"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,
according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand
in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."
-Ephesians 1:15-21
and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,
according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand
in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."
-Ephesians 1:15-21
I wanted to take a moment and say a heartfelt thanks for all of you who contribute here faithfully at COT. It is a great joy to have you give of your time and energy to make this blog a place of biblical dialogue about a myriad of issues. I hope you feel encouraged and challenged by the articles I post here - for I know I do by your comments.These past two weeks, the comment threads on several articles have been nothing short of phenomenal. Not just an obvious increase in activity, but the depth of the comments biblically and theologically has been a joy to be a part of. Doctrine matters... and I am glad that it matters to you. Even in the most controversial and spirited of threads, there was an excellent tone, uncommon discernment, and truths being discussed that was most rewarding. And through it all, maintaining a reverence for the Lord, a dignity for His Word, and respect for each other. SDG!
Thank you again for the privilege of allowing me to serve you each day through this blog. This is not a hobby to me, but an extension of genuine ministry.
His unworthy servant in His unfailing love,
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Update:
PS - I also hope you have enjoyed the cleaner, fresher look of the blog. Special thanks to Carla Rolfe and Andrew Jones for their assistance and advice in this much needed make-over that we embarked upon two weeks ago.
Peace.
29 comments:
Man, you really are ugly.
Sorry, just kidding. Thanks you Brother for the daily encouragement and admonition through this blog.
Keep up the good profession my friend.
BTW, I emailed you a little earlier about my 95 Theses. In case it went straight to the junk mail folder.
Have a wonderful day.
A Lion Has Roared!
SJ Walker
I've been told I have a perfect face for radio :-).
Thank you for your kind words and may the Lord be honored in all that we do for His name sake.
Campius
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Steve - Blessings on you for your faithfullness unto our Lord. While I cannot always comment, I do try to keep up...I'm a CPA and this is of course our busiest time of the year.
P.S. You don't look that much older to me than on the cover of "Doing My Best."
I enjoy this blog greatly even if I don't always agree with everything. It definitely challenges me to search my position and back my assertions with God's Word. I really appreciate the time and effort put in, especially how much you respond in the comments section.
I have a (very) little blog of my own where I write about my two little girls and just general thoughts on being a follower of Jesus Christ. I've often thought lately, "You know, I'd really increase my blog traffic if only I'd type these two words (appropos of nothing): Mark Driscoll." I have yet to do it though... :-)
Again, thank you!
Detroured
Thanks for the encouraging word my brother. CPA: Christ Presbyterian Academy? JK. We need faithful men of God as accountants and tax-lawyers to help us less than proficient in those areas swim through those mine filled waters. So thank of the "ministry" that you provide for many people each year.
The Doing My Best cover was photopraphed in 1993 I think. 15 years ago... You are too kind; but I have earned everyone of those wrinkles and I am proud of them (the few gray hairs as well.)
Alice
Thank you too for your involvement here at COT. I applaud you for not mentioning those two words... but in all reality it really doesn't increase blog traffic all that much; but the commentary you might bring to it may.
Have a godly day... and keep the comments coming!
Steve
"may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,"
The more wisdom the better. Surely we have to be doers of the Word, but we also need to hear, and when we hear to "Let these sayings sink down into our ears" Luke 9:44.
Keep on my brother in your faith-battle for Christ our King, in His grace.
I am truly thankful for all that I glean from COT! I know for certain that my faith has been stretched, challenged and grown more than I could have imagined by all that I read here. Thank you for the excellence that marks the ministry of A1M and COT!
Steve,
Thank you for keeping it uncompromisingly biblical at COT and not playing politics with the Church!
This site is stellar; the teaching you offer both in the articles and on the threads is tremendous.
Lord bless you.
2Thess.3:13
Cyd
Don
As always, thank you for your encouraging words in the Lord. It has been a joy to have your continual voice here at COT.
Debbie and Cyd
One of the things that I appreciate here are the biblical woman that have made their voices known. No running make-up; no fake big blonde wigs; no plastic posting; no constant crying (there's no crying in blogging). IOW, no TBN like women showing up here. Just godly women who are wrestling with the faith and holding others accountable to its truth.
Thank you all greatly. May the Lord, by His grace, continue to use this blog to encourage others in their walk with the Lord.
The Worship-Centered Life,
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Steve,
I'm so glad you didn't see my make-up running the times that I cried. And the wig...I promise to ditch it!
In all seriousness, I appreciate the opportunity to share here and hear what other believers' thoughts and concerns are, so that we can hopefully build one another up in the faith, grounded in truth, and in love for one another.
TRDFLOL, (guess what that means)
Michele
Steve
Thank you for always pointing us to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. When I need a place to come and be refreshed spiritually and grounded biblically - I come here.
Praise the Lord that He uses us in spite of us.
I am an older man who has been in ministry a number of years. I'm not much on all the new teachings out there. Seems like the biblical gospel should be enough in our time too... don't you think?
Thanks for honoring the gospel brother - not culturally, but biblically (see I do read this blog).
Humbled by His grace,
Robert
Steve, there's not a day that goes by without me thanking God for how he has powerfully used you and is continuing to do so in my life through your music and writing ministry. If it wasn't for God using you in my life, I wouldn't have been directed to a Reformed Baptist Church and come to understand and embrace the glorious truths of Biblical (reformed) theology. SDG.
Keep Pounding On Wittenberg's Door!
Thank you and God bless,
Des
Romans 1:16-17
Michelle
Thanks for your kind words and encouraging comments you and Terry always contribute here. We are all richer for them.
Blessings on you both.
Robert
I don't know how old you are, but I'm 52... I'm so old that I once released 8 track tapes on some of my early albums :-).
Your wisdom and grace are a sign of you spending time in the Word and in the crucible of His grace. Come by more often... It's always good to have post here.
Des
Thank you my brother - pounding on Wittenberg's Door indeed! You have been a faithful servant to this blog in what you post and driving us to the Word.
I appreciate you man.
Grace and peace to you all,
Stephanus Campius
2 Cor. 5:14-21
Steve:
Thank you for speaking out and swimming against the stream of 'Christian crap' that is wanting to rewrite, revise, and re-invent the Bible and Jesus Christ. Your words are greatly appreciated.
SJ
I have only become sharper in the time that I have spent here. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and gracious attitude, keep on going!
Coop
Steve,
Hard to believe it's been almost three years since COT started.
Only eternity will tell the amazing ways God will use it.
Thanks. See you at the Toledo Reformed Conference.
Blessings,
Terry
Steve,
You are an uncompromising light in the Christian blog world. Your unwavering stand for truth is both an encouragement and motivation for me. Keep fighting that good fight!
God willing, I hope we get the chance to meet face to face someday this side of paradise.
God bless you and yours, my brother.
Terry
This June will be three years for COT. It has gone quick. Only by God's grace has He used this blog for His glory. My greatest joy and my greatest fear is to cut straight the Word of God. To handle it truthfully and accurately; and to speak it in love.
You are also a faithful soldier for the kingdom. I appreciate you greatly.
Campi
Bob
Thank you for your encouraging words brother. When my dear late friend Keith Green was asked what bothered him most about contemporary Christianity (and this was about 1980) he said without blinking: the people that sell all the Jesus junk at festivals, conventions and concerts.
He later lamented those words: putting Jesus and junk together to describe anything associated with our Lord. I also was saddened to see that happening back then. Sadly, it is more prevalent now and people refer to it as "cutting edge" faith. The only cutting edge I want to be on, is the double-edged sword of the Word of God (Heb. 4:12) that cuts which ever way it is wielded.
Thanks again Bob,
Steve
Brian:
I have been so ministered to lately by your stand for truth on some pretty popular blogs of late. It is very disappointing today when popular sites play politics with God and His Word isn't it? And for what? The favor of other men...
I value your encouraging words highly... Thank you.
Grace and peace to you my brother,
Steve
Col. 1:9-14
Well, brother, my first reaction to this was thank you for being such a gracious and long-suffering host. I know that in my case, my comments here have been known to come off as rants at times, and commonly, find themselves meandering along, as I sprinkle them with run-on sentences in the form of random, sarcastic, or bizarre references to obscure places, events, people, etc.; leaving folks scratching their heads, as though I'm trying to convince myself that I'm some Bible-believing, female, Southern-fried Pseudo-version of Dennis Miller on his worst day.......(see, there I go again).......
Still, you bear with me and never delete or belittle my comments, regardless of how OT they are or how monotonous /pointless they may seem.
So, thanks for being patient when I begin to ramble on and when the words I type begin to read as though my fingers are tripping all over themselves on my keyboard. And 'tho I've thanked you before, thanks again for allowing me to use your blog as a forum for my "creative expression;" sometimes I am so provoked by one of the topics that my only outlet is to express myself visually. (My only defense to this is that He's still sculpting me).
From the back of the Berean bus,
LG
Steve,
This is one of my favorite sites to come to. I appreciate the content and your focus on the authority of Scripture and our Lord Jesus Christ.
There's alot I still have to learn, and have been encouraged by picking up a few things here and there.
I guess our prayer should always be to not just gather more knowledge -- something that I must always guard against -- but using that knowledge to become more conformed to the image of our Lord.
Love the new look Steve! Thanks for your faithfulness to the word. Keep on postin!
PDS
Thank you for your contribution here each week. We are the iron sharpening the iron; and I am encouraged by your words today greatly.
Marc
Thank you for noticing the new look here. I spend a lot of time online and I wanted something here that would be less straining on the eyes for those that read these lengthy posts of mine. Hopefully, mission accomplished.
Littlegal
Your comments here I have never thought of as being rants. They are usually very lucid and from the Word of God.
Thank you also for the great artwork you have contributed from time to time. The pictures add a lot to these posts and it's hard to find timely photos that really capture the theme being written.
My deepest appreciation for all of you today.
Grace and peace,
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Steve,
Your blog has been such a blessing, so thank you for sharing. I have learned so much and enjoy reading your posts. I have linked to them from time to time (I hope that is OK) - I loved your explaination of Matt 18:18 btw - this is one that was constantly misused by our "former" church to promote deliverance.
I remember you from my childhood - you were one of the first ccm's I listened too when I was 8 years old.
This past year has been difficult for my husband and I as we have seen the faults in the seeker movement and left our church. For years we sat under a seeker (going emerging) pastor who only gave us feel good messages. God has graciously used teachers such as you and John MacArthur (among others) to show us the truth. So thank you for being bold and not being afraid to tell it like it is. I can't believe how much real theology I missed out on all these years!!
May God continue to bless you!
Dana
Thank you very much for you kind and encouraging words today. It is my humble joy and never taken for granted privilege to serve the body of Christ through this blog.
One of the great benefits of the internet is the immediate availability of great works of theology. Monergism.com is a tremendous resource for online theology books; alsl CCEL is a great site of incomparable worth for finding and enjoying profound doctrinal works throughout Church History.
Keep on for the Lord...
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Hey, nice shirt.
:-)
Carla
Hey, nice PhotoShop!
IAS, thanks for the great work you do at your blog and for the contributions you make here as well. Christ-exalting; Word rich; and edifying always in the exhortation.
Grace and peace to you, Kevin and all the brew (kids).
Campi
Hello Steve Camp,
When I first got my computer a year ago..this site was one of the first sites I stumbled upon out here in the Christian world. In fact I didnt even know what a blog was before then. Its cool that you
re out here doing what youre doing; all the time and energy and dedication spent..I dont know how you do it. And for shedding light on and making me think about alot of things...including our friend out in Starbucks land. I'm down with what youre saying regarding that. Thank you for your example.
Scott or Glip or whatever.
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