The Blessed Fear

Fighting the Porndemic

2009-12-11T08:16:00.001-08:00

Resources here.

"Feminine Faith In A Feminist World"

2009-11-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

A Conference...

Have you considered how feminist ideals have affected your perception of the role of women? At the Fall 2009 Northbrook Conference for Women, we considered popular ideas of women in the home, workplace, church, and culture, and how these ideas compare to God's wise and gracious design for women.
Our speaker, Carolyn McCulley, is a former feminist who now accepts the biblical distinctions between men and women.

Find the audio here.

Excellent Help For Witnessing To Mormons

2009-11-03T12:56:00.001-08:00

How To Witness To Mormons

The point, or goal, when using the Socratic method on Mormonism’s theological system, is to bring the Mormon to the place of seeing that Mormonism’s plan of salvation does not save him. The place of ultimate tension surrounds the atonement: this will be the climax of the conversation and it is here that the heart of the spiritual battle will be waged.

HT @douglaswils

"To God Jesus Christ"

2009-10-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Early Christian Prayer Hall Found in Megiddo Prison

The third and final inscription makes it unmistakably clear that this place was intended to serve the religious needs of the Christian community organized in the Roman military camp. It also removes any doubt that a table once existed in the center of the hall—paid for by a woman named Akeptous: “The God-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.”
The words “God Jesus Christ” on the next-to-last line are abbreviated in the form of a contraction consisting of the first and last letters of the two words. Above the two sacred words is a straight line. While these abbreviations and the line above indicating sacred words was later a common practice, this is their earliest attestation.^b

View captions and large images.
And this is the earliest inscription ever found in Israel, and perhaps anywhere, that mentions Jesus Christ!

Will You Pray?

2009-10-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

From an old Piper sermon and very relevant to me:

I will close with a record of something God did 130 years ago in New York City. It illustrates how God has started every harvest time in history through the concerted prayer of his people. Toward the middle of the last century the glow of earlier religious awakenings had faded. America was prosperous and felt little need to call on God. But in the 1850s . . .

Secular and religious conditions combined to bring about a crash. The third great panic in American history swept the giddy structure of speculative wealth away. Thousands of merchants were forced to the wall as banks failed and railroads went into bankruptcy. Factories were shut down and vast numbers thrown out of employment. New York City alone having 30,000 idle men. In October 1857, the hearts of people were thoroughly weaned from speculation and uncertain gain, while hunger and despair stared them in the face.

On July 1, 1857, a quiet and zealous businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier took up an appointment as a City Missionary in down-town New York. Lanphier was appointed by the North Church of the Dutch Reformed denomination. This church was suffering from depletion of membership due to the removal of the population from the down-town to the better residential quarters, and the new City Missionary was engaged to make diligent visitation in the immediate neighborhood with a view to enlisting church attendance among the floating population of the lower city. The Dutch Consistory felt that it had appointed an ideal layman for the task in hand, and so it was.

Burdened so by the need, Jeremiah Lanphier decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer-meeting, to be held on Wednesdays once a week. He therefore distributed a handbill:

HOW OFTEN SHALL I PRAY?
As often as the language of prayer is in my heart; as often as I see my need of help; as often as I feel the power of temptation; as often as I am made sensible of any spiritual declension or feel the aggression of a worldly spirit.
In prayer we leave the business of time for that of eternity, and intercourse with men for intercourse with God.
A day Prayer Meeting is held every Wednesday, from 12 to 1 o'clock, in the Consistory building in the rear of the North Dutch Church, corner of Fulton and William Streets (entrance from Fulton and Ann Streets).
This meeting is intended to give merchants, mechanics, clerks, strangers, and business men generally an opportunity to stop and call upon God amid the perplexities incident to their respective avocations. It will continue for one hour; but it is also designed for those who may find it inconvenient to remain more than five or ten minutes, as well as for those who can spare the whole hour.

Accordingly at twelve noon, September 23, 1857, the door was opened and the faithful Lanphier took his seat to await the response to his invitation. Five minutes went by. No one appeared. The missionary paced the room in a conflict of fear and faith. Ten minutes elapsed. Still no one came. Fifteen minutes passed. Lanphier was yet alone. Twenty minutes; twenty-five; thirty; and then at 12.30 p.m., a step was heard on the stairs, and the first person appeared, then another, and another, and another, until six people were present, and the prayer meeting began. On the following Wednesday, October 7th, there were forty intercessors.

Thus, in the first week of October 1857, it was decided to hold a meeting daily instead of weekly.

Within six months, ten thousand business men were gathering daily for prayer in New York, and within two years, a million converts were added to the American churches.

Undoubtedly the greatest revival in New York's colorful history was sweeping the city, and it was of such an order to make the whole nation curious. There was no fanaticism, no hysteria, simply an incredible movement of the people to pray.

Is there a Jeremiah Lanphier among you?

Do Not Be Like Mike

2009-09-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

From Voddie Baucham:

There was a stark difference between the two acceptance speeches. As I listened to the two speeches, all I could think of was the old commercial catchphrase, “Like Mike... If I could be like Mike.” Unfortunately, in this instance, Mike was the last person anyone should aspire to be like. This was definitely not a Michael Jordan highlight. Jordan’s Speech was self-centered, indulgent, arrogant, and at times embarrassing. In contrast, David Robinson rose to the occasion and made a brief, inspiring, encouraging speech (see his speech here) that made his family, his team, and his friends proud.

Don't Waste Your Life Video

2009-08-02T21:36:00.001-07:00

So good.

- by Lecrae

Entertain-o Church From the Atheist's Perspective

2009-07-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Read and say "ouch" here:

HT: @Phil_Johnson_

Here's to Idolatry

2009-07-31T08:35:00.001-07:00

Religious Statue Falls And Breaks In Church
HT: Between Two Worlds

Your Routine

2009-07-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

Francis Chan - Balance Beam

Raising Kids in a Pornified Culture

2009-07-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Helpful. From Zach Nielson re: @betweentwoworlds.

1. Aim to give our kids a huge view of God who is gloriously delightful.
2. Teach them the gospel.
3. Teach them that boundaries bring freedom and obedience is a blessing.
4. Talk to them sooner than later about sex.
5. Begin to train your kids on how to interact with the opposite sex.
6. Guard who your kids spend time with.
7. Put Your Computer in a Public Place and Turn Off The T.V.
8. Seek to cultivate a relationship with your kids such that they feel as though they can be open with you about anything.

Go here for the whole thing. It's worth the read, especially here in the OC.

Twitter Will Kill You

2009-07-14T06:22:00.001-07:00

Share this with your addicted friends.

David Crowder*Band Rockumentary 4:

Proverbs Resource

2009-07-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Here's a great resource to help, from C. J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace.

Cut the Cable

2009-06-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

We did. The price kept going up and we didn't want to keep up...and - pleasant (and predictable) surprise! The lack of TV has opened life up all the more with quality family and reading time. I don't really miss it.

But here's even better reasons for watching your TV watching (and not just watching TV).

America's Debt to John Calvin

2009-06-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

From World Magazine.

Piper, quoting Kuyper:

In the rise of your university education . . . in the decentralized . . . character of your local governments . . . in your championship of free speech, and in your unlimited regard for freedom of conscience; in all this . . . it is demonstrable that you owe this to Calvinism and to Calvinism alone.

And yet most of us have no idea.

She Gets It

2009-06-19T12:19:00.001-07:00

...and says it far better than I.

This is how I feel about my babies.

The State of Sudan

2009-06-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

My in-laws are missionaries in Sudan. They've passed this article along as a good summary of the situation.

From the Economist:

Under the terms of a peace agreement with the northern government of Mr Bashir signed in 2005, the south is expected to vote for secession in a referendum in 2011. The prospect of gaining a new country, South Sudan, raised hopes of an end to Sudan’s civil war between the predominantly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south, which lasted on and off for the best part of 50 years. At last, the flattened south would rebuild itself.
Now, however, even many southerners, let alone their fiercely partisan foreign backers, worry that the region’s progress towards independence is going awry. Not only is there the increasing rate of intertribal violence and the hostility of the north to contend with. But the south’s woes have been added to by the incompetence and corruption of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), mainly composed of former guerrilla fighters in the SPLM, the political movement of the SPLA. They have managed to spend about $5 billion in oil revenues over the past four years with very little to show for it, apart from weapons. At the present rate, South Sudan will fail before it has even been born.

Finding God's Will

2009-05-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent lecture on the topic.

From Kevin DeYoung, at NEXT.

Slow Down the Texting!

2009-05-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

From Al Mohler:

Statistics can be used to inform or to mislead, and sometimes they can shock. See if this statistic isn't shocking: In the fourth quarter of 2008 American teenagers sent and received an average of 2,272 text messages per month. That, dear friends, is nothing to LOL about.
That statistic comes from The New York Times. In "Texting May Be Taking a Toll," reporter Katie Hafner offers a view into the lives of American teens. They are fanatical texters. As Hafner reports, "They do it late at night when their parents are asleep. They do it in restaurants and while crossing busy streets. They do it in the classroom with their hands behind their back. They do it so much their thumbs hurt."
Authorities now blame excessive texting for sleep deprivation, distraction in school, poor grades, and even repetitive stress injuries. These teens are texting while they should be sleeping, and they are sleeping with the cell phone set to vibrate so that they can respond to texts from friends without waking parents.

Thirteen Acts of Soul Worship

2009-05-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

David Clarkson continues, in his discourse on soul idolatry:

Before we come to confirm and apply this truth, it will be requisite to make a more clear discovery of this secret idolatry, the most that are guilty of it not taking notice of their guilt, because they account nothing idolatry but what is openly and outwardly so.

He then lists and describes thirteen "acts of soul worship."

1. Esteem. That which we most highly value we make our God.

2. Mindfulness. That which we are most mindful of we make our God.

3. Intention. That which we [make our ultimate goal] we make our God.

4. Resolution. That which we resolve [to pursue] we make our God.

5. Love. That which we love [the most] we make our God.

6. Trust. That which we most trust we make our God.

"For confidence and dependence is an act of worship which the Lord calls for as due only to himself."

7. Fear. That which we most fear (respect, revere) we worship as our God.

8. Hope. That which we make our hope we worship as God.

9. Desire. That which we most desire we worship as our God.

10. Delight. That which we most delight and rejoice in, that we worship as God.

11. Zeal. That for which are more zealous we worship as God.

12. Gratitude. That to which we are most grateful, that we worship as God.

13. Care and Industry. That whom we serve we worship as God.

Who is your God? May we be like Thomas who, when seeing Jesus, proclaimed:

"My Lord and my God."

And my Jesus Christ receive our sole soul worship.

50 Factors Within Nations That Determine Their Wealth or Poverty

2009-05-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Now that's interesting...

From Wayne Grudem, delivered at Scottsdale Bible Church.

HT: Tim Challies

William Young (Author of the Shack) Tells Us What He Believes

2009-05-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

An interview by Kendall Adams, pastor of the Burlington Baptist Church, with William P. Young of The Shack. He discusses what he believes about the doctrines of the atonement and hell. Worth knowing if you liked the book.

Secret and Soul Idolatry

2009-05-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

David Clarkson writes of the "twofold worship due only to God, internal and external."

External worship is the religious activity - bowing, and I suppose singing, reciting, and whatever else goes along with a religious service.

Internal worship, as Clarkson says, is "the acts of the soul and actions answerable thereto."

When the mind is most taken up with an object, and the heart and affections most set upon it, this is soul worship, and this is due only to God. For He being the chief good, and the last end of intelligent creatures, it is his due, proper to him alone, to be most minded and most affected; it is the hour due only to the Lord to have the first, the highest place, both in our minds and hearts and endeavors.

Therein, external idolatry is something like bowing to an idol. But secret and soul idolatry is

when the mind and heart is set upon anything more than God; when anything is more valued, more intended; anything more trusted, more loved, or our endeavors more for any other thing than God.

Clarkson chillingly concludes:

Secret idolaters shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Every thought, attitude, word and deed is one of worship. The worship is either true - devoted to the God of the Bible - or false - devoted to anything else. This is paramount for all of life and specifically for counseling. Our problems of the soul, our relationships, and our outlook are so often problems of lingering soul idolatry.

Spoiling The Blessing

2009-05-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

My sermon from May 3rd on Genesis 12.10-20 (where Abe sells out on his wife).

Single and Fully Feminine

2009-05-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

From Carolyn McCulley

As found on Mary Kassian's Girls Gone Wise

Christian-Secular Culture Disclaimers (Excuses)

2009-05-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Prodigaljohn pins us. Funny.

HT: Rachel

Not As Obvious, Far More Pervasive, and Perhaps More Destructive Idolatry

2009-05-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

After hearing Tim Keller's paradigm-shifting sermon at the Gospel Coalition Conference as well as reading Greg Beale's We Become What We Worship, I'm thinking a lot about idolatry.

I'm now reading David Clarkson's Soul Idolatry Excludes Men Out of Heaven (Download it here.) and plan to blog through it slowly.

This morning's reading packed a punch. Considering Ephesians 5.5 Clarkson pronounces that

Indeed, every reigning lust is an idol, and every person in whom it reigns is an idolater. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life are carnal man's trinity.

What is idolatry? Clarkson names idolatry as following:

To give that honor and worship to the creature which is due only to God.

To transfer that respect which is due only to God, from Him to the creature.

Next time: "twofold worship"

Blessed to be a Blessing

2009-05-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here's my sermon, "The Nature of the Blessing"

The Difference A Father Makes

2009-05-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ampelon sent me a good one.

Here's my review.

Why Don't They Love Us?

2009-05-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

So asks Stephen Altrogge...

Home Is Where The Heart Is (Revealed)

2009-05-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

The devil comes dressed as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11.14), but don’t go on the date ‘til you’ve considered his resume. We all know a little of what it means to gloss up - to look our best our for certain situations. For many settings this is completely appropriate. You don’t dress the same for a banquet as you do for movie night at home. Obviously.

But our dress gets dangerous when it’s hiding something.

Integrity is a theme of biblical proportions. One definition of integrity is “being whole and undivided.” Integrity isn’t measured by your best moments. It’s measured by all your moments. This means that the ultimate issue is the state of your heart.

Even the prophet Samuel had to be reminded of the importance of the inner heart rather than outer appearance. When searching for the next king Samuel was greatly impressed by appearances of height and strength. God set things straight by declaring, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16.7)

The heart is where the Lord is looking, and that’s where we ought to be focusing our attention as well. Jesus continually dropped this reality on the church-folk of His day. When they were uptight about His hygene before lunch, and He went after their hearts. He insisted, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. (Matthew 15.18-19)”

Later it will come to cursing. That’s what Jesus inevitably gives to the fakes. He proclaims,

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23.25-28)

This hurts. On the outside, things can look clean and white, meticulously cared for. We’re trying so hard to make sure everyone knows we’ve been churchy. But inside? A tomb of filth.

So who are you, really? How’s your heart? Only the Lord knows that perfectly. But there is a sign, a map, a hint, a clue. We find it in 1 Timothy, where Paul is giving Timothy the knowledge he needs to make sure he’s getting leaders of true heart. He writes,

2 Therefore an overseer must be… above reproach, the husband of one wife… 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3.1-13)

Where does one look to check for integrity? One key place to look is at home. You are who you truly are at home. The health of your heart is revealed in your closest relationships. It’s the season for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day…so how’s your heart at home?

If there were a situation where your husband, your wife, your son, your daughter, your closest friend, could and would speak honestly, what might that testimony reveal about your heart? Would there be found, not perfect of course, but genuine integrity? Or does your churchy best hide a tomb?

The Lord is looking at your heart. Jesus said this of His coming:

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3.19-21)

A lack of integrity, a churched-up gloss betrayed by hell at home, reveals a resistance to the light. We’ve got those deeds lurking at home – explosions of rage, passive rejection, poisonous words, horrid habits – and, we think, “we must not have those exposed!” So we will not come to the light we so desperately need.

O my friends, this heart probing is painful, but it is about love. Our Lord graciously invites us to the light we so desperately need.

If this is speaking to you personally, Jesus invites you to come to the light. Come to Him. He exclaims, “I am the light of the world!” (John 14.12) He is eager to free us from our fake! And make us free indeed (John 14.36).

How does one go about this? I’ve three ideas:

1) Go to Jesus. Honestly confess in detail. Honestly repent in detail. And put all your hope on the Gospel. He has died as your substitute, for your cleansing, and to enable your transformation. Be forgiven, loved, and changed!

2) Go to those you’ve sinned against. Honestly confess in detail. Honestly repent in detail. Be reconciled!

3) Be accountable. We need one another. There are no Christians who are both maverick and thriving. Find one trustworthy, and honestly share your struggles, inviting confrontation and encouragement in the Gospel.

It’s hard, no doubt. But it’s time for some spring cleaning. There corpses in the corners of hearts. Let’s go to Jesus, the One who is looking at our hearts, and have Him turn on the light, that our hearts might beat of Him at home.

Singleness

2009-05-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Important.

There are those who say that singleness is better, but unfortunately that is not the experience of many who have been single long-term. Tim Adeney looks at why, and what we can do to love and serve the single people in our churches.

My Review of Wholly Jesus

2009-04-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ampelon Publishing was very kind to send me a copy for review.

Here's my take on Amazon.

If the Bhuddha, Krishna, and Jesus were all at a dinner table together...

2009-04-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

they would not be arguing, they would be worshiping Jesus.

John Mark Reynolds

Resources for Church Planting

2009-04-20T09:57:00.000-07:00

From Ed Stetzer

Dancing in China

2009-04-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Go sis!

The Gospel Coalition

2009-04-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I head to the Gospel Coalition Conference.

Here's the intro video:

Also:

who I'm going with.

the program

the live blog and more info

and least importantly, I'll be twittering my occasional thoughts.

New (Original?) Kind of Tract

2009-04-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

from Desiring God.

Twitting

2009-04-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

twitter.com/matthewbford

Sunday School on Steroids

2009-04-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Listen to

Michael Horton

and

Wayne Grudem

teach theology!

Guidelines For Loving Amidst Differences

2009-04-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

From Piper to his staff:

Let’s avoid gossiping.
Let’s identify evidences of grace in each other and speak them to each other and abouteach other.
Let’s speak criticism directly to each other if we feel the need to speak to others about it.
Let’s look for, and assume, the best motive in the other’s viewpoint, especially when we disagree.
Think often of the magnificent things we hold in common.
Let’s be more amazed that we are forgiven than that we are right. And in that way, let’s shape our relationships by the gospel.

Read all of it.

HT: Justin Taylor

Fathers: Be Wary of "Replacement Glory"

2009-04-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

From Buzzard, quoting Tripp.

A man will forget that, as a father, he has been welcomed to the transcendent glory of being part of God's work of forming human souls. Instead he will buy into the replacement glory of career success. More and more, his life will be eaten up and defined by his work. Less and less will his sense of purpose have to do with the formative community that only he can offer his children. Sadly, his children cease to be one of the joyful focuses of his living and become an obligation in an already-too-busy schedule. Less and less do his children know him, respect him, trust him, or feel his love.

The Apple of Christ's Eye; The Apple of Mine

2009-04-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

In an interview, pastor Bill Kittrell had this answer:

I remember the story you tell, C.J., of someone asking you after your daughter Nicole was born, “I bet Nicole is the apple of your eye?” And C.J. you responded by saying, “No, my wife Carolyn is the apple of my eye.”

I learned from this counsel (20+ years ago) how to lead my home with an emphasis on my relationship with Cheri. Now that my kids are growing up, getting married, and dumping me like a bad habit, I am grateful that Cheri is my best friend. I am grateful for all the times we have invested in our relationship over all other relationships.

C.J. you have also said that most men fail in cultivating romance with their wives because they fail to put their plans for romance in the calendar (which is required to make sure the above happen).

I want to be more like this with my wife...

And in that I'll be more like Jesus.

Our High Places

2009-04-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

From Kevin De Young, a former classmate.

...when it comes to the entertainment choices of the vast majority of Christians in the vast majority of our churches my strong impression is that there is little difference between what we take in and what the rest of the world goes to for a good time.

Read the rest here.

Update: The High Place of Youth

The Lack of Church Discipline

O, It Was Necessary

2009-04-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

He Is Alive

2009-04-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

From Ann Voskamp, who says it better than I.

I was unfamiliar with the painting before coming across it in one of the last galleries,
shadowed and empty.
But in that startling quiet, I looked into those alive, ancient eyes and there was an instant recognition, electrifying, of that hardly-belief, that aching-hope, the feet running to tomb,
now empty and shadowed.
And all the world flooding with the new dawning.

Our Example

2009-04-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

My sermon from Hebrews 12.1-2

Getting the Cross All Wrong

2009-04-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Here's how some are "celebrating" Good Friday.

CUTUD, ANGELES CITY - Dozens of Catholic devotees were nailed to crosses, scores more whipped their backs and others chanted the Passion of Jesus Christ as Filipinos mixed faith and gory ritual on Good Friday.

To be fair to the Catholic churches, they do not encourage or condone the behavior. In fact, I'm well-aware that people in your church don't always listen to or practice your teaching!

But the point is this. Those poor people, in punishing themselves, have completely missed the point of the cross. They don't yet realize that Jesus suffered God's wrath - so that I will never have to. He suffered God's displeasure - so that I might have peace with God. He suffered God's hatred - so that I might know God's love.

You might not be whipping yourself today, but your focus might be on your performance rather than Christ's propitiation. Don't miss the point of the cross.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5.21)

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3.21-26)

Our Expiation

2009-04-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

My sermon from March 29.

The God of Suspense

2009-04-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

From Ed Welch:

God tells us up front that he is the God of suspense...he assures us that there will be times when we feel surrounded, facing insurmountable odds with no apparent way out. That, in fact, is part of his good plan for us. He also tells us that he will bring us to the end of our own cleverness because that is when we are most apt to acknowledge his strong hand alone. (p. 84)

Sometimes This Is All You've Got

2009-04-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

1 Chronicles 22.16

Arise and work! The Lord be with you!

Offending My Offense

2009-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Abraham has a magnificent point.

When my feelings are hurt, I expect an apology. Instead, I should probably offer one.

Unless my feelings define what's right, I'm as likely to be in the wrong by being offended as I am by offending.

A Brilliant Man With Great Thoughts On An Important Topic

2009-04-02T14:27:00.001-07:00

Gender roles, church, and culture. Tough, essential topics.

D. A. Carson has two outstanding lectures on these issues. Must-listen stuff.

The Flow of Thought In 1 Timothy 2

Is the Culture Shaping Us or are We Shaping the Culture

For Marriage And Family

2009-04-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Great books and other resources recommended by Mark Driscoll.

I can personally concur with most of them.

Leading Our Kids To Knowing Jesus

2009-04-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Important resource for parents!

From Justin Taylor:

1. Genuine Salvation: More Than a Prayer
2. How Children Come to Faith in Christ
3. Taking Our Children to Church: Is That Enough?
4. How to Deal With Doubt
5. Observing Salvation in Your Child: What Does It Look Like?
6. The Family: No Better Place to Come to Know Christ!
Transcripts are also available at the bottom of each of these pages’ links.
I cannot recommend these talks enough to any parent wanting to be thoughtful, careful, and prayerful in the salvation of their children.

April Fools?

2009-04-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Depends how you look at it.

Ecumenical News International reports that church authorities in the Netherlands have decided not to take action against a Dutch pastor who openly declares himself to be an atheist.

That "pastor" says,

The non-existence of God is for me not an obstacle but a precondition to believing in God. I am an atheist believer...God is for me not a being but a word for what can happen between people. Someone says to you, for example, 'I will not abandon you', and then makes those words come true. It would be perfectly alright to call that [relationship] God.

No. No it wouldn't.

From Al Mohler

Is This For Real? Is It This Easy?

2009-04-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Rick Warren, whom I respect, looks loony with this one.

Two thousand years ago - the Day of Pentecost was the first day of the Christian Church. Acts 2:41 tells us, "About 3,000 people were baptized and joined the church that day." If you'll join us this weekend, history could be repeated at Saddleback! Want to make history?

Which of these requirements do you need to complete this Saturday?
1. Open your heart to Jesus Christ. Click here to learn more.
2. Attend Class 101: Discovering Your Church Family. Sign up.
3. Sign our membership covenant (explained in class).
4. Be baptized the way Jesus commanded and modeled for us.

YOU CAN FINISH ALL 4 REQUIREMENTS IN ONE DAY - THIS SATURDAY!

EIGHT REASONS TO JOIN THIS SATURDAY & NOT PROCRASTINATE:

1. I'm personally teaching Class 101 for the first time in ten years.

2. I'm personally baptizing after Class and you'll receive a photo & baptism certificate.

3. You'll get a free one year subscription to Purpose Driven Connection magazine. (Never offered before)

4. You'll get free copy of The Purpose Driven Church book.

5. Your name will be included in the historical list of Saddleback Pioneer Members who joined in our first 30 years. (This Easter is our 30th Easter and I want you included in this list.)

6. The class is 1 hour shorter than normal. You can watch session 3 here online now.

7. You'll be a part of making Christian history! The largest membership class ever!

8. We love you & want you in our family. There is no good reason to procrastinate.

Should conversions happen because people "want to make history" or because "Rick is teaching the class and baptizing and you can get a free photo and book"? Can conversions happen like this? Conversions to Jesus Christ, that is?

Where's the Gospel in this invitation? We can hope it's in the class I suppose...

I can't help but think of 2 Corinthians 4.

2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

True conversion is (and this obviously is not the only way to say it) when the Holy Spirit of God regenerates the unbelieving heart so that, according to Biblical truth, that heart sees, turns towards, and trusts in the glory of Jesus and His cross and turns away from the wretchedness of sin. That certainly could, by God's grace happen with Warren's efforts. But it cannot be manufactured by them. To me, Warren's invite seems to be missing gospel truth, gospel power, and gospel motivation.

Population Threat?

2009-03-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

From Al Mohler:

So, is overpopulation a real threat? Not hardly. Though population density can threaten sustainability in some areas of the globe, the far greater danger for our future is what Longman calls "depopulation." On a global scale, we are seeing the population of older persons exploding and the numbers of young persons falling.

The United Nations now predicts that total world population may begin falling as early as 2040, and much of the surviving population will be very old indeed.

And that is a problem indeed.

Self Control

2009-03-18T10:48:00.001-07:00

Have you seen any of those “easy button” commercials from Staples? Various characters find all sorts of frustrating experiences wonderfully and immediately remedied with a simple push of the easy button. ‘That was easy!” goes the quip.

Ever wish for an easy button? I do. All the dishes washed. Push. “That was easy.” All the projects finished. Push. “That was easy.” And seriously, what about those horrible habits that plague us? What a relief it would be to just push and exclaim, “That was easy!”

Wouldn’t you be nearly ready to give your right arm for a relationship easy button? For a sin easy button? Push…and arguments are resolved, peace is restored, the right is practiced, the wrong denied.

As Christians, many of us long for the day when our minds, hearts, lives, and relationships are more fully brought into that beautiful conformity to the gospel of Jesus. We want to be mature! We know enough to have tasted the goodness of the truth: Bible reading and prayer really do give life! Humility, repentance, and forgiveness really can bring peace in relationships! The gospel really can change the way we see ourselves and others! God’s ways really are wonderful! But O how soon we can slide back down the mud of old patterns and habits. “Argh!” we groan, “Where’s the easy button?!”

Well, let’s get real. Ninety-nine percent of the time, there is no easy button. Things simply don’t change by the wishing. The bones of our thought life and desires are not brought back into joint with the push of a button.

In fact, it would do us good to officially abandon the wait for the easy button. It’s time to admit it: our problems will not disappear by avoiding them. But no easy button does not mean “no hope”. In fact, our problems do not come from the lack of an easy button, as those don’t even exist. Rather, there is something essential lacking in a least parts of each of our lives. And that something can often achieve the desired results of the fabled easy button. And though the results are perhaps slower than desired, the results are real.

What is this missing ingredient in the recipe of our lives? The ingredient is self-control. Think about it – most of us have a decent idea as to what we ought to be doing, right? Though our knowledge could always increase, we have a clue as to what is good. So what is the issue? At least part of our problem stems from the fact that we simply cannot seem to control ourselves. We know a bit of what’s good. We have an idea as to what’s bad. And yet we can’t seem to practice the good and abandon the bad. The dieter knows that more exercise and less calories will mean a loss in weight. The lover knows that more encouragement and less verbal attack will help. The debtor knows that living within the means and cutting the credit cards will get them on track. The believer knows that more communion with God and less TV will grow the soul. The dater knows the boyfriend could care less about Jesus and is bad for her. And yet…we continually abandon wisdom and engage foolishness. What kind of insane suicide is this!

We are in desperate need of self-control. There’s four things we need to ask in its pursuit:

1. What is self-control?

Self-control is the ability to do what is right even when our circumstances and feelings would incline us towards doing what is wrong.

2. Why is self-control important?

Perhaps Proverbs 25.28 says it best: A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Picture an ancient city, torn and ransacked by it’s enemies, empty and destroyed, and you get the idea of a life without self-control. Self-control is important because, wherever you abandon it, disaster is immanent. Perhaps this is why, in Titus 2, though old and young, male and female are addressed according to their roles and places in life, the one common denominator for their behavior is the exhortation to be “self-controlled.”

3. Where can I find self-control?

This is a hard answer and deserves more time. For now there’s two important truths to guide us.

1) You can’t have self-control until you give up the controlling of yourself.

The Christian’s goal is to do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31). Our problem is that, so often, it seems hard and we don’t feel like it. The goal of self-control is to overcome those tendencies and glorify God with everything, all the time, even when it seems difficult. At the core, that means self-control grows out of giving up control. The control now belongs to Jesus. This means confessing that you no longer live for yourself, your agenda, your glory. It means you are giving your life to Jesus, surrendering to Him, trusting Him for your salvation, and now living your life under His reign and rule. Self-control comes from giving up control. Have you given up the rule of your life to Him?

2) Self-control is given by the Holy Spirit.

When you trust in Christ, you are given the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8.1-11; Galatians 3.1). There are many very glorious things about that. One of them is this: "…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (1 Timothy 2.7) …the fruit of the Spirit is…self-control (Galatians 5.16-23)

Take hope! If you trust in Christ, you have the Spirit! If you have the Spirit, He gives self-control! Ask for it, seek it, study, practice it, and claim it, for it is yours in Jesus by His Spirit.

4. How can I grow in self-control?

I have four ideas:

1) Seek to learn and love what is good.

We need to have our minds and affections conformed to God’s wisdom – that which He says is good. A greater understanding of and lover for what is good will help us to do it. Filling ourselves with the truth of Scripture is the way there. This gives us a view as to where we ought to be heading.

2) Examine your life accordingly.

Look at the details of your life and ask yourself (and ask the Lord to show you) where your habits, thoughts, words, and time are out of control. Make a list of the issues. Then…

3) Make a plan.

Decide what it would mean for that part of your life to be “under control”. Apply #1 and make a plan that will help you on your way to greater self-control.

4) Get help.

There’s nothing like a good, godly friend to help with the process of gaining self-control. Many times friends have skills and ideas that we don’t and can bring valuable construction and encouragement to the effort.

But most importantly, seek help from the Lord. He promises to give it. It takes self-control to grow in self-control. Rely on the Spirit. He’s there for you and eager to enable you.

So there’s no easy button. But daily doses of self-control in the wisdom of the Word and the power of the Spirit result in a life of real beauty. Let’s seek self-control together. We may never say, “That was easy” but we will certainly proclaim, “That was worth it!”

Honest Atheists

2009-03-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

D'Souza makes it plain here:

Why haven't the atheists embraced Peter Singer? I suspect it is because they fear that his unpalatable views will discredit the cause of atheism. What they haven't considered, however, is whether Singer, virtually alone among their numbers, is uncompromisingly working out the implications of living in a truly secular society, one completely purged of Christian and transcendental foundations. In Singer, we may be witnessing someone both horrifying and yet somehow refreshing: an intellectually honest atheist.

HT: Jason Taylor

What If Galatians Was Published Today?

2009-03-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Sacred Sandwich has the "letters to the editor."

Stinging and hilarious.

HT: Challies

U2 in surprise rooftop gig at BBC - Magnificent

2009-02-28T17:48:00.001-08:00

New album.

"Only love can leave such a mark.
Only love can heal such a scar."

My Bible Reading Plan Complete With Bookmarks

2009-02-27T09:26:00.001-08:00

I needed more structure in my devos. Print these out and join me!

A Model of Herod's Temple

2009-02-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

Amazing.

A retired farmer has spent more than 30 years building an enormous scale model of Herod's temple - and it is still not finished.

Marks of Those God Uses

2009-02-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

From Ray Ortland:

Horatius Bonar, writing the preface to John Gillies' Accounts of Revival, proposes that men useful to the Holy Spirit for revival have been marked in these nine ways:

1. They were in earnest about the great work on which they had entered: "They lived and labored and preached like men on whose lips the immortality of thousands hung."

2. They were bent on success: "As warriors, they set their hearts on victory and fought with the believing anticipation of triumph, under the guidance of such a Captain as their head."

3. They were men of faith: "They knew that in due season they should reap, if they fainted not."

4. They were men of labor: "Their lives are the annals of incessant, unwearied toil of body and soul; time, strength, substance, health, all they were and possessed they freely offered to the Lord, keeping back nothing, grudging nothing."

5. They were men of patience: "Day after day they pursued what, to the eye of the world, appeared a thankless and fruitless round of toil."

6. They were men of boldness and determination: "Timidity shuts many a door of usefulness and loses many a precious opportunity; it wins no friends, while it strengthens every enemy. Nothing is lost by boldness, nor gained by fear."

7. They were men of prayer: "They were much alone with God, replenishing their own souls out of the living fountain, that out of them might flow to their people rivers of living water."

8. They were men whose doctrines were of the most decided kind: "Their preaching seems to have been of the most masculine and fearless kind, falling on the audience with tremendous power. It was not vehement, it was not fierce, it was not noisy; it was far too solemn to be such; it was massive, weighty, cutting, piercing, sharper than a two-edged sword."

9. They were men of solemn deportment and deep spirituality of soul: "No frivolity, no flippancy . . . . The world could not point to them as being but slightly dissimilar from itself."

HT: Challies

The Image of Satan

2009-02-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

Anger.

My 12-year-old Hero

2009-02-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

Despite facing threats of disqualification, a 12-year-old girl took first place in a speech contest when she eloquently argued for the rights of unborn children – after an offended judge quit.

Defining the Church

2009-02-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

How would you define "the church"? It's essential we know what we're talking about.

Here's the Driscoll's definition from Vintage Church:

The local church is a community of regenerated believers hwo confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture they organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and communion, are unified by the Spirit, are disciplined for holiness, and scatter to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God's glory and their joy.

I'd have to agree.

If It Were Possible For God to Die and He Died This Morning, How Long Would It Take You To Find Out?

2009-02-12T14:49:00.001-08:00

Would you have missed Him?

John Piper - What Is this Recession For? Part 4 - 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2009-02-04T15:07:00.001-08:00

John Piper - What Is this Recession For? Part 3 - 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2009-02-04T14:56:00.005-08:00

John Piper - What Is this Recession For? Part 2 - 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2009-02-04T14:56:00.003-08:00

John Piper - What Is this Recession For? Part 1 - 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2009-02-04T14:56:00.001-08:00

The Problem of Perspective

2009-01-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Holy Experience is my wife's new favorite blog.

A favorite post of mine is Perspective.

Three quotes:

Be careful how you interpret the world:

It is like that.

~Erich Heller

It isn't that they can't see the solution.

It is that they can't see the problem.

~G.K. Chesterton

She (Ann Voskamp) summarizes:

Lord, when my world snarls, remind me of the problem: my perspective.

Today, please, could you help me find the You-Beauty in the ugliness?

Worth a visit.

Global Support for the Killing

2009-01-23T15:31:00.001-08:00

Here it comes. Obama loves abortion.

The Sanctity of Life

2009-01-23T10:07:00.001-08:00

Should be obvious.

The Obstacles Aren't In the Way of Your Life; They Are Your Life

2009-01-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Alfred Souza

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to still be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

HT: Buzzard

The Mocked Prophet Is Vindicated

2008-12-31T16:42:00.001-08:00

Interesting

A Good Commentary Is Hard to Find

2008-12-31T16:36:00.001-08:00

This website will help.

Porn

2008-12-31T15:08:00.000-08:00

Essays on the social costs of pornography.

A resource from Mark Driscoll.

Pray!

2008-12-31T14:42:00.000-08:00

Some encouragements from Desiring God.

What Should We Pray For?

Starting Prayer For 2009

10 Reasons to Pray Scripture

Put In the Fire For the Sake of Prayer

Newton's Struggle With Prayer

Here's Your Change

2008-12-18T14:59:00.000-08:00

My stomach is turning. The headline: "Obama Planning Billion-Dollar Bailout For Abortion Industry"

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List,

This billion-dollar bailout of the abortion industry comes at a time, number one, when the economy is suffering dramatically with true need. And number two, it communicates an incredible depth of arrogance, especially when you consider that the vast majority of Americans -- men and women, no matter who you talk to -- they don't believe that people who don't believe in abortion should be funding it," she contends. "Most Americans don't believe that we should be funding abortions, especially in a time of economic crisis.

That's putting it lightly.

These bank and auto bailouts are debatable...but at least they have the motivation of helping the economy. But funding the baby-slaughtering machine with government money? Haven't we heard Obama and his supporters assuring us that they are for decrease in abortions even if they want to keep it legal? And now this...a plan for every American legally forced to personally fund abortion. I'm disgusted. History will judge us for our blindness.

HT: Rachel Stewart

Lessons and Tips for Parents

2008-12-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Challies alerts to this resource from 9 Marks. Lots of good stuff.

Includes this top 10 for being a crappy parent (in other words, stop doing these things!):

Make it a habit to discipline your child while angry.
Make it a point to scold your child – especially in public. Mockery and ridicule work well.
Deliberately embarrass your child in front of his/her friends. Name calling really gets their attention.
Create double standards so that the child never knows who or what to follow.
Preach and hold the child to a gospel of self-discipline instead of a gospel of grace. (Note: the Bible presents Pharisees as very unhappy people.)
Never admit you're wrong and never ask your children for forgiveness.
Inspect your child until you find something wrong. Holding them to an unreachable standard makes this task easier.
Judge a fight between your children before you've listened to them.
Compare your child to others.
Promise your children things early in the day and then don't fulfill the promise.

Dumb As The Tattoo On My Neck

2008-12-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

So this dude lied to the cops about his name...with his real name tattooed on his neck.

We deny our sin...but there's a book:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20.11-15

Let's not foolishly pretend we're good. Let's confess we're bad and receive Jesus' goodness on our behalf. He'll have our sin written on Him (2 Cor. 5.21). And have our names written in the book of life.

Darn It, He's Right

2008-12-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

Scottish preacher Alexander Maclaren:

No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.

From C. J. Mahaney, who has much wisdom regarding faithfulness in time management.

Newsweek, Gay Marriage, and Scripture

2008-12-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

In a Newsweek article Lisa Miller wrote:

Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.

Dr. Robert Gagnon has a detailed response.

His starting thought:

There is not the slightest effort on Miller’s part to think critically about her own line or reasoning.

20 Books to Read

2008-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

In your 20s...or any other time it seems to me.

From Justin Buzzard

The Debate Is Getting Warmer Even If The Globe Isn't

2008-12-10T10:52:00.001-08:00

"More than 650 international scientists dissent over man-made global warming claims..."

Warming fears are the “worst scientific scandal in the history…When people come to know what the truth is, they will feel deceived by science and scientists.”

- UN IPCC Japanese Scientist Dr. Kiminori Itoh, an award-winning PhD environmental physical chemist.

Paying For Christmas

2008-12-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want - and their kids pay for it. -R.D. Lamm

HT: Val Ford

One Biblical Command You'd Think Would Be More Popular

2008-11-29T21:08:00.000-08:00

An enticing blog post from Abraham Piper.

"I'm Not Perfect"

2008-11-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Did anyone think you were?

Does that excuse you?

"I'm not perfect" is the smokescreen we use to dodge the painful-but-obvious "I was wrong."

Taylor Mali: "Like; You Know"

2008-11-21T14:31:00.001-08:00

Well said.

Gianna Jessen Abortion Survivor in Australia Part 2

2008-11-20T14:50:00.003-08:00

HT: Scott Clair

Gianna Jessen Abortion Survivor in Australia Part 1

2008-11-20T14:50:00.001-08:00

HT: Scott Clair

Obama's Faith - In His Own Words

2008-11-18T22:20:00.000-08:00

Here's the interview:

FALSANI:
Who's Jesus to you? (He laughs nervously)
OBAMA:
Right.
Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher. And he's also a wonderful teacher. I think it's important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.

HT: Justin Taylor, with comments

"The Bargainer's Ploy of a Post-Racial Society"

2008-11-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on the election from Shelby Steele.

When whites -- especially today's younger generation -- proudly support Obama for his post-racialism, they unwittingly embrace race as their primary motivation. They think and act racially, not post-racially. The point is that a post-racial society is a bargainer's ploy: It seduces whites with a vision of their racial innocence precisely to coerce them into acting out of a racial motivation. A real post-racialist could not be bargained with and would not care about displaying or documenting his racial innocence. Such a person would evaluate Obama politically rather than culturally.

Testing Your Faith

2008-11-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

From First Importance:

“Missions are the test of our faith that the gospel is true.”

—Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989), 127

You Are Responsible For How You Hear

2008-11-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Herron had the quote I was looking for:

Many hearers lose much blessing through criticizing too much, and meditating too little; and many more incur great sin by calumniating those who live for the good of others. True pastors have enough of care and travail without being burdened by undeserved and useless fault-finding. We have something better to do than to be for ever answering every malignant or frivolous slander which is set afloat to injure us….there are tender, loving spirits who feel the trial very keenly, and are sadly hindered in brave service by cruel assaults. The rougher and stronger among us laugh at those who ridicule us, but upon others the effect is very sorrowful…
As ministers we are very far from being perfect, but many of us are doing our best, and we are grieved that the minds of our people should be more directed to our personal imperfections than to our divine message….
Filled with the same spirit of contrariety, the men of this world still depreciate the ministers whom God sends them and profess that they would gladly listen if different preachers could be found. Nothing can please them, their cavils are dealt out with heedless universality. Cephas is too blunt, Apollos is too flowery, Paul is too argumentative, Timothy is too young, James is too severe, John is too gentle…
Well then, let each servant of God tell his message in his own way. To his own Master he shall stand or fall…
Judge the preacher if you like, but do remember thatthere is something better to be done than that, namely, to get all the good you can out of him, and pray his Master to put more good into him.

- from Eccentric Preachers by C.H. Spurgeon

The Faith & Education

2008-11-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

The point of education, from the DG Blog:

Sermons on the subject:

Last week, John Piper spoke on the biblical foundations for Bethlehem College and Seminary under the title "The Earth Is the Lord's: The Supremacy of Christ in Christian Learning.

The goal:

"We aim to enable and to motivate the student to
observe his subject matter accurately and thoroughly;
understand clearly what he has observed;
evaluate fairly what he has understood by deciding what is true and valuable;
feel intensely according to the value of what he has evaluated;
apply wisely and helpfully in life what he understands and feels; and
express in speech, writing, and deeds what he has seen, understood, felt and applied in such a way that its accuracy, clarity, truth, value, and helpfulness can be known and enjoyed by others.

The Faith & Facebook

2008-11-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

Buzzard has thoughts and even homework.

...tomorrow night I'm delivering a message titled, Facebook: Technology and Relationships. This message explores technology's impact on how we do relationships and how followers of Jesus ought to engage technology.