WORD From The Woods


1 Peter 2:18-3:-7
  “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.  Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered”


Ephesians 5:22-33
     “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”


    In the first part of this passage, Peter talks about the servant/master relationship, which would apply in todays context to the employee/employer relationship. Even if you boss treats you unfairly, you are still called too to treat him with grace, kindness and respect. The most important job we have is representing Christ to the world around us, and the way we respond especially in unfair and unjust situations can be a much more powerful witness than any words we can say.   Peter, also addresses the marriage relationship, but it’s pretty brief when it comes to the husband’s role. So, I included Paul’s teaching on this subject from his letter to the Ephesian church because he focuses more on the husband’s responsibility. This is one of those passages that doesn't get a lot of attention these days because it is thought to be politically "in-correct." I've never been accused of being politically correct, but this passage is in God's word so it must be important and correct. Since God is the one who created all things, He probably knows what He's talking about. A lot of teachers like to say that Paul is calling for mutual submission within the marriage relationship, but in verse 22 he clearly tells wives to submit to their husbands, as to The Lord, he never calls husbands to submit to their wife. Paul says that husbands are to be the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, and as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husband. Now this may sound quite harsh and overbearing, but Paul is comparing the marriage relationship to Christ and the church, I don't think that any of us as believers would say that Christ is harsh or overbearing. Paul devotes most of this passage to the husbands responsibility as the head or leader of the marriage relationship. Husbands are commanded here to lead and love and cherish his bride as Christ does the church! Husbands are given a tremendous responsibility in this command. Paul tells us, that since we are one flesh with our wife, we must nourish and cherish our wife, because if we don't then we are hurting ourselves! God has clearly called men to be the leader of their household both physically and more important, spiritually. This is not in any way demeaning or disrespectful of women, quite the contrary, this biblical model protects women and honors them with the utmost dignity and respect. Husbands are to love, honor, cherish, respect, provide for, and most importantly, lead their wives and children by exemplifying Christ. If men are doing that, it is a great joy for their wife to respect and come under the leadership of the Godly man that they are married to. I hope that the men that read this will strive become the husbands and fathers that God has commanded us to be. The Godly leadership of biblically masculine men in the home, is so critical to raising up the next generation to fear and honor the Lord! I can’t emphasize this enough!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


1 Peter 2:13-17 
    “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover- up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”


     This is a very important passage for us today. The issue of when and how to obey Government regulations and mandates has been a very common topic of discussion and debate over the last few years regarding certain restrictions about a certain virus. I really don’t want to start a debate through this devotional, but I don’t skip over passages just because they are difficult. We could spend hours talking about this issue, but I’ll attempt to keep this as brief as possible in this format So, here are my thoughts on this passage. Peter tells us plainly here to be subject or to come under the authority of every human institution. Seems pretty simple right? Does that mean that the founders of America were in the wrong when they defied the wicked British tyrants they were being oppressed by? I’ve studied the historical accounts of the men who built our nation, and most of them were Godly Christians who were driven by biblical principles like honor, respect, integrity, and submission to the proper authorities. So, we should take serious pause when we look at their response to tyranny. There is much to learn from the example of many of the great Reformers and Puritans as well. What I have learned from the example of many great and bold  Christian leaders who have gone before us, is that they had an understanding of different spheres of authority. We need to recognize that as well. There is the authority of the household, we’ll get to that in chapter 3, but the husband is called to be the head of that sphere of authority. Then, we have the local church assembly, the elders are the head of that sphere. Then there is the Church proper, the whole of the body of Christ, King Jesus is the head of that sphere. We also have civil magistrates, governors, presidents, dictators, kings, congresses, parliaments, and even dusty old constitutions. All of these forms of civil authority have different levels and spheres of authority.  In this passage from Peter and Paul’s parallel teaching in Romans 13, you have an interesting qualifier that doesn’t appear in the submission teachings on marriage, parental and vocational relationships. In both passages, Peter and Paul say that the civil governmental authorities are to punish evil and praise those who do good. Peter says that we are to live as free men. Paul in Romans 13 even goes so far as to say that the government leaders are God’s servants or deacons to be more true to the greek. We don’t see much good being done by the government these days. I think we need to understand that these passages are prescriptive of how government is supposed to work. They are supposed to do good, not evil! These are not just blind commands to obey every whim that is mandated by the pen of an evil tyrant. We also have to understand that Jesus is seated on his throne and has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). And, that we are to render unto caesar the things that are caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s (Matt 22:21). We don’t talk much about the rendering unto God part. All of this has to be taken into context and applied together to get a complete understanding of how we respond to wicked rulers. When the governor issues a mandate that regulates when, where, why, and how we meet for worship, preach the Word of God, partake of the Lord’s supper, or perform baptisms, we can be certain that these are God’s things. With all due honor to those placed in civil authority, when it comes to the things of God, we obey God rather than men. When the laws of our land regulate things like abortion or marriage, in a way that is in violation of God’s law, we obey God rather than men. We also have a constitution and bill of rights in the USA that is supposed to be a supreme authority in our land, we need to look no further than the 1st amendment to see that the church is to be totally protected and free from any government involvement. When our government leaders are almost entirely wicked and mandating and legislating things that are directly in opposition to God’s word, I think we have a duty to live as free men, like Peter, and defy wicked tyranny. We must do this with all honor and respect possible! This doesn’t mean we raise our middle finger, grab our guns and start storming government buildings. First and foremost, it looks like being faithful to the word of God in our homes and churches, and our command to disciple the nations, (Matt 28:19). It means we don’t close our church doors or restrict worship just because the governor says so. It means we understand the battle cry of America’s war for independence, “no king, but King Jesus!” There is a lot more to talk about on the subject, I’m going to have to leave it here for now. These are just some thoughts to get us thinking more biblically. This is a difficult topic, but one we need to get a good biblical understanding on because we are going to face more and more of these issues in the very near future with what’s going on in our world.              


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


1 Peter 2:1-12
“And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation”




     In this passage, Peter uses a metaphor about the construction of a stone building to illustrate an awesome spiritual truth to his readers. Peter likens Christ to a cornerstone in a great building made with many stones. The cornerstone of a building was the first stone set upon the foundation and all the other stones would be set in reference to the cornerstone. It was the most important stone in the whole building and if it wasn’t set right, the entire building would be out of alignment and could crumble if not centered upon the foundation. The really awesome part of Peter’s illustration is that we, as believers in Christ, are living stones in this building as well! And this building is like the holy temple of God since the Holy Spirit dwells within us as Christians.  As Christians, or “living stones’’ in the temple of God, we are called to seek Christ and to live a Christ-like example before the world. Peter tells us that just as infants seek their mothers milk because it’s good and nourishes them for growth, we should seek Christ if indeed we have tasted His goodness.  And in Him we will grow from spiritual infants into mature Christ followers. We are called to seek Christ and His righteousness because the whole world is watching us as living stones in the temple of God. Peter tells us to put away all malice and deceit, to abstain from all worldly passions and sinfulness because we are Christ’s witness to the watching world. I don’t have to give any examples of worldliness to folks in the timber industry, it’s all around us every day and it’s so easy to fall into. Laying these things down and dying to our own selfish pursuits are the spiritual sacrifices that God desires (Psalm 51). We are the gospel in living form bearing witness to all those we come into contact with. If people read the gospel, spelled out by the testimony of your life, what will they see? Will they see the goodness and character of Christ shining through you and desire to have what you have as an infant desires it’s mothers nourishment?  When we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, we enter into something so much bigger than ourselves and our own selfish pursuits. As living stones in the temple of God we are an integral part of the greatest building project in all eternity, the Kingdom of God!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


1 Peter 1:1-25
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober- minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you”


    The book of 1 Peter is a letter written to first century Christians who were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. These believers faced serious persecution and distress and I’m sure they felt very much alone at many times. This letter offers us some awesome truth and direction for our lives as Christians today. The first chapter begins by talking about the various trials that the believers were facing, though they were real and difficult for a time, they were just temporary. Peter reminds us that as believers in Jesus Christ, we have an inheritance that is eternal and imperishable and far greater and more powerful than any trial that we will ever face in this life.  By coming to this world, living the only perfect life, giving His life for us, and raising from the dead, Jesus proved that He is greater than any trial we will ever face! He alone can deal with the problem of our own unrighteousness. Peter talks here about our faith being tested. If our faith is in the perishable, temporary things of this world, they will leave us seriously disappointed. But, if our faith rests in Christ and what He did on the cross, it will stand firm in the midst of various trails. In our industry there are a lot of “self-made men” who have been very successful by working hard and making good business decisions, and it’s easy for us to place our faith in our own success and ability. This past few years have brought a lot of different trials to all of us. But, there is nothing that has happened that God didn’t already know. All the craziness we’ve seen in the world though the “corona years” should remind us of the importance of trusting God in everything and it’s given us a good opportunity to be a Godly example in front of the world around us. I hope that this passage helps remind you to place your faith in the only eternal and imperishable thing it can be placed in, Christ Jesus and what He has done!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


Galatians 3
   " O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. To give a human example, brothers: even with a man- made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean:the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."


     Paul asks one of the most foundational questions in the beginning of this chapter, "are we saved by works or by faith?" That is really the most important question we can ask! And if you are saved, then Paul asks again, "are you being sanctified by works of the flesh or by faith?" Paul makes it abundantly clear that it is by faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross that we are saved! And as true Christians we have the Holy Spirt living in us, doing the work of sanctification! There is so very much to be learned in this passage, but what I really want to focus on is the fact that we are saved by Grace through faith in Christ. I also want to look at how the promise of blessing to Abraham, was the promise of Christ's redemption through faith. As Paul points out, the law showed people how much they needed a savior! God promised Abraham that the whole world would be blessed through his offspring, not "offsprings plural" but "offspring singular." Who is this offspring? It was not Isaac, but it would be a descendant of Isaac. The offspring that would bless the whole world is Jesus Christ! When Christ came as savior, He tied all of scripture and even history itself together. We as Christians today share in the promise to Abraham. Believers before the cross all the way back to Adam, and believers after the cross all the way up to right now and into the future, all share in this same promise of blessing. This promise was and even now is the promise of Salvation! It is the promise of redemption and sanctification through faith in Christ who came as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, fulfilling the law but not nullifying it! As Paul puts it at the end of chapter 3, " if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, and heirs according to the promise." I don't know about you, but when I read about this incredible plan that God had, as He said, since before the foundation of the earth, I am absolutely astonished that a sinner like me can be a part of this promise of redemption! If you are not sure that you are an heir according to this promise, then put your trust in Christ Jesus today for your salvation!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

​WORD From The Woods


Psalm 19
     “The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”


     This Psalm is one that many of us probably think about a lot when we see the incredible sunrises that we as loggers are privileged to witness each day, since we’re usually up on a mountain somewhere long before the sun comes up.  We get a front row seat to the creative, wondrous, glory of God from the tops of the mountains, as we see the valleys blanketed in fog being touched by glorious colors of a new day that the Lord has made being unveiled before us.  I’ve seen thousands of these incredible sunrises, and yet, they still cause me to stop in awe of the splendor before me, as the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky proclaims His handiwork! I feel so bad for people who don’t get to see it as often as us loggers do! This Psalm is very familiar to a lot us in regard to this glory. But, many of us may not have given the rest of this passage a lot of thought before. Just as the rising sun coms out to meet the new day like a groom coming to his bride, so the law of the Lord  comes to meet us. And, as a well trained athlete runs a course, so the sun runs the course of the day, finishing its’s cycle without fail, in the same way, the testimony of God is right and sure. As the sun brings glory and light and warmth to the morning after a dark and cold night, the commandments of the Lord bring light and warmth to a dark, cold world. I love verse 9 where it says that “the fear of the Lord is clean,” and His “rules are true and righteous altogether.” As the sun lights and guides us through the day, the law of God warns and guides us through the days of our life! King David wrote so many beautiful psalms like this abut the goodness of God’s law and His precepts. In our modern Christian era, we don’t talk a lot about God’s law or rules. We tend to focus more on love and liberty, which are actually only possible because of the goodness and truth revealed to us through His law. Just read Psalm 1! It is God’s law, written into the tablets of our own heart that points us to our rock and our redeemer, our savior Jesus Christ! So much more could be said about this passage, but I hope as you go about your week and see the glory of God on display each morning, you will think about the glory of God displayed though the scriptures and fulfilled in the finished work of redemption on the cross by our Lord and savior Jesus Christ!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


Colossians 2:16-23
    "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."


  At first glance this passage seems like it has nothing to do with the things we face in our day to day lives, but it's actually one of the most relevant passages in the New Testament. Asceticism was a kind of false humility that people had because of all the things they didn't engage in, simply because they thought that abstaining from things they saw as "taboo" would bring them closer to God.  Paul says here, not to let anyone pass judgement on you in questions of food or drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. There are many groups today that teach of you don't drink alcohol, if you go to church, if you read this translation of the bible , if you sing a certain kind of music in church, if you dress a certain way, if you have certain spiritual gifts, and so on and so on, if you do certain things then you are closer to God and more holy than others. This is exactly what Paul was warning against when he wrote these words 2000 years ago. It was a big problem in the church then and its a big problem in the church today. Next month, we will be at the Oregon Logging Conference, and our booth is in the same building where the “Sawdust Bowl” is held on Thursday and Friday nights. One of the reasons we chose that spot was to be there during the Sawdust Bowl, which is social gathering for a couple of hours with hosted beer and wine. It’s a great time to visit with folks. One of the reasons we’re there is to show people that we aren’t there just to cast judgement on them! Now, the Bible is clear about sin and sin is wrong. There is nothing wrong with having a couple beers if you don’t go to far. This is an issue that each of us needs to seek God on, some people should stay away form alcohol completely because it can be a very slippery slope that they need to avoid. But being a Christ follower isn’t about keeping a set of man-made rules I order to please God, it’s about being in a relationship with Him! We've all tried to do things by our own strength to tried and be "holy enough" for God. The bible is abundantly clear, there is nothing we can do to be good enough for the Kingdom of God. That's why we needed a savior, it's why only the perfect, sinless lamb, Christ Jesus could be that savior!  We must hold fast to Christ alone, not what we do or don’t do. As we grow in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, we will produce good works, not of our own power but by the power of Christ! All these things that people come up with as ways to be holy have no power to stop the indulgence of the flesh. Only the power of Christ can overcome the sinful flesh of man!


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


John 1:1-5
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”


   Happy New Year! It’s that time of year again, when people feel compelled to make all sorts of resolutions and set goals to achieve during the next year. This can be a really good thing to do. We all need to grow and change, wether it’s a health issue we want to resolve, a bad habit or character flaw, or even some kind of blatant besetting sin that we’ve struggled with for our entire life, it’s good to be introspective and desire to make changes in our lives for the better. The problem with most of these resolutions and goals we set is that, they are usually very self-motivated, and self-centered. And we all know how utterly weak and prone to failure we really are! The beginning of a new year is always a good time to evaluate as it’s a kind of new beginning for us as we look ahead and think about the next 12 months. The reason I choose this text of scripture in John 1 this week, is because the apostle John had some really awesome things to say about beginnings. Beginnings are important because they set the stage for what follows next. When we set goals at the beginning of things, we reveal our intent and purpose for whatever we’re about to do. God revealed something through John when the Holy Spirit moved his hand to write these words. In fact, John was actually just paralleling the beginning of the entire bible. The first few verses of John are a parallel of the first few verses of Genesis.
Genesis 1:1-4
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”   
   There is a lot to learn from the passages. One of the most important things we learn from John is that the “Word,” referring to Jesus Christ Himself, is fully God and has eternally existed as a person of the one triune God, and was present at the beginning of the universe as we know it. John teaches us that there is not one thing in all creation that wasn’t made without Christ! Our pastor preached one of the greatest sermons I have ever heard today on Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” John MacArthur said “everything that could be said about everything that exists, is said in that one verse,” These passages that we’re looking at this week, are so important for us to study when we’re thinking about the beginning of this new year. They are about the beginning of all things and set the stage for the rest of scripture and really, every area of life! I say all this, because it’s vital for us as we make resolutions and plans for the next year, that we make sure Christ is central in all of it. The Christ we claim to serve as “CHRISTians,” the Christ we just celebrated last week on CHRISTmas, is the Christ of creation, the eternal God who brought everything that has been made into existence by the awesome power of His word! It’s vital that He is central and preeminent in our lives. We cannot change ourselves for the better on our own. We must bow to His will and authority in our life, if we want to see true and lasting change. Let Christ be your beginning for this new year, let Him reveal Himself to you though the scriptures, let Him set the stage for the next 12 months and beyond to the rest of your life!


God Bless, have a great week, and Happy New Year! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


Psalm 139:1-17
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!”


    We can get so caught up in the crazy busyness of life, especially in the timber industry. We all work to hard and try to do more in a day than we have time to do. It’s so easy to forget that God is in control and start to think that maybe we are the ones that are in charge. It’s easy to do. The “make it happen” attitude is how we operate most of the time. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, God doesn’t want us to be lazy. He wants us to be the kind of people who will get up in the morning, show some initiative to go out and get something done. This isn’t usually a problem for loggers! Our problem is that we think we are the ones in charge and we tend to leave God in the dust of our own foolishness. I love the words of King David in Psalm 139. He makes it so clear to us that God knows our every thought and every move. Even before a word is on our lips, He knows it. That should be a sobering thought when we say some of the things we do at times! David tells us that we can’t go anywhere apart from God, He is always there. This is the God that knit us together in our mother’s womb. This is the God who knew every day of our life, thousands, even millions of years before the earth was even formed by the power of His spoken word! And we think that we are the ones in control….. How foolish can we be? God has a plan for each one of us. He has a specific calling for our life, and it’s a good plan, an awesome plan! Far greater than anything we can come up with. I’m not saying that God wants all of us to drop what we’re doing and go into “full time” ministry. Most of the time God call us to serve Him faithfully right where we’re at. For a lot of us that’s in the woods working day after day, seeking to glorify Him in all that we do. I hope and pray that the words of King David will remind you how great our God really is and that He is intimately familiar with every thought and step you take. In the middle of all the craziness, remember that God is sovereign over it all. Let Him take control and guide your way.


God bless and have a great week! -Terry-

WORD From The Woods


Isaiah 53:1-5
   “Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.”
Matthew 1:21
  “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”


    Well, Christmas is almost here! The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is coming to and end. As you gather together with family and friends this next week, or however you plan to celebrate, I hope and pray that you won’t forget reason we celebrate Christmas. I hope that you will be mindful that the reason for the incarnation of God through Jesus Christ is for the salvation of sinners. The very name Jesus, embodies salvation. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua, meaning “Yahweh Saves.” The entire bible is God’s unfolding plan of salvation from the fall in Paradise to the promise of Paradise restored. This coming year I hope that you won’t forget the reality that God has chosen you and I as the means through which the free gift of the water of life is dispensed to a parched and thirsty world, and the world needs it now more than ever! Perhaps you yourself are thirsty! If so, the concluding words of the last book of the bible have direct application to your life, “And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation 22:17). There are just three simple steps you need to take to find this fountain of living water, you need to realize, repent and receive.
    First, you need to realize that you’re a sinner. If you don’t realize that you’re a sinner you wont recognize your need for a savior. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
    Second, you must repent of your sins. Repentance is an old english word that describes a willingness to turn from our sin toward Jesus Christ. It literally means making a complete U-turn on the road of life. It’s a change of heart and a change of mind.  It means that you are willing to follow Jesus and trust Him as your Savior and Lord. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).
   Third, to demonstrate true belief means to be wiling to receive. To truly receive is to trust and depend on Jesus Christ alone to be the Lord of our lives here and now and our Savior for all eternity. It takes more than knowledge, the devil knows about Jesus and trembles at the thought. It takes more than agreement, the devil agrees that Jesus is the Son of God. What it takes is knowledge, agreement and trust in Jesus Christ alone. The requirements for eternal life are not based on what you or I can do, but on what Jesus Christ has already done. He stands ready to exchange His perfection for your imperfection.
    According to Jesus, those who realize they are sinners, repent of their sins, and receive Him as Savior and Lord are “born again” (John 3:3), not physically, but spiritually. The reality of our salvation is not dependent on our feelings but rather on the promise of the Savior who says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24).
    If you have confessed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you can rejoice in the angelic proclamation of salvation given to the shepherds on that very first Christmas, “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) If you have never confessed your faith in Jesus Christ, then do so today and start 2023 off right as a new person in Christ! If you have already done that, then take this moment to renew your faith and commit to share the good news of salvation with the world around you throughout the coming year!


God bless, have a great week, and Merry Christmas! -Terry-