Dave's Humor

Here's a link to the other stupid videos in the series.

Vintage21 Jesus Video #2

Funny.

Weekend Visit

Well, I'm finally coming back to my college. That's right, this weekend I will be in town for just one day. The evening is reserved for Mr. Josh Buisch and Madam Janelle Brasch's wedding, but I would love to see as many of you as possible on Friday morning and early afternoon. Sadly, I will miss the circle, but I think I get to sit in with my brother in Schloegel's Theo II class. I'll be arriving late Thurs. with my roomate, Dan Francis, and leaving Friday night after the wedding. Let me know what we can do (Dave, I wouldn't mind busting out the BBC glasses... you know what I mean). Anyhoo, I look forward to seeing you all in a few days.

Keep the faith... la chaim,
Josh Huff

HI!!

Hello everyone!!

I haven't written in a while, and I just figured I would come on and let everyone know I am alive, still kickin', and enjoying the business of the semester. It has indeed been quite busy...but God is Good, and He gives Grace and Strength to get through even the toughest days! My brother, Josh, is student teaching, and as far as I know, he is having a lot of fun with it! So that makes me happy! My classes are a bit challenging, but good overall. I hope every one is doign well! I love you all! Old or New, Chambers is a unique group, and I am blessed every time I am with them, or even thinking about the group!

New insights of Christocentricity

Last night I had the priviledge to attend our church's teacher training seminar, let by our new pastor/teacher, Paul Alexander. While a lot of the content was review (though still refreshing and encouraging to hear), some materiel hit me in a new way and I wanted to share some of that with you and read your thoughts on it. Here we go:

The Reversal of Babel: In Genesis 11, we read about the tower of Babel. At this time man was supposed to be spreading God's rule and blessing throughout the world by multiplying and filling the earth, but instead he had gathered together to promote his own name and his own rule, defying God. God's solution was to confuse their speech, stopping them from spreading their own rule. Fast forward to Acts 2. Man is again gathered together, but this time, God is ready again for them to spread the message of God's rule through the gospel and God's blessing through Christ. However, the boundary of speech is still with them. God's solution is to reverse the effects of Babel and allow men to speak in language understood by all. Now His blessing can again be spread and his rule can grow, filling the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit and the gospel.

The Partial Kingdom: The Kingdom of God is defined by Graeme Goldsworthy as: God's people in God's place under God's rule and blessing. In Genesis 12, a kindgom promise is given to Abram that he would have a land, descendants, and blessing. This is promise that would be partially fulfilled in several ways, but never totally fulfilled until the events of Revelation 22 take place. We see Israel as a partial fulfillment of this promise. They have a physical land in Palestine; they are a physical people group; they are under God's rule; they spread God's blessing to the nations around them (specifically under Solomon's rule). However, they are not the total fulfillment of all that the promise intended. They do not spread God's blessing to all nations, they do not contain all of God's promised people, etc. Rather, Israel is a model for the kingdom still yet to come. The aspects of their kingdom point to the fulfillment, which is ultimately Christ. Even the church doesn't fulfill the ultimate expression of the Kingdom, although it serves as an even better model than Israel. Christ is the only one who fulfills God's people in God's place under God's rule and blessing. Christ is the ultimate place: the tabernacle (Jn. 1:14), the ultimate temple (Jn. 2:18-21; Rev. 21:22), and the ultimate Lamb (Heb. 10:10). Christ is God's people (Mt. 1:1- the Son of David, the Son of Abraham; Gal. 3). Christ is the arm of God's rule and blessing (Mt. 12:28, 28:18; Luke 22:20; 2 Cor. 1:20). God's Kingdom is now here in part through Christ and the people of God who are the children of Christ, the true seed of Abraham. This Kingdom will continue to grow and spread until God makes all things new through His established King, Christ. There is no need for a reversion back to previous models, like Israel, or even the church. There is no need to revert back to old sacrifical systems or temples. Christ fulfills all.

The Wilderness Wanderings: As Israel was being prepared for her entry into the promised land and the beginning of her ministry to spread God's message to the nations, she was tested in the wilderness. She failed the test and was judged with 40 years of wandering and ultimately with exhile and rejection. Christ underwent this same test. As he prepared for his ministry, he was also tested in the wilderness, yet was successful. He use the same text from Israel's wanderings and defeated Satan's temptations. After that he gathered to himself 12 men, also an allusion to Israel's 12 tribes. Even in this small example, Christ is seen as fulfillment.

Sorry for the length, but I was excited about what I learned. Keep on studying and unfolding the many layers of our precious scriptures.

-Sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, soli deo Gloria-

-Josh Huff

CT article online

I know some of you have been wanting to read the "Young, Restless, and Reformed" article in Christianity Today but have had a hard time tracking it down. CT apparantly just put it in their website archives, so here is the link.

Chambers Prayer Requests

Hey ya'll!
Here are some of the requests that were given this past Tuesday. This is one of the best ways we can show our love for one another! So let us be encouraged to pray faithfully and specifically for each other!

Leah- sister (Sarah) has a baby that could come anytime, pray that it will come soon, and that Sarah will have patience through it.

Abi- Motivation and focus in school, and that she would be in the Word.

Dave- Friend (Ben) needs prayer as his wife is unfaithful to him.

Nate- His home church (Evangel Ba. Ch.) is looking for Sr. Pastor

Kristin- Overwhelmed with responsibilities, needs wisdom in deciding what ones she should and shouldn't keep.

- John Amos' family had a cousin die. Pray for the family and spouse of the cousin.

Doc- Connie has surgery this Friday, pray that the peace of God will control their hearts and minds.


Okay that's it for now :) Have a loverly day!


Ps. 46:10-11
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Moleskin ESV

Hey Crossway came out with a Moleskin-like Journaling Bible. My wife got me one for my birthday. Check out the website to learn more. It is $20 at Amazon.com

http://www.jmarkbertrand.com/bibles/journaling

Radio Dial

I heard this quote on the radio the other day.

"You love God only as much as the person you love the least."

What do you think?

The Public Reading of the Scripture

"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching."--1 Timothy 4:13

The last few months within the year of the public reading of the Scripture have been a feast of exceeding tasteful bliss at my church. After starting the New Testament reading in the morning services, last Sunday we finished the New Testament in Revelation 22! This Sunday morning we'll start again in Matthew 1. In the evenings, we're in the book of Judges. It's exciting to read the Bible publically in and with the Church.

Just like Colin Smith says, "The Bible is meant to be read aloud." In Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity, he says great things pertaining to the nature and study and doctrine of the Scriptures. In particular he says that the Scripture ought to be read aloud in private and aloud corporately, whether it be with the family or in the Church--but especially in the Church. Furthermore, he says that the Scripture demands special attention to reading it with calm emphasis when the Scripture is sweet and peaceful and heavenly. When the Scripture is serious and austere, it demands to be read with fear and with blushing of the cheeks. When we read the Psalms, they demand us to read it with joy and shouts of praise; with hope and tears.

We can glorify God using all our five senses in the reading of the Word! Emphasize certain words, certain sentences, certain phrases that you normally wouldn't emphasize. There are inexhaustible jewels in the Sacred Writings.

Raise your voice and may your affections be raised especially when you see Christ in the reading of the Scripture! He is the Great Prophet of our God whose word encapsulates all the words of the prophets from of old (Luke 24). All the promises of God find their 'Yes' and 'Amen' in Jesus.

I love you all! Loving the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation,

Gabe--Romans 10:4

Schedules, schmedules

Doc asked me to post a schedule of what's coming up for Chambers, so here it is! You can also see this information on the music department website. Here is a link for the calendar.

Pictures!! Tuesday, September 26th. Regina thinks we will be taking ours at 2:00, but that's not for sure yet. We will let you know soon what to wear and stuff. That's only in 2 and a half weeks.

Bible Conference October 4-6. We will sing for one of the sessions. More info later.

Grandparents Day, Friday October 27th. Sometime in the afternoon, More info later.

Winter Concert Schedule
We will start Winter Concert Rehearsals on Tues. October 24th. Here is a list of all the rehearsals. Please make sure your schedule is free on those nights.
Tues. Oct. 24th 7-9pm
Tues. Oct. 31st 7-9pm
Tues. Nov 14th 7-9pm
Tues. Nov 28th 7-9pm
Tues. Dec 5th 7-9pm

Winter Concert Dress Rehearsal: Friday, December 8th, 7-10pm at Mellow Theater
Winter Concert: Saturday, December 9th, 8pm at Mellow Theater


Weekend Church Dates
Also, we get to go out to some churches this semester! These are the weekends that we are scheduled:
November 5th
November 19th
December 3rd

The sixth sense to rule them all

Hey Gabe,
1. Should the ministry of music flow out of the ministry of the Pastor to shepard the flock to the pastures of the Word to his local church body?

2. p. 79 of Give Praise to God
Clearest expression of the [regulative] principle is to be found in the opening section of the Westminster Confession of Faith 21:1:
The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and soverignty over all; is good, and does unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.

3. Does the regulative principle regard interaction within the local church gathering or all music in the world?

4. If we truly have the "real participation of the Divine nature"-the sixth sense-does not this sense govern our other five senses?

5. Does common grace extend to the believer's enjoyment of all arts or is there a different responsibility to God that the believer must have?

Love your Brother mike

My brothers and sisters
when you do stray
cling to the Truth
and from scripture pray
grasp the Rock of refuge
with all your soul and might
Christ has climbed the mountain
to springs of pure delight

Some Announcements and Prayer Requests

Here are some announcements for current members, as well as the prayer requests mentioned in rehearsal yesterday.

Please give Kristin your money for Mortification of Sin. The photocopied ones are $2 and the bound books are $6.50.

Also, Kristin needs to collect a $10 deposit for your music. This will be returned to you at the end of the year.

Kristin also needs some laundry money, accepting donations. . . j/k :)

Prayer Requests:
Nate Klier's friend Carrie (sp?) with leukemia. She was hopefully getting a bone marrow transplant. (Feel free to leave a comment with an update, Nate.)

Continue praying for Doc and Connie.



General Comment: if any new users on campus are having difficulty getting started on the blog, please let me know and I'll try to help, it can be a little confusing at first. One helpful thing to mention, if you can view the blog, but can't figure out how to log in with your name and post something, click on the "blogger" logo on the top left corner. Then you will be able to sign in on the top right corner. That will take you to the "dashboard" that shows a list of blogs you are a member of. Click on Chamber Singers, which will show a list of posts. Then if you want to make a new post, you can click on the box on the left that says something like "create new post". If this is elementary to you, bear with me, but I know I had difficulty with this at first. :)

Blog-O-Rama

I just thought I'd put in a quick post about blogging, especially for those of you who are new or have not been actively doing it. Of course, it's not for everyone, but I just thought I'd share with you three aspects of blogging and reading blogs that I've noticed personally.

First, it can be extremely enjoyable. I have benefited much intellectually and spiritually from the insights of a diverse group of friends and others through blogs.

Second, it will keep you well informed about people, current events, ideas, etc. One of the best ways to stay up-to-date, while avoiding the "spin" of the secular media, is to read a diverse selection of good blogs.

Third, I personally think it is a valuable form of communication. Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that, given the oft impersonal nature of "talking" on the internet, masks and fabrications for the purpose of impressing others or whatever are everywhere. However, because of the immediate accountability afforded by worldwide publication and availability and the ability to comment and discuss publically, blogging tends to keep people somewhat honest (to a degree), or at least, you tend to come away with some nice syntheses after a string of public discussion and, yes, sometimes argument.

With that, I would encourage all of you to read and participate in the Chambers blog but not to limit yourselves to just this blog. Read the blogs of those on this site, and use them as resources to connect you to other important blogs. Three such important blogs, which you might enjoy, are:

1) Justin Taylor's blog (www.theologica.blogspot.com -- will keep you very informed about what is going on around the American Christian world)

2) Tim Challies' blog (www.challies.com -- will not only keep you current, but will analyze and facilitate good discussion about practical, theological, and problem topics)

3) Adrian Warnock's blog (www.adrian.warnock.info -- Adrian W. does essential interviews with many of the most important voices in Christianity today and provides some great devotional resources)

Happy Blogging!

Charis is finally here!!!

Well, Charis (pronounced Karis (Greek for Grace)) Moriah Huff is finally here, in person, and I must say she is the cutest little girl I've ever held. She was born yesterday, September 1st, at 3:30 pm after 15 hours of labor by my beautiful and courageous wife, Moriah. She weighs in at 7 lbs. 6oz. and is 20 inches long, so far...

As she came into this world I can only describe the feeling as total awe and wonder that our precious child was here. Granted, it was pretty gross, but also amazing to see a baby born, and then to get to care for her and love her and take her home... I must say it was a little overwhelming, but definetely a good overwhelming. I'll say much more in the future, but I must go spend some time with her. If you would like to see pictures of her, go to my blog for the complete posting (thejewfirst.blogspot.com) I'm sure I'll have much more to share later on. God is an awesome God.

Later....

Yo Matt

Hey I don't know if this is the case for any of you other non blog savy chamber singers. When I was signing up for the whole chamber singers blog deal I set it up under a certain name (dasiegrist) and gave it a password (*************). The problem is, that I set up another account for myself under a different username and I want to be able to change it so my personal blog and my chamber singers blog comes up when I sign in. Plus my personal blog will be made available for any chamber singers when they click on my name. I think that Matt has to delete my name from this chamber singer blog and accept me back in as my other name, but I don't know if it is that easy.