text:
Astronomers have combined two powerful astronomical assets, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, to identify 19 new "gravitationally lensed" galaxies. Among these 19, they have found eight new so-called "Einstein rings", which are perhaps the most elegant manifestation of the lensing phenomenon. Only three such rings had previously been seen in visible light.
In gravitational lensing, light from distant galaxies is deflected on its way to Earth by the gravitational field of any massive object that lies in the way. Because of this light bending, the galaxy is distorted into an arc or multiple separate images. When both galaxies are exactly lined up, the light forms a bull's-eye pattern, called an Einstein ring, around the foreground galaxy.
Besides producing odd shapes, gravitational lensing gives astronomers the most direct probe of the distribution of dark matter in elliptical galaxies. Dark matter is an invisible and exotic form of matter that has not yet been directly observed. By searching for dark matter in galaxies, astronomers hope to gain insight into galaxy formation, which must have started around lumpy concentrations of dark matter in the early universe.
The newly discovered lenses come from an ongoing project called the Sloan Lens Survey (SLACS). A team of astronomers, led by Adam Bolton of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., and Leon Koopmans of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in the Netherlands, selected the candidate lenses from among several hundred thousand optical spectra of elliptical galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
The team was looking for clear evidence of emission from galaxies twice as far from Earth and directly behind the closer galaxies. They used Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys to snap images of 28 of these candidate lensing galaxies. By studying the arcs and rings produced by 19 of these candidates, the astronomers precisely measured the mass of the foreground galaxies. These new discoveries add significantly to the approximately 100 gravitational lenses previously known.
"Being able to study these and other gravitational lenses as far back in time as several billion years allows us to see directly whether the distribution of invisible and visible mass changes with cosmic time," says Koopmans. "With this information, we can test the commonly held idea that galaxies form from collision and mergers of smaller galaxies."
The initial findings of the survey will appear in the February 2006 issue of the Astrophysical Journal.
From NASA


text:
HOUSTON AND RENO, NEV. -- Duke Energy North America, a subsidiary of Duke Energy has agreed to supply up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity per hour, as well as natural gas, to Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company to fulfill customers' power requirements during the peak summer period, the companies announced today. The two utilities, which serve much of Nevada and the Lake Tahoe portion of California, are subsidiaries of Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE: SRP).
In addition, Duke Energy will further provide real-time purchases and sales of power between June 15 and Dec. 31, 2002, under mutually agreeable terms to assist Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power in balancing electricity demands.
These agreements will be physically executed through its affiliate Duke Energy Trading and Marketing and will not increase Duke Energy's credit risk. Specific terms of the arrangement are confidential.
Duke Energy also agreed to accept a deferred-payment program for a portion of the summer costs under its existing power-supply contracts with Nevada Power. This plan was proposed to all continuing power suppliers in April to help Nevada Power address its short-term liquidity issues.
Concurrently, Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power agreed to drop their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Section 206 complaint proceeding against Duke Energy challenging the market-rate pricing of existing power-supply contracts entered into with Duke Energy during fall 2001.
Under terms of the agreements, Duke Energy will supply varying amounts up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity per hour between June 15 and Sept. 15, 2002, as well as natural gas. This would offset power and gas supply terminations by certain other suppliers, as well as previously unfilled short positions.
"Duke Energy worked earnestly with Sierra Pacific Resources to reach a solution that is beneficial to all parties with the most important objective of providing reliable power resources to consumers in Nevada," said Jim Donnell, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy North America. "This agreement reinforces the strength and viability of long-term, power-supply contracts and ensures that Nevada consumers' power needs will be met during the summer."
Walter Higgins, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Sierra Pacific Resources, said, "We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that our customers have the power they need without interruption. The agreements with Duke Energy are a major step in that direction. We appreciate Duke Energy's cooperation in our efforts to reliably serve our customers and meet our obligations. Our agreement with Duke Energy should give other suppliers confidence to adopt the extended payment program."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
24/7 live global collaboration and asset sharing. Unrivaled media mining. Industry defining security. And the hardest working support team in show business.
PIX is an open sandbox, home base, viewer, community workspace, media mine, think tank and muse – a place where all creative and strategic content and communication is safe and tidy and easily found, shared and worked on together.
You can create at thought-speed with intuitive and intelligent ways to organize, search and sort content. Minimize interruptions with custom activity and communication feeds. And collaborate seamlessly with others with synchronized live review.
Our patented security and concierge-level consultation are the most trusted in the industry – the gold standard for locking down high-value digital assets while being open and adaptable enough to give creativity all the room it needs to grow.
It's always time to create with 24/7 global access – at the office, on-set, at home, in a hotel, or in the remote corners of Earth – with our intuitive and powerful collection of apps, custom commercial hardware, and rock-solid global delivery network.
We believe creativity is a rare and valuable resource. A kind of magic that happens when ideas and inspiration are given the time they need to grow. And something that deserves to be fiercely protected.
It's a simple understanding that any time wasted trying to find assets or info, learn new software, or manage systems is time lost on a project's most valuable asset – creativity.
That's why we've dedicated our lives to creating what we like to think of as a "creative bubble". A place where the complexities, interruptions and risks of working and collaborating in a digital world are silenced – leaving nothing but time to create.
Being invited into the homes, offices, sets, distant getaways, and inner circles of the top creative, development, and production talent in the world – would satisfy most. Not us.
The industry standard is who we are. And constantly questioning and revolutionizing every bit and byte of that standard is what we do. We are committed innovators. Inspired by our close collaboration with the most discerning creative and technical talent on the planet, we spend our days doggedly finding ways to be better, stronger and faster. And if that means throwing a baby out with the bathwater – we design and build a bigger drain . . . and start over.
At the end of the day, we are here to help. With our collective experience in creative and technical development, production, post, marketing and distribution, we've walked in our clients' shoes. Felt every rock. Climbed every obstacle. Endured every pressure-filled sprint.
Because we've all been there, we truly value our clients' time and work and understand their needs and frustrations at the deepest level – we're committed to meeting their real world needs with the most thoughtful, thorough, and timely personal consultation and technical solutions imaginable.


text:
Sign in
Reset your password
Registered Users
Originally from North Carolina, Jaclyn has called Seattle home for 15 years. Classically trained in the Vidal Sassoon method of precision cutting, she has been a professional in the hair industry for over 18 years. Jaclyn believes in surrounding herself with talented people who share her passion and vision, as well as her love of pushing the creative boundaries in the industry. As a leader of the Creative Team at SEVEN, Jaclyn helps organize and curate hairstyles for numerous runway shows and photo shoots, as well as hair shows. Her styles have been featured in magazines and showcased in fashion shows for various designers including Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karen, Alexander Wang, Chanel, Tory Burch, Betsey Johnson, Jason Wu, among others. She has also created one of a kind looks for celebrities such as Vanna White, Cynthia Rowley, Melissa Stark, Josie Bissett, and Kelly McGillis.
This website or its third-party tools use cookies. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the cookie policy


text:
Open May 1 - October 27
Reserve: 800-562-2680
Reserve: 800-562-2680
Info: 715-964-2508
Info: 715-964-2508
N9657 State Road 95
Alma Center, WI 54611Get Directions
RV Sites, Tent Sites
Check-in: 1:00 pm, Check-out: 12:00 pm
Accommodations, Includes Teepee
Check-in: 2:00 pm, Check-out: 12:00 pm
Located between Eau Claire and Madison, WI, 3 1/2 miles off I-94 on State Hwy 95, the campground is conveniently located and allows easy access to activities in the surrounding area. We have Camping Cabins, both one and two room, one camping lodge with a bathroom that sleeps 4 and a lodge with bathroom and separate bedroom that sleeps 6. When you stay at the Hixton/Alma Center Wisconsin KOA campground you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning as you take a peaceful stroll through the campground's meadows and woodlands. Songbirds provide a cheerful serenade as you keep your eyes open for deer, opossums and raccoons. Accented with multiple flower variations, the campground includes an ancient Native American site called Silver Mound. The well-stocked fishing pond, heated swimming pool, giant jumping pillow and bike rentals are hits with kids of all ages. Wagon rides and ice cream socials are summer Saturday treats, plus a pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings (Memorial Day thru Labor Day). The pavilion is the perfect location to hold your anniversary parties, family reunions, rallies or meetings.
Staying here at the campground puts you close to many outdoor activities, including boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking at Lake Arbutus and the Black River. The Trempeleau River offers great trout fishing and is just a mile away. Wazee Lake is the former site of an iron mine and is the deepest lake in Wisconsin, so it is perfect for scuba diving. Hiking, biking and ATV trails, Ho-Chunk Nation powwows, museums, antique stores and flea markets are also popular activities in the area. Campground offers FREE Wi-Fi, cable, sewer sites and friendly service. Your hosts, John and Debbie, will make sure your camping needs are taken care of. The campground store is convenient for those forgotten or needed items. RV, tent or cabin campers, this campground offers you the wonderful camping experience families use to build memories. Kids of all ages are having a great time on the new jumping pillow and we DO NOT CHARGE EXTRA for the jumping pillow!
Book your stay today!
KOA's highest service award, presented to KOA owners that achieve world class service scores from their camping guests.
Awarded to KOAs that meet exceptional quality standards and are recognized by their guests for outstanding service.
This KOA meets the established criteria to become a greener campground operation and is recognized by the "Kamp Green" icon.
This badge has been earned by this KOA Campground for compassion and support of KOA Care Camps. It is given out following our Big Weekend, and is in effect for one year.
Promotes youth Scouting programs in North America and provides special discounted group rates and free use of pavilions and other facilities.
WHEN: September 13-14, 2019
WHAT: Value Kard Rewards members stay as a paying guest on Friday, September 13 at any participating KOA campground and get Saturday, September 14 for ...More Info
Having cancer shouldn't mean giving up the joys of childhood. That's why the KOA Campground Owners Association created the Care Camps Trust - to help children who have cancer enjoy care-free time focusing on fun, friends and activities at sleep-away camp instead of on their illness.


text:
Festool Carvex PSC 420 EBQ Jigsaw
Barrel Grip Cordless Lithium Ion 18V
Tackle your most demanding (and remote) applications with the robust and versatile new Carvex Cordless Jigsaws. Designed to deliver the same performance as their corded counterparts while taking advantage of the tool-less base change platform, these revolutionary jigsaws will have you forgetting that you've cut the cord.
See LARGER IMAGE
Standard Equipment:
- Carvex PSC 420 EBQ 18V Jigsaw
- 18 Volt Lithium Ion Battery
- TRC 3 Charger
- 2 Wood Blades
- Chip Catcher
- Splinter Guard
- Systainer 1 T-Loc Carrying Case
Armed with the most advanced motor technology and every feature you have come to expect from Festool, plus many more never imagined, the Carvex jigsaws will shatter all expectations. Conquer any scribe line and curve with ease thanks to the robust blade guidance system that makes blade drift and deflection a thing of the past. Carvex jigsaws feature a revolutionary base-changing system that adapts to any application, multiplying the capabilities of your jigsaw. Perfect visibility of the cut line is enhanced by the quad-LED, stroboscopic system that penetrates through darkness and dust.
Tool not available for export.
Free Shipping!
Purchasing this item qualifies you for free FedEx ground shipping within the lower 48 states on your entire order.
- Battery Rating: 18V, 3.0 Amp-hr Lithium-Ion
- Saw Blade Speed: 500 to 3,800 RPM
- Blade Type: Universal T-Shank
- Stoke Length: 1"
- Bevel Adjustment: 0 to 45 Degrees (optional base required)
- Cutting Depth Capacities...
Wood: 4-3/4"
Non-Ferrous Metals: 3/4"
Soft Steel: 3/8"
- Variable speed blade speed with extremely fast max 3,800 strokes per minute.
- Tool-free base and base insert platform for expanded capabilities.
- Carbide blade guidance system for perpendicular cuts.
- Stroboscopic high-intensity LEDs for high blade visbility.
- Brushless motor technology for light weight, more power and longer service life.


text:
Government surveillance reports spark sales for Orwell's '1984'
NEW YORK – The country's book-buyers are reading up on being watched.
Sales for dystopian classics such as George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" have been strong since news broke last week that the U.S. government had vast surveillance programs targeting phones and Internet records.
Several editions of Orwell's "1984," about an all-seeing government, were among Amazon.com's top 200 sellers as of Wednesday morning. Huxley's story of a mindless future ranked No. 210 and was out of stock.
A perennial favourite of futuristic horror, Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," was ranked No. 75.
© 2013 The Associated Press


text:
If you are looking for affairs, mature sex, sex chat or free sex then you've come to the right page for free Delaware sex dating! TS Affair is the leading site online for sex dating on the web. If you are visiting or live in Delaware and are dating for sex, we can get you connected with other adult friends fast. be naughty and find sex, as our adult site is the best place you will get it on and find affairs, mature sex, sex chat, free sex and more. free.tsaffair.com just happens to be packed with housewives and amateur swingers looking for free swinger hookup sex. As you're probably excited to find a fling and other adult friends, get started today on our get it on site. Sex and dating offerings on this Delaware page help you hook up for hot sex quickly with sexy swingers, singles, housewives, MILFs and sluts in and around Delaware. Find adults for sex today >>
Delaware Adult Members Dating for Sex (10 of 95,304,373 Members)
- hornygurl444 26/F Delaware, United States im a 24 yr old horny thick girl looking
- Happehen 21/F Delaware, United States Hey! Im just looking to break my mold and have some fun!!
- tsukionna 30/F Delaware, United States Lets see what we can find...
- lissa_44 30/F Delaware, United States Serious Relationship
- lala19977 33/F Delaware, United States Bi-curious Be gentle
- GOODSHOT27 31/F Delaware, United States CAN U HANDLE
- niKolEnd12 21/F Delaware, United States
- cunt_punk 22/F Delaware, United States Hiya toots. :]
- girlshopper 43/F Delaware, United States Looking for some new kind of fun.
- igrittybabe3 28/F Delaware, United States I'm looking to find an athletic
Join Now for FREE!
Delaware Cities: Find Single and Swinger Sex in Popular Delaware Cities
- Milton
- New Castle
- Newark
- Newport
- North Star
- Ocean View
- Pike Creek
- Pike Creek Valley
- Rehoboth Beach
- Rising Sun-Lebanon


text:
All Items : Books and Publications : Art : Pre 1960 item #308264 (stock #PB00109)
Admiral Ale's Book Depot
This is An Abrams Art Book, copyright 1952. The Library of Great Painters, Portfolio Edition. NINE color reproductions of French Artists like Monet, Sisley, Van Gogh and others. Hard paper covers. Rear cover torn 13" x 10". Photo is a scan of the front cover.
All Items : Books and Publications : Art : Pre 2000 item #264064 (stock #PB00022)
Admiral Ale's Book Depot
This catalog reflects the work by craftsmen putting together the Rewick Gallery in Washington D.C. As part, but not connected to, the Smithsonian Institution, The Renwick Gallery at the Old Corcoran Gallery of Art. This book also contains pictures of some of America's finest art objects. Media mail.


text:
Vertical Farming: Growing Up, Not Out main content.
by AMNH on
In the next few decades, the global human population will exceed 9 billion—and 70 percent will live in cities.
Feeding this growing urban populace the way we do now would require immense amounts of agricultural land we don't have. So why not grow food directly in cities?
Perhaps, environmental scientists and agricultural experts propose, we could place productive "vertical farms"—essentially, space-saving multi-story greenhouses—on small plots of precious urban land.
Featured in the Museum's special exhibition Our Global Kitchen, the vertical-farm model above was designed by the Swedish company Plantagon, which not long broke ground on its first full-size greenhouse, in a city outside Stockholm.
The greenhouses' spiral helix structure would allow sunlight in from any angle; thousands of plants would be grown in pots and moved down the ramp as they grow.
On Saturday, February 2, speakers at an all-day Museum event, Your Food/ Your Future: A Day of Learning, will lead discussions on vertical farming, addressing urban hunger, and more.
Experts at the event include Dickson Despommier, PhD, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, and founder of the Vertical Farm Project. In the video, Dr. Despommier describes how a vertical farm might work.
Sign up for Your Food/ Your Future: A Day of Learning.
To learn more about the potential costs and benefits of vertical farming, visit Our Global Kitchen.
The Museum greatly acknowledges The Mortimer D. Sackler Foundation, Inc. for its support to establish The Sackler Brain Bench, part of the Museum's Sackler Educational Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Human Origins, in the Spitzer Hall of Human Origins.
Exclusive corporate sponsor for Our Global Kitchen is J.P. Morgan.


text:
BoxWave Home
Innovative Accessories for More than 3,600 Devices
iPhone 7
View All iPhone 7 Accessories
Cases & Covers
Stands and Mounts
Travel Chargers
iPhone 7 Image
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9
View All Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Accessories
Cases & Covers
Screen Protectors
Plug Adapters
Travel Chargers
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Image
Tablet Cases
iPad Air
iPad mini 3
Kindle Fire HD 8.9
Nexus 7 (2nd Generation)
Galaxy Note 10.1
Galaxy Tab Image
iPad Pro
View All iPad Pro Accessories
Cases & Covers
Screen Protectors
Travel Chargers
iPad Pro Image
View All Accessories
Audio Accessories
Bluetooth Keyboards
Screen Protectors
Travel Charges
Stylus Image
Find Accessories for Another Device
My Account
Sign In
New customer?
Create an Account
View Order History
0 Items
Your Cart
There are no items in your cart
View Cart
Continue Shopping
Bringing You Tomorrow's Products Today
Samsung Galaxy S10 Dual+ Holster Case Now Available
News Article
March 1, 2019
New Samsung Galaxy S10 Holster - Samsung Galaxy S10 Dual+ Holster Case Now Available
BoxWave is now shipping the
Dual+ Holster Case
for the Samsung Galaxy S10!
Enter the
Dual+ Holster Case
for the Samsung Galaxy S10, featuring a slim rubberized back case and belt holster, plus bonus viewing stand.
The back case of the
Dual+ Holster Case
snaps securely onto your Samsung Galaxy S10, with special cutouts for the camera, flash, and volume controls.
Your Samsung Galaxy S10 can then quickly and easily slide in and out of the two side brackets and one bottom bracket of the belt holster, back case still attached. A soft felt pad protects against screen scratches.
Featuring 180-degrees of rotation, the holster's spring loaded belt clip attaches easily. When carrying your
Dual+ Holster Case
, make sure your device screen is placed facing-in for maximum protection.
When you flip your Samsung Galaxy S10's screen around to face out, a metal bracket hidden inside the holster clip props your
Dual+ Holster Case
up to create a horizontal or vertical viewing stand for your Samsung Galaxy S10. A major plus!
Dual+ Holster Case's
unique finish makes it smooth to the touch, resembling the feel of polycarbonate, all the while maintaining the extra protection of a hard shell case.
Dual+ Holster Case
: A real addition to your Samsung Galaxy S10.
You can find more information about the
Samsung Galaxy S10 Dual+ Holster Case
and other
Samsung Galaxy S10 holsters
Samsung Galaxy S10 accessories
by BoxWave.


text:
The Seaways Reservation System includes a module to print tickets quick and directly on a ticket printer, as well as a online ticket module.
The online tickets can be validated on board with special software.
Backend and Management
Shipping Lines Reservation System contains several interfaces for the export of the sales in a accounting software like Datev. The export tool is configurable and individualisable.
The Excel-API allows the export of the sales in an table calculator software.
Capability and performance
The Seaways reservation system is simply to use and manage.
The software is a web-based PHP application,, which can be used on any browser or mobile device. The use of PHP and HTML output means that the reservation system is very high performance and its operation highly convenient.
Shipping Lines Reservation System contains an intuitive and sophisticated connection and timetable management facility.
All connections and combination tickets are input and edited with the efficient connection management facility. The connection management facility is divided into various sections, such as fares, days of service, times of service, etc.
Mobile Ticketing
The Seaways Reservation Software includes a iPhone-App for mobile sale of tickets, even offline.
The tickets can be printed directly on a mobile ticket printer. Also pax lists can be generated.


text:
Cell visible by own light
Scientists can now "see" a single living cell made visible by its own light. A new image intensifier, which amplifies the very faint light of an individual cell in a way somewhat like the television screen makes its bright picture, has been developed. It can be made to amplify light as much as a million and a half times….
George T. Reynolds of Princeton … used the image intensifier with a microscope to take pictures of Noctiluca miliaris, a tiny sea creature that gives the ocean its phosphorescent glow when present in large numbers…. The image intensifier consists of a photo-sensitive surface and a viewing screen, with five intervening membranes of aluminum oxide, each a one-hundred-thousandth of an inch thick.
George Reynolds' imaging process


text:
Friday, March 29, 2013
Celebrate! Episode 2: Pancakes!
Love The Ukulady ps: While I do love pancakes, I actually prefer crepes; something about their slim crispness....
Posted by The UkuLady at 9:24 AM 3 comments:
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Ukulady on Georgia Wrestling NOW TODAY!
Dear Blob! Today I will be on Georgia Wrestling Now Radio to discuss my exciting run-in with 1980'2 wrestling superstar, Abdullah The Butcher! Known as the most violent 1980's wrestler, The Ukulady enjoyed ribs at Abdullah's House of Ribs 'n' Chinese Food in Atlanta, Georgia, taught Abdullah the Friendheart and became BFF! Video coming soon! Tonight at 4:10pm Pacific Time and 7:10pm East Coast Time, Wrestling and Human Enthusiasts can listen in at www.wrestlingwithpopculture.com Love The Ukulady ps: The Ribs were fantastic! The Chinese food, not so much... pps: Abudullah The Butcher is Fantastic, Kind and Funny!
Posted by The UkuLady at 12:33 PM 3 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
8 Items
8 Items
8 Items
8 Items
Geberit Mapress Carbon Steel
Geberit Mapress Carbon Steel is especially suited for closed heating and cooling circuits. For solar and industrial installations, there is a special range of fittings available.
Thanks to the pressing technology, installations can be carried out reliably and quickly without complex welding and soldering.
There are three types of Carbon Steel pipe available; externally galvanised for closed heating and industrial applications, plastic coated for chilled water applications, and internally and externally galvanised pipe made specifically for wet sprinkler systems.
Click here for Technical Brochure
Benefits of Geberit Mapress Carbon Steel
Variety of pipes
Always consider
The 6 stage pressing process:
Check you are using the correct material for the required application. Only Geberit Mapress system pipes are suitable to press Geberit Mapress Carbon Steel fittings. To adapt on to existing or dissimilar materials you must use a threaded connection.
Use the correct tooling
Always check that you are using the correct tools, this can be checked in the Geberit Tooling Product Guide and Price List. Make sure that the tools you are using are in a good condition and are calibrated. There should be a sticker on the tool, jaws, collars and adapters to tell you when the tool next needs calibrating.


text:
I'm back!
Despite the fact that Florida was going through some less than seasonal weather, for us, it was amazing! We were able to walk on the beach, and listen to the sounds of the weaves crashing on the shore, while wearing flip flops and little sweaters... instead of boots, coats, neck warmers, gloves and hats!
By Wednesday, the weather was HOT. Well, hot for Canadians, anyway! We enjoyed swimming in the beautiful pools, and spending a lot of time ON the beach, of course, looking for seashells - we came home with a bag full! We built sand castles, too, although nothing as good as this one we saw!
It was funny to see Floridians wearing scarves and mittens when we arrived - I guess it really was cold for them! If that was my winter? I'd be very happy, indeed.
Travelling with my children is not that hard - although I did have my grandmother, mom, and sister with me, so they certainly helped! However, Dimitry was pretty difficult on the airplane. He will NOT sit still - a 3 hour flight is the longest I'll take him on, at least until he's 5 years old. This is his 4th time flying, and it's not getting any easier with him. (Of course, at 6 months old and 12 months old, he was easy, but he's not a baby anymore!) My 4 year old, on the other hand, has always been great on airplanes.
What a great feeling it is landing in Fort Lauderdale, and seeing all the palm trees!
I loved waking up to this view every morning...
And playing on the beach with my boys...
Swimming in the lagoon style pool with waterfalls, and in the infinity pool...
And, of course, shopping at my favourite shopping mall in the entire world, Bal Harbour Shops, and eating dinner out at one of my favourite restaurants, Carpaccio's!
I loved the weather. The breeze, the palm trees, the ocean. The pools. The resort, the funny things that only happen to my family, shopping, people watching, and buffet breakfasts. I loved seeing my children playing together nicely, and visiting with other family members and friends who were also vacationing there at the same time. We all had a great time. And now? I need another vacation, because I'm depressed that my vacation is over. Isn't that always the case?
I know we'll be back soon, and I'm glad that we came back to pretty mild weather. It is nice to be home. And my boys, especially my oldest son, were thrilled to see their daddy again!
Now, time to plan my baby's 2nd birthday party - it's tomorrow! I can't believe my baby is almost 2 years old!
Just have to finish doing the laundry... the never-ending laundry...
23 comments:
- daddybookins said...
Totally digging the last photo with a thumbs up! That sums up the whole vacation! Cheers!
Peas Out!
~daddy b.
- January 16, 2010 at 2:14 PM
- Scary Mommy said...
Looks like a blast!!! Love the pictures, and that castle is amazing--- can you imagine creating that?!!
- January 16, 2010 at 4:21 PM
- Jenn@ The Crazies said...
So glad you had a great time! Glad you are back safely. I wish I could get away for a few days... I need the sunshine and heat!
- January 16, 2010 at 4:24 PM
- T Rex Mom said...
Wow! That looks like an amazing vacation. The daily walks on the beach would be my favorite. And what a cool giant checkers board! Glad you back home safely.
- January 16, 2010 at 4:34 PM
- mama's smitten said...
What a great place to visit! Your pictures are great and you and family look so happy! Glad your back!
- January 16, 2010 at 5:16 PM
- BeachMama said...
Oh Loukia, so happy you had some warm weather! As we were seeing ice on the orange trees, I was very nervous that we would hear you are on your way to a destination further south. Glad it was a great time, welcome back to the land of snow and slush.
And Happy Birthday to your little guy!
- January 16, 2010 at 6:09 PM
- Pres. Kathy said...
Your vacation looked amazing! I am glad you had fun with your family! Happy Birthday for you little guy - na ton xerese! Glad you are back!
- January 16, 2010 at 6:45 PM
- hoobingfamilyadventures.com said...
Looks like a great time! I am really missing winter beach time this year!
- January 16, 2010 at 10:36 PM
- Elaine A. said...
Glad you had fun and a break from the freezing cold! I do love Florida - so beautiful!
- January 16, 2010 at 11:38 PM
- Elisa said...
Awww, looks awesome!! really great photos, I almost felt like I was there with you! Almost. because it's definitely NOT warm here :-)
That sand castle is fantastic! and ooooh, what did you get at Tory Burch?
- January 17, 2010 at 3:25 AM
- The Mommyologist said...
What a beautiful place! Loved looking at your photos and glad to hear that you had a nice trip!
- January 17, 2010 at 9:46 AM
- Paging Doctor Mommy said...
Welcome home... even though I know you would still rather be in sunny Florida! ME TOO!!!
- January 17, 2010 at 10:20 AM
- Sarah said...
Looks like such a fun trip, Loukia! I used to go to Florida every year (before kids) and I love it there. The shopping is amazing. Happy birthday to your little guy. My oldest turned 2 1/2 yesterday and I can't believe how quickly they grow.
- January 17, 2010 at 1:41 PM
- Kate Coveny Hood said...
Ah - I know that property well from my meeting planner days. It's lovely. I so miss luxury hotels...
- January 17, 2010 at 4:12 PM
- ModernMom said...
Oh it looks like you had a great time! Your pictures are amazing, and you look so relaxed and happy!
Welcome home.
- January 17, 2010 at 4:28 PM
- Artist said...
Seeing your photos I guess you had no bad weather in Florida, great for you.
- January 17, 2010 at 5:51 PM
- Muthering Heights said...
What a beautiful place! It looks like a great vacation!!
- January 17, 2010 at 9:37 PM
- CaraBee said...
So glad the weather held out for you! I get such a laugh when the south Florida folks talk about how cold it is. And it's 50.
Glad you had a great time!
- January 17, 2010 at 11:01 PM
- Lady Mama said...
Welcome back! Looks like you had a fabulous time. You look gorgeous in the photos as usual!
- January 17, 2010 at 11:33 PM
- Scattered Mom said...
Welcome back! It looks like you had an amazing trip :)
- January 18, 2010 at 2:15 AM
- Jessica said...
Looks absolutely amazing! How nice for you all. And mama got some Tory Burch shopping in too- lucky duck!
- January 18, 2010 at 10:53 AM
- Shannon @ AnchorMommy said...
Fabulous! Looks like heaven. Happy to hear you guys had so much fun!!
- January 20, 2010 at 12:20 AM
- LZ @ My Messy Paradise said...
Looks beautiful!
I love that it looks like you're the only ones enjoying the balmy weather...I guess the heat is all relative.
Hopefully you'll get back there soon!
- January 20, 2010 at 3:22 PM


text:
Top raconteur, Reiki therapist and finance gurus top the Fernhill House speakers list
Fernhill House has lined up a galaxy of events to entertain its new residents and the wider public – ready for its much anticipated opening later this month.
As well as daily pre-lunch sherry, afternoon film matinee events, beauty pampering sessions and regular shopping trips for residents, home manager Peta Mandleberg has lined up a series of interesting, informative and amusing guest speakers for the first few weeks. These are open to those living at Fernhill as well as other people in the area with no connection to the home other than an interest in its activities!
First up is a care planning event on April 26 from 6 til 8pm. The evening, with wealth management specialists St James' Place, is open to anyone either looking ahead at their own retirement or with elderly parents, and examines the importance of strategic financial planning as one grows older.
By way of comparative light entertainment, Worcestershire meditation and holistic therapy specialist Sheree Hall will be talking about – and demonstrating – the benefits of Meditation and Reiki Healing on May 11 from 6 – 8pm. A meditation teacher and Reiki Practitioner, Sheree runs Finding Sunshine Holistic Therapies in and around Worcester. Sheree will be offering her services at Fernhill House on a regular basis and residents will be able to enjoy meditation groups and Reiki treatments free of charge.
And finally (for now) former aviation boss Dr David Bryon, who helped found low cost airline BMI Baby, will be delivering amusing anecdotes about life above the clouds on May 25, again from 6 til 8pm. A much in demand after dinner speaker for some of the world's biggest corporate names – BP, Barclays, HSBC - as well as unusual contenders such as the government of Kuwait, David also delivers business development and leadership training courses.
He makes regular guest appearances on various national programmes including Five Live, Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show, BBC News 24 and Sky News – so he's quite a coup for Fernhill House!
Book your free places now for any or all three events. A glass of wine, a cocktail and a little snack will probably be included too – and it's a chance to have a nose around and see just how different Fernhill House is from many other care homes in the area!


text:
I would invite you to take your Bible and if you didn't happen to bring one along, why there's one near you, I hope, in the back of the pews, and look with me at the 4th Chapter of Ephesians. And we're going to begin to examine verses 11-16; Ephesians 4:11-16. For our visiting friends, we might just say this that the commitment of the ministry here at Grace Church is to systematically teach the word of God. And in the mornings and in the evenings, we continue to go through book after book at this current time in the mornings are occupied with the study of Ephesians. And the evenings, we're going through the gospel of Matthew. And next Sunday evening we'll back in Matthew Chapter 5, beginning the tremendous portion of the Beatitudes. So you'll want to be sure that you are planning along those lines as we continue our study. And be reading ahead so that the Spirit of God has prepared your mind for what is to come.
About nine years ago when we first taught Ephesians, it set the pace and the direction and the purpose for this church. And it was several months ago that the elders asked me if I would teach it again, because they felt there were so many new people that needed to understand the foundations Grace Church, and I said great and we've been having a tremendous time going through the book of Ephesians here about eight or nine years later. And God has taught us much in the interim. So that it has enriched greatly our study together.
But no passage in all of the word of God has had a greater impact on the destiny of Grace Church than Ephesians 4:11-16. When I came out of seminary and was given the opportunity pastor a church on my own, to come here and be a part of Grace, they were very generous because I had not pastured a church prior to that. And, in fact, I think I had little to commend myself to them, except that I had spoken at a couple of camps and they were very kind and let me preach after Dr. Elvy had died. In fact, as I've thought about it in years since, Dr. Householter died, and then Dr. Elvy died and the probably figured they ought to get a young one even if he wasn't any good. At least he'd be around a while. They were very kind about that, but those two wonderful men laid the foundations.
But when I came to Grace Church, I really didn't know anything about what to do in a church in terms of specifics. I didn't really...I wasn't any, you know, experienced church pastor or anything. I didn't really know what to do, and of course, I never dreamed anything like this would ever happen. I still don't quite understand it. I feel like I'm on the same ride that you're on and we're all going along together trying to figure out why and how. But I thank God for it. But I did know one thing, I remember that before I came to Grace, I had intensely studied the book of Ephesians and this section had just grabbed my own heart. I just was tremendously impressed with the foundational concepts in Ephesians 4:11-16. And I realized that this could be the heart of the whole ministry. And so when I first talk with the elders here at Grace, they said to me, what do you feel you want to do in the ministry? What do you feel your direction is? And I said, well, this is where I am in my thinking. If I could just commit myself to perfecting the saints. In other words, to just ministering the word, to build up the saints, then I believe I wouldn't have to do anything else, because everything else would just happen.
And I pointed them to verse 12 of Ephesians 4. The pastor-teacher, and we'll talk about that in a moment in verse 11, is for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. In other words, if you want to build up the body of Christ, then the saints have to do the work of the ministry. And if the saints are going to do the work of the ministry, they have to be perfected and that's the job of the teaching pastor.
So I said, if you'll allow me the privilege of spending 30 to 35 hours every week in studying the word of God so that I can teach the people, I really believe that they can be matured and perfected and fully equipped and brought to a place of adulthood spiritually and then they will do the work of the ministry themselves, and the church will be built up. And those gracious, generous men said we're willing to do that. And that is really the history of Grace Church from my standpoint where I entered the scene. Much preparation had been done before I ever came that set the stage. And I've been able just to be a part of the reaping of the harvest, and I thank God for it.
But I want to study this passage this time and next time, and just help you to refocus on what I think more than any other passage in all the Bible is foundational to what you know as Grace Church today. Now the phrase that keys this whole is in verse 12, "perfecting the saints." And everything that comes from then on is a result of that. When the saints are perfected, they'll do the work of the ministry. "When they do the work of the ministry, the body will be built up. Then will come the unity of the faith. Then will come the knowledge of the Son of God. Then will come the perfect man, the stature of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be children tossed to and fro." Then verse 15, "we will speak the truth in love. We will grow up into Him," and so forth.
In other words, all that comes down through verse 16 is dependent upon verse 12. The perfecting of the saints is the issue in the church. And I believe that the gifted men are given to the church for the perfecting of the saints. We are here to mature the saints, not to entertain the saints, not to caudle the saints, not to evangelize the saints, but to perfect the saints. And that really has two aspects. Aspect number one is to bring the individual believer to maturity and we'll get into that this morning. But aspect number two in perfecting the saints is to take the collective individuals that you have and put them all together in one unit.
In fact, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 1, in verse 10, the apostle says, "I beseech brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing. That there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment. The perfection of the saints is not only the individual saint matured, it is the collective unity of the whole body brought together in oneness. And I really feel that's the heart of the ministry. That anything other than perfecting saints for a teaching pastor is a misdirection of the purposes of God.
So I want to talk a little bit about the perfecting of the saints today and next time in context of this passage. Now let me begin by saying this. In the Sermon on the Mount, and we'll be seeing this in a few weeks on Sunday nights, Jesus made a tremendous statement. A statement that's haunted me from the time I was a college student. This is what He said. "Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48. Be ye perfect. Now God's basic standard is perfection. What God wants is perfection. God wants to reverse the fall, you see. God wants to flip flop the trouble. God wants to undo what has been done. God is after paradise regained.
And the idea in the mind of God and the goal in the end and the ultimate result is the perfection of God's people. And God means it in three senses, okay? In three ways that word can be understood. Number one is what I call positional perfection. There is a kind of perfection, and by the way, the word perfection is katartiso in the Greek, and it means to be fully equipped, mature, complete, full grown. So it can have all different meanings. It doesn't have to mean absolute sinless perfection. It can mean that. But there are three aspects to its significance.
Number one is what I call positional perfection. In Hebrews 10:14 this is referred to. And there the writer of Hebrews says this great word. "For by one offering, He has perfected forever them that are sanctified." And there the writer is talking about the offering of Jesus Christ. When Christ offered Himself on the cross, when He died on the cross, He did a work, which when applied to you and me, makes us forever perfect. In what sense? Not in the sense of our daily life, but in the sense of our position before God. All right? So that when I become a Christian, I am in Christ. And remember we've seen this in detail in the first three chapters of Ephesians.
When I become a Christian, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to me. When I become a Christian the nature of God is mine. I am born again with a seed that is incorruptible. In other words, for the Christian, there is a perfect standing before God, holy and undefiled, a chased bride, without spot, and without blemish positionally. Now that's the first kind of perfection that God desires. I call it positional perfection and it comes by salvation. When you were saved in God's eyes, He sees you as perfect as Jesus Christ, because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to you. That's the message of the great, redemptive section of the book of Romans.
There's a second kind of perfection that must be understood and that is what we could call ultimate perfection. In addition to our positional perfection now, the Bible talks about an ultimate perfection. In fact, again, it's Hebrews that gives us the word. Chapter 12 and verse 23 where it talks about the spirits of just men made perfect. And he has referenced there to the saints with the Lord. Now listen, there is a kind of perfection then that comes when you die and go to be with the Lord, right? You leave the flesh. So then positional perfection is gained by salvation. Ultimate perfection is gained by glorification. There is coming a perfection in the future for everyone of us when our spirits will be made perfect. When we will even have joined to that spirit a perfect, new, glorified body, right? 1 Corinthians 15. That's ultimate perfection.
Now watch this one. You had nothing to do with positional perfection, and it doesn't need anything done to it. It's already done. You can't do anything about ultimate perfection. That can only happen when you leave. There's one other category. That's what I call practical perfection. Practical perfection, this is the category of living here and now. And this also God wants, that the believer here and now living in the world, who is positionally perfect, who will be ultimate perfect, should match his practice to his position.
In other words, the Lord wants you to be perfect practically. And I dare say that in that sense, the word katartiso does not mean absolutely sinless. It means mature, complete, grown up, fully equipped adult as a Christian. Really, there's no greater tragedy than an infantile Christian. And that's the word of verse 14, isn't it? A child who is tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine, victimized by the slight of men and the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive. God doesn't want us to be infantile or immature. He wants us to be complete in practice.
Now let me say it this way, positional perfection is gained by salvation. Ultimate perfection is gained by glorification. Practical perfection is gained by sanctification. The process of maturity as a Christian. And so I see myself in this way. God has given me as a teaching pastor, God has given other men as evangelists, and in the past prophets and apostles as verse 11 says, for one purpose. Not to perfect the saints positionally. Christ does that. Not to perfect the saints ultimately, God does that, but to work on maturing the saints here and now. That's the task. That's the job. We have no other. And so that's what we're committed to.
This is what the passage is talking about that we would perfect the saints. Look at verse 13, "That we would bring people to be a perfect man, to the stature of the fullness of Christ." Verse 14, "That they would no more be children." Verse 15, "That they would grow up into Him." You see? The whole idea of developing, maturing, perfecting, building the saints, and the tremendous reality people is this, that when you build the saints, verse 12 says, they will do the work of the ministry. It's a fantastic thing. You can get the job done if you just have mature Christians.
That's the plan and we'll see a lot more about that next time. Now we're learning something in our study of Ephesians, aren't we? We're learning that the book is divided into two parts as is true with all of Paul's Epistles. The first part is doctrinal, the second part is practical. And after the tremendous doctrinal foundation of 1-3, Chapter 4 begins to define how you're to live. And Paul puts it under one umbrella. And that umbrella is what I call the worthy walk. The worthy walk. And what is the worthy walk and what does it involve? First of all, it's a walk of humility, isn't it? We saw that. Secondly, it's a walk of unity. One Lord, one faith, one baptism endeavoring to keep the bond...the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. And then we saw it's a walk in the exercise of gifts that Christ has given us and now we learn, it's a walk toward maturity. It's going up. It's ascending. It's growing.
That's what God wants for His church. And I'll tell you something, I'm so thrilled because I have the privilege to stand here and look out at you and in many, many case of many of you that I know I can thank God that you have been matured in Jesus Christ by your commitment to Him, by your diligent study of the word of God, and you are the reason God is blessing this ministry and you are the reason because you have committed yourself to the principles of study and nourishment that cause you to grow. I thank God for that. This is the whole heart of the ministry people. This is the reason that we do what we do. There isn't anything else in the ministry but maturing the saints.
You say what about evangelism? Oh that'll come, that'll come. When the saints get built up, what happens is verse 15. They begin to speak the truth in love. They begin to move out. They begin to evangelize out their maturity. Let me just give you some insight into this and how it was so important to the apostles, to the New Testament. 2 Corinthians 13:11 says, and here is the final word of Paul to the Corinthians after 29 chapters. This is what he says. "Finally brethren, farewell," get this, "be perfect." Did you get that? That sums up 29 chapters. I want your maturity. You find the writer of Hebrews with the same sentiment. Hebrews Chapter 13, in verse 20, "Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do His will working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight."
The perfecting of the saints was Paul's great desire. The writer of Hebrews echoed the same thing. And 1 Peter 5, verse 10, Peter says, "But the God of all grace who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Jesus Christ after you have suffered a while, make you perfect." Whether it was Peter, whether it was whoever wrote Hebrews, whether it was Paul, whether it was Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount, whether it is the apostle laying it to our feet as teachers and pastors and evangelists, the principle is ever the same. The job is to make the saints mature. To build them, that's the ministry. And believe me, nothing less than that satisfies the heart of God.
In 2 Corinthians 7:1, Paul said, "having therefore these promises dearly beloved," based on the theology, based on the content, based on what God has done, "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Let's move he says to maturity. And you say, "well, that's great, John. But how do you get there? What are the principles?" Well, let me say this first of all. The agency of perfection is the Holy Spirit. Now I want you to get that. Not for one minute do I believe that any human being can perfect the saints. I don't believe that. I don't believe that at all. I believe the only impact that I can have on somebody else's maturity, the only impact anybody can have on somebody else's maturity is when the Spirit of God is working through me in them or to them.
Let me show you why I say that. Galatians Chapter 3. The Galatians had been ministered to initially by the apostle Paul with great results. Many of them wonderfully saved and committed to Jesus Christ, great things that happened. In the midst of all of this, they had been inundated by some legalists who came in and said it's not enough to have Christ, you've got to have Mosaic law, you've got to get circumcised, etc. And so they began to follow a path of legalism and they were going to mature themselves. They were going to grind it out on their own. They were going to grow on their own. It would be sort of like eating yourself to grow, you know. Starting with your fingers and figuring you'll just eat your way to maturity. What you come up with in the end is zero.
They were going to do it on their own self-righteousness. They were going to feed on themselves. And so he says in Galatians 3:3, great word, "Are you so foolish, so foolish having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" Are you kidding? Are you so foolish that you would think that you could be born of the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, placed into the body by the Spirit, energized by the Spirit, and now would be perfected in the flesh. And in that statement the seed truth is this, that the agency of perfection is the Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 3:18, the apostle says, "As you gaze on the glory of the Lord, you will be changed into His image." And that's maturity folks. Ultimately the end of maturity is Christ-likeness. You will be changed into His image ascending from one level of glory to the next by the Holy Spirit. That's what it says. He is the agent of perfection. And so I say to you that the spiritual process of perfection can only occur in the life of an individual yielded to the Holy Spirit. That's why I'm saying to you that I could preach 'til I was purple, and I can yell head off all I want and I can teach and your other pastors can teach and the other elders and you teachers and we can go on and on and on and you can study all you want, but unless your life is yielded to the energy of the Spirit of God, there is no growth principle operating.
It's so many words, that's all. And so the agency of growth and maturity and perfection and equipping is the Spirit. Now what kind of tools does He use? Well, let me show you some. First of all, James Chapter 1. The perfecting of the saints is first of all dependent upon something that maybe we don't always like, but it's got to be there and that's in James 1, verse 2. He says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." Your Bible might say temptations, peirasmos in the Greek means a trial. It's a neutral word or a temptation depending upon what happens. Now count it all joy when you fall into a trial, or a test might be the best word. "Knowing this that the testing of your faith worketh patience, but let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire lacking nothing."
Now watch this. One of the things that leads to perfection, one that has a perfect work that makes you perfect and entire lacking nothing then is testing. So one of the things the Holy Spirit uses is trials or tests. The Spirit of God will bring into your life opportunities for you to do right as opposed to wrong. The way you choose is an exercise of your muscle in one way or another. Every time you choose a right thing over a wrong thing, every time you hit the crossroads of decision, you go the right way, you've stretched your spiritual muscle, you've strengthened yourself. The Spirit of God will put in your way obstacles, tests, opportunities for you to exercise faith in God as opposed to believing in yourself. Opportunities for you to put your confidence in God against all opposition. He will do that to test your faith. He will string you out, for example, on a prolonged prayer that you offer and never seem to get the answer to test your trust and your confidence and your faith.
These are trials and testings that help perfect you. They stretch your muscle. They exercise you just like a little child begins to exercise its limbs and that's part of its growing process. There's another thing closely linked to this. Those tests sometimes bring suffering and that's okay too, because 1 Peter 5:10 says that "Christ Jesus and God are working to perfect you." Then it says, "after you have suffered a while." In other words, sometimes those tests turn into very sad things. Sometimes the making of the man and the making of the woman demands some pain and some hurt and some suffering and if it is taken right and if the right response is made and if you see your way through, then there is going to be victory and stretching and strengthening and new dimensions of spiritual conquering.
So that the Holy Spirit uses trials and the Holy Spirit uses suffering. Now let me add this. That's God's business. God doesn't call us to do that. I'm not here to make you suffer. I may do that from time to time. If I do, I apologize. I'm not here to present all kinds of trials for you. That's God's work. God will take care of the trials and God will take care of the suffering in your life. There is one other element of growth that is the most important of all and that's where different men of God come into play. It is this, look at 2 Timothy Chapter 3, in verse 16. A very familiar text. This is what it says. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God. All scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" and there is a sequence there that's beautiful. We won't spend the time on it now.
But the result of it is "that the man of God may be," what's the next word, "perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Now watch the goal then is that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. How do you get there? All scripture is given. Listen, the greatest tool the Spirit of God has for the perfecting of the saints is nothing more than the scripture. Do you see it? It's the scripture. And that's why when the Lord enabled me to come to Grace Church, I committed myself to teach the word of God, to continue to teach the word of God. God will take care of the trials. God will take care of the suffering, all He asks out of me is to teach the word of God, because that is the agent of making the man of God perfect.
Peter put it this way. "As babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may," what, "grow by it." Have you ever noticed how a baby only wants one thing? Babies don't want lots of thing. They want one thing. And the holler and yell and scream and cry for one thing. You get it, stick it in there, and they're quiet. That's it. It all comes down to one thing. And as a tremendous analogy that Peter is making. He's saying it is the single-mindedness of a baby who wants only one thing that ought to characterize a Christian who would have the same undivided single-mindedness to hunger and thirst after the word of God. Because as that milk brings growth to that baby so does the word of God bring growth to the man and the woman of God.
Now, this is the purpose of the church to perfect the saints, because when they're mature, then everything else happens, see? Evangelism and ministry, it all happens off this mature element. That's the key. So let's look at the text and just consider the first point in an outline that we're going to give you this week and next week. Ephesians 4, if we are to perfect the saints, Paul knows we must recognize four things. Four things that are basic to his wonderful exposition here. The preachers of perfection, the progress to perfection, the purposes of perfection, and the power of perfection. We'll look this time at point one, the preachers of perfection. If, in fact, it is the perfecting of the saints that is the task, then this is what Christ focuses on. Notice just quickly this review.
I told you that in verses 7-11 of Ephesians 4, if you were here last week, you'll remember, that Christ conquered Satan, death, and hell, and sin at the cross, right? And that He descended and that He came like a conqueror ascending Mount Zion after a great victory, and He had spoils with Him that He had captured at the cross. And He takes those spoils, and it says in verse 8 before the parenthesis, "He gave gifts to men." And what were the gifts that He gave, but verse 11. "And He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some teaching shepherds."
Listen beloved, these gifted men are the gifts of a gracious Christ to His beloved church. And He's given the church apostles. Aren't you glad for them. You wouldn't have any doctrine if they weren't there. There would be no New Testament if it weren't for the apostles. Every book in the New Testament was written by an apostle as far as we know or an associate or a close acquaintance of an apostle. They were the core and the heart of the new revelation. And the prophets, the ones who preached and lined with the apostles and established the local application of apostolic theology. What would we do without the tremendous basis of church foundation that they gave to that early church, which equipped it and energized it to reach its world and begin the spread that we are a part of.
And what would it be to be without evangelists and teaching shepherds? These are the gifts of Christ spoils won at the cross when He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Some of those things that He won in that warfare were given back to the church as gracious gifts. So we saw that it's not only the idea that He gave gifts to individuals, but He gave gifted men to the church at large. These are the preachers of perfection. And the task is ever the same beloved. Did you notice that? It just overwhelms me.
Look at verse 11. "Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some teaching shepherds all for the perfecting of the saints." You see how it all comes back to the Sermon on the Mount? "Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." This is God's will. This is the bottom-line. And whether you're an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, or a teaching shepherd, it never changed. It never changed. To mature the saints, mature the saints. Now let's look at these men and we've studied them before, and so I'm not going to belabor it. Just going to touch on them rather lightly.
But I want to remind you of the wonderful character of these four categories. First, there were the apostles. I guess there's been a lot of misunderstanding about the apostles. I'll give it as simply as I can. I believe there were several things that make an apostle very unique. The apostles, first of all, were foundational to the church. Back in Chapter 2, look at verse 20. It says, "that the church," and he has given several metaphors and similes and analogies of the church in this chapter. But he says the church basically in whatever way you look at it is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. And from there then, the whole building fitly frames together and grows to a holy temple in the Lord.
In other words, just to remind you what we studied when we were on that text some months ago, that the apostles and prophets were for the foundation of the church. And they don't exist anymore. They had their time. They had their day. Theirs was a foundational time. And also I might add that there was a revelatory ministry. In other words, they received direct revelation from God. They didn't study the New Testament. They were writing it. Or they were teaching its truths as revealed to the apostles. But theirs was a revelatory ministry, and I see that in Chapter 3, in verse 5 where the apostle Paul says that the mysteries of the New Testament, which in other ages were not made known to the sons of men are now revealed to the holy apostles and prophets. So they had in a unique sense a revelatory ministry. God's Spirit spoke directly to them verbally. They gave the very word of God. That's because there was no New Testament for the early church.
So these unique men directly personally gifted of God and frankly they were actually appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:28 uses the verb etheta, which means appointed. They had a specific appointment as do other offices given to the church, but theirs is wonderfully unique because they were personally called by Jesus Christ. In other words, the Apostles, capital A, the ones we know of as the twelve plus Mathias who filled in for Judas who was false and the apostle Paul were true apostles. Personally, notice it, personally called by Jesus Christ, everyone of them.
Since Jesus Christ called the apostle Paul in the unique Damascus Road experience, there has been no other personal appointment by the Lord Jesus Christ to the apostle. May I hasten to add this? There is no such thing as apostolic succession. There is nothing like that. The apostles do not pass their right over apostleship on to anybody, heredity or in any other way by vote of the cardinals or anything else. Pope John Paul I may be a wonderful man, but he is not in the apostolic succession. There is no such thing. The Bible speaks of no thing such as that.
In fact, they are so very unique that Luke Chapter 22 and verse 28 gives us the word of our Lord Jesus to them. "You who are with me have continued with me in my trials and I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father has appointed me that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." In other words, there were an equal number of apostles to equal the number of tribes in Israel so that each would uniquely rule a tribe. There can be no more. Now you can argue about whether Paul is the twelfth or Mathias. I don't know how you handle that one. I personally think Mathias is the twelfth and Paul is going to have special assignments during that time, but whatever.
They are unique. God only designed twelve and God set up the millennial kingdom for twelve to have unique places of rulership. I don't think there's apostolic succession, a continuing apostolate. They did their ministry. They had a three-fold ministry, to preach, heal sickness, and cast out demons. They set the foundation of the church theologically so that when the church met together in Acts 2:42, they studied the apostles doctrine. Their ministry was both revelatory and reiterative. They gave direct revelation from God and then sometimes they repreached some of that revelation they had received. But they laid a doctrinal foundation for the church and they established both theology and congregations of churches.
Now, I would add a footnote. There's another category of people in the Bible called with the term apostello or apostolos. But it isn't the official apostolate. And the distinction is wonderfully made. There are other men that we see as sent ones, which apostello means to send. And they are called in 2 Corinthians 8:23, and this is important, apostles of the church or the churches. It's plural. Apostles of the churches. In other words, the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sent ones of the churches are two different categories. One was appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The other were appointed by the church and sent out for ministry and the church is still doing that. And we still have sent ones with a small A, but not with a capital A.
Not the apostles of Jesus Christ. They were foundational. But I'm so indebted to them. I have to admit that I would say my life has been most perfected if, in fact, it is to any degree, most matured, my life has been most equipped by the ministry of the apostles more than any other human person outside obviously the Trinity, because it is the truth taught by the apostles that has shaped my life. Isn't that true in your life? They are the ones who in the greatest measure perfect the saints. And I would add this, only as I pass on to you the truth of the apostles can you be perfected.
When I tell you my opinion, you lose and I lose. When I teach you the apostles doctrine that's the process of perfection. So we are most indebted to them. And then there was another group, the prophets. Now this isn't the Old Testament prophets, this is the New Testament ones. It's best to call them New Testament preachers, propheme, to speak before, to stand and speak. What they did was kind of behind the apostles. Now notice the apostles moved around. They were itinerant. They would go to a new area where Christ wasn't named, preached, established a church, build it up, move on. And apparently the prophets were the ones who continued to preach to those organized churches. They were the kind of the follow-up guys. And they would repreach the great apostolic doctrine. And now and then they would get direct revelation. But every instance we have of a direct revelation to a prophet in the New Testament, it has to do with the practical life of the church.
We only have a couple of instances. One time Agabus predicted a famine that would affect the church. Another time Agabus predicted that Paul would be made a prisoner. Remember he tied him up with his belt and everything in Acts. So it seems as though the apostles majored on theology and the prophets majored on the practical application of that to the local church. So in many ways the apostles were forerunners to the evangelists who went out and proclaimed Christ and founded churches and won people to Him. And the prophets went in and made practical application to the church. They were more like teaching pastors.
Now these men were not as the apostles. They didn't necessarily have the gifts and the ministries. They didn't have this ability to speak divine revelation in the same measure that the apostles did and that's why in 1 Corinthians 14 Paul says to them the prophets, he says, you better let the spirits of the prophets be subject to the prophets. In other words, you've got to make the prophets a check and balance on themselves, because sometimes the things they say aren't so. So that the power of the apostles is diminished when it reaches the level of the prophets. But nonetheless, they were strategic to the early years of the church. And there were so many false prophets, that it was so important that God has His true preachers, rather than prophet meaning somebody who predicts the future. That was part of it to be sure. But they were the preachers who preached this apostolic doctrine who applied it to the local churches. And we're indebted to them.
You want to know something people, if the church hadn't grown in the book of Acts, the chain would have been broken and we wouldn't be here, right? Those guys were strategic. Listen, the perfecting of the saints at Grace Community Church in large measure can be thankful to God for the work that the prophets did in keeping the continuity of the church flowing. Because there was a day when the apostles went away. When they were gone. In fact, the last time we ever see them meet in Acts 15 at the council of Jerusalem and from then on they just sort of vanish.
And it was the ministry of those prophets that sustained the church. Those great preachers through that early church era. I believe they too are foundational and have passed away. I don't believe there's any prophets today in the sense of receiving revelation. In the unique sense of this era, they were the foundation. They were the ones who received the mysteries as we saw in Ephesians 3. And then we find two other ministries. Look at verse 11 again. The apostles and the prophets I believe were replaced by the evangelists and the teaching pastors, teaching shepherds.
What is an evangelist? You say, I know what an evangelist is. It's a guy with 15 sermons and 15 suits. Well, maybe in somebody's mind that's an evangelist. And maybe that's some evangelists. We have a lot of ideas. We think of an evangelist, if we go back far enough, there's a guy with a tent and a bunch of sawdust and pounding a great big pulpit and screaming about liquor and all of this. Or maybe we think of an evangelist as somebody who holds citywide crusades like Billy Graham or maybe we think of an evangelist as somebody on television who has a very fine approach, a very clever method of reaching people. I don't know what your thought of an evangelist is. But I can back up and just kind of give you a little idea of what it is biblically.
An evangelist is basically somebody who presents Jesus Christ where Christ is not know, that's the base of it. He presents Christ where Christ is not known. That's an evangelist. Pretty simple. And we have them right now, and I believe in continuity they follow right after the apostles. The apostles faded away, they ceased, theirs was a unique thing. And the evangelists took over and the apostle Paul says to Timothy, and I love these words, "Timothy do the work of an evangelist." But listen, an evangelist is not a fancy guy who blows into town, fires away five times and blows back out of town, not biblically.
A biblical evangelist was somebody who went to a place where Christ wasn't named, won people to Christ, stayed there 'til he had built a church, ordained elders in that city who could take over their leadership of that church, then he moved to a new area. Listen, God never put a premium on biblical ignorance. He never puts a premium on doctrinal ignorance. It never says in the Bible that an evangelist is a guy who knows twelve great sermons on how to get saved and that's the end of it. Evangelism is the ability to go in establish and build a church. Or in where a church already exists, an evangelists is one who wins people to Jesus Christ, integrates them into the church and is a part of the maturing process.
If I were going to go out and start a church now and if I were going to start from scratch, I know that God has called me to be a teaching shepherd. I'd find myself an evangelist and that's the team that you find right here in the 11th verse. I'd find somebody who could go out and win people to Jesus Christ, who was aggressive in winning people to Christ and who would bring them in and integrate them into the church. You know, I thank God for men at Grace Church who are this kind of men. We have gifted evangelists here. I think about Rich Hines, who's out there in the jail, all week long winning men to Jesus Christ; these men in jail and following them up.
I think about Jim George, who's mobilizing all these people in our church to go out and win people to Christ and some of you are sitting right out here, you've been led to Jesus Christ either by Jim or by somebody that Jim has trained to share Christ with you. And what happens after they win them to Christ? Right now, while I'm talking that entire office wing is jammed. Every single office is full of little groups of new Christians that are being discipled to maturity, because that's the work of evangelism too.
I'll never forget when I was in Ecuador one time they were having what was called evangelism in depth. And it was interesting, they came in and they had this big crusade in the city and so many people were saved. I think it was like 5,000 that they had on list, and six months later they found two of them in any church in the city. That's not evangelism in depth, that's the opposite. And so an evangelist was one who would establish himself to win people to Christ and build them up, a discipler. They were apostle-like in a sense that they would move and go places. Missionaries are like this. They go to places where Christ isn't named to establish a church. Or they go to win more to Christ to add to a church. What a tremendously needed ministry.
You know, I really feel that if people in the church would begin to do this and you know, I believe there are just literally hundreds of you that maybe God could put His hand on to call to be an evangelist, and you can do it in a local church ministry. Just because you're called to be an evangelist you know, you talk to young men and they think because they're going to be an evangelist, they've got to leave the church and hit the road. Hey do you realize there are a whole bunch of lost people right here in the City of Los Angeles and we've got a place right here? You can go out and win as many of them as you want to Christ. Bring them right in here and we'll disciple them. I think evangelism disconnected from a local church loses its power in many ways.
I think that's where it ought to be right here where you can bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Moffett say, "my album is the savage breast to write the name of Jesus there and see that savage bow in prayer, this is my soul's delight." And whenever God lays out on the heart of a man maybe he's an evangelist, and the church needs to give room for him to function in evangelism within its own doors, not turn him loose to hit the road. Four, the last category, and I'm not going to spend much time on this because I talk about this a lot, but the fourth gifted category of men is teaching shepherds.
And by the way, this is a hyphenated word, the Greek construction here indicates that they're not two words, pastors and teachers, but that it should be pastor-teacher. You'll notice the word some which is before the first four is not before teachers and that's because it is not set apart as a separate category. The Greek construction leads us to say this. Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherd-teachers. That's the best interpretation, teaching-shepherds. And I might add this, the word pastor only appears once in the whole Bible, and it's here. And it's an interesting thing, it's a Latin word. It simply means pastoral, like a pasture that's all. But I don't know why they used it here, because it's misleading.
The word in the Greek is Poimen, and every single time that word is ever used in the Bible it is always translated with the idea of shepherding. Except here, they threw the Latin pastor in. But it means shepherd, teaching shepherd. That's...you say well, how is that different than an evangelist? Oh, the evangelist wins people to Christ and builds up the flock and the teaching shepherd teaches, teaches, teaches, and shepherds the flock, see. Again, a beautiful parallel. The evangelist is like the apostle. He's more itinerant. He's on the move confronting people in the world. Whereas, the teaching shepherd is more like the prophet who applied doctrine to the local situation. He builds the flock.
They were permanently settled in one place teaching, teaching, teaching. In fact, in Acts 20 and we'll draw to a conclusion, in Acts 20 when Paul gives instruction to the shepherds of the flock at Miletus to the elders, to the shepherds that were there, this is what he said, Acts 20:28. "Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers," now watch, "to feed the church of God." Now you have two things there. Oversight and feeding. People say to me, what does it mean to be a pastor? I say two things, lead and feed. That's it, lead and feed, lead and feed.
Taking oversight and feed the flock, which he's purchased with his own blood and that'll give you a little idea how important the flock is. You know, when I look at Grace Church, I see a flock of sheep that God through Christ has purchased with His own blood, and that's precious isn't it? And so the teaching shepherd is to feed and lead. 1 Peter Chapter 5, Peter says the same thing, "feed the flock of God, which is among you taking thee oversight." Feed and lead, oversight and feeding. It's a simple thing beloved. People say oh it must be complex to be a pastor. People ask me all the time, oh how can you possible handle that big church. I don't handle this big church. I haven't got any idea most of what's going on. I come on Sunday and read the Grace To You so I can find out.
I just am committed to two things, feed and lead, feed and lead. And you know something, in the ten years that I've been at Grace Church, it'll be ten years in February, ten years that I've been here and I haven't changed what I do at all. I do the same thing I've always done. Feed and lead. Well, how do you lead? Well, leadership means...involves two things, principle and pattern, principle and pattern, principle and pattern. Those two things. In other words, if you're going to lead, you've got to know the principles that directs that give you the direction God wants to go and you've got a model it or pattern it. Leadership is not just "this is what we're going to do folks." It's also living it so that people want to follow, right?
So it is principle and pattern, principle and pattern. And so in the years that we've been here and the other pastors have been here at Grace Church, their goal is in leadership is to say here is God's direction for us. Here is where God wants us to go. Here are the principles and then here's the pattern. Do it like I've done it. You've got to realize that Paul said to the Philippians, "Be ye followers of me." You know when he said, "The things you've seen and heard in me do," Philippians 4:9. There's got to be pattern as well as principle. That's leading. What about feeding. Two things also, feeding means warning and teaching, warning and teaching. Negative and positive. You've got to warn them what not to do and teach them what to do. You see the ministry is very simple. It's two things, feed and lead. Lead means principle and pattern and feed means warn and teach. That's it. And if a man of God will be faithful and I tell pastors this all the time, if a man of God would be faithful to take heed to himself first, and make sure his life was right before God day by day, and then he would just commit himself to two things, lead his people by principle and pattern and feed them by warning them and teaching them that God would grow a church beyond His expectations.
And that's where you'll begin to see Ephesians 3:20 fulfilled, "Now unto him that is able to exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think." I've never questioned the meaning of that verse in the last few years. I used to wonder what it meant. I don't wonder anymore, because it's beyond anything I ever dreamed what God can do. So gifted men given to the church to perfect the saints. Now the best part of this message I left for next week. And I want you to be here. It's so very important. Let's pray.
Thank You, Father, for our fellowship this morning and speaking to our hearts so clearly again out of Your word. Thank You for these precious people. How much we love them and praise You for them. Oh God we would ask that every one of them would be mature even hear the echo of the apostle Paul's prayer where he was warning every man and teaching every man that he would present every man perfect in Jesus Christ. That's our prayer, Father. The perfection of the saints. We thank You for the promise that it can be done through Your word and Your Spirit, in Jesus' name, Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information


text:
Very drinkable without food. Pretty good overall.
More posts
- Kind of mellow. Good!! Chill just a little. Purchased in Spearfish at the store next to the gas station.
- Sweet and spicy with subtle notes of berry leading to plum, pepper, and hints of cedar. Light and off dry
- :)
- Five Rivers CA Pinot 2008 Lisa and Audrey My bday - k and p's Fab
- JJ Grimsby's Five Rivers Pinot Noir


text:
Read our Florence city guide for information about eating out, things to do and much more.View Florence Guide »
We offer breakfast room service in an excellent structure in an area within the centre of florence particularly known... More Info »
Emerald Palace offers clean, comfortable accommodation and a pleasant atmosphere. We have private rooms and... More Info »
Opera is a new charming B&B conveniently located at a short walk to the market of San Lorenzo and Fortezza da Basso... More Info »
David Inn is a small, friendly hostel, in the heart of Florence. Situated between Michelangelo's David and the... More Info »
Leonardo House in Florence is located just 1 minute from the Duomo, 3 minutes from Santa Maria Novella Train Station... More Info »
Emerald Fields offers clean, comfortable accommodation and a chill atmosphere. We have private rooms and dormitories... More Info »
Welcome to Gallo d'Oro world!! What you see is what you get! There's no extra charge for breakfast, Internet/wi-fi... More Info »
ATTENTION PLEASE!!!!! Starting from the 1st of July the Florence CITY TAX is NOT INCLUDED in the price of your bed... More Info »
Plus Florence is a funky new hostel located at the centre of Florence. More Info »
Looking for a cozy little place to stay, right in the heart of Florence? That's Locanda Daniel: warm atmosphere and... More Info »
Hotel Nella is placed in the center of the city, close to the rail station Santa Maria Novella and Piazza San... More Info »
Hotel Ester (3-star) is managed by young, friendly staff, and is located in the historical centre of Florence... More Info »
Florence tourism tax: 1 euro per night per person More Info »
The bed and Breakfast Franz House is located right next to the Arno river in the storical center of Florence. The... More Info »
Very close to the cathedral, walking for fantastic the local streets, you will reach the Dany House in no time. We... More Info »
The S. Monaca hostel is located in an ancient convent of the 15th century in the historical centre of Florence in the... More Info »
Hostel 7 Santi is a recently converted convent that was built in the 1800's. The tranquility and serenity of the... More Info »
Located in the historic centre of Florence, the B&B is about 10 minutes walking from the main train station S. Maria... More Info »
Hostel Veronique is an attractive apartment offering a range of private rooms plus luggage storage, internet access... More Info »
Hotel san giovanni is a charateristic old worldly florentine pensione. It is located in the heart of... More Info »
Video guides, travel podcasts, city maps & free city guides. What to eat, where to stay and things to do and see - our travel guides have it all.Find a guide »
We want to make sure that you get to explore as much of Paris as possible and that includes the nightlife scene. We've compiled some of the best places in Paris to check out if ...Read more »
We offer the most comprehensive selection of hostels on the internet with over 33,000 great places to stay in 170 countries. The ultimate online resource for hostels everywhere.Find great value hostels »


text:
WASHINGTON — President Obama's healthcare law, despite a rocky rollout and determined opposition from critics, already has spurred the largest expansion in health coverage in America in half a century, national surveys and enrollment data show.
As the law's initial enrollment period closes, at least 9.5 million previously uninsured people have gained coverage. Some have done so through marketplaces created by the law, some through other private insurance and others through Medicaid, which has expanded under the law in about half the states.
The tally draws from a review of state and federal enrollment reports, surveys and interviews with insurance executives and government officials nationwide.
The Affordable Care Act still faces major challenges, particularly the risk of premium hikes next year that could drive away newly insured customers. But the increased coverage so far amounts to substantial progress toward one of the law's principal goals and is the most significant expansion since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.
The millions of newly insured also create a politically important constituency that may complicate any future Republican repeal efforts.
Precise figures on national health coverage will not be available for months. But available data indicate:
• At least 6 million people have signed up for health coverage on the new marketplaces, about one-third of whom were previously uninsured.
• A February survey by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found 27% of new enrollees were previously uninsured, but newer survey data from the nonprofit Rand Corp. and reports from marketplace officials in several states suggest that share increased in March.
• At least 4.5 million previously uninsured adults have signed up for state Medicaid programs, according to Rand's unpublished survey data, which were shared with The Times. That tracks with estimates from Avalere Health, a consulting firm that is closely following the law's implementation.
• An additional 3 million young adults have gained coverage in recent years through a provision of the law that enables dependent children to remain on their parents' health plans until they turn 26, according to national health insurance surveys from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• About 9 million people have bought health plans directly from insurers, instead of using the marketplaces, Rand found. The vast majority of these people were previously insured.
• Fewer than a million people who had health plans in 2013 are now uninsured because their plans were canceled for not meeting new standards set by the law, the Rand survey indicates.
Republican critics of the law have suggested that the cancellations last fall have led to a net reduction in coverage.
That is not supported by survey data or insurance companies, many of which report they have retained the vast majority of their 2013 customers by renewing old policies, which is permitted in about half the states, or by moving customers to new plans.
"We are talking about a very small fraction of the country" who lost coverage, said Katherine Carman, a Rand economist who is overseeing the survey.
Rand has been polling 3,300 Americans monthly about their insurance choices since last fall. Researchers found that the share of adults ages 18 to 64 without health insurance has declined from 20.9% last fall to 16.6% as of March 22.
The decrease parallels a similar drop recorded by Gallup, which found in its national polling that the uninsured rate among adults had declined from 18% in the final quarter of last year to 15.9% through the first two months of 2014. Gallup's overall uninsured rate is lower than Rand's because it includes seniors on Medicare.
Gallup Editor in Chief Frank Newport said that March polling, which has not been released yet, indicates the uninsured rate has declined further.
"While it is important to be cautious, the logical conclusion is that the law is having an effect," he said.
Although estimates vary, about 45 million to 48 million people are believed to have been uninsured before the marketplaces opened last year.
The survey data are bolstered by the experiences of insurance companies and state governments, which are tracking enrollment in public and private coverage.
"We are on target to exceed what was estimated," Lisa Sbrana, counsel for New York's insurance marketplace, said on a recent call organized by Families USA, a Washington-based advocacy group that supports the law. About 70% of New Yorkers signing up for coverage through the marketplace or Medicaid were previously uninsured, Sbrana said.
In Kentucky, about 75% of the state residents signing up on that state's marketplace or for Medicaid had no insurance, a state study indicates. As of Friday, more than 280,000 new people had enrolled in Medicaid in Kentucky, or nearly 91% of the residents officials estimated would become eligible for the program this year.
"We expect a huge net gain" in coverage, said Bill Nold, deputy executive of the state's marketplace.
In Nevada, state officials this month reported that Medicaid enrollments are on pace to hit 500,000 by this summer, a total that was not expected until 2015.
Even states such as Tennessee that are not expanding their Medicaid programs are reporting a flood of unexpected enrollments from previously eligible people who had not signed up before.
Insurers also are reporting gains across the country.
In California, Health Net and Blue Shield of California, two of the state's largest insurers, are on track to substantially increase their number of customers, according to company officials.
"It's way beyond our projections," Blue Shield spokesman Steve Shivinsky said.
Florida Blue, that state's dominant insurer, also now expects to gain customers after sign-ups were initially slowed by problems with the federal HealthCare.gov site last fall.
Around Philadelphia, Independence Blue Cross has more than doubled its customers since last year. The company's New Jersey subsidiary, AmeriHealth New Jersey, has seen a nearly sevenfold increase.
Some insurers are finding that most of the new customers are coming through direct sales to individuals, not the law's new marketplaces. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, for example, says more than 90% of its sales have not been on the state marketplace. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the dominant insurer in Iowa and South Dakota, is seeing growth, even though it elected to stay off the marketplaces this year.
Regardless of whether consumers buy through the marketplaces or directly from insurance companies, they form part of the same risk pool, so both groups are crucial to the law's sustainability.
Long-term stability could be undermined if newly insured people do not pay their bills or if they drop coverage in coming months because they are unhappy about the high deductibles or narrow doctor and hospital networks some plans offer.
Some people have had to pay higher premiums to replace old plans that did not comply with the law's consumer standards.
More ominously, some insurance industry officials are warning they may raise rates substantially next year. Major rate hikes could push out healthy consumers, undermining the law's marketplaces and recharging political opposition.
"The real question is, have they built a system that is sustainable?" said Caroline Pearson, senior vice president at Avalere Health. "Premiums will be the single most important thing that will determine that."
But the solid enrollment in the first year has built a foundation that for now appears robust enough to support more growth next year.
In several states, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, Kentucky, Iowa and South Dakota, more insurers are looking to join state marketplaces when second-year enrollment begins this fall, according to marketplace and insurance industry officials.
And after initial resistance, a growing number of states with GOP governors or legislatures are looking to expand coverage further.
New Hampshire's Legislature just voted to expand its Medicaid program. Utah, Indiana and Pennsylvania are looking for ways to do the same.