On a side note, I won’t be blogging here for a bit. As I think about using this blog, and technology in general, to connect with more people and to communicate with more people, I’ve decided to move my blog and create a new portal here at MicahFries.com. That means that in the coming days I will post a new location for my blog and this page will become a portal to link to other various ways to connect and communicate (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, an audio site, a video site, and more). So, be sure to check back in the next few days. If you subscribe to this site via email or an rss feed, you will have to update your settings when I make the move.

The following day, though, is an even bigger day. On Wednesday Tracy and I will take our oldest daughter, Sarah Grace, to begin preschool. It’s hard to believe that almost 5 years have now passed since the Lord brought Grace into our lives. We continue to be grateful to God for His grace in our lives in the forms of our daughters. This is another big step forward in her maturation as she begins the 14 year process through high school. It’s amazing to me how fast time goes by.

1. I think some ministers would do far more for the profit of God’s people if they would preach more about the first advent and less about the second.

2. Our business is to save souls. You will hear me expounding Revelation one day, that is, when there is not another of the elect to save. When all the chosen are saved, we will preach on the deep mysteries of Daniel and Ezekiel, but so long as souls are unsaved, we mean to keep to the plain gospel - Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

3. In many cases sheer fanaticism has been the result of exclusively dwelling on prophecy, and probably more men have gone mad on that subject than on any other religious questions.

4. I deeply regret when I see persons so taken up with prophecy that they forget evangelism. Trumpets and vials must not displace the gospel and its invitations.

…and the money quotes…

5. A man says to me, “Can you explain the seven trumpets of Revelation?” No, but I can blow one in your ear, and warn you to escape the wrath to come.  Another says, “Can you tell me when the end of the world will come?” No, but I can tell you how to be so prepared for it that you need not be afraid if it were to come tonight. I can urge you to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, so that you can await it with holy joy.

6. Nothing shall induce me to attempt to interpret the prophecies. By God’s grace I will be content to expound the gospel. I believe it to be one of the most fatal devices of Satan to turn aside useful gospel ministers from their proper work into idle speculations on the number of the beast and the meaning of the little horn. The prophecies will interpret themselves by their fulfillment, but no expositor has yet arisen who has been able to do it.

See more at RE:LIT.

HT: Steve McCoy

As a life-long fan of the Packers, who grew up watching Favre, this is a strange moment for me. I still regularly wear my Favre jersey that I bought in Richland Center, WI along with a Reggie White jersey, when I was 13 or 14 years old. I am sitting in my den right now, beside my bookshelf which is covered, on top, with Brett Favre MacFarlane figurines and I’m also next to my entertainment center which is covered with 2 cheesheads, 2 Green Bay helmets and a green and gold football. All that to say I love the Packers and I love Brett Favre.

So, this saga that has played out over the last few months has caused me to be torn. I hate seeing my favorite team distracted with my favorite player who cannot make up his mind. Just as in his playing days, when Favre consistently played on emotion, threw impulsively off his back foot and had to live with a number of bad decisions - even in this moment his m.o. hasn’t changed and now he has to live with his decision to finish his career away from Green Bay.

At the same time, I’m still a Favre fan. Oh, I’m a Packer fan first and foremost - and probably always will be - but I have too many memories of growing up watching my Packers rake the competition with Favre dealing in the backfield. I can’t just stop liking the guy and so I’m now going to root for the Jets as well as the Packers. At least while Favre plays for them….. and until they make it to the Super Bowl against the Packers….. at that point I’ll throw them under the bus and cheer for Green Bay.

All things considered, this is a sad day for Favre and Packers fans. I think it’s safe to say that the pressure Aaron Rodgers was feeling, just got driven up a notch or two.

Go Packers!

HT: Jason Allen

• ChristianAudio.com, this site allows you to purchase, and download mp3’s of your favorite Christian books. For someone on the run, this is a great way to consume Christian literature via your ipod or mp3 player. What’s even better is that each month they offer a different book for free. This month is Confessions by Augustine! Check it out.
• Ranking the SBC blogosphere. My friends Ed Stetzer and Les Puryear have played around a bit, trying to rank the blogs that exist in SBC life. I don’t write a whole lot anymore about SBC issues, but I still get a decent amount of traffic, which is appreciated.
• My buddy Art Rogers is writing on the Missional Church. He’s produced an interesting series of articles. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• For the next two days I’ll be at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, Missouri enjoying the Leadership Summit which is the brainchild of Bill Hybels and Willow Creek. Get to hear from Hybels, Craig Groeschel,  John Burke, Chuck Colson and more!
• Got some tickets from my friend Tom Brager today to go watch the Royals and Twins on Friday night. They include an incredible parking pass and tickets in the lower level, down the third base line. I always love a game at Kaufman Stadium.