefore, greater musical quality. It also allows for a varying of styles, which allows for an appeal to a larger audience over time.  I believe that there should be one “pastor”/elder over the many different bands to ensure theological, ecclesiological, and missiological continuity. Every band should be worshiping the same God, focusing on the same mission, and together on church issues. But style and liturgy are open-handed issues.

We’re still trying to work out the details, but the end goal is somewhat less blurry: we want to see multiple bands, each with a different style and same mission, playing in a rotation that lead the Harmony community in worship of a Holy God.

Thoughts? Questions?

Help me wrestle this out.

The Greek word for “godly” signifies a true worshiper of God. A godly man  is more for the purity of worship than the pomp. Mixture in sacred things is like a dash in the wine, which though it gives it a color—yet only adulterates it. The Lord wanted Moses to make the tabernacle “according to the pattern showed to you in the mount” (Exod. 25:40). If Moses had left out anything in the pattern, or added anything to it, it would have been very offensive to God. The Lord has always given testimonies of his displeasure against such as have corrupted his worship. Nadab and Abihu offered “Strange fire” (different than what God had sanctified on the altar), “and fire went out from the Lord, and devoured them” (Lev. 10:1,2). Whatever is not of God’s own appointment in his worship, he looks upon as “Strange fire”. And no wonder he is so highly incensed at it, for it is as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner in which he will be served. Men will try to direct him, and as if the rules for his worship were defective, they will attempt to correct the copy, and superadd their inventions.

A godly man dare not vary from the pattern which God has shown him in the Scripture. This is probably not the least reason why David was called “a man after God’s own heart”, because he kept the springs of God’s worship pure, and in matters sacred did not add anything of his own devising.

By this characteristic we may test ourselves, whether we are godly: Are we careful about the things of God?

1. Those who will add to one part of God’s worship will be as ready to take away from another. “Laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). They who will bring in a tradition, will in time lay aside a command. Those who will introduce into God’s worship that which he has not commanded, will be as ready to blot out that which he has commanded. Don’t introduce idols into His worship.

2. Those who are for outward mixtures in God’s worship usually disregard of the vitals of religion—such as living by faith, leading a holy life; these things are of less concern to them. Wasps have their combs—but no honey in them.

3. Superstition and profanity kiss each other. Has it not been known that those who have kneeled at an altar, have stumbledin drunkenness against a light pole?

4. Such as are devoted to superstition are seldom or never converted: “publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matt. 21:31). This was spoken to the chief priests, who were great formalists, and the reason why such people are seldom wrought upon savingly is because they have a secret antipathy to the power of godliness. The serpent has a fine color—but it has a sting. So outwardly men may look zealous and devout—but retain a sting of hatred in their hearts against holiness. Hence it is that they who have been most hot on superstition have been most hot on persecution. The Church of Rome wears white linen (an emblem of innocence)—but the Spirit of God paints her out in scarlet (Rev. 17:4). Why is this? Not only because she puts on a scarlet robe—but because she is of a scarlet dye, having imbrued her hands in the blood of the saints (Rev. 17:6).

Let us, then, as we would show ourselves to be godly, keep close to the rule of worship, and in the things of Jehovah go no further than we can say, “It is written”.

Keep Scripture close to the heart of worship.

At first glance, this title may be a little off-putting. You may think that it is putting ourselves into a place where only God Himself belongs. Instead, it’s not an off-putting statement. It’s a redundant one. To be godly inherently means to be like God. So it’s not off-putting, in fact, it’s recognizing the truth that we have been made in His image. We were not meant to sin, but because of our rebellion, we have. We were originally made good.  And through Jesus, we are now being reconciled to become more like Him. In theological circles (and in Scripture) this being formed like Him is called the pursuit of holiness. A godly man is therefore holy.

He has the same judgment as God; he thinks of things as God does; he has a Godlike disposition; he “partakes of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4). A godly man bears both God’s name and image; godliness is God-likeness. It is one thing to profess God, another thing to resemble him.

Holiness is the most brilliant pearl in the King of Heaven’s crown: “glorious in holiness” (Exod. 15:11). God’s power makes him mighty; his mercy makes him lovely; but his holiness makes him glorious. The holiness of God is the intrinsic purity of his nature and his hatred of sin. A godly man bears some kind of analogy with God in this. Holiness is the badge and mark of Christ’s people: “The people of your holiness” (Isaiah 63:18). The godly are a holy as well as a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9). Nor have they only a appearance of holiness, like the Egyptian temples which were fair outside—but they are like Solomon’s temple, which had gold inside. They have written upon their heart, “Holiness to the Lord”. The holiness of the saints consists in their conformity to God’s will, which is the rule and pattern of all holiness.

The goodness of a Christian lies in his holiness, as the goodness of the air lies in its clarity, the worth of gold in its purity.

The question then becomes: how does our Godlikeness affect our lives?

First of all, the godly set themselves against evil, both in purpose and in practice. They are fearful of that which looks like sin (1 Thess. 5:22). The appearance of evil may harm a weak Christian. If it does not defile a man’s own conscience, it may offend his brother’s conscience; and to sin against him is to sin against Christ (1 Cor. 8:12). A godly man will not go as far as he may, lest he go further than he should; he will not swallow all that others may plead for. It is easy to put a golden color on rotten material.

Secondly, the godly will fight for the reputation of holiness. When piety is argued against in the world, the saints will stand up in its defense; they will wipe off the dust of a reproach, from the face of religion. Holiness defends the godly, and they will defend holiness; it defends them from danger, and they will defend it from disgrace.

How can those who are unlike God be reputed to be godly? They have nothing of God in them, not one shred of holiness. They call themselves Christians—but blot out the word holiness; you may as well call it day at midnight.

So impudent are some, that they boast they are none of the holy ones. Is it not the Spirit of holiness which marks off the sheep of Christ, from the goats? “You were sealed (or marked) with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). And is it a matter for men to boast of, that they have none of the Spirit’s earmark upon them? Does not the apostle say that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14)?

There are others who hate holiness. Sin and holiness never meet but they fight. Holiness discharges its fire of zeal against sin, and sin spits its venom of malice at holiness. Many pretend to love Christ as a Savior—but hate him as he is the Holy One (Acts 3:14).

This is God’s great design which he drives on in the world. It is the object of the Word preached. The silver drops of the sanctuary are to water the seed of grace, and make a crop of holiness spring up. What use is there in the promises, if not to bribe us to holiness? What are all God’s providential dispensations for—but to promote holiness? As the Lord makes use of all the seasons of the year, frost and heat, to produce the harvest, so all prosperous and adverse providences are for the promoting of the work of holiness in the soul. What is the object of the mission of the Spirit—but to make the heart holy? When the air is unwholesome by reason of fog and mist, the wind is a fan to purify the air. So the blowing of God’s Spirit upon the heart is to purify it, and make it holy.

Holiness is that alone, which God is delighted with. When Tamerlane was presented with a pot of gold, he asked whether the gold had his father’s stamp upon it. But when he saw it had the Roman stamp, he rejected it. Holiness is God’s stamp and impress; if he does not see this stamp upon us, he will not own us.

Holiness fits us for communion with God. Communion with God is a paradox to the men of the world. Not everyone who hangs about the court speaks with the king. We may approach God in duties, and as it were hang about the court of heaven—yet not have communion with God. That which keeps up fellowship with God, is holiness. The holy heart enjoys much of God’s presence; he feels heartwarming and heart-comforting virtue in an ordinance. Where God sees his likeness, there he gives his love.

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” Psalm 116:1

Last post (on being a man of faith), we mentioned that it is faith that enlivens are duties. Without faith, our roles as Christians are difficult impossible to fulfill. But just as faith brings life to our daily walk, so love towards Christ sweetens it. A godly man is sick with love towards Him. Brother Lawrence wrote in one of his books on being with God the following:

I have had such delicious thoughts of the Lord that I’m ashamed to mention them.

Wow. That is love towards Jesus. God is the source and meaning of goodness. His beauty and sweetness arrest our hearts with love. God is the saint’s portion (Psalm 119:57). And what is more loved than a portion? “I would hate my own soul,” says Augustine, “if I found it not loving God.” A godly man loves God and therefore delights to be in his presence; he loves God and therefore takes comfort in nothing without him.

The godly person yearns for Christ, and thirsts for Him as a deer panteth for the water. As Matt Chandler has mentined before, this is not a verse meant to be put on a coffee mug with Bambi drinking from a puddle. This is an honest and brutal yearning after Christ with all that we are. Godly men weep when they are distant from Jesus. When the soul sees God clearly, it would gladly be with God. A gracious heart cries out, “O that I had wings, that I might fly away, and be with my love, Christ!” The bird desires to be out of the cage, though it is hung with pearl.

A godly man loves God, though he is tested, tempted, and tried. A mother and her nine-year-old child were about to die of hunger. The child looked at its mother and said, “Mother, do you think God will starve us?” “No, child,” said the mother, “he will not.” The child replied, “But if (my note: not if, but when) he does, we must love him, and serve him.”

Let us test our godliness by this measurement: Do we love God? Is he our treasure and center? Can we, with David, call God our “joy”, yes, our “exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4)? Do we delight in drawing near to him, and “come before his presence with singing”? (Psalm 100:2) Do we love him for his beauty more than his jewels? Do we seek gifts above Giver? Do we love him, when he seems not to love us?

If this be the sign of a godly man, how few will be found in the number! Where is the man whose heart is dilated in love to God? Many court him—but few love him. People are for the most part eaten up with self-love; they love their ease, their worldly profit, their lusts—but they do not have a drop of love to God. If they loved God, would they be so willing to be rid of him? “They say unto God, Depart from us” (Job 21:14). If they loved God, would they tear his name by their oaths? Does he who shoots his Father in the heart, love him? Though they worship God, they do not love him; they are like the soldiers who bowed the knee to Christ, and mocked him (Matt. 27:29).

Godly men love Jesus.

Just as gold is the most valuable metal, so faith is the most valuable thing given to us through grace. It is by faith that we are grafted into the body of Christ. It is through faith that initiates all the other gifts of God. It is faith that excites the soul to exercise. Faith brings repentance. When I am made aware of and believe God’s love to me, this makes me weep that I should sin against so good a God. Faith is the mother of hope; first we believe the promise, then we hope for it. Faith is the ground of patience; if you believe that God is your God, and that all things work for your good (Romans 8:28), than you will patiently yield yourself to the will of God.

The life of the Christian is nothing but a life of faith. Prayer is the exhalation of faith. Obedience is only the result of faith. Just as the ray lives in the Sun, so the Christian lives by faith in Christ: not detachable. It is through faith that the subsiding of anxiety comes.  Faith is that all important medicine that absolves all wounds. It is the godly man’s anchor in a sea of troubles.

Most men are spiritually blind; they can only see just before them (2 Pet. 1:9). Are you like these men, or do you see past the present confines of physical reality and into the spiritual realm of faith?

One of the characteristics of a Godly man is that he is a man of knowledge. Proverbs 14:18 states that the “prudent are crowned with knowledge.” The most important knowledge within the Godly man’s head is the saving knowledge of God. This is not knowledge of God or knowledge about God, but it is an intimate awareness of who God is and what He has done. The regular man does not see the hideous evil within his own heart, and neither does he see the beauty of our savior Christ.

The Godly man, however, is taught directly by God via His Spirit (1 John 2:27). The Godly man knows of God and about God..but in Christ. Through Christ, the Godly man is made aware of the beauties of God. To know God apart from Jesus is to know God as the enemy…to know God in Christ is to know Him as both sweet and delicious. There is a great difference between one who has read of a country, or viewed it on a map, and someone else who has lived in the country and tasted of its fruits and spices. A Godly man’s knowledge has 8 ingredients:

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Grounded

The knowledge of the Godly man is rooted in both Spirit and Word. The Word is the guide, the Spirit is the witness. What the man reads in the Bible is attested to by the Holy Spirit. A Godly man would die for this knowledge. The martyrs of both past and present times held the knowledge so dearly that they were willing to shed their own blood for it. The godly man is no different.

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Appreciative

Once the knowledge of God is found within the man, the man values God appropriately. God, once known, is treasured above all other things. To compare other things with God is to debase His deity. It’s like seriously comparing a lightning bug to the sun.

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Enlivening

The godless man who has knowledge is like a dead man with a torch: useless. Knowledge of Christ animates: it brings men to life. John the Baptist is mentioned in Scripture as a ‘burning and shining lamp’. He shone with the light of God to others, but he also burned white hot with affection and passion for Jesus.

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Appropriating

The knowledge within a godly man’s skull is comforting. Like Job, we know that the Redeemer lives (Job 19:25)! We are comforted by the surety of Christ. But how do we know that we are applying Christ correctly in our lives? When He is both Jesus and Lord, of course! Many will take Christ as Savior, but refuse Him as Lord. The prophet Zechariah notes that Jesus is a “priest upon His throne”. Jesus can only intercede as priest unless He is also King. He will not intercede for your heart unless your heart is the throne upon which He swings His scepter!

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Transforming

Just as a street painter who stares at someone’s face paints a likeness of that face, so we looking at Christ through the Gospel are changed to look like Him. The divine knowledge of Jesus transforms. Nothing else on earth does this. No sick man who has looked at a well person has become well. No ugly person has looked upon a pretty person and become beautiful. But just as the face of Moses shone after glancing at the back of God, so we too shall shine as we look upon Jesus through the lens of the Gospel.

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Self-Emptying

Everyman knowledge brings pride into the mind, but real knowledge brings a man out of love with himself. He realizes that he is far short of where he should be. Instead of being puffed up with pride, the godly man’s knowledge brings more shame as it increases.

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Growing

True knowledge is like the light of the morning, which increases on the horizon until it fills the atmosphere. True knowledge constantly increases in the godly man (Col 1:10).

The Godly Man’s Knowledge is Practical

Real knowledge is accompanied by obedience. True knowledge does not only improve the believer’s sight, but his pace as well. It is wrong for a man to know how he should live, and act contrary anyway. When knowledge and practice are found together, so too is joy found as well. Many during the flood saw the ark, but did not get into it. Likewise, knowledge that is not applied will only light a man to hell.

Essential

• Calendar (synced with nuevasync)
• Mail (synced with my Google Apps on the HarmonyDC domain)

Social Networking

• Facebook
• Tweetie (best iPhone Twitter client hands down -> I use for my 5 twitter accounts: derekbrown,cruxgreenville,servegreenville,harmonychurch, and cruxgreenville)
• TweetDeck (nice for searching through various keywords [greenvillenc, ecu, servegreenville,harmonychurch,derekbrown, etc])
• Beejive IM (for on-the-go instant messaging)
• Brightkite (nice when i’m staying somewhere a while and want people to know where i’m at)

Utilities

• Remember the Milk (on my bottom bar - task manager - also synced in gmail [via gadget] and on desktop [via google gears])
• Dictionary (mainly for the thesaurus)
• Amazon (for quick ordering books, or adding them to my wishlist [currently above 500])
• Dropbox (beautiful service for file sharing across computers)
• Translator (i work with both Chinese and Spanish speaking people)
• Bank of America (to monitor the finances, of course)
• Wordpress (to maintain multiple blogs)
• Ego (to watch the stats across my various sites, including my twitter accounts)
• Deliveries (to watch for incoming deliveries of things i’ve ordered)
• Minibooks (for use with Freshbooks, my invoicing client for Crux Media)

For Fun

• Tasting Notes (to keep beer notes, mainly)
• BrainTeaser (hard game)
• Frenzic (easy game)
• ScoreCenter (ESPN, of course)
• Fox Sports (for articles)
• At Bat 2009 (to keep up with my WashNats)
• Toobz Free (decent time waster)
• Flixster (for date night planning)

I also have the YouVersion Bible App and the Mantis Bible Study app on my iPhone for obvious reasons.

Watch the above video for my musings on prayer that stemmed from a experience at work this morning. [I reference Isaiah 6, which you can read for yourself here: Isaiah 6. Also, GK Beale’s book, We Become What We Worship, is extremely helpful on this point. You can also listen to a sermon I preached from this text at the beginning of the year (here).