Church Member

Parents: Fear the Lord!

2012-02-06T09:39:00.002-05:00

Prov. 14:22 "In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge." Parents, for your children's sake: Fear the Lord, and not man!

Great book on the subject of fear of God, rather than fear of man: Ed Welch's When People are Big, and God is Small: Overcoming Codependency, Peer Pressure, and the Fear of Man.

Access to God in John Owen's Words

2012-02-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

Incredible quote from John Owen (1616-1683) on our access to God in prayer:

The foundation of all our confidence in our access unto God, the right and title we have to approach unto him, is laid in the blood of Christ, the sacrifice he offered, the atonement he made, and the remission of sins which he obtained thereby

From Owen's Works, volume 3.

C.S. Lewis on Not Belonging to Myself

2012-01-28T08:01:00.000-05:00

I’ve only read C.S. Lewis once or twice in my life. Once in high school, and I think once more in college or seminary. I also read the Chronicles of Narnia as a boy.That’s why I’m excited that I’ve got to read Mere Christianity for one of my last classes in seminary. Here’s a quote from Mr. Quotable Lewis:

If somebody else made me, for his own purposes, then I shall have a lot of duties which I should not have if I simply belonged to myself.

What do you think of that? What makes that true?

Need Help With Your Anger?

2012-01-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

I recently started reading the book Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem by Robert D. Jones. I have been helped by it already, and I recommend it.

Trust the Sermon, or Trust the Spirit?

2012-01-05T13:51:00.000-05:00

A word from the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones to preachers who believe there is a Holy Spirit:

[There] is a very real danger of our putting our faith in our sermon rather than in the Spirit. Our faith should not be in the sermon, it should be in the Holy Spirit Himself.

From his book Preaching and Preachers

Why Did Jesus Come?

2011-12-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

For the Christmas season, I had the privilege of preaching four sermons on why Jesus came.

1. Jesus Came to Shepherd His Sheep

2. Jesus Came to Testify to the Truth

3. Jesus Came to Fulfill God's Word

4. Jesus Came to Glorify the Father

Click here to listen.

Read a Whole Bible Book at One Sitting?

2011-12-20T11:40:00.001-05:00

Have you ever read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting?

Now obviously I'm thinking of something slightly longer than Haggai (48 verses) or 2 John (13 verses!). More like Mark (16 chapters) or 1 Corinthians (16 chapters).

I admit that there are several reservations one might have to doing this: I don’t have the time, there’s no way that can really be done or even that it doesn’t seem very devotional or reverential. I would like to suggest brief responses to each reservation, and then exhort you to just do it!

I don’t have time: this might be true. Many of us are terribly busy (maybe too busy?). But if it were only an hour of your life, wouldn’t this be a really profitable way to spend an hour?

There’s no way it can really be done: this also might be true. The whole book of Psalms might require a full workday of sitting to complete! But the gospel of John can be done in about an hour, if you read at a fairly steady clip.

It doesn’t seem very reverential or devotional: this, too, might be true. It seems to me, though, that if you set out to read with a heart of faith, with joyful dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide your reading, that even a fast-paced read through of Romans (maybe 45 minutes?) or a quick flight through Deuteronomy (1.5 to 2 hours?) can be done with genuine devotion.

I just read through the gospel of John in about 55 minutes, reading very quickly. I wanted to get a good feel for the overall flow as I prepare to preach, Lord willing, from chapter 12 on Christmas Day. I definitely saw things in a different light by reading the whole thing in one sitting.

How about giving it a try? And for the really adventurous person, you could accompany such a reading with Mark Dever’s two books overviewing each book of the Bible. Tolle lege! (Take up and read!)

Forbearance: a Neglected Act of Mercy

2011-12-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

I thought this statement from Dave Harvey was insightful and helpful:

Maybe you didn’t know this, but the Bible gives you a special privilege in dealing with sin committed against you. It’s called forbearance. It means that you can bring love into play in such a way that you can cut someone free from their sin against you—without them even knowing or acknowledging what they’ve done! Forbearance is an expression of mercy that can cover both the big sins of marital strife and the small sins of marital tension. And let’s face it; small sins are the fuel for most marital blazes.

But he offers a word of caution, too:

Forbearance doesn’t mean we tuck sin away for another time…In forbearance, we know (or at least suspect) we have been sinned against, but we actually make a choice to overlook the offense and wipe the slate clean, extending a heart attitude of forgiveness and treating the (apparent) sin as if it never happened. Proverbs 19:11 tells us it is a “glory to overlook an offense.” Forbearance is preemptive forgiveness, freely and genuinely bestowed.

I highly recommend the book where this teaching resides, When Sinners Say “I Do” by Dave Harvey.

Jesus in the Old Testament

2011-11-15T10:06:00.001-05:00

In my study for my sermon on Psalm 24, I came across this very helpful principle for interpreting the Psalms (and really, all of the Old Testament). It comes from Derek Kidner’s commentary on the Psalms:

When ‘he opened their minds to understand the scriptures’ (Luke 24:45), it was with special reference to their Messianic content. ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations.’ Although Luke 24 gives few details of this instruction, the rest of the New Testament shows how the apostles unanimously understood it.

So Jesus showed that every part of the Old Testament has “Messianic content.” In other words, every bit of it points to Jesus. That is how we read/interpret/teach/study the Old Testament: by looking for its Messianic content.

Got a Pure Heart?

2011-11-13T21:14:00.001-05:00

Here is a link to my sermon today from Psalm 24. We must celebrate our risen King of Glory, Jesus!

Good Word for Leaders of Any Kind

2011-10-27T16:43:00.000-04:00

Moses pleaded with God to go with the people of Israel (Ex. 33:15-16) even though they had sinned (Ex. 32). Douglas Stuart makes this very helpful note on God-centered leadership in his commentary on Exodus:

Moses showed himself once again the servant of God’s revealed, clearly established purposes rather than someone who just wanted to be in charge or someone who wanted his job for its inherent prestige.

This MUST be the attitude of any leader. But it is especially true for pastors.

Scripture is...

2011-10-18T06:56:00.000-04:00

I am always helped by reminders of what the Bible actually is. This quote from Alec Motyer in The Message of Exodus is excellent:

Scripture is the Word of God in the words of God, accurately reflecting the mind of God and infallibly revealing the ways of God.

To Live is Christ

2011-09-24T07:23:00.000-04:00

From Frank Thielman's comments on Phillipians 1:21 in his commentary on Philippians in the NIVAC series:

Paul's relationship with Christ was so close that his entire existence derived its meaning from his Lord (emphasis added).

Lord Jesus, may I grow that close to you as well!

How to Establish God's Kingdom on Earth

2011-09-20T05:09:00.000-04:00

According to T. D. Alexander in the book From Eden to the New Jerusalem:

By living in obedience to Christ, his disciples participate in the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. This kingdom is not restricted by national boundaries, but is gradually expanding to fill the whole earth. Yet, although this divine kingdom continues to grow, with more and more people acknowledging the supreme sovereignty of God, many of the earth's inhabitants defiantly refuse to enthrone God as their Lord.

Our #1 Problem

2011-09-17T07:44:00.000-04:00

I thought this was a super helpful description of humanity's #1 problem: sin. From T.D. Alexander's book From Eden to the New Jerusalem:

To appreciate the necessity of atonement, we must grasp clearly that God is not indifferent to our moral thoughts and behaviour. On the contrary, his holy nature is deeply offended by such things. As a perfect God, he cannot ignore anything evil. The smallest lie is offensive to the One who is truth. The tiniest feeling of animosity towards another person is repulsive to the One who is love. Due to his holy and perfect nature God cannot turn a blind eye to perverse human behaviour as if it does not matter.

We also need to appreciate that due to our own perversity, we do not realize fully how objectionable our imperfections are to God. If we contemplate our shortcomings and failures at all, we merely dismiss them as something natural; this is part of our human nature--we are all like this.

Yet, in truth, our imperfections are anything but natural.

I realize that this is anything but "pleasant Saturday morning reading," but the truth isn't always smooth and sweet. But even as I say that, the gospel is sweet because in it we hear of the solution to our #1 problem: the atoning death of Jesus. Praise God for the good news that tells me I can be perfectly forgiven, and made perfectly clean because "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Cor. 5:7).

Hope for Years to Come

2011-09-11T13:31:00.000-04:00

I was humbled to get to serve my church this morning by preaching 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. Click here for the audio.

Scripture: 100% Human + 100% Divine

2011-09-09T16:21:00.000-04:00

This is a very instructive quote from Charles Hodge (1797-1878) when he explains why Paul's personality shines through in 2 Corinthians:

The grace of God in conversion does not change the natural character of its subjects, but accommodates itself to all their peculiarities of disposition and temperament. And the same is true with regard to the influence of the Spirit in inspiration.

It is an illuminating quote because many who doubt the trustworthiness of Scripture say that there is no way it can be God's words when there is so much "human-ness" all over it. Yet Hodge asserts that God uses the particular "disposition and temperament" of each author to say exactly what He wants to say.

Links for HBC students on money and time

2011-04-28T11:53:00.003-04:00

I mentioned to HBC students a couple of helpful worksheets on budgeting your money, and managing your time. And I promised I would give a link to each. Here they are:

Money (make sure you add a giving/tithe category!)

Time

As an FYI, the time worksheet called "Assessing my Priorities" is from the booklet called Priorities: Mastering Time Management by James C. Petty

They say Christianity is a crutch...

2011-04-28T09:59:00.003-04:00

People often say that Christianity is a crutch. Their meaning is that only weak people embrace it, because they need it; they’re not strong enough.

This is false. But the reason it’s false is because it simply doesn’t go far enough! Jonathan Leeman says Christianity, true faith, is actually more like a defibrillator! You know what I’m talking about? Those things that doctors use when a patient’s heart stops beating? They hold them up in the air, wait till it’s charged, and shout, “Clear!”

Leeman says this in his great little book Reverberation. His point is that our hearts are far worse off than just needing a crutch. A crutch is for when you sprain your ankle roller-skating in P.E. But a defibrillator is for when your heart is not beating. It needs new life.

This is what we need more than anything: new hearts. Jesus said in Mark 7, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality” and a whole long list of other sins. My pastor, Tim White, preached a clear, helpful message on this text recently, which I highly recommend.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you give life to lifeless hearts through your precious blood.

Evangelical Superstitions?

2011-03-25T09:28:00.002-04:00

I love how Carl Trueman writes and thinks.

I find him both helpfully provocative and solidly biblical in his writing. The provocative side of his writing often broaches topics that really need to be addressed, yet often go either neglected or ignored, largely because they are not all that pleasant to think about. In a new post at the Reformation 21 blog, he is at it again. Trueman points out some Roman Catholic religious practices that Protestants would scorn, and shows that there is a conceptual similarity to some evangelical practices that should receive equal scorn. Here is one example:

What I do now believe, however, is that evangelicalism has its own set of fetishes which are also superstitious and just as potentially harmful. Evangelicals too imbue objects with a power which they do not possess. Celebrity conference speakers would be one such category. Few conference speakers are actually any better than many unknown men who faithfully fill pulpits in unknown churches week by week; but the evangelical culture ascribes to them great power. That is why people pay to go and hear them and would often rather talk about hearing them than about the unknown local man who faithfully ministers to them every Sunday. Aesthetics is another. Some evangelicals seem to think that there is a peculiarly sanctifying, protective power involved in dressing their daughters in denim pinnies and their sons in plaid shirts; or, on the other side of the evangelical world, wearing black, having rather short haircuts and engaging in acts of body piercing.

I recommend the rest of the post, as well as many other things that Trueman writes.

Church-building supply list: 1. The Gospel...

2011-03-16T09:56:00.001-04:00

I definitely want to listen to these talks from Don Carson:

"Building the Church with the Gospel"

Lost Our Grip?

2011-03-03T09:21:00.002-05:00

Have you lost your grip on "justification by faith alone apart from any works of our own"? Thabiti suggests that we have done this when we pile guilt on ourselves for the lack of prayer in our lives. Wow.

Check it out.

The Lord's Supper: How Could We?

2011-02-08T10:35:00.002-05:00

Helpful thoughts on the Lord's Supper:

A quote from Calvin's Institutes, found in the December 2010 edition of the Banner of Truth magazine, on our worthiness to take the Lord's Supper:

Therefore, this is the worthiness – the best and only kind we can bring to God –
to offer our vileness (and so to speak) our unworthiness to him so that we might be lifted up by him; to accuse ourselves so that we may be justified by him;
moreover, to aspire to that unity which he commends to us in his Supper; and, as he makes all of us one in himself, to desire one soul, one heart, one tongue for all…

The key question:

How could we, needy and bare of all good, befouled with sins, half-dead, eat the Lord’s body worthily?

I love the answer:

Rather, we shall think that we, as being poor, come to a kindly giver; as sick, to a physician; as sinners, to the Author of righteousness; finally, as dead, to him who gives us life. We shall think that the worthiness, which is commended by God, consists chiefly in faith, which reposes all things in Christ, but nothing in ourselves.

HT: 9 Marks

Christ the Savior Takes on Depression

2011-02-04T09:10:00.003-05:00

Tony Reinke posts each Friday on letters from John Newton. Today he tells about Newton's friend Joshua Symonds, who struggled daily with depression-like tendencies.

Newton told Symonds that he was thinking too little of Christ's power to save. Newton thus challenged Symonds and us to look to Christ, look to his gospel constantly. I like this quote:

You have not, you cannot have, anything in the sight of God, but what you derive from the righteousness and atonement of Jesus. If you could keep him more constantly in view, you would be more comfortable. He would be more honored.…Let us pray that we may be enabled to follow the apostle’s, or rather the Lord’s command by him, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice [Philippians 4:4]. We have little to rejoice in ourselves, but we have right and reason to rejoice in him.

Click HERE to read the whole thing.

Bitterness as Idolatry

2010-12-27T14:04:00.002-05:00

Helpful quote from the ESV Study Bible on Hebrews 12:15.

The author warns against “bitterness” by alluding to Deut. 29:18, which describes one who turns away from God and pursues other gods. A bitter and resentful person is like a contagious poison, spreading his resentment to others.

Oh, God, may we never be such a poison to others.

Kauflin on Retiring Old Worship Songs

2010-07-18T15:09:00.002-04:00

Fascinating thoughts from Bob Kauflin on when to retire worship songs. Here are the questions he gets at:

Is it wrong to retire old songs?
If so, how do you know the right time?
Do we even need to be singing new songs?
What makes a song “old?”
Once a song is retired, should we ever bring it back?

Read the whole thing.

D.A. Carson is the Man

2010-07-13T14:18:00.002-04:00

So we really should just read whatever he writes. JT links to a great sale on one of his newest books. This post counts as my monthly post (haha!), and I'm really doing it for my friend Will Brannon.

Overpractice

2010-06-04T06:30:00.002-04:00

Practicing "too much" is something I have never done. My failed golf career is evidence of this. Over at the CCEF blog Ed Welch tells us of our need to overpractice the gospel. "Over-practice. Use any excuse to get back to the cross itself and then—do it again." I especially like this quote:

It is supposed to work this way: we practice saying no to sexual sin everyday. We care for and enjoy those things and people that God gives us and don’t covet what he doesn’t give us. So, when drawn to an alluring advertisement, a sexual fantasy or flirtatious though seemingly harmless banter, we say no. We practice on the smaller steps, and practice some more. Then we are prepared if we ever have to face bigger ones.

Here are the main points:

1. Never give thanks for blessings you can see without remembering the blessings you can’t see.
2. Confess sin, often. Again…over-practice.
3. Take advantage of fellowship.

And the conclusion:

So… when in doubt….over-practice. Musicians, athletes (and better calculus students) know it helps them when the pressure comes. Over-practice your faith and the same will be true there as well. The means of spiritual growth aren’t always flashy, but they are effective.

Read the whole thing.

Meditation on God's Judgment

2010-05-26T07:56:00.004-04:00

Paul Tripp recently posted a poem where he meditates on God's judgment of sin and unrighteousness. It's a reflection particularly on Psalm 73. Here's how it starts:

To transgressing of your boundaries
You will put an end.
To human thoughts of autonomy
You will put an end.
To delusions of self-sufficiency
You will put an end.
Grace forbids these going on forever.

This is the basic structure, and it concludes like this:

Grace has drawn me near to you.
Grace has paid for my unfaithfulness.
Grace has made me clean in Your eyes.
Grace put my stripes on Jesus
so I would not face them
when you put what is now
to an end.

Great stuff to help us remember the gospel in the face of our sins.

Frame Fans

2010-03-27T13:51:00.002-04:00

There are lots of fans of John Frame out there. I know some who've had the privilege to study with him, and they speak very highly of his life and doctrine.

He and NT scholar Vern Poythress (that's a fun name to say out loud; go ahead and try it!) have a joint website with tons of their articles on all kinds of topics.

I aspire to read Frame's book on Christian ethics in the near future, but life is a bit busy at the moment. We'll see...I read his The Doctrine of God for a class, and it is simply outstanding. Like amazingly outstanding.

Running the Race

2010-03-02T15:24:00.002-05:00

In a sermon on James 5:1-11 recently, Tom Schreiner gave this helpful word about running the race of faith, commenting on verse 7:

Don't confuse perfection with perseverance

In other words, running the race of the Christian life requires us to persevere in the faith, and not grow weary. But it is not a race of perfection. So when we see ourselves fail in the race, we do not grow weary, rather we entrust ourselves to the Father's care. He will ultimately carry us through to the end.

Open Your Eyes!

2010-02-06T09:09:00.003-05:00

Bob Kauflin has an interesting post about worship leaders needing to open their eyes more when they're leading. His thoughts are interesting and worth reading. But they're not just for leaders. He ends up offering some helpful reminders for what's going on when we're in a corporate worship setting. To whet your appetite, here are some of the possible (bad) reasons for leaders closing their eyes:

* we want to look spiritual
* we think the Holy Spirit likes closed eyes more than opened eyes
* we don’t want to look at the faces of people who seem apathetic, concerned, confused, or angry about what we’re doing
* we’re battling fear of man and the easiest thing to do is just pretend that no one else is around
* we don’t want to see who walks out of the room
* we’re discouraged by the dwindling number of people showing up on Sundays
* we’re imagining that this is our own personal encounter with God
* we don’t remember the words to the next verse
* we can’t think of anything better to do

Not to mention that worship leaders who shut their eyes sometimes look more like they’re in pain than in God’s presence.

I especially like the last one! Also, don't forget about his book.

If You Don't Want to be Sanctified...

2010-02-02T17:17:00.005-05:00

then don't read the biography of Adoniram Judson called To the Golden Shore. If, however, you do want to grow as a Christian, then do not waste another minute. First, buy or borrow this book. Second, read it: for 10 minutes during your quiet time, for 30 minutes instead of Jeopardy, or for the last few minutes of the day as you lay in bed (although this will prove difficult as you get wrapped up into this amazing story of God's faithfulness in sending his gospel from shore to shore!). John Piper also has a short biography of Judson alongside that of William Tyndale and John Paton. Why are you still reading my blog? Go! Buy it!

Some Bible Reading Resources

2010-01-13T16:05:00.002-05:00

There are tons of these kinds of resources out there. Many of them are on the web. Here is a quick group of good resources. Respond in the comment section if you're interested in more:

Desiring God Blog Recommended Bible Reading Plans

ESV Study Bible Online

Pastor Andy Davis' Memorization Plan (long sections of Scripture!)

Dr Donald Whitney's Website (tons of great resources)

Good Sermons from Capitol Hill Baptist Church

CJ Mahaney's sermons (particularly helpful for application

You better behave!

2009-12-10T15:10:00.004-05:00

I couldn't resist the opportunity for a cheeky title...

Piper has an excellent post on a very specific, and perplexing, question about parenting. I have wondered about it many times. The question he sets out to answer is "Why should parents require submissive behaviors of children when they may be unregenerate rebels at heart?".

Here are his three main points:

1) For children, external, unspiritual conformity to God’s commanded patterns of behavior is better than external, unspiritual non-conformity to those patterns of behavior.

2) Requiring obedience from children in conformity with God’s will confronts them with the meaning of sin in relation to God, the nature of their own depravity, and their need for inner transformation by the power of grace through the gospel of Christ.

3) The marks of devotion, civility, and manners (“please,” “thank you,” and good eye contact) are habits that, God willing, are filled later with grace and become more helpful ways of blessing others and expressing a humble heart.

Read the whole thing here.

Solomon's Advice in the Battle Against Sin

2009-12-07T08:45:00.001-05:00

I had the privilege of taking a course this Fall on Old Testament II (Job through Malachi) with Dr. Jim Hamilton. My love for God’s Word has grown as a result, and I am deeply grateful for Dr. Hamilton’s erudition and passion for the truth.

One particularly helpful lecture he gave was on the book of Proverbs. I could point to many helpful things he discussed including the structure of chapters 1-9 or the proverbs about parenting.

But one compelling idea I want to point out comes from his discussion of Prov 7. In that chapter Solomon observes the foolish young man who is enticed by the seductive adulteress (note: this should be seen as paradigmatic; young women are certainly open to seduction). Solomon looks out his window and sees the young man “passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness” (7:8-9). The young man has set himself up for sin, and, indeed, sin is what follows.

Jim Hamilton explained, among other things, that we see in this chapter a framework for how we should think about sin and temptation to sin. I don’t have the exact words from the lecture, but here is how I summarized it:

1. Identify the things that tempt you, the ways you have fallen in to those sins before. The young man knew the woman would be waiting.
2. Back your way out of it, step by step. The young man took her street, passed near her house, and he did this in the cover of darkness.
3. Then, follow the sequence of actions that led you to fall into that sin. At some point the young man chose to go that direction at that time.
4. Now you have discovered the battle that will lose the war. If I give in on that front which I have identified, the battle will be lost. If, by God’s grace, I win on that front, the battle is won.

The Apostle Paul tells us, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13). Hamilton’s thoughts here provide an excellent weapon in the daily fight to “put to death the deeds of the body.” The result is life.

Trueman's "Nameless One"

2009-12-06T16:37:00.003-05:00

I have been meaning to read this article by Carl Trueman for a few months. Now that the semester is over, I finally got around to it. I'm glad I did.

Trueman's thesis is, in my words, that truth is always true, and sometimes it is even popular. But even when truth is not popular, it is still true. Speaking of the current "Young, Restless, and Reformed" movement, he writes:

Finally, I worry that a movement built on megachurches, megaconferences, and megaleaders, does the church a disservice in one very important way that is often missed amid all the pizzazz and excitement: it creates the idea that church life is always going to be big, loud, and exhilarating and thus gives church members and ministerial candidates unrealistic expectations of the normal Christian life. In the real world, many, perhaps most, of us worship and work in churches of 100 people or less; life is not loud and exciting; big things do not happen every Sunday; budgets are incredibly tight and barely provide enough for a pastor's modest salary; each Lord's Day we go through the same routines of worship services, of hearing the gospel proclaimed, of taking the Lord's Supper, of teaching Sunday School; perhaps several times a year we do leaflet drops in the neighbourhood with very few results; at Christmas time we carol sing in the high street and hand out invitations to church and maybe two or three people actually come along as a result; but no matter -- we keep going, giving, and praying as we can; we try to be faithful in the little entrusted to us. It's boring, it's routine, and it's the same, year in, year out.

I find this instructive and clear, and, of course, you should really read the whole thing!

Redeem the Commute

2009-11-01T15:44:00.003-05:00

I have found it very edifying to listen to good stuff in the car. Sermons, audiobooks, Bible audio, and interviews with thoughtful Christians (see 9marks) are some examples. Christianaudio.com offers a free download each month, and this month is the landmark book, Desiring God, by pastor John Piper. Just enter NOV2009 in the promotion box at checkout, and redeem your commute for the glory of God!

Leadership Lessons from 50 Years of Experience

2009-10-09T20:31:00.002-04:00

Great stuff from Chuck Swindoll at JT's blog. Here are 3 of his top ten leadership lessons learned:

1) It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2) It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed
3) It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.

Click here to read the rest.

The Devastating Aftershocks of a Great Earthquake

2009-10-05T17:10:00.002-04:00

Desiring God blog today linked to another blogger (Randy Alcorn), writing on the effects of an act of sexual immorality. I read through the list and found it quite sobering. I intend to make a list like this for myself.

One Handed

2009-09-29T17:55:00.002-04:00

One handed typing. Holding newborn son. Helpful quote from file:

“The least sin is contrary to the law of God, the nature of God, the being of God, and the glory of God; and therefore it is often punished severely by God; and do not we see daily the vengeance of the Almighty falling upon the bodies, names, states, families, and souls of men, for those sins that are but little ones in their eyes?” p. 38

From Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices.

Calvin on Conviction of Sin

2009-09-21T06:25:00.002-04:00

From John Calvin's commentary on 1st Timothy:

[The] Spirit of God does not accuse or reproach us, in order to triumph over us, when we we are covered with shame, but, when we have been cast down, immediately he raises us up (p70)

A Worthy Gospel

2009-09-12T06:53:00.002-04:00

This gospel for a man with a sword at his throat is the gospel for me. This would suit me if I were dying, and it is all that I need while I am living. I look away from self, and sin, and all idea of personal merit, and I trust the Lord Jesus as the Savior whom God has given. I believe in Him, I rest on Him, I accept Him to be my all in all. Lord, I am saved, and I shall be saved to all eternity, for I believe in Jesus. Blessed be Thy name for this. May I daily prove by my life that I am saved from selfishness, and worldliness, and every form of evil.

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning by Morning. The man just had a way with words!

This website lets you see each day's entry. Here's a link to a nice book version.

Hubble Space Telescope New Images

2009-09-10T17:17:00.001-04:00

Wow. That's all I can say.

Check it out.

HT: JT

Matt Chandler

2009-09-09T16:04:00.002-04:00

I'm just learning about Matt Chandler. I think I really like him. Check out this quote where he's talking about things that rob our joy in Christ, like sports:

If 19-year-old boys are ruining your day because of what they do with a ball, that's a problem. These things rob my affections for Christ. I want to fill my life with things that stir my affections for him. . . .

1. Clever. 2. Profound

HT: JT

Sweet? Sweet to trust in Jesus?

2009-08-21T11:12:00.002-04:00

This hymn came to my mind this morning during my quiet time. At first I was irritated because the word "sweet" is too ‘saccharine’ to my ears (pardon the pun!). It doesn't resonate with me.

But I realized this is because "sweet" is like so many other words that have changed their meaning over time. So I turned to the dictionary for some help. Merriam-Webster offers several options, but these two synonyms for "sweet" instantly stood out to me: gratifying and dear.

So even though it is not always happy-go-lucky to "trust in Jesus" (for some Christians it is never this way), it is gratifying because nothing else in the universe can satisfy; and it is dear because Christians have been tied to Jesus as family "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are" (1 Jn 3.1). I pray these words encourage today you to cling tenaciously to the truth of Jesus Christ slain for sinners.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Surely stuff like that doesn't happen anymore...

2009-08-20T16:54:00.004-04:00

The White Horse Inn Blog posts this story (with permission) from Elam ministries about 2 persecuted Christian women in Iran. It's moving and powerful. Here is the kind of thing they are enduring while in prison for their faith:

Both women are back in Evin prison tonight. During their five-month ordeal, both have been unwell and have lost much weight. Marzieh is in pain due to an on-going problem with her spine, as well as an infected tooth and intense headaches. She desperately needs medical attention. Two months ago the prison officials told her the prison had proper medical equipment and that they will attend to her, but so far no proper treatment has been given.

I encourage you to read the whole thing here.

Memorize Scripture? Say goodbye to some excuses...

2009-08-19T21:02:00.002-04:00

Check out the Crossway Blog where they introduce the Verse Card Maker. Honestly, I haven't even looked at it yet, and I'm still very excited. Here is the description:

[The] website takes a list of references and automatically fetches the texts, formatting them into business card sized cards for easy printing.

In my mind this is a major hurdle that has been bounded in the memorization of Scripture. Excuses beware!

HT: Justin Taylor

Packer part 2

2009-08-15T08:16:00.005-04:00

Where does prayer come from? [Who thought it up?] Why do I often not pray at all, but I always feel that I should?

I think one answer that J. I. Packer might give is this:

“It is not too much to say that God made us to pray, that prayer is (not the easiest, but) the most natural activity in which we ever engage, and that prayer is the measure of us all in God’s sight.” (Emphasis added)

Prayer is at least communicating with God. And any genuine communication is two way. Thus when we long to pray we are seeking to fulfill that innate desire to receive and respond to revelation. The great catastrophe of the human fall into sin (see Genesis 3) is that it was a failure to "take God at his word." What he had promised to Adam and Eve was revelation: of truth, of beauty, of Himself. When we pray we say, "Lord, show me who you are and why that matters in my life right now." God's revelation to us in 2009 is through his Son and through his Word. So we must let the Bible hold our prayers by the hand, guiding us along, taking us to where we need to go, i.e., to the Triune God himself.

Debt as Investment: Is it Wise?

2009-08-13T17:03:00.003-04:00

Check out this fascinating post at The Personal MBA about debt. I think his perspective is helpful, particularly the following concept:

The easiest way to stay out of debt is to avoid taking it on in the first place. Here’s a useful rule of thumb that’ll keep you out of trouble: if it’s not going to help you make more money within the next 3 months, don’t take on debt to buy it. That goes for everything from household goods to movie tickets.

I highly recommend reading the whole thing.

Know God, Hate Sin

2009-08-12T15:25:00.002-04:00

“Let us, then, revive the use and intendment of this consideration: Will not a due apprehension of this inconceivable greatness of God, and that infinite distance wherein we stand from him, fill the soul with a holy and awful fear of him, so as to keep it in a frame unsuited to the thriving or flourishing of any lust whatever?” (Emphasis added).

-John Owen, On the Mortification of Sin in Believers

In other words, as we increase in our knowledge of God (primarily through our knowledge of Jesus Christ and all that he has done), we will decrease in our desire to let all kinds of sin run rampant in our lives: fear, hatred, anger, impatience, and on and on.

A Walk Through "Praying the Lord's Prayer" by J. I. Packer

2009-08-11T07:19:00.003-04:00

I recently finished "Praying the Lord's Prayer" and thought it would be useful to walk through some of the more helpful quotes from the book over the next few days. My aim is simply to spark some new thoughts on prayer: the whys, whats, and hows. I will pose a question (either my own or one directly from Packer's book), and present the quotes as answers to these questions, perhaps with some of my own reflection. I'll start with a doozie.

Why is prayer sometimes the hardest thing in the world for a Christian to do?

Here's one possible answer:

People feel a problem about prayer because of the muddle they are in about God. If you are uncertain whether God exists, or whether he is personal, or good, or in control of things, or concerned about ordinary folk like you and me, you are bound to conclude that praying is pretty pointless, not to say trivial, and then you won’t do it" (p13).

The knowledge of who God is and what he is like is right at the heart of prayer. Only a proper perspective, one shaped by the truth of Scripture, will compel us to commune with God in prayer. The Psalms are a great place to start to have your knowledge of God shaped into the right mold.

Why is it so hard to get things done?

2009-08-10T10:51:00.003-04:00

The moving in process has taken much longer than I ever thought it would. But we're getting there...and then we've got a baby coming within a couple of weeks! God is good and patient and kind to us.

Matt Perman posted this a few weeks ago. It gets at the heart of what makes being good stewards of our time so difficult. It's David Allen's brief summary of what drives his Getting Things Done system:

I’ve given numerous “drive-by” radio and TV interviews, the type that give you about fifty-three seconds…. They’ve forced me to distill my message to the bare essentials. A typical question is, “David, what’s the one thing we do that gets in the way of being productive?” Here’s my answer:

“It’s not one thing but five things all wrapped together: People keep stuff in their head. They don’t decide what they need to do about stuff they know they need to do something about. They don’t organize action reminders and support materials in functional categories. They don’t maintain and review a complete and objective inventory of their commitments. Then they waste energy and burn out, allowing their busyness to be driven by what’s latest and loudest, hoping it’s the right thing to do but never feeling the relief that it is.”

Back in the Swing of Things

2009-07-20T17:31:00.002-04:00

Moving into a house has been quite a process. I've been catching up with many facets of my life for the last week or so since the move. I wanted to post something to get back in the routine. So here's a quick something:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory. (1 TIm 3:16b)

Salvation has come!

Homeowner

2009-06-16T21:07:00.003-04:00

Well...we bought a house. Pretty cool. We haven't moved in yet so it doesn't quite feel that cool. Lots of work remains. I seem to be thinking about new kinds of things like:

What do I do about all that water that collects in the driveway?
Should I get an electric, or gas-powered edger?
Did I buy the right grade of sandpaper?

These are weird things to think about.

Randy Alcorn on Prayer

2009-06-15T18:12:00.003-04:00

Randy Alcorn has helpful thoughts and quotes on prayer over at his blog. I really like this one from John Bunyan:

"He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day."

I strongly encourage you to read the whole thing. I also highly recommend his book called The Treasure Principle. I've yet to read the fuller version called Money, Wealth, and Possessions, though it is on my list!

Toddlers (and Everyone!) need Relationships, not Things

2009-06-08T09:49:00.004-04:00

Relationships, not things, are what bring satisfaction in life. This is true even for toddlers. This is the basic argument of Jay Younts over at the Shepherd's Press blog. They publish helpful books such as Shepherding a Child's Heart. I've not read others from this publisher, but I have little doubt about their usefulness. Especially Instructing a Child's Heart. I'm sure it is excellent

So how then do you help the toddler to see that relationships matter more than things, especially when your ultimate aim is bring them into the primary relationship they were created for: a relationship totally dependent on their God and Maker?

Even though the spiritual condition of your toddler is uncertain, you can bring the certainty and stability of your own relationship with Christ to your toddler. This is an important application of Deuteronomy 6:7 that is often missed. God wants you to talk about him with all of your children, even-- and perhaps especially--with your toddlers. Toddlers are in great need of relational comfort and stability.

What does this look like?

But, the calm, confident voice and touch of a mother with her child [referring to Psalm 131:1-2] brings comfort and stability to his worries and concerns. Ultimately, things are not important to toddlers. What is important is the care and comfort that flows from parents who are satisfied with God and have the courage to speak to their children about God's care.

Parents of toddlers: seek to be satisfied with God in Christ, and speak to your children about God's care, which is infinitely better than yours!

Read the whole thing here.

Be Productive, but don't be Discouraged!

2009-06-06T08:07:00.003-04:00

I feel like I've been trying to get my act together with productivity for years. Well, by the grace of God, the last 6 months have seen some great progress in this area of my life.

Matt Perman's blog has been a tremendous asset in this regard, and I credit him with really sparking my interest. His original vision-casting posts from when he launched the blog are quite helpful: see here and here. Not to mention his great method for the best use of email. (It's long, but well worth your time!).

Recently he provided this encouraging quote from Time Management from the Inside Out:

The worst thing to do is berate yourself for not getting everything done, for periodically procrastinating, and for slowing down from time to time. The time and energy you spend feeling guilty create a downward spiral of nonproductivity. Even the most productive people occasionally have off days. The thing that makes them good time managers is that they realize these things are a part of life, forgive themselves, make the necessary adjustments to their schedules, and move on.

All the while we ought to do this to the glory of God (see 1 Cor. 10:31).

Suffering, Failures, and Grace

2009-05-20T15:52:00.002-04:00

I came across two bits of information today that curiously relate to one another. I enjoy listening to NPR on occasion as I drive to and from work. Today I heard just a snippet from the show Fresh Air with Terry Gross where she relayed that she would be replaying an old interview later in the broadcast. This interview was with a renowned gay-rights activist who had committed suicide just last Friday. I didn’t hear the interview, rather I heard, and quickly put in my memory, the host’s interpretation of that suicide. She said of his death that “he took his own life, unwilling to be further debilitated by his failing health.” This was staggering to me. This interpretation is unacceptable. A person must not be said to be in the right when he takes his own life because of his presumed suffering. Human life is just too precious. I cannot imagine how frightening the prospects of his suffering must have been, but this should never be legitimate grounds for taking life.

The other bit I came across is this, from 2 Corinthians 12: “But [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” A great blessing of discipleship is knowing that our Lord provides in every season. Every weakness, every failure, every hardship, every bit of suffering is an arena for God’s grace to be displayed. If you're reading this and you're not someone who claims to be Christ's disciple, I wonder, how do you face your sufferings? How do you face your weaknesses? Christ Jesus gladly offers his grace if you would only come to him, forsaking all else but him.

Our Desires versus Our Good

2009-05-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

“Many things may be cross to our desires that are not cross to our good,” wrote Thomas Brooks. This is very difficult to remember! As Christians we know God has our good always at hand (Rom 8.28). We then have all kinds of desires each day as we live our lives. The problem comes when our deep desire to align with God’s desires crosses with our own desires. Many events in life may contradict our own desires, but God always has our good in mind! This is comforting.

Every Day - a song from Sovereign Grace Music

2009-05-12T17:35:00.000-04:00

I won't put all the words here, but the chorus is tremendous.

Thank you for the trials
For the fire, for the pain
Thank you for the strength
Knowing You have ordained
Every day

Something

2009-04-18T10:14:00.002-04:00

I need to post something. I've had too many days of posting nothing, so I need to post something. And here it is: "It is not good that the man should be alone" Gen. 2:18.

Musical Opinions

2009-04-02T19:51:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to some great thoughts on music from someone I deeply respect, Bob Kauflin. I'm convicted by this because I always take a bit of pride in calling myself a music snob...and I don't that should be considered a virtue.

Point #10 is probably the most poignant for me:

10. Being opinionated about music can affect our ability to worship God corporately.

How many times have you heard the first few bars of a worship song on Sunday and thought, “Oh no…I can’t stand this song.” Or maybe you’re talking with a group of friends at lunch on Sunday, and you’re letting them know which songs you really didn’t like. In either case, we’re giving more value to our musical preferences than God’s command to sing his praise and to love him with all our hearts. Do we really want to let our musical opinions keep us from worshiping the God who gave us music in the first place?

Busted! It's like Bob followed me home from church last Sunday! By the way, I've not read the whole thing, but Bob's book Worship Matters encapsulates a great deal of biblical wisdom related to worship. I've been following Bob and his material for about 7 years now, and I'm grateful to God for him as he has influenced my thinking on music and worship very deeply.

Chapter 6 of When I Don't Desire God

2009-03-30T15:49:00.003-04:00

I'm back at blogging. March was exceptionally hectic getting some tasks accomplished at work. But enough biography for now.

In chapter 6 of Piper's When I Don't Desire God, he gives a compelling, one-sentence definition of sin. He writes,

"God is infinitely valuable, and we have offended him infinitely by valuing other things more" (p 72).

This is why sin is so tricky. It's not just about "doing bad things." That is part of it. But sin also includes "doing good things for bad reasons," not to mention desiring, pursuing, and valuing the wrong things. Sin is, fundamentally, "valuing other things more" than we value God.

Depression, despair, and grumbling are complex, but they all at least embrace a distortion of valuing the right things. The greatness of God seen in the gospel once again draws us towards valuing the right things: the Holy God mercifully sacrifices his only Son for unworthy sinners in order to make them right with Him, thereby opening the eyes of their heart to value Him as they ought.

An Approach to JW's

2009-03-14T16:50:00.004-04:00

My sister Becca just mentioned that some Jehovah's Witnesses had come by her house recently. Conversations with cult members are difficult because they have a lot of training in being really persuasive. I don't have much help to offer in this area, but I thought I would post some notes from a class lecture from Dr. Timothy Beougher's Personal Evangelism class, with some of my own thoughts. The specific notes are on how to approach Non-Trinitarians, specifically JW's.

"Concept statement – if the Bible teaches there is only one God, and the Bible calls three persons God, then I must, in faith, accept that God is Triune even if I don’t fully understand it."

Based on that statement, you walk the person through the following verses, one at a time: Deut 6.4, Is 43.10-11, Is 44.6, Rev 1.8, Rev 22.13, 16, Rev 1.17-18, Heb 1.1, 2, 8, Acts 5.3-4

Your point all along is very simple, and in line with the above concept statement: You are showing them that the same things that are said about the One true God of the Old Testament are clearly said about Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament. Pretty amazing, and good for the soul to reflect on such truths.

UPDATE: I cut and pasted all those verses into the ESV Bible website to pull them all up at once. Here's the link.

One More Quote from Chapter 3

2009-03-07T16:03:00.001-05:00

Why fight? Why fight for joy?

The fight for joy is “a way of saying that we are weak and desperately need the mercy of God” (39).

Chapter 3 of When I Don't Desire God...

2009-03-03T11:53:00.002-05:00

...is about the nature of that call to fight for joy. Piper takes a few pages to elaborate on why we must fight, quoting the Apostle Paul, "My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better" (Philippians 1). Far better! Paul says knowing the presence of Christ is better than living! Piper concludes,

"Surely, then, this is worth fighting for. It may feel strange at first, but when we see what is at stake, no battle will seem more important. Loving Christ involves delight in his Person. Without this love no one goes to heaven. Therefore there is no more important struggle in the universe than the struggle to see and savor Christ above all things--the struggle for joy" (Page 35)

.Did I mention you can read this book for free at the Desiring God website? Click here.

Fight for Joy?

2009-03-01T21:01:00.003-05:00

I'm excited about a book I just started called When I Don't Desire God, by John Piper. He has written many books based around the idea of what he has called "Christian Hedonism," which is succinctly defined by him in the phrase "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." This book seems like it is singing that same tune, but with a twist. He wants to answer the question people have asked him so often: "What do I do when I don't desire God?" His answer is,in short, that it is a battle. It's a fight for joy in Christ:

The fight for joy in Christ is not a fight to soften the cushion of Western comforts. It is a fight to live a self-sacrificing love...The key to endurance in the cause of self-sacrificing love is not heroic willpower, but deep, unshakable confidence that the joy we have tasted in fellowship with Christ will not disappoint us in death (pp 20-21, emphasis mine).

It's going to be an important book for me right now. I'm very excited about reading it. Please pray that God would use it to bring honor to his great Name through me.

John Frame on a Hard Phrase in Scripture

2009-02-28T17:13:00.001-05:00

I always love it when someone helps me understand something a little bit better. Especially when it's something in the Bible.

John Frame is someone who has done this for me several times before. You know those difficult phrases in the OT when it says “God relented” or “God changed his mind” or even “God repented” (see particularly in 1 Samuel 15)? There is no easy, quick answer to the apparent difficulty with God changing his mind. In other words, doesn't someone change their mind when they don't really know what's going on? Isn't God omniscient (i.e., since he knows everything why would he change his mind?)? This quote from Frame is instructive:

How then should we understand God’s “relenting?” For one thing, God states as a general policy in Jer. 18:5-10 that if he announces judgment and people repent, he will relent; similarly if he pronounces blessing and people do evil. In other words, relenting is part of God’s unchanging plan, not a change forced on him by his ignorance.*

Simple, clear, and helpful.

Frame and Vern Poythress have a joint website with their materials linked here. There seems to be a large variety of resources from the two of them there.

Related Books:
John Frame The Doctrine of God
John Frame The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God

*From his article "Does the Bible Affirm Open Theism?," emphasis mine.

Some questions to start the week

2009-02-23T08:57:00.004-05:00

Why do I forget everything I read in Scripture?
Why do I have a hard time remembering the last time I was greatly changed by what I read in the Bible?
Why am I not more affected by God's Word?

If you constantly ask yourself these questions:

You are not the only Christian who thinks this
You are not a second-rate Christian
You are not the problem
Your method is the problem

This is where biblical meditation comes in. Dr. Donald Whitney defines it like this: "Biblical meditation is deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture, or upon life from a scriptural perspective, for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer" (Lecture notes, 2/22/09, Personal Spiritual Disciplines Class). More to come...

Guitarist Andy McKee

2009-02-17T19:54:00.003-05:00

My good friend Kevin McKay pointed me to this musician about a year ago. Andy McKee is really innovative, and his music is excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div

At the Root of All that is There...

2009-02-11T19:01:00.002-05:00

Psalm 33:4 and following tell of the creation of all things by means of the spoken words of God. As I reflected on these words this morning I was struck by the thought that nothing we see exists independently of God’s act of speaking. Around every corner lurks something that is there because of God’s Word, whether dependently or independently. For if it is something man-made it can only be there because “God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion'” (Gen. 1:26a). Our creativity is God’s creativity in shadow and whisper.

At the root of all that is there lies the voice of God.

Is what we see in chaos? Is it in ruin? This is where the Fall enters in. These sadnesses are the greasy fingerprints of humans on God’s clean, white linens. It only makes us yearn all the more for “a new earth” (Rev. 21:1).

Related Helpful Books:
The God Who is There
Knowing God

My Burfday

2009-02-09T09:50:00.003-05:00

Yes, today is my birthday. I am 27 years young, and just as beautiful as the day I was born (read that last statement very carefully). I thought it would be interesting to see what Wikipedia has to say about this day in history, and I've included a few of the more interesting bits below, with appropriate titles:

Pointless - I share the exact birthday with Japanese singer Ami Suzuki (1982)
Historically Significant - The British Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in rebellion (1775)
Fun - The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (1964 [does anyone know where their name came from??])
Sobering - English Reformer Bishop John Hooper becomes a martyr for the faith (1555)

Blog on hold

2009-02-03T17:10:00.003-05:00

I was about to write a post about evangelism. But then Eliot laughed at something, and I thought, "Why blog when I could play with Eliot?"

I couldn't think of one, single, solitary good reason.

A Simple Thought for Monday Morning

2009-02-02T09:15:00.002-05:00

"Love people and use things--don't love things and use people," says Art DeMoss.

I love deep, lengthy, powerful quotations. But sometimes I also like short, meaningful ones like this one.

Leadership and Appearance

2009-02-01T15:24:00.004-05:00

I'm reading a book on a leadership for a class, and, I must admit, I'm not too excited about it. I find much of leadership material to be self-centered and prideful, rather than the kind of selfless leadership that Christ calls us to (see Mark 10:35-35). So I tend to roll my eyes when I read something like the following on "Appearance":

To important people around you, your appearance makes a definite statementvabout who you are and what you think about yourself...I suggest to men that, if they have only a little money to spend on appearance, they concentrate on their hairstyle, tie, belt, and shoes. ( from Leading With Confidence by Bobb Biehl)

My first thought is that this is a ridiculous waste of time. Spending time on appearance is vain. But as I thought about this a bit more I realized that, much as I would not like to admit it, I do spend time on my appearance. I cannot fool myself into thinking that I ignore appearances in myself or others. So the question is: why should something like this quote be considered legit, if at all? Should Christian leaders spend more than 10 seconds thought on appearance when it is humility that the Lord honors (James 4:10)?

Google Reader

2009-01-31T10:25:00.003-05:00

Do you use Google Reader? All 3 of you who read my blog should check it out if you haven't already. Here's why:

It's very user-friendly: The instructional video is clear and simple, and, like most things Google does, Reader is thorough enough that you don't have wish something or another were easier.
It's the best way to keep up with blogs you like to read, including those of friends and family you would like to keep up with.
The blogs I keep up with are helping me to blog better, which means I'm learning to write better, which means, hopefully, I will be able to communicate important things better.

Check it out!

Something Funny for Friday

2009-01-30T22:06:00.002-05:00

You just gotta see this.

What a week!

2009-01-30T08:44:00.003-05:00

What an intense week it's been.

Maybe you heard that Louisville received a snow/ice/sleet/snow/ice storm for a couple days. It was wild. Trees were bent over with the ice, many of them snapping like twigs (pun intended). In order to make sure my Starbucks was open for our hotel guests I had to stay in the hotel for 2 nights, waking at 5 to start the coffee. Classes were cancelled, my associates were stuck in their driveways, some losing their power due to trees falling on power lines, and it's been pretty darn cold.

But here's the good news: the Narnia movies will continue.

Have a great weekend.

HT: Justin Taylor

Our fragile lives. Our Faithful God.

2009-01-26T19:59:00.003-05:00

Life is very, very fragile. In the book of James, chapter 4, we read,

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring."

Do we keep that fact in mind regularly, that we don't even know what tomorrow will bring? Are we so bold (i.e. prideful) that we forget that the future is out of our control? James adds to this statement,

"yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'

And the Lord who wills what happens each day has promised his children "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5). Let us take comfort in the gracious promise of the Living God.

The High Cost of a High View of a Woman's Choice

2009-01-24T16:07:00.004-05:00

This blog is my place to express how I view the Christian life. That is a large task because, obviously, 'life' involves quite a few things! One thing I would like to occasionally express is my view of politics through a Christian worldview. In other words, as I seek to obey the God who has revealed himself in the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the written Scriptures he has graciously given--which is how I would begin a definition of a Christian worldview--I have to be willing to sometimes say and believe things that aren't very popular.

President Barack Obama is very popular. Many view him as a kind of King Midas who turns everything he touches into gold. This is probably because he is an exceptionally inspiring person! And, truth be told, I like him as a person. But for his views on many things, I radically and passionately disagree with him. Once such view is that I think he is absolutely dead wrong on his views related to abortion and a woman's choice. For example, Justin Taylor has recently posted on one of President Obama's early acts as our country's executive. You can read about here.

The summarizing statement provided by Francis Beckwith at the end of that post is sobering:

"Apparently, the only way our daughters can be successful is if they are permitted to kill our grandchildren. So, without surgery so that women can be like men, women are unequal to men. Thus, according to Obama, women are congenitally inferior unless they can have abortions. I don't even think the worst chauvinists in the world have implied anything so outrageous."

I humbly submit my complete agreement to these bold comments.

Meditation...Christian, not Zen

2009-01-23T07:42:00.002-05:00

This morning I had a great time alone with the Lord. I come away from it deeply aware of the greatness of God, and the smallness of me. I don't think this just happened by chance, though. I think what made my time so good today is the Christian discipline of meditation.

As the title of this post suggests, I don't mean the mind-emptying type of meditation avocated by Zen Buddhism and other Eastern worldviews. Christian meditation is about filling your mind with something. That something is the words of Scripture, and the words of Scripture are the very words of God. So to fill your mind with the words of God is, in effect, to think God's thoughts after him.

To read some good stuff about Christian meditation check out the book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. Or you can go to Dr. Whitney's website by clicking here. I think there are a number of helpful resources there.

To leave you with something to think about, one Christian from the past has said something to this effect:

"The missing link between Scripture-reading and prayer is biblical meditation."

Do you sometimes wonder what to do when you've read the Word, but don't know what to do next? I think this quote is right. Meditation is...The Missing Link!!

On This Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T16:30:00.002-05:00

Below are some excellent questions posed hypothetically to the President by Pastor John Piper. He originally presented them as application in a sermon preached to his congregation before the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. They are still quite relevant:

Are you willing to explain why a baby's right not to be killed is less important than a woman's right not to be pregnant?
Or are you willing to explain why most cities have laws forbidding cruelty to animals, but you oppose laws forbidding cruelty to human fetuses? Are they not at least living animals?
Or are you willing to explain why government is unwilling to take away the so-called right to abortion on demand even though it harms the unborn child; yet government is increasingly willing to take away the right to smoke, precisely because it harms innocent non-smokers, killing 3,000 non-smokers a year from cancer and as many as 40,000 non-smokers a year from other diseases?
And if you say that everything hangs on whether the fetus is a human child, are you willing to go before national television in the oval office and defend your support for the "Freedom of Choice Act" by holding in your hand a 21 week old fetus and explaining why this little one does not have the fundamental, moral, and constitutional right to life? Are you willing to say to parents in this church who lost a child at that age and held him in their hands, this being in your hands is not and was not a child with any rights of its own under God or under law?

Read the whole thing.

HT: DG Blog

Bedtime for Eliot = Sanctification for Daddy

2009-01-14T19:29:00.002-05:00

Putting Eliot to bed is always a challenge. He doesn't like having his diaper changed. He doesn't like being put into his pajamas. He doesn't like going to bed.

It has definitely taken me many, many months, but I don't get nearly as angry or impatient as I used to. This can only be the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. I take great comfort in knowing that the Lord is not through with me. He is making me more like Jesus every day as I trust him to work in me.

A Self-Righteous Tactic

2008-12-27T19:07:00.003-05:00

It's very easy to say certain things to make yourself sound supremely righteous. I realized there's a tactic of speech that I regularly use that is a blatant example of this self-righteousness. It goes something like this:

Other Person: Can you believe she does that?!?!

John: No way!! That is so wrong. She really shouldn't do that.

Do you see what I mean? The other person intends no harm in this rhetorical question; it's simply a matter of speech (although they should examine their own heart in the matter). But in my case I express incredulity to what the other person says in order to demonstrate to all those who might here that "I would never do such a terrible thing!"

What foolishness. "The heart is deceitful above all things" says Jeremiah 17:9. Thanks be to God that Christ has paid the penalty for such pitiful self-righteousness by dying on the cross.

New Look, Too

2008-12-07T14:40:00.003-05:00

A new look is motivating for me. So is this picture:

Efficiency and Productivity to the Glory of God

2008-12-07T14:05:00.003-05:00

I recently was directed a great blog: "What's Best Next." In the "About" section author Matt Perman says his blog is about "integrating the big picture with everyday decisions so that we can do things better in life, work, business, and society." I was instantly intrigued. After checking it out more and reading it faithfully, I have yet to be disappointed. I highly encourage friends and family interested in being more efficient and productive to look into this blog, as well as to look into the foundational book (not by the same guy), "Getting Things Done."

I am already finding that I am being much more productive, though I have a long way to go, and that it is much more honoring to the Lord to steward well what he has given me to do. In other words, I'm getting things done better than ever (which will hopefully someday include regular conversations with my loved ones who are far away! Love you mom!). And since everything that comes my way is from the Lord (see Psalm 24:1), it is clearly a better use of my resources to handle them efficiently and productively.

Dutiful Brother

2008-12-06T08:05:00.002-05:00

My sister Diana ordered me to post something. So here I go, dutiful brother that I am.

I am two assignments away from completing another semester at Southern Seminary. This is pretty exciting. Yes, it is always nice to finish a semester, knowing I'm that much closer to the end, and knowing that I can thank the Lord for that much more grace that he has given over a sustained period of time. But the most exciting thing about finishing a semester is probably surprising to some: it means I'm that much closer to starting another semester. Ha! I love what I study, I love the classes I take, and I love the whole seminary experience. I have grown as a Christian a great deal the last 3 years. Much of that growth comes through my church, Clifton Baptist Church. And the rest of that growth comes through the knowledge, wisdom, and skills I have gained at SBTS. For that I am particularly grateful to God.

Happy Saturday to all. I'm off to work...

Irony

2008-07-09T16:02:00.004-04:00

You just gotta love the irony of my last post. But since resolving to blog more I have: 1) Finished a difficult semester; 2) Taken over as manager at Starbucks; and 3) Had the two busiest months of the year after taking over as manager. Come on. Those are good excuses.

Nevertheless, it always helps me to think more clearly about important matters when I write them down. So I'll make a quick observation. I've been studying the chapters in the Bible related to the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19-24). This has been a very rich study. Today I am struck by the number of times in these chapters that the distance between God and man is emphasized, particularly because of God's holiness and our sinfulness. Many times throughout these chapters the people are said to fear the Lord. Also Moses comes up on Mt. Sinai 'by invitation only.'

The spirit of the age has little patience for this reality. Belief in God is seen as an option, or if one does believe in God it is often god-the-way-I-think-he-should-be. But the Lord is to be feared, and should be approached on his terms only. Praise Him that he has made a way over the great distance between us and him through the cross of Christ! We may know him and worship him truly if we know, believe, and trust Jesus alone.

I should note there are two commentaries I've been looking at that are helpful: The New Bible Commentary (a great commentary in one volume! Has some really instructive articles); and Phil Ryken's Exodus commentary.

Blogging While a Paper Awaits

2008-04-04T18:27:00.003-04:00

I am in the thick of working on a hard paper. It is an 'exegesis' paper, meaning I have to write on a text from the gospel of Mark, interpreting and explaining its meaning. Yet here I am posting on my blog. Well, I decided to post right now for a good reason. I just read a helpful article on why pastors should blog over at the Desiring God Blog. It inspired me to blog more and to blog better. So, if you think about it, pray that I will give my all to writing this paper that is due in 2 weeks, and that I will research, think, and write to the glory of God. Also, pray that I will use this blog in a wise, God-honoring way, which probably entails lots of pics and videos of Eliot...

Super Awesome Laugh from the Baby

2008-03-29T22:21:00.004-04:00

Busy time in the semester; but never too busy for funny videos of Eliot.

Week 5 and 6

2008-03-08T15:38:00.004-05:00

I would have posted this video a few hours ago, but Blogger's server was down. Below is my first edited video of the sweet Boy; it was tons of fun to put together. Enjoy.

First Some Pics for Mom..

2008-03-08T10:43:00.006-05:00

I was informed today that I am not being diligent enough about posting pictures/video of Eliot.

I think this is an accurate rebuke because this kid is so darn cute!

And I'm pretty sure he gets cuter by the day.

So here is a smattering of pictures from the last week or two.

I will follow this post with a collection of clips from the last few weeks on video.

Enjoy!

Week 4

2008-02-21T20:13:00.002-05:00

Honey and Poppy: thanks for the great camera.

Week 3

2008-02-14T21:26:00.002-05:00

I hope to post a video of the boy at weekly or bi-weekly intervals. Here is a bit of the snoozing, stiff-armed cutie pie.

Snowy Day = No work and No school!

2008-02-12T11:49:00.000-05:00

Eliot and I have spent the morning reading from Proverbs, Matthew, a missions textbook, and then watching an 'Intro to Missiology' lecture. His comments on this agenda for the morning were "Squeak, grunt, squeaky squeak." He's awesome. Below is one of many pictures of this ridiculously cute baby. (By the way - I already had the day off from work; the snow wasn't bad enough to cancel work, just school. In 5th grade I would have been more than happy to miss school, but now in 20th grade I love school and hate to miss it)

A Video of the Boy

2008-01-25T19:56:00.000-05:00

My first attempt at movie making...

John Eliot Power, Jr.

2008-01-25T11:57:00.000-05:00

By God's grace, our son, John Eliot Power, Jr., (the 11th John Eliot in this line since Puritan Missionary John Eliot [1604-1690]) was born at 7:34 AM on January 24th. Liz is doing so well, and she did great throughout the whole labor and delivery. Eliot weighed 7 lbs., 6 oz., and he was 21 inches long. Below are a few pictures that I hope to add to in days to come. Wow. We give thanks to the Lord for this precious baby boy. "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Psalm 86:15).

Books for a New Year

2008-01-07T08:02:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all! May 2008 be a year where the people of God desire his glory more, particularly by lifting the name of Jesus high above all things.

My sister Jessica asked me to recommend 12 books to read in 2008. Now this recommendation assumes that I have read 12 books well enough to commend them to others, and that fact remains to be seen. But I do know that I always pay close attention when others allude to good books so I can at least refer to those. My thinking is that I will propose 12 books that I think are key to laying a strong foundation for a biblical worldview. In other words, what 12 books are particularly helpful in getting me to look at all of life as God intends me to through his Word?

Recommending 12 books means that many great books will be neglected. So be it. (Jess: If you have read one that you would like to be replaced by another, just shoot me an email). I also include a link to a bookstore that offers a $5 flat shipping fee so that if you buy at least 2 books it is totally worth it. For better or for worse, here it is:

Knowing God, by J. I. Packer
The Pleasures of God, by John Piper
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, by Paul David Tripp
Living the Cross-Centered Life, by C. J. Mahaney
9 Marks of a Healthy Church (or What is a Healthy Church?), by Mark Dever
Concise Theology, by J. I. Packer
The God Who is There, by Francis Schaeffer
Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges
According to Plan, by Graeme Goldsworthy
Spurgeon, A New Biography, by Arnold Dallimore
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney
On the Mortification of Sin in Believers, by John Owen (an old book with modern abridgements available: like this one, or this one)

Books on How to Read the Bible

2007-11-04T11:09:00.000-05:00

My sister Diana asked me to point her towards helpful resources on how to read the Bible. We as Christians are very far removed from the world in which the Bible was written. The last canonical book was probably written as late as 90 A.D. That's old.

Also, because of the fact that "what Scripture says, God says," it seems clear that Almighty God intends to tell us something through this Bible. So here are my top 3 choices, in order, of books helping you get the "Big Picture" of Scripture:

1. According to Plan by Graeme (pronounced like Graham) Goldsworthy
2. God's Big Picture by Vaughn Roberts
3. How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Stuart and Fee (a bit different from the other two books; helpful for getting more details)