Christ Our Mediator

It's Here!

Machine Model: Power Mac G4
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (2.1)
Number Of CPUs: 2
CPU Speed: 1 GHz
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 133 MHz
RAM Size: 512 MB
DVDRW-CDRW

Our dual 1 Ghz G4 came in Friday afternoon. Amazing. What a boost from the almost dead ibook G3 366mhz that we were on. God provided an amazing deal on it, and it came with a 19" monitor, a huge WACOM tablet and pen, film and graphics software, and OS 10.3. It was listed in the wrong category on ebay, so I think that is why it didn't get bid up very high. Whatever the case, we had a huge answer to prayer this week.

--yup, we are pretty pumped!

Ski Trip

SKI TRIP - Ski Beech Mountain - 01.24.05 - 5.00am - 10.00pm

What a great day! We had a wonderful time on the slopes. They had 4-6" of fresh snow, and they turned off the blowers at noon. Perfect! Not too crowdy and not too cold! The weather was perfect 30s and nice and sunny.

Everybody did great, even the first-timers. It was a super day.

quote.04

'Twas I that shed the Sacred Blood.
I nailed Him to the tree.
I crucified the Christ of God.
I joined the mockery.

HORATIUS BONAR

Can God Bless America?

quote.03

If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.

AMY CARMICHEAL

Sunday Worship

This Sunday morning's worship service was such a joy! Pastor Craig was preaching from Phillippians 3:15-21

"Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."

We focused on the theme of Living with the End in Mind. If you have a moment, join with me as I remember what God did in my heart yesterday, to turn my mind back to what I have to live for. Eternity!

“The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven simply to enjoy God is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here.” – Jonathan Edwards

Therefore, everything on earth ought to make heaven all the better for us! Think of it, anything we enjoy or despair on earth ought only to turn our minds and thoughts to our Savior. Edwards continued, by saying, “Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean.” Look forward this morning to our final joy. Our life in heaven, where our enjoyment will be complete.

When I can read my title clear

There will be no more sorrow there!

Men, sing for us. There will be no more battles in glory.

Ladies, remind us that there are no more sadness, sorrow, or stress.

On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand

Are you sending your possessions to Canaan's fair and happy land? To go to heaven simply to enjoy God is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here!

Oh, what a thought, I remind you, that there will be no sickness there. Our vile bodies will be changed to be like Him!

CHOIR NUMBER– Where's the Way?

We find ourselves searching. Lost in the night, lost in the darkness; conflict and war all around. But then, Jesus found us. Love surrounded us. There's no more wandering for us. No more wandering because we know our destiny. We have a goal. A purpose and a vision is in view. Live that way today. Where's the Way that makes me joyous? In Christ.

Just Over in the Gloryland

MESSAGE

FOLLOW GODLY EXAMPLES
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

FLEE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

LOOK FORWARD TO OUR FINAL JOY
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Live for a look at the Savior in glory.

Resolved

95% of us have never written down our goals in life.
Of the 5% who have written them down, 95% have achieved their goals.

Yale Research found that 3% of the 1953 graduating class had written down goals for themselves. By 1975, the continued research found that the 3% who had written their goals, accomplished more than the 97% who had not put together.

"Sad is the day for any man when he becomes absolutely satisfied with the life he is living, the thoughts he is thinking, and the deeds he is doing."

PHILLIP BROOKS

I don't really like the term "New Year's Resolutions," it normally connotates someone who wants to lose weight, but doesn't really want to change the way they are living. I should call these rather goals that I feel very strongly about achieving. Therefore, because I want to strive to achieve more in my life for my Savior, because I want to go out of my comfort zone that I might depend on my God of all comfort, because I want to aim high enough so that God has to work through me in order to hit the mark, because I want to do all I can to make the Cross more known, and because I want God alone to get the glory in my life, I prayerfully commit these few small things to my all-sufficient God.

This is my first time doing this, and I pray that at the end of 2005, I can look back and see where, how and to the amazing extent that God is going to stretch me to be able to accomplish these things. I submit to His leading in and out of these ideals. I simply know that I need guidance as I aim to glorify my Savior. I feel deeply for these things. They are important to me, and I pray for my God to do exceedingly abundantly above all I can ask or think in these things.

RESOLVED FOR ME

I am resolved in 2005, to passionately commune with God every day in Bible saturation, gospel giving, faithful obedience and consistent prayer, striving for a deeper walk with my Father.

I am resolved in 2005, to better myself through improving the following areas: reading (30 books this year, 10 I want to read, 10 I need to read, and 10 I'm asked to read) writing (improve style and speed through this blog and other venues,) speaking (preaching and worship service,) academic pursuit (taking correspondence courses & class work toward a Masters Degree-Monday night Masters or other,) music (guitar improvement, vocal, choral, and piano,) discipline (physical exercise three times a week, organization of my time, skills, and work and eating habits-cutting junk and other energy killers out of my diet,) loving (my wife first-I have a separate set of resolutions for this, my teens and church second, and the lost,) giving (sacrificially as the Lord leads-more than what I already am,) and discipling (prayerfully, ten teen guys this year.)

I am resolved in 2005, to make new and cultivate old friendships with teenagers (my church, the Oak Ridge High School soccer team, and FCA), men in my church (Young Couples SS Class, Teen Parents, and Senior Tour), and unbelievers (contacts I have already made, and those the Lord will bring across my path) that I do not yet know.

RESOLVED FOR MY BRIDE

I am resolved to love, lead, honor, cherish, build up, present pure, and support you in a way that glorifies God in the greatest way, being wholly faithful to you.

I am resolved to provide for and love our honorable pursuits of wasting time together, hanging out, playing games, dating, chatting, and sailing together for the rest of our lives.

I am resolved to spiritually create an example and environment that you can look to and thrive in--consitently prodding you onward in achieving all that you can for your Lord.

I am resolved to be your one woman man, loving you with a love of choice that is not founded on how I feel, but upon who you are, and what I promised you and my God.

Money Matters for Newlyweds

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God

Happenins

A music conference, a ski trip to a golf course, and a little Catan.

A chronicle of the last couple days in the life of Beth and Jon.

MUSIC CONFERENCE

Friday afternoon, we got back in from our first music conference. The Wilds hosted it, and it was great. We loved the sessions, most of the people were great, and the music was incredible. I went to the conducting track. Jerry Maxwell, the music pastor at Calvary Bible Church in Columbus, OH taught 3 hours on choral techniques. I learned a ton about organization, dynamics, gestures, patterns, and teaching techniques. I took 2 pages of notes just on a choir rehearsal he directed. There is so much to learn about music. I feel a lot more like a youth pastor who does music than anything else, so this stuff was just great.

Beth went with the hymnplaying track. Faye Lopez taught her sections, and she brought home some tips on modulation, chord progression, and theory. She tried some of the new stuff out on Sunday night, and it sounded great. The Lord has really given grace in Beth's playing. She has been doing amazing.

One of the great things about the conference was the reading sessions. They hand you a stack of free music to read through. Our stack ended up being about 2 feet high by the end of the week. Great stuff for solos and duets. We are stocked up.

All in all, we had a blast. Some friends were there, but we mostly enjoyed the time together.

GOLF

Our youth group ski trip was scheduled for Yesterday, January 10th. We were planning to head to the snowy peaks of Ski Beech Mountain in Banner Elk, NC. Hah. As you guessed it, the non-winterlike conditions left the slopes looking more like a golf course than the winter wonderland we were hoping for. We rescheduled the trip for January 24th. From what the forecast says, new snow should be moving in the end of this week and through next. That should be great. The challenge went out Sunday. Anyone who can beat Pastor Jon down the mountain gets a free lunch. Anybody wanna join us ladies ski for free on Mondays!

CATAN

Beth and I found a version of Catan to play 2-players. Its awesome. We have played a couple games and so far, I think I'm in the lead. If you haven't played yet, you need to check out this post, and get in on one of the best games I've played.

Thats about it. See yah.

Complete

I’d like to let my mind wander onto thoughts of Christ for a moment.

What a wondrous redemption is in Christ Jesus! Colossians 1 is exactly what I needed today. I planned to read through the book this morning. But when I read, “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” The Holy Spirit began to press me to dwell on Christ this morning.

COMPLETE IN THEE

If we want to know God, we must know God in the flesh. It’s that simple. Christ is our opportunity to fellowship with God. Yes, opportunity. I say opportunity, because we miss chances to view Christ. Our flesh-fed, self-focused, world-loving gaze hinders a full view of our God. Take a minute and think through even some of the small points of your relationship with God. These things are amazing and eternal and great and life-changing. Not because of anything we have done. Not because we approached God and let Him do these things, but because Christ did these things. We are simply partakers in this phenomenal act. Let that thought revolutionize you. We are wretchedly fallen. We were not even fit to enter His presence, but Christ “qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”—Col. 1:13-15. We have access to the Father through Christ; we were alienated because of our sin, but Christ “has now reconciled [you] in His body of flesh by His death.”—Col. 1:22. We enjoy all the blessings of unity, service, fellowship, graciousness and need-meeting in the church of God, both local and universal, because, “He is the head of the body, the church.”—Col. 1:18. We are made at peace with Him “by the blood of His cross.”—Col. 1:19. We have a glimpse of the All-Holy, because in Christ we see “the image of the invisible God…”—Col. 1:15. We are able, because of Christ, to view our difficulties only as ways to show off Christ’s work; we “rejoice in…sufferings for your sake.”—Col. 1:24. We enjoy the privilege of knowing Someone that others only looked forward to, because our Christ is, “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to His saints.”—Col. 1:26. We grow into maturity through knowledge of the Son, because “Him we proclaim…that we may present every man mature in Christ.”—Col 1:28. We are energized in Christian work, “for this I toil, striving with all energy which He mightily inspires in me.”—Col. 1:29. We are able to continue, always growing into Him, someday that we might be presented “mature in Christ.”—Col. 1:28

HYMNS TO REMEMBER HIM

COMPLETE IN THEE

1
Complete in Thee, no work of mine,
may take dear Lord the place of thine
Thy Blood Hath pardon bought for me
and I am now complete in Thee

Chrous
Yea justified, O blessed thought,
and sanctified salvation wrought
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me
and glorified I too shall be

2
Complete in Thee each want supplied
and no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, will be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee.

3
Dear Savior when before Thy bar
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among Thy chosen I shall be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee.

AND CAN IT BE
1
And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God shouldst die for me?

2
He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace!
Emptied Himself and came in love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me.

3
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night.
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray:
I woke—the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

4
No condemnation now I dread:
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Chorus
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!

NEAR THE CROSS

1
Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Chorus
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

2
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

3
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

4
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

OMNIA EST CHRISTUS
Christ is all and in all.

quote.02

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.

AUGUSTUS TOPLADY

Life as a Vapor

quote.01

Life is short.

Live like it.

BACK COVER
Life as a Vapor

Who is the CrossTrainee?

named: Jonathan William Kopp

espoused: Elizabeth Ann

occupation: Youth.Music Pastor

location: Oak Ridge, TN (suburb of Knoxville)

church: Oak Ridge Baptist Church

random fact: The atomic bomb was engineered in my town.

drinks: Mountain Dew, Black Coffee, Sweet Tea

reads: j. Piper, c.j. Mahaney, j. Harris, a.w. Tozier, j. Macarthur, d.a. Carson, d. bertolini, c.s. lewis, j.r.r. tolkien, c.h. spurgeon, drudgereport.com, finance books (in order of importance)

loves: Christ, wife, family, job.teens.music, skiing, guitar, hymns, reading, a good quote, the swing, puleos grill, the soup kitchen, ebay, apple, settlers of catan, a good story (in order of importance)

random fact: Yes, the Oak Ridge Boys are from my town.

life-changers: Oak Ridge Baptist Chuch, Pioneer Village, Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper. The Cross-Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney. The Cross and Christian Ministry, D.A. Carson. The Book on Leadership, John Macarthur. More Like the Master, Randy Jaeggli. Back to the Heart of Youth Work, Dewey Bertolini.

most open on browser: www.drudgereport.com

when bored: reading, ebaying.

random fact: broccoli is amazing.