Free Book Contest

And The Winner Is ...

Thanks to everyone who participated in the July book drawing contest. My youth group voted tonight and the winner is ...

Leap of Faith by Maria.

Congratulations! Thank you all for participating. I will probably do another one later this month (August)

Maria, please send me a mailing address by email or FB message.

In case you are interested, here is some background to the photo. I was at Family Bible Camp in Pray, Montana (just north of Yellowstone Park). I was the speaker for the week. As part of my powerpoing presentations I showed pictures I had taken during the day of camp activities and scenery. Some of the kids wanted to make sure they were in some of the photos so they would take my camera to get pics they wanted, or would take pictues of their own cameras and bring them to me. A bunch of boys went on a hike and took multiple pics of each other and gave them to me to show. This is one of their pictures. (Added 8/8/10)

Free Book Contest - Name That Picture

If you can think of a good caption for this picture, enter it in the comments section. In two weeks I'll have my youth group pick their favorite one and I will award the winner with a copy of my book Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks and Other Gems From Proverbs.

Note: I am at Bible Camp again ... this is my third week of the summer! I've done two weeks numerous times before, but this is my first time to do three. I'm teaching 15 classes this week, most of them from Proverbs. I have sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school and some college freshmen.

Here is the picture!

Note: You can click on the photo to enlarge it. After the contest I will explain the picture.

Warren

Finding a Wife

Finding a Wife

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22)

What Does it Mean to "Find" a Wife?"Finding" a wife almost sounds trite, but it is not. "Find" means to "pursue diligently." (Waltke 2:95). It means to give our all to the task. We can see what is involved in "finding" something of value when we look at the pursuit of wisdom.

Fools look for wisdom but do not find it. "They will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me." (Prov. 1:28) Why will fools be disappointed in their search for wisdom? "They hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord." (1:29). They do not find wisdom because they do not have the heart for it. Likely, they will not find a good wife, either.

There is an intensity to the search of a good man to find what is good.

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5)

Notice the verbs that characterize the search for wisdom: turn (your ear), apply (your heart), call out, cry aloud, look for, search. Every body part is on this quest for wisdom: ear, heart, voice, eyes, hands.

Remember, the word for "finding" wisdom is the same for "finding" a wife. If we apply the above passage to the search for a wife we could say, "If you pursue a good wife with every ounce of energy you can muster in your body, heart, mind and soul, God will not disappoint you. He will bless you with a relationship with her."

This intense search to find wisdom is implied in the effort to find a wife. It is not by chance that a good woman comes into our lives and will be our wife and helpmeet. It is by diligent preparation in character building, by patience and self-control, and by the grace of God that we receive a good woman as a wife.

Warren Baldwin
Note: You can read the full article on Bible Fountain

Also, you might enjoy linking to Marriage Mondays.

Good Wives Are From the Lord

Good Wives are From the Lord

A godly man searches diligently for a good wife. He knows that having a good wife is not a matter of luck or good fortune. Having a good wife in one’s life is such a wonderful blessing that the Lord himself takes credit for presence: "Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. (Proverbs 19:14)

A godly man prepares himself to be ready for when a godly woman comes into his life. He seeks God through prayer. He practices discipline and self-control in all areas of his life, especially in his dating relationships. He may date many women before he finally decides on one to be his wife, but in each of those relationships he practices sexual restraint. He is saving his romantic and sexual energy for the woman he marries.

Yet even with all of his preparation and self-control a godly man knows he cannot boast of himself for "finding" a good woman to marry him. God says, "No, I’ll take credit for her." A prudent wife is from the LORD.

Guys, if we are blessed with a godly wife in our lives, let’s be sure to include her in our prayer of gratitude tonight.

Warren Baldwin
Note: You can read the full article on Bible Fountain.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School

Our 4-night VBS ended on a high note with 225 present (counting ing the parents who came for the closing program). Two youth ministers, Casey Haynes of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Aaron Austin of Moore, OK led their youth groups to our congregation to help with VBS. On the opening night we had 121 present, and Casey offered to have his head shaved if we reached 175. We did, and Casey's good friend Aaron provided his hair cutting services (photos below).

In addition to VBS the teens peformed various community services, including painting. And as you can see, they didn't limit their painting to the buildings!

Warren

More Photos and Book Reviews

More Photos and Book Reviews

Several blogging friends recently did reviews of Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks and Other Gems from Proverbs. Their reviews are linked here:

April at Reading With Pleasure

DJ at The Quiet Quill

Clif at Musings of a Minister

Now, for some more photos of God's beautiful creation. Kristin and I were blessed to enjoy this on a recent trip to a Family Bible camp in Montana - Yellowstone Bible Camp. YBC has weeks of camp for children and youth, but they also have several weeks for families. There are Bible classes in the mornings, and then plenty of free time in the afternoons to visit, hike, rest, read, or soak in the beauty of the surroundings.




The camp is 1/2 hour from Yellowstone National Park. This was my fifth year to teach/speak there. I love it! I'm grateful to John Free and the board of YBC for inviting me there.

I would be glad to have some of you join us at this family camp next time! I hope to speak there again in 2012.

Have a great weekend.

Warren

Almost Home

Almost Home

Kristin and I are almost home from a trip to Yellowstone Bible Camp in Pray, Montana and a visit with old friends in Cody, Wyoming. This morning (Sunday) we are in Cheyenne, WY worshiping with Wes (my son), slowly making our way home.

This has been a good trip. I'll write more later (and tomorrow I'll have a post about father-daughter trips on Titus2InAction). But, here are a couple of pictures of the trip.

And thanks to all who visited and commented while I was gone. I was only able to get on the internet once while in the mountains and didn't have time to blog. This week I'll be visiting other sites.


Mule deer out side of Cody.

A view of the Bible camp in Pray, MT.

Relaxing.

Mr. Grizzly. We saw 8 grizzlies on this trip (and I saw one more).

Wall decorations at the Irma restaurant in Cody.

Warren