Hemmeke Blog

CS Lewis, on Emotion in Thinking

2012-01-21T16:46:00.001-05:00

"Certainly we were talking too lightly and easily about these things a fortnight ago.... One used to be told as a child: 'Think what you're saying.' Apparently we need also to be told: 'Think what you're thinking.' The stakes have to be raised before we take the game quite seriously. I know this is the opposite of what is often said about the necessity of keeping all emotion out of our intellectual processes - 'you can't think straight unless you are cool.' But then neither can you think deep if you are. I suppose one must try every problem in both states." Pg 45.

CS Lewis, on Self-Knowledge, and Conviction

2012-01-21T16:44:00.001-05:00

"I sometimes pray not for self-knowledge in general but for just so much self-knowledge at the moment as I can bear and use at the moment; the little daily dose.... You and I wouldn't at all stages, think it wise to tell a pupil exactly what we thought of this quality. It is much more important that he should know what to do next." Pg 34.

CS Lewis, on Forgiveness

2012-01-21T16:42:00.001-05:00

"To forgive for the moment it not difficult. But to go on forgiving, to forgive the same offence again every time it recurs to the memory - there's the real tussle. My resource is to look for some action of my own which is open tot he same charge as the one I'm resenting. If I still smart to remember how A let me down, I must still remember how I let B down." Pg 27-28.

Rushdoony on the second commandment

2012-01-20T17:33:00.000-05:00

Very thought-provoking, regarding law and government and economics. But it is very disconnected from the second commandment. The author assumes the connection on the wrong-headed assertion that the temple is the governing palace, which it grew to not be with David and Solomon. He then rides his hobby horse concern with law and politics, ignoring all the other aspects of forbidding graven images.

Still worthwhile reading and helpful in places.

Altar, then on to Throne

2012-01-20T16:14:00.001-05:00

Rushdoony, Institutes of biblical Law, pg 73.

"The tabernacle thus... declares God's throne to be His law... It is truncated and defective faith which stops at the altar. The altar signifies redemption. It sets forth thus the rebirth of the believer. But rebirth for what? Without the dimension of law, life is denied the meaning and purpose of rebirth. Not surprisingly, altar-centered faith is heaven-centered and rapture-centered rather than God-centered. It seeks an escape from the world rather than the fulfillment of god's calling and law-word in the world."

This is really good, though I'd focus more on life, joy and service after redemption, than law. Law is needed for service, but life and joy come by the Holy Spirit.

Reading Rushdoony

2012-01-10T11:12:00.003-05:00

I've been in the Reformed Church all my life and didn't hear about Rousas Rushdoony until about 7 years ago.

After reading his introduction to The Institutes of Biblical Law, I can already see what makes him influential and controversial. Here are some of the comments I made in the margin, following words I underlined of his.

"One and the same covenant, under differing administrations, still prevails" (pg 4).

This is labelled monocovenantalism and many say it denies the basic Westminsterian view of two covenants, one of life or works before the fall, and a second of grace.

"The purpose of grace is not to set aside the law but to fulfil the law and to enable man to keep the law" (4).

Yes, and I preached that exact thing Sunday. But don't forget we can't keep the law without continued grace. It's not like grace is an unfortunate necessity for us to do the REAL work of keeping the law. Grace is as foundational to the relationship as law is.

"Civil law cannot be separated from Biblical law" (4).

But was the civil law of Ex 21-23 just for Israel? Were all nations around Israel required by God to adopt Ex 21-23? Are we today? I tend to think not.

"Law is in every culture religious in origin.... the source of law is the god of that society.... humanism... locates law in the state.... no disestablishment of religion as such is possible in any society... the change is simply to another religion" (4-5).

All very true.

"Every law system must maintain its existence by hostility to every other law-system and to alien religious foundation or else it commits suicide" (5-6).

Whoa. Disagree. This is a denial of common grace: that there are principles written on the human heart and in the law that all nations can agree to and legislate, even if they do not adopt the Mosaic law en toto.

"There is no contradiction between law and grace.... Judaism had made law the mediator between God and man.... It was this view of law, not the law itself, which Jesus attacked.... Jesus fully recognized the law, and obeyed the law. It was only the absurd interpretations of the law He rejected" (6-7).

Yes, all very good.

"The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is the renewal of the covenant..." (7).

You betcha.

"... so that the sacrament itself re-establishes the law" (7).

Whoa, again. That's just a strange way to put things. Love and covenant relationship is the point, more than the law. The sacraments re-affirm the ongoing relationship IN SPITE of our law breaking. They are sacraments of the covenant of grace. This phrase gives me a queer feeling that for Rushdoony the law is the end all and be all of religion.

He quotes Calvin: "some deny that a state is well constituted, which neglects the polity of Moses.... The dangerous and seditious nature of this opinion... false and foolish." Rushdoony calls this "heretical nonsense," as Calvin was too much of a humanist.

"Calvin wanted the establishment of the Christian religion; he could not have it, nor could it last long in Geneva, without Biblical law" (9-10).

See, here again, this kind of statement assumes that law is what really changes things, it is the truly efficacious agent of change. NO. It is a means of obedience and sanctification, but can go nowhere without grace and faith and love. Rushdoony over-reacts against anti-nomians and winds up putting too much weight on the law.

"If the state must exercise justice, how is justice defined, by the antions, or by God? There are as many ideas of justice as there are religions" (10).

Here again is a denial of common grace to reveal to all men in their hearts basic ideas of justice by which states can govern. Romans 2:14-15: "for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)."

"Without case law, God's law would soon be reduced to an extremely limited area of meaning. This, of course, is precisely what has happened" (12).

This looks to be the most promising contribution of Rushdoony's to the law, as much as his view of the law with regard to the state may be the most damaging.

Stay tuned for more!

Abide and Cling

2012-01-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

John 15:1-5

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

When we celebrate Communion we act out these words.This is our reality. We are united to Christ like a tree trunk keeps a branchalive. Our calling, by grace, is to maintain the connection, feed off the sapfrom the trunk, sprout leaves and bear fruit. Communion is a way we do this. Wedelight in God’s words and ways. We cling to Christ. In communion we eat anddrink from the source of life, and the only place salvation can be found, thebody and blood and life of Jesus Christ. As we do this we taste of the blessingand joy that comes from union with Christ. Treasure time with Him now.

5/8/11

The Long War

2012-01-09T14:23:00.001-05:00

A war rages in each one of us. As anation we have steeled ourselves for a long war on terrorism. But we are farless resolute to be secure and unstained from sin and temptations that waragainst our souls. The war is not just out there. It is a battle inside us, ofwho to trust, what to want, whose agenda to follow. We do not win everyskirmish, nor should we pretend to each other that we do. The apostle Paulhimself cries out, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from thisbody of death!” Well, we know who. Let us go to Jesus in prayer, confessing oursins.

5/8/11

Taking or Casting?

2012-01-06T17:48:00.000-05:00

"Why are Christians so disquieted in their minds? They are taking care when they should be casting care." (pg 21)

1 Peter 5:7 - "casting all your care upon Him..."

Read the Bible

2011-12-30T23:26:00.000-05:00

It's that time again, Bible reading plan selection for the new year! (Here's mine)

Why a Bible reading schedule, you ask?

Christians are people of the Book, God's Word. We are what we eat, in nutrition and in our intake of words or pictures. Maybe you like Youtube, Facebook, blogs, or Netflix. Okay, that isn't evil. But does your soul long for the Word of God above all these? Honestly, we can say that our sinful nature does not, and this is a daily battle. So let's prepare.

If you don't have a plan for reading a book as big as the Bible, it probably won't happen. You need preparation and long term resolve to go the distance. You are deciding to invest 15-20 minutes a day this year in this enterprise. Do you really think it's worth it? (Hint: it is.) Count the cost. Usually Bible plans try to sell you on how little you actually have to read. "Only 15 minutes a day!" Actually, it's more, if you read slowly and savor the text. And that's over 90 hours of time this year. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying it's a big commitment you have to re-make every day. Having a plan makes that easier. You know what you have to do. Daily Bible reading is a big life change that brings immense rewards.

A plan keeps you from going to your favorite verses and never getting around to other things. I'm amazed at how many people I meet who have been Christians for decades, who "never knew that was in the Bible." Don't let that happen to you. Read all of it.

A plan helps you gauge if you are giving priority to the Word and to the Lord in your daily schedule. Say what you want about "getting behind" and not wanting that unnecessary guilt. How can you say your relationship with the Lord is stellar, if you aren't motivated enough to take in a reasonable amount of His Word regularly? It's true that a reading schedule or daily reading is not required by the Lord in His Word. But I'm talking about a good barometer of your relationship, not a black-and-white sin issue. Don't condemn yourself if you get behind. Just start again today and keep going. The righteous man falls seven times and gets up again, as the Proverb says. He doesn't lay down and say, "Well, you won't fool me into trying to walk again now that I see what it can lead to." So it is with not finishing a plan in pastyears: doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again this year, changing what trippedyou up before.

So let's set this plan up.

1. Most plans try to get you through the whole Bible in a year. This is a reasonable quantity for SOME people, but not for everyone. I've done this for the last several years, but it IS formidable. Set achievable goals. Don't aim so high in your new-year zeal that you are bound to fail. GO SLOWER. I'm opting for a two year plan. One benefit of this is that you can merge your family devotions with your personal devotions. This puts things back in the formidable camp, reading more than a chapter a day out loud to your family. But I'm really looking forward to it.

2. Chronological is the best way to read through the whole Bible. Reading straight through in book order is good, too. It's good to read the New Testament and Old Testament at the same time, so you don't wait until you're 3/4 done before you hit Matthew. So start with Matthew 1 and go chronologically.

3. I find Proverbs 10-29 very hard to digest in chapter chunks. Far better to take 1-3 verses per day on those. The Psalms are best read in one of two ways: 1. Chronologically next to the events in David's (mostly) life; 2. One per day, through them twice in a year. I opted for chronological this year.

I could not find a bible plan that puts all this together for me, so I took time I didn't have and put together my own plan. You can find it at the bottom of this page.

Implement! Pick a time of day when this is going to happen. I will be reading to my family after lunch and/or dinner most days, occasionally just before bed. Some families find morning devotions easy. A daily routine is your friend. It makes getting it done much easier. But routine alone is not your motivation. Pray for God's Spirit to draw you to the Word He inspired, in anticipation of finding Jesus there, day by day. Happy new year, and may God bless and transform your heart and life by His Word.

Not quite Ron Paul's Foreign Policy

2011-12-27T09:54:00.001-05:00

Hillsdale College President, Larry Arnn, is asked, in the Dec 2011 Imprimis:

You also write: “Promotion of democracy and defense of innocents abroad should be undertaken only in keeping with the national interest.” Where do you place your views on the spectrum between Ron Paul and George W. Bush?

Arnn: I side with Thomas Jefferson when he said, “We are the friends of liberty everywhere, custodians only of our own.” Foreign affairs are prudential matters, and prudential matters are not subject to narrow rules laid out in advance. But that practical statement by Jefferson is a brilliant guide.

"Also, we have to remember that it is a very dangerous world. Churchill believed that one of the effects of technology is to make us both wealthier and more powerful. And both wealth and power can turn to destruction. The great wars of modernity have been much larger in scale than ancient wars, and equal in intensity. Churchill believed that liberal society contains in this respect and others seeds of its own destruction. It is the work of statesmen to find the cheapest possible way to defend their countries without consuming all the resources of those countries.

"I pray that Iraq is going to be a free country, and I think there is a chance of it, and I give George W. Bush credit for that. But I have been skeptical, and it is a more complicated question than many seem to understand. A senior person in the White House said to me one time, “Don’t you think the Iraqis want to be free?” And I said: “Sure they do. But have you read The Federalist Papers? Do you divine from its arguments that wanting to be free is sufficient?” As it turns out, it is hard to obtain civil and religious liberty, and it is hard to maintain it.

"But do I think we did a good thing imposing a new constitution on Japan after World War II? Sure I do. Japan did a terrible thing to us, we conquered it, and there was an opportunity in that. It would have been a false economy not to seize that opportunity. Does that mean that in every country where there is a threat to us, we won’t be perfectly safe until they are democratic? Maybe. But even so, is trying to make them democratic practicable and the most practical way to serve our security? Probably not. Again, these are matters of prudence."

Shameless repost, since it sums up my views well.

Free book!

2011-12-23T22:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a great deal.Free audio book, "When I don't desire God," by John Piper.Great for dealing honestly with the spiritual doldrums.

Best Books Ever

2011-12-19T22:44:00.001-05:00

I’m seeing a friend tomorrow who always asks what I’ve been reading lately. He has put a top 10 best books list, so I thought I’d try it. I looked through the list of what I’ve read in the last 7 years, and picked out the best, and what else came to mind. I got down to 16. These are not in any order, and some dates are approximate…

Holiness, by JC Ryle (1880)
On pursuing godliness and piety, by one of the “last puritans.”

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (1813)
Great literature exploring various social and personal virtues and vices through a compelling story.
Right Ho, Jeeves, by PG Wodehouse (1934)
Rip-roaring hilarity. Read for writing style, or just for fun.

Christ and the Caesars, by Ethelbert Stauffer (1958)
An historian looks at the political context into which the Gospel came in the first-century Roman Empire.

Desiring God, by John Piper (2003)
A modern classic on loving and pursuing a relationship with God.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien (1940)
Yes, I’m cheating counting this as one. See Pride and Prejudice explanation, above.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis (1950)
Yes, I’m cheating counting this as one. See Pride and Prejudice explanation, above.

The Lord’s Service, by Jeff Meyers (2003)
Theological and Biblical examination of what corporate worship should be.

Christianity and Liberalism, by J. Gresham Machen (1923)
A modern defender of orthodoxy shows how religious liberalism is a separate religion from Christianity, invading and corrupting the Christian church.

The Reformed Pastor, by Richard Baxter (1670)
What a Christian Pastor should be and do in his ministry.

Institutes of the Christian Religion – John Calvin (1563)
A masterpiece of systematic theology.

Idols for Destruction, by Herbert Schlossberg (1993)
Modern social critique of how our culture is leaving God. Examines the roots, not just the symptoms of the culture wars.

Odyssey, by Homer (700BC)
Great story of justice, patience and endurance

Valley of Vision
Collected prayers of Puritans. Beautiful, intimate and theologically rich.

Through New Eyes – James Jordan (2000)
A refreshing look at Scripture that looks at God’s world and word through new eyes.

Pilgrim’s Progress – Bunyan (1678)
Classic, saturated with Scripture.

The Weight of Glory

2011-12-17T13:36:00.001-05:00

The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

CS Lewis was a master essayist, who offered some bracing defenses of orthodox Christian thought and practice at a time when liberalism was already at high tide in his academic circles. Cogent and colorful, this book is a collection of essays:

1. The Weight of glory, in which he ties God's glory to the joy we desire but never fully achieve.

2. Learning in War time, a lecture to students during the war, making the case for continuing the pursuit of culture and vocation during wartime.

3. Why I am not a pacifist, in which he explains... why he is not a pacifist.

4. Transposition, a glorious take the relation between physical and spiritual, sensations and emotions, our resurrected body compared with our present one.

5. Is Theology Poetry? in which he rejects believing the theology because it is beautiful.

6. The Inner Ring, probably the most insightful essay on the temptation of all people no matter how old, to work for acceptance by the "in crowd," however you define that. He dissects the lure of the world, and the pride of life.

7. Membership, on how the Church as participating in the body of Christ keeps us from individualism and collectivism. Right up the political wonk's alley. If you wonder how to handle Acts 2:42-44 as a political conservative, read this.

8. On forgiveness, a short sermon on forgiving real faults, not rationalizing away people's offenses so there is really nothing to forgive.

9. A Slip of the Tongue, another sermon, facing honestly our desire to not commit too much to God before it hurts us in the "real" world.

View all my reviews

Resurrection Communion

2011-12-17T13:35:00.001-05:00

Hebrews 5:5, 7-9

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

“You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.”

7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."

The bread and wine Jesus has commanded us to use tomemorialize His death also points to His resurrection. Grain and grapes have tobe worked over by people. The process involves yeast, fermentation, contactwith corruption. But out of that comes life-giving bread, joy-giving wine. Thisis what happened to Jesus. He learned obedience in His suffering and tasteddeath for you and me. He rises like bread. His divine life mysteriously mixedwith death, contended with death and conquered it. The result is life-givingjoy for us in Christ’s life.

Easter - 4/24/11

Resurrection Day Confession

2011-12-17T12:58:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 2:1-3 - "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."

Even on Easter morningwe do not neglect to confess our sins. Without confession and death, fastingand repenting, we cannot see the Gospel of reconciled enemies. We were dead inour sin. We were at war with God, but He made peace by the blood of His cross.And it isn’t the kind of peace you find on a battlefield strewn with bodies. Hegives life. So come and drop your dead body of sin at the cross. Then walk overto the empty tomb, look up at the clouds, and find your life hidden in heavenwith God.

This reminds us to confess our sins

Easter - 4/24/11

Gluttony and Lust

2011-12-16T11:44:00.000-05:00

It is often jarring to go fromjoyous singing to a call to confession. Worship imitates life. It is never asmooth flow in normal life to be called on the carpet to confess, either. Butwe must confess our sins regularly, and so here we are, looking today on thelast Sunday during Lent, looking at the last 2 of the 7 deadly sins, gluttonyand lust.

Jesus was accused of gluttony anddrunkenness for feasting with sinners. Enjoying the abundance God gives us, asJesus clearly did, is not gluttony. Gluttony is stuffing ourselves beyond ourneed and beyond what we can use, to the detriment of our body, soul, family orfriends. This could be with food or with anything else. I confess to you that Iam often a glutton, not for food, but for words, for information. I read andread and read, and let it get out of proportion and it hinders myministry to my family.

Godhas also given us other physical desires to enjoy within marriage. But again wehave a hard time keeping our minds, our eyes, our emotions, our bodies directedwhere God wants them. Men want the physical pleasure of women, but not the responsibility of loving his wife. Women want to be wanted, by someother guy. A young man wants a girl and must redirect that want into work toprovide for her in the future. Married men must redirect wandering passions back toChrist, to their wives, their work and family.

Wherewe indulge the flesh, Christ denied His, fasting and sufferingbeatings and crucifixion.

This reminds us to confess our sins

4/17/11

The journey is too great

2011-12-13T08:04:00.003-05:00

1 Kings 19:1-8

Elijah served the Lord and it got him in bigtrouble. He ran from Jezebel, and was so hard pressed he asked God to take hislife. His suffering was intense, and God provided relief from it on the way. Hegave Elijah bread for the journey. The journey was too great for him. This allapplies to us. God has given you various ways of relief from suffering. This tableis meant to be one of those. On the other hand, God has given you only one wayof remission for your sins: the blood of Jesus. So take up His cup now, theseal of the new covenant, the sign of His blood shed for the remission of yoursins.

4/10/11

Sloth and greed

2011-12-13T08:03:00.004-05:00

We are to work heartily in whateverwe do, as for the Lord. This rules out sloth. God has called us to work and avoiding it is sin. Children should dotheir schoolwork and household chores without complaining. Adults should notwaste time on the job doing personal things. Sloth doesn’t just avoid work. Itavoids the most important things in life. Be diligent in prayer, the Biblesays, but we are slothful in our busy-ness. So being busy doesn’t make you avoid sloth.

And lacking things doesn’t make you greedy. The hand of thediligent becomes rich, the Proverb says. But when your stuff gets between youand God, when you need it and you ignore God or hurt others to get it, you are greedy.Greed is akin to drunkenness and homosexuality in 1 Cor 6, which should bringyou up short. Pursuing worldly things will choke out the Word of God. Don’t letit. Jesus took the disciples to the garden; Don’t be sleeping when Jesus saysto watch. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 silver pieces. Don’t let desire for moneylet you pursue other gods before Jesus.

4/10/11

The grace of baptism

2011-12-08T13:15:00.000-05:00

I just came across an amazing quote by John Calvin, responding to the Roman Catholic Council of Trent (which responded to and rejected the Reformation). Trent asserts that in baptism original sin is removed, but we still need penance to deal with actual sins. Calvin responds:

“We assert that the whole guilt of sin is taken away in baptism, so that the remains of sin still existing are not imputed. That this may be more clear, let my readers call to mind that there is a twofold grace in baptism, for therein both remission of sins and regeneration are offered to us. We teach that full remission is made, but that regeneration is only begun and goes on making progress during the whole of life. Accordingly, sin truly remains in us, and is not instantly in one day extinguished by baptism, but as the guilt is effaced it is null in regard to imputation. Nothing is plainer than this doctrine.”
Now, in context, Calvin is rejecting how another sacrament is needed after baptism to deal with sin. But note what he assumes: remission and regeneration are conveyed in baptism. The Protestant protest against Rome does not reject that baptism conveys the grace of remission of sins, but insists it only comes to those with true faith. It is not an automatic, dispensed by the "vending machine" church.

For more proof of that, consider what Westminster says on baptism: "The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited, and conferred, by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongs unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in His appointed time." (John 3:5-8; Gal 3:27; Titus 3:5; Eph 5:25; Acts 2:38)

Here is the link to Calvin's whole response. It is very long! The quote above is in the fifth statement.

A Table of Watching

2011-12-08T13:12:00.001-05:00

WhenGod gives us commands, He also provides the means to obey. God calls us towatch for the return of Christ, and this table is one way we do that. Thistable points back to the dawn of time, when God promised to crush the serpent.It points to the cross where he was crushed. It reveals our present union withChrist. And it points to the end of time, when Christ will come for His brideand throw a wedding feast to celebrate the completion of His kingdom. Considerthe coming consummation, in this communion. You were saved at the cross, yes.You are saved and justified right now. And yet, you have yet to be saved fromlingering sin and suffering. We yearn to be free and complete, and so we watchand work and serve. That begins with God’s grace working in us, communicated tous in this bread and wine, by the Spirit’s working and by true faith. Return tothe Savior, and watch for His return.

4/3/11

Anger

2011-12-08T13:10:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 4:31 - "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."

When we are angry with someone wesee the root of murder. Anger is often a physical response of defense in adangerous situation. We are threatened, because we are hurt or afraid. Ouremotions blind us to sorting out if we are angry for selfish reasons or godlyones. A parent can have anger rise up in them seeing sin in their child, butthe parent must control it and let it motivate them to godly discipline. If momor dad lets the emotion get away from them and they spank or speak angrily, itis ungodly and will not bring the fruit God promises from discipline. An angryemotion at wrongdoing does not justify what you do with that feeling. The mediadoesn’t help us here, mixing reporting of issues with angry debates every day,telling us every day that we have a right to be angry when we disagree. Beangry about a sin you see, but don’t attack the person. Help them get away fromtheir sin. Anger takes offense at small things, magnifies those small things,and refuses to forgive anyone.

Jesus bore the righteous anger ofGod for our sinful anger. He was angry with sin, and dealt with it by patient,clear teaching, and sacrifice. His self-control saved us from our anger.

This reminds us to confessour sins

4/3/11

We believe; and it's all God's Grace

2011-12-06T15:33:00.000-05:00

How can salvation be all God's grace, if we have to believe to receive it? Doesn't that make our faith the thing that saves us? Sinclair Ferguson ponders, in The Holy Spirit, pg 128-9.

To answer, he quotes GC Berkouwer: "Faith does not possess one single constructive and creative moment; it rests only and exclusively in the reality of the promise."

And Ferguson explains further: "There is a total engagement of the believer, yet at the same time grace is not compromised."

What Jesus Wants

2011-12-06T15:32:00.001-05:00

Jesus tells His Father in John 17,“I desire that they whom you gave me may be with me where I am.” One of the fewtimes Jesus speaks of His desire, it is that we be joined with Him. He’sthinking of it as He institutes communion, when He says, I will not drink ofthe fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.Jesus our bridegroom, longs for the wedding day. Hasten as a bride to meet Him.We speak of justification as God accepting us, and that is true but it is amajor understatement. God so loved the world, He made rejoining with Himpossible at the cross. The father of the prodigal son does not just accept himwhen he returns repentant. He runs to embrace him, and throws him a feast. Agroom does not just accept a bride. He longs for her to be with him. The rabbistold stories in Jesus’ day of an engaged young man who had to build his housebefore he could get married. His father would give him the green light when itwas done. And every day the son would say, is it good enough, can we have thewedding now? But it’s only half done. One day while the young man is furiouslybuilding, the rabbi walks past and asks, son, when is your wedding? And hethrows down his hammer and says, No one knows the day or the hour, not the son,not even the angels in heaven, only my father. We are united with Christ now,by the Spirit, and He renews that union as we eat and drink here. But Jesus longsfor that union to be complete. Do you long for that day, as He does? We longfor Him as He does for us.

3/27/11

Envy

2011-12-06T15:30:00.001-05:00

When we are envious of others, we hatethem for how God has blessed them. We covet things; we envy people. The firstsin was pride and seeking independence from God, by eating the fruit. The nextsin mentioned is Cain’s murder of Abel, motivated by envy. Cain was angrybecause God accepted Abel, but not Cain. Envy claims that God isn’t fair orjust in how He deals with us. I should have what they have, and I hate God andthem because I don’t. Christ’s humility in going to the cross saved us from ourpride.

This reminds us to confess our sins

3/27/11

Sincere Communion Wanted

2011-12-05T14:20:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 11:29
"For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body."

Thesober warnings against hypocrisy in Matthew 23 by Jesus have a parallel here atthe Lord’s Table. Paul says that when we remember Christ’s death in Communionby disregarding the body of believers He died for, we are liable to judgment.This is hypocrisy. Instead, partake worthily in sincerity. Notice that thisgoes beyond your own thoughts and desires, to your actions toward others.Consider whether your love for the Lord Jesus is genuine. Also consider whetherthat’s becoming obvious in how you treat each other.

3/20/11

The Root of Pride

2011-12-05T14:18:00.001-05:00

James 4:6-10

"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

When we deal with the sin of pride,we are looking at the root of evil. Satan tempted Eve to know like God and belike God without having to wait for God to give to her. We want to beindependent of God. We want our way and hurt others to get it. We say and dothings so we look good to others. We wallow in pity and woe-is-me when we don’tget our way and tell others about it, to keep trying to get our way. We easilytake offense. These are all prideful things. Christ’s humility in going to thecross saved us from our pride.

This reminds us to confess our sins

3/20/11

God's Zeal for You

2011-12-03T21:53:00.001-05:00

Isaiah 9:3-7

3 You have multiplied the nation

And increased its joy;

They rejoice before You

According to the joy of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden

And the staff of his shoulder,

The rod of his oppressor,

As in the day of Midian.

5 For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,

And garments rolled in blood,

Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

6 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given....

7 The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

God has increased our joy in theIncarnation of Christ. We now have a great high priest able to sympathize withour weaknesses, and able to fully bear our sins and completely forgive us. He has brokenthe yoke of sin oppressing us, and will break every burden in His good time.The precious words in Isa 9 are “unto us.” The Christ child is born to us. TheSon is given to us. Jesus Himself wants us to get that, so He offers us bread andwine every week and tells us to say, it is His body and blood. Here is the Son,given to you. Look past your own zeal for Him for a moment, and consider Hiszeal for You. Zeal sealed in a blood stained cross. Take this gift by faithwith thanks.

Clear the Way

2011-12-03T21:31:00.001-05:00

I've gotten way behind in posting my weekly call to confession and communion exhortations.
I'm going to pick up again, posting current ones, and starting back 9 months ago, too.

Isaiah 40:3-4

The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the LORD;

Make straight in the desert

A highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough places smooth;

Isaiah speaks here ofIsrael’s return from exile through the desert, on smooth highways. This alsoapplies individually. We need to clear the path in our hearts for easy accessto the Lord. Things of the world clutter our lives (especially in the Christmas season), sin easily entangles, andsuddenly we are far from ready for Christ’s appearing, His advent.

This reminds us to confess our sins...

Rediscovering Family Worship

2011-11-30T07:20:00.001-05:00

Rediscovering the Lost Treasure of Family Worship by Jerry Marcellino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Make it 4.49 stars. Really good.

"If fathers are daily experiencing the presence of God and growing in their love for Christ, it will be evidenced by their pastoral leadership in their homes. Surely then, public worship on the Lord's Day will be transformed by such vitality."

Marcellino takes a short 28 pages to give
- 4 reasons for family worship (strengthens family, church and state for the Lord),
- practical advice on getting started (consistency and flexibility)
- 3 key elements of family devotional time.

"Children, in their formative years, naturally look to their fathers in order to emulate them."
"A child can easily see when these [worldly] things are more exciting to his parents than devotion to Jesus Christ!"

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Galatians

2011-11-29T16:58:00.001-05:00

I recently completed a sermon series onGalatians. Several times in talking with other pastors I was asked, “So are youreading Galatians with a New Perspective or a traditional view?”

Nothing like an either-or question toenliven discussion! Here’s my answer.

First, to define the positions. Thetraditional view is that Paul is defending the individual justification of eachbeliever by faith alone, apart from works-based, legalistic righteousness. TheNew Perspective is that Paul is arguing against circumcision being the boundarymarker that excludes some from table fellowship for God’s people.

Evaluation: when we compare these viewscalmly, we should realize that there need be no fight, here. Both positions canbe held in ways that do not reject the other. Holding both fills out thepicture nicely. Galatians isn’t about corporate Israel’s boundary markers, ORan individual’s ground of his justification. Both are involved.

The hyper-ventilators in this debate assumethat to hold to the traditional view, one must diminish to the point ofirrelevance the immediate context of table fellowship (see Galatians 2:11-14).Or that to hold to the New Perspective, you have to say, “Paul is not talkingabout an individual’s justification, here.” There are plenty mistakes like thison both sides. Reading Luther’s commentary on Galatians, I finally had to putit down after a while. He is compelling on theology of justification andassurance, but he really stretches the exegesis to talk about only thatthroughout Galatians. Many anti-New Perspective folks do the same thing today. AndNew Perspective zealots can take obviously theological passages and try to turnthe discussion to “table fellowship,” or “Jewish-Gentile relations.”

The key to resolving this is to realizethat theology plays out in very practical ways, something the evangelicalchurch has always had a hard time with. Now the church’s academia seems stuckhere, too. The real theological underpinnings of justification by faith alonework their way out in how the church lives together. Galatians is reallyaddressing the instrument of personal justification before God being faith andnot works. And Paul is moving the Galatian church to fellowship with eachother, over the boundary of circumcision, because they are all justified bythe work of Christ.

So preaching Galatians is both theological and practical. Justification by faith is the foundation. Receiving people who differ from us but who believe in Christ is the fruit this doctrine is to bear in our lives.

Bringing the Gospel to Covenant Children

2011-11-26T00:56:00.001-05:00

Bringing the gospel to covenant children: In dependency on the Spirit by Joel R. Beeke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Direct, practical instruction on how to raise children in godliness, day by day.
Sometimes, it's a little too pietistic, but overall a very illuminating booklet.
Read, and do. Start in on this with your family!

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Johnny Tremain

2011-11-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent historical background to the War of Independence. Fills out the usually simplistic picture of popular opinion concerning the British, in a way young people can understand and relate to. Some British are friendly and winsome. Others were unjust and cruel. Still others were just serving their country and were not keen on subduing their colonial countrymen. Some Patriots were radical firebrands; others wanted to go slower and less aggressively. The tea party was painstakingly careful to destroy only the tea, leaving the rest of the cargo, and even cleaning the ships afterward. But it was also a pre-meditated act of destruction and rebellion, not a emotions-carried-away event.

Johnny learns to overcome adversity and gain confidence in himself. The personal character development is decent, with a little taste of the British decadence that went on.

Highly recommended.

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Face to Face with Islam

2011-11-25T20:06:00.001-05:00

Christianity Face to Face with Islam by Robert Louis Wilken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honest and historical look at Islam. A little short on solutions.

View all my reviewsOnly 30 pages, originally an article in First Things

Holidays and Traditions

2011-11-22T15:28:00.001-05:00

As we consider how tolive before God by faith in Jesus Christ, we must maintain a long-term,multi-generational vision. How do we want our grandchildren to serve the Lord?In a First Things magazine article, “ChristianityFace to Face with Islam,” Robert Louis Wilken considers the rise andstaying power of Islam since 700. How to fight it? “Energy and enthusiasm areno substitute for deep roots, vital and durable institutions, and a thick andvibrant culture.”

This is what we areafter. We have come through a period of history watching Christian institutions(denominations, schools, churches, etc.) slide into liberalism, and we havelost much faith in institutions and traditions. We think the Reformationremoved churchly authority, when it really put it in its proper place. Thismindset includes our holidays. When we reject the holidays which the worldcommercializes, we are kicking out from under us the verystabilizing elements we need to build a Christian culture that can promotemulti-generational faithfulness.

Family provides theprimary, but not the sole means of cultural stability. Very few parents haveall the resources they need themselves to raise their children to maturity. Webuy curriculum, we go to church. We also celebrate holidays that we didn’toriginate. We can strengthen the family by using “durable institutions, deeproots, thick culture.” Our annual feasts are one of those strands. There waswisdom in the annual feasts God gave Israel, but they are no longer binding onGod’s people (Col 2:16), and the sacrifices embedded in them are now set aside(Heb 7-10). As the law has died and risen with Christ, so have these feasts.The principles of the law abide, and the church for 2000 years has cultivatedthis in tangible ways, one being Christmas.

The direct impact of a nuclear family upon a generation lasts about 20 years. If the children are faithful they carry it on for another 20 years with their own children. These “little platoons” are the foundation of society. Churches, schools, Boy Scouts, companies large and small, governments local and federal, and our holidays all are built upon, yet transcend, families. The direct impact of a faithful Christian institution like Harvard, the Presbyterian church or a government lasts an average of 80 or 100 years before going corrupt. They are a strata of society built upon the family that gets the whole building built. It needs constant remodeling, as family integrity is currently crumbling.

We can no longer look to the mainstream media for reliable and objective news. They have become too corrupt. As has Harvard. But we still need to find good news and good education. We just don’t have national examples that everyone can look to reliably. We need to look closer to home for good examples, and we aren’t used to doing that. So we think we have to do it all ourselves. But there are examples, in our church or neighborhood, or school, or homeschool co-op. We can no longer look to our culture for good direction on how to celebrate Christmas. There was a time the culture looked to the Church for that direction, but I wouldn’t recommend that today, honestly. And just at the time when we need a "thick culture" the most, we are rejecting traditions that can help us so much.

So let us treasure anduphold edifying human traditions like Christmas. This is why we have “Heritage”in our church name – it refers to our historical heritage passed on to us by ourChurch fathers. Such traditions are not binding upon us, but often useful inexpressing our faith corporately, even if they aren’t commanded in Scripture. Ibelieve Jesus Himself participated in such traditions (John 10:22-23). Does “Christmas”mean Christ mass, as in the Roman Catholic mass? Yes. This does not mean theholiday is hopelessly entwined with erroneous Roman doctrine – it is not. Infact the central fact of Christmas, the Son taking on human flesh, helps usfight the error that physical things work against the spiritual.

Let us give thanks forholidays that prompt us to remember the work of Christ on our behalf. Let usfoster in our families an annual celebration of the gift God gave the world.

Duncan's War

2011-11-11T22:34:00.001-05:00

Duncan's War by Douglas Bond
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pretty good. Historical fiction about Scottish uprising in 1666. I know little about this history. Previewing for my 10 and 8 year olds: the violence gets a little graphic. Maybe wait until 12?

There is a strong Scottish accent throughout, even with words like "ken" (know) and "dunnae" (do not) all over the place. Helped set the tone, but a little overdone.

The main theme was how to deal with oppression: not to respond with hate and violence, but with patience and love. Trusting God, but also preparing with earthly means. Seemed to capture what little I know of the Scottish mentality, when the English forced Anglicanism on them at this time. I especially liked the part where he learns to appreciate kneeling for prayer, and his Anglican friend takes the point that Jesus is the King of King Charles. Each could see the right and good in the opposing party, though they were at war.

Very good read for 10-12 year old boys.

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Family Worship

2011-11-11T22:06:00.001-05:00

Family worship by Joel R Beeke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dr. Beeke details the what, why and how of family worship.

I am in basic agreement with the content of the book, but found myself leaning a different direction than Beeke. I agree family worship is a valuable outward means God uses to sanctify us. He gives a quick defense of leadership in the home, clearly lays out what is involved (reading Scripture, short comment and/or discussion on it, prayer, singing), and gives tips on what to avoid. All quite excellent.

Beeke's general goal is to move people toward more developed devotions than just reading some Scripture verses and prayer. This is good in itself, but with the pietism of the introspective Puritans that he follows, it can take an unhealthy turn. Buying into his outlook will usually lead to constant wondering if you're doing enough in family devotions to please God or effect change in your family. Not so good. I generally lean these days toward keeping it short enough to not be exasperating for my children. To his credit, Beeke also says this: "Family worship that is too long makes children restless and may provoke them to wrath." But the general gist of the booklet is that you should really be doing more. This article is a good counterpoint to Beeke's booklet.

So, I would want the average Christian father or mother to read this and learn from it - there is much wisdom and practical implementation packed into a short 25 pages. But I would also want to steer that father or mother away from unneeded guilt, clarifying that family worship is not specifically commanded in the Bible, and is a privilege more than an obligation. Family worship should grow organically from Godly, personal, affectionate leadership in the home, more than from a sense of duty (certainly not guilt) or a programmed checklist of tasks.

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Lives, not Laws

2011-11-10T00:16:00.001-05:00

from "Can God Bless America?"
by John MacArthur
Tabletalk, Sept 2011

"Does our nation really desire God's blessing?.... or would the policy-makers and media moguls in our society be as hostile to such a revival as they are to the threat of terrorism?....

"What is needed is not merely moral reform but spiritual regeneration....

"Many churches are apparently more willing to imitate the world's fashions and opinions than to confront them with biblical truth. Meanwhile, Christians concerned about the moral evils of society often opt for all the wrong remedies - as if the only thing needed to cure the spiritual malaise of our nation were some kind of federal legislation against abortion, sexual promiscuity.... I am by no means opposed to legislative efforts to outlaw abortion... but political remedies to our nation's moral ills are no cure for the underlying spiritual problems.... Lives, not just laws, need to be transformed."

Blood on the River

2011-11-08T17:27:00.001-05:00

Blood on the River: James Town 1607 by Elisa Carbone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent historical fiction account of Jamestown's settling.
The first chapter (5 pages) is fictional backstory of the main character, and more graphic in description of his difficult upbringing than I cared for. I might have our 10 and 8 year old skip it. But the rest is pure gold.

It depicts the faults and merits of the English and of the Indians with historical accuracy and without bias, in my opinion. Very good to get children thinking about the complicated situation of settling a new land. Religious, political and economic motivation were all naive, but real.

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On voting

2011-11-08T14:26:00.001-05:00

Today is a general election day in the state of Virginia. I voted for state senators and representatives who serve in Richmond. Kind of depressing how much of the campaigning revolves around how much funding they can bring to our area, instead of to the rest of the state. Still, in my district there was a clear choice between more limited-government, pro-business candidates and "watchdog to keep business fair" candidates.

Vote, Virginians!

How old?!

2011-11-08T14:12:00.003-05:00

I just learned that the oldest member of the Lewis and Clark expedition was 35 years old.Starting to feel old myself...

Right Ho, Jeeves!

2011-11-04T13:07:00.001-04:00

Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this out loud to my wife for the second time in our marriage. Solid 4.49 stars.
Very funny.
You have missed much in life if you have not read PG Wodehouse.
Good lessons on how to deal with people and not be a fathead, on the way to uproarious hilarity.

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Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

2011-11-04T13:04:00.001-04:00

Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read this (and the 2nd book, Prophecy of Bane) to preview for my kids. The cover makes it look worse than it is, content-wise. The violence is PG - ish, though. As a 3rd in a series, filling in the backstory from earlier books was done clumsily. There were vague references in the plot to Middle East conflicts and biological warfare. Nothing insidious. Talks against growing up being taught to hate certain other groups.

This same author went on to write "The Hunger Games," for older kids and much more violent. I do NOT recommend that series. This series is a level better, but not classic, must-read. It IS edifying for kids to sort through feelings they have of hurt, pain, hate, love, forgiveness, cooperation.

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Meditation on Psalm 146

2011-11-04T12:49:00.001-04:00

I'm passing this on from another CREC church, in Spokane, WA. An elder there exhorted that congregation with these words a few Sundays ago. I thought it was very timely, given the point in the election cycle we are in.

Today, let us consider the sin of putting our trust in men and not in our Lord Jesus.
Psalm 146:3 says this “Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.”
Let me ask you a a question:
“How much control did the believers of the New Testament have over the government that ruled them?” The answer is not very much.
Here is another question, “What accusation did the non-believing world make against the Christians of the first century?”
In Acts 17:6 “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”
How could this be?
You mean that the Caesars of the first century were not Christians?
Was there was not a Christian/conservative majority in the Roman senate?
How could the New Testament church ever have turned the world upside down without any hand on the political steering wheel?
Could it be that their faith was in our sovereign God?
Today, in 2011, in the United States, we are well into another election cycle. The debates were last week and there is lots of spin.
We have to be very careful to guard our hearts and not reduce the Christian faith down to a political movement.
The gospel is not about getting the lesser of two evils into the White House.
The gospel is not control of the Supreme Court or Congress.
If we had all these things, what would we really have?
We are not going to legislate people into the kingdom.
We will still have a nation of people that are slaves to their sin.
Our Lord Jesus is the true Liberator. He came to set the captives free. He is the truth, the very truth that sets us free.

Brothers and sisters, put your trust in Him.

The Bible in 700 words

2011-11-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

The story of the Bible is true.

God made the world. Adam and Eve died inside when they sinned. God had mercy and kept them alive physically, promising a redeemer. Mankind grew worse. God judged them in a flood, but saved 8 in an ark.

God promised Abraham to bless world through his descendant. He believed what he couldnot see. His family was faithful but flawed, like each of us. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but God used it to feed theworld.

Egypt oppressed Israel, and God came down and delivered them. He fed His wandering people for 40 years, sometimes faithful, usuallyrebellious. He gave them bread, gave them His Word.

He brought them into the promised land with Joshua’s leadership, punishing the sinful nations there with destruction. Israel worshiped other gods, and God afflicted them so they would turn backto Him. When they repented, He sent judges to save them.

They asked for a king, again not trusting God to deliver them. God gave them Saul, who stumbled and fell, then David, who stumbled andstood by grace. God revealed more of His plan of redemption at this point – itwould be Abraham’s descendant through whom God would bless the world. And itwould be David’s son who would sit on the throne forever. God used David, Solomon andthe priests in their time to give us Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.

Israel did not stay faithful to God after David died. Solomon was wealthyand wise, but a womanizer who worshiped idols. The kingdom was torn apart andkings followed Solomon’s pattern, allowing idolatry, treason against the Godwho made and redeemed them. Prophets came and spoke to these kings, but they trusted in militarymight and political alliances instead of God. They allowed oppression of thepoor and injustice among God’s own people, against His clear Word.

So God judged them with conquest and exile. They were killed or cartedoff to other lands for a time. But God had plans to prosper them in the nextgeneration. A faithful remnant returned, rebuilt Jerusalem, and restored the worshipof God. Nehemiah defended Israel against opposition while Ezra taught the Wordof God. Malachi and Daniel prophesied of a coming Messiah, after other kingdomsrise and fall.

After 400 years, in the fullness of time, God came to Zechariahand Elizabeth and gave them John. God overshadowed Mary and gave the worldJesus, because He loved us so much, so that whoever believes in Him can havelife, even though we have been spiritually dead since birth.

Jesus grew into,learned, lived and taught the Torah, the law and ways of God. He was baptizedby the Spirit to preach the kingdom of God. He went hungry for 40 days in thedesert, and emerged to give bread and life to Israel. His brothers rejected Himand handed him over to pagans. He died on a Roman cross, to keep all thepromises He had made as God to Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Mary, andmany others. Promises to give His people an eternal king and liberator from thetyranny of the devil and their own sinfulness. He rose 3 days later toshow everyone this is true, and to give us life in His life.

He trained thedisciples, ascended to heaven, and sent the Spirit, equipping the apostles togo into all the nations, baptizing and teaching them to truth and obey Jesus.They took His message to the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles, findingfaith and persecution everywhere they went. The Bible ends with Paul underRoman house arrest preaching Christ, and John under arrest for the same reason.But John is given the final revelation of how God, the author of history, willbring it to conclusion. He will instruct His church, give ample time to all to repent,protect and vindicate His people, judge the wicked, and finally bring Hispeople to His Son for a wedding feast. He will restore joy where there wassorrow, laughter where there were tears, purity where there was sin, peacewhere there was misery.

That is the story of the Bible. That is what we believe.

Halloween post-mortem

2011-11-01T11:38:00.000-04:00

In response to the, "I'm against Halloween" position:

I don't think Halloween was "conceived in evil." Every culture finds a way to cope with death. American Halloween is a McDonald's pop-culture version of a mix between All Hallow's (All Saints') Eve and the world's morbid fascination with death, sorcery and the macabre. Of course lots of bad things are toyed with at Halloween. Yes, it is dangerous for secular people to toy with the occult. Of course, we shouldn't dress up like we're on Satan's "team." This doesn't mean total rejection of the holiday is the best approach for the church. Reform it to the intent the church had for it. Why not celebrate the saints, and that we can triumph over and jeer all these evil powers, which really do exist? Far better to address them and ridicule them, than to run and hide from them, as if the victory is not won at the cross of Christ (Colossians 2:15). I'd rather show the world that victory and triumph, than show them we're against it and don't do it.

What's hardest to take is when all the "I'm against Halloween" person can hear from my above paragraph is that I'm just more worldly than they are. Sigh.

For All Saints' Day - Nov 1

2011-10-31T11:31:00.000-04:00

Part of my prayer of thanks to God for leaders He has provided His Church

Thanks for Athanasius, whostood for Trinitarian truth against the majority of churchmen; Chrysostem, thegolden-tongued preacher of Constantinople; Augustine, the African bishop who taughtthe church her confidence as Rome fell around her; Patrick, who converted mostof Ireland without any violence; Columba, who took the Gospel to the Scots andthe rest of barbarian Europe; Boniface, who courageously cut down their idols;Charlemagne, who provided for much Christian learning; Anselm, who consideredthe infinite atonement needed for the infinite dishonour of our sin; forfaithful soldiers serving the Lord as they knew best against militant Islam inSpain and in Israel, for Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller; for thelearning of Abelard and Aquinas; the piety of Francis of Assissi; the reformsof Wycliffe and Hus, Tyndale and Bucer, Luther and Zwingli, Calvin and Knox;for the enterprise and ambition to take the faith to a new world of Columbus,John Smith, Willliam Bradford; for the faithful walking into a modern world,for Westminster assemblymen like Jeremiah Burroughs and Samuel Rutherford,Pascal, Bunyan, Whitefield, Patrick Henry, George Washington, Jonathan Edwards,Kierkegaard, Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, David Brainerd, Machen, Bonhoeffer, andFrancis Schaeffer.

Liszt and Hanon - piano

2011-10-29T15:18:00.001-04:00

My wife beat me to it, but if you're interested, I just played through the entire 60 pieces of Hanon for the first time, ever. It took two hours - it's supposed to take one.

I have a new favorite piece of Liszt: Totentanz. Watch it here
We heard it performed last night - perfect for Halloween - Totentanz is German for Dance of Death :)
See here for more info on it.

It will have to wait, though. Right now I am learning the soundtrack theme to the movie "Sabrina," and Rachmaninoff prelude 5 in g minor.

On America's Repentance and Wars

2011-10-26T10:06:00.001-04:00

Doug Wilson:

"Since the founding of our nation, Americans have seen themselves as having a consistent pivotal role in fighting a global super villain. That spot has been occupied by different entities over time, but that spot in the narrative has never had a vacancy. For example, through most of the twentieth century, that place was held by "godless communism." This would be a good place to note that while Americans have always had a narrative running in which there is a super villainous threat to the peace of the world, this does not mean such a threat was imaginary. Some of them have been quite real. Communism was a genuine threat, and evangelical hostility to communism throughout the 20th century was one of our glories.

"But like all the others, this kind of narrative cannot be sustained in any kind of healthy way without explicit reliance upon the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus must be owned. Unless Americans repent, and return to an open confession of Jesus as Lord, then Jesus will repudiate us before His Father (Matt. 10:32). Fighting the Antichrist, which heirs of the Puritans do, without relying upon Christ Himself, is the surest and fastest way to become the Antichrist."

Stories are Soul Food: Don't Let Your Children Hunger

2011-10-25T12:18:00.000-04:00

Great 4 paragraphs on why children need stories, from the author of "Dragon's Tooth," which I'm currently reading to our children.

Stories are Soul Food: Don't Let Your Children Hunger

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

2011-10-23T17:40:00.001-04:00

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this before the kids, who are now up to Pilgrims and New England in their history. I'd heard bad things about the book at some point, but also wanted to give it a chance, as the same author wrote "The Bronze Bow," which I highly recommend.

My kids will be reading it next. While I'm not an expert on New England during the witch trials, some things are clear. There was irrational hysteria and superstition of witchcraft. The clergy or religion was NOT the driving force of that superstition - most clergy argued for solid evidence before condemning the innocent. This book reflects those facts.

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Grace from the Third Son, for the Religious

2011-10-20T13:17:00.000-04:00

Take an evening to watch this some time, especially if you are 17-27.A bracing reminder of the grace and love of God.

Mark Driscoll | New Saint Andrews College Disputatio | Grace Agenda Conference from Canon Wired on Vimeo.

Changing minds through feelings

2011-10-15T22:07:00.001-04:00

"It is the usual way of seducers to insinuate themselves into people's affections, and by that means to draw them into their opinions."

John Calvin, Commentary on Galatians, 4:17

How the Irish Saved Civilization

2011-10-13T21:18:00.002-04:00

How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun read, while my wife was IN Ireland for 2 weeks. Basically, when Rome fell, the barbarians destroyed texts all over Europe. Those that survived found their way north and west, away from the carnage. Ireland is furthest that direction, and the Irish fell in love with these Christian and classical texts, following Patrick’s dramatic conversion of the nation to Christ. Copying and preserving these texts, they then sent missionaries to re-Christianize Europe, starting with Scotland and England, and on to the continent. Lots of snippets from Irish poetry along the way.

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James and the Giant Peach

2011-10-13T21:17:00.003-04:00

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a lark. James is generous and giving, resourceful and helpful. His aunts are greedy and stingy, refusing to help when they could. James is open to making friends with those who are different. The police at the end… are not.

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Instructing a Child's Heart

2011-10-13T21:13:00.001-04:00

Instructing a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a sequel to Shepherding a Child’s Heart, targeting the 7-13 year old. It was a little frustrating in that ¾ of the book was background and worldview, with the last ¼ being more practical. But that was also good. The parent has to have, live and breathe faith in the Lord Jesus before any conversational method will be effective. Some keys are guiding conversations, asking the right questions, and giving possible options for what’s going on inside them to draw out the heart of your child.

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Mine!

2011-10-11T15:57:00.002-04:00

"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human life of which Christ, Who is Sove-
reign of all, does not cry: "Mine!"

Abraham Kuyper

What money does

2011-10-11T15:40:00.000-04:00

Money creates power FOR the one who gives, and OVER the one who receives.

Abraham Kuyper, "Sphere Sovereignty"
Inaugural address to the Free University, Oct 20, 1880

Scripture

2011-09-30T22:48:00.000-04:00

Unrelated verses that caught my heart in reading today

Psalm 68:19
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation."

Isaiah 54:10-11a
"All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established."

Isaiah 57:11, 15
"Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied,
and did not remember Me, did not lay it to heart?
Have I not held My peace, even for a long time,
and you do not fear Me?

"I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the heart of the contrite."

Isaiah 59:1-2
"Behold the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or His ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you
so that He does not hear."

More Ireland - Brigid

2011-09-25T19:02:00.000-04:00

Brigid of Kildare became abbess of a large monastery.

Here is the table prayer ascribed to her.

Ishould like a great lake of finest ale

for the King of kings.

Ishould like a table of the choicest food

for the family of heaven.

Letthe ale be made from the fruits of faith,

and the food be forgiving love.

Ishould welcome the poor to my feast,

for they are God’s children.

Ishould welcome the sick to my feast

for they are God’s joy.

Letthe poor sit with Jesus at the highest place

and the sick dance with theangels.

God blessthe poor,

God bless the sick,

And bless our human race.

God blessour food,

God bless our drink,

all homes, O God embrace.

Ancient Irish scribal scribblings

2011-09-25T16:45:00.000-04:00

According to the book (pg 162-163), this playful one was found in the same manuscript as Greek paradigms and a Latin commentary on Virgil.

I and Pangur Ban my cat,
'Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight
Hunting words I sit all night.

'Tis a merry thing to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.

'Gainst the wall he sets his eye,
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.

So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban my cat and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.

Ancient Irish Christian poetry

2011-09-25T16:39:00.000-04:00

Ancient Irish poem by Manchan of Offaly, convert of St Patrick:

Grant me sweet Christ the grace to find---

Son of the Living God!---

A small hut in a lonesome spot

To make it my abode.

A little pool but very clear

To stand beside the place

Where all men's sins are washed away

By sanctifying grace.

A pleasant woodland all about

To shield it from the wind

And make a home for singing birds

Before it and behind.

A southern aspect for the heat

A stream along its foot,

A smooth green lawn with rich topsoil

Propitious to all fruit.

My choice of men to live with me

And pray to God as well;

Quiet men of humble mind---

Their number I shall tell.

Four files of three or three of four

To give the psalter forth;

Six to pray by the south church wall

And six along the north.

Two by two my dozen friends---

To tell the number right---

Praying with me to move the King

Who gives the sun its light.

A lovely church, a home for God

Bedecked with linen fine,

Where over the white Gospel page

The Gospel candles shine.

A little house where all may dwell

And body's care be sought,

Where none shows lust or arrogance,

None thinks an evil thought.

And all I ask for housekeeping

I get and pay no fees,

Leeks from the garden, poultry, game,

Salmon and trout and bees.

My share of clothing and of food,

From the King of fairest face,

And I to sit at times alone,

And pray in every place.

Merry Irish Wars

2011-09-17T21:02:00.002-04:00

For the great Gaels of Ireland
Are the men that God made mad.
For all their wars are merry,
and all their songs are sad.
GK Chesterton

2011-09-17T16:58:00.000-04:00

Rome fell because of inner weakness, either social or spiritual: or Rome fell because of outer pressure - the barbarian hordes. What we can say with confidence is that Rome fell gradually and that Romans for many decades scarcely noticed what was happening - 14.

Thought for the day

2011-09-15T16:42:00.004-04:00

When we are frustrated in our efforts to take dominion in our given vocations, there is a great temptation to compensate by indulging the self in some other area of life.

2011-09-15T00:18:00.001-04:00

Wise Words : Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life by Peter J. Leithart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the best children's books out there.
Peter Leithart does a unique thing in this book. He relates Scriptural stories, proverbs or truths by telling simple fairy tales. Highly recommended for the reader to experience the narrative dimension of truth.

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2011-09-15T00:14:00.001-04:00

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great book for children to learn for the first time about love, loyalty, labor and loss. Billy learns to work hard himself for what he wants, he works harder to be loyal to the ones he loves, and then he loses what he labored for and loves.

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Why I blog

2011-09-13T14:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1156_6_reasons_pastors_should_blog/

FATHER

2011-09-13T14:36:00.001-04:00

by Edgar Guest

FATHER

Used to wonder just why father
Never had much time for play,
Used to wonder why he'd rather
Work each minute of the day.
Used to wonder why he never
Loafed along the road an' shirked;
Can't recall a time whenever
Father played while others worked.

Father didn't dress in fashion,
Sort of hated clothing new;
Style with him was not a passion;
He had other things in view.
Boys are blind to much that's going
On about 'em day by day,
And I had no way of knowing
What became of father's pay.

All I knew was when I needed
Shoes I got 'em on the spot;
Everything for which I pleaded,
Somehow, father always got.
Wondered, season after season,
Why he never took a rest,
And that I might be the reason
Then I never even guessed.

Father set a store on knowledge;
If he'd lived to have his way
He'd have sent me off to college
And the bills been glad to pay.
That, I know, was his ambition:
Now and then he used to say
He'd have done his earthly mission
On my graduation day.

Saw his cheeks were getting paler,
Didn't understand just why;
Saw his body growing frailer,
Then at last I saw him die.
Rest had come! His tasks were ended,
Calm was written on his brow;
Father's life was big and splendid,
And I understand it now.

Random thoughts on Genesis 3

2011-09-13T14:36:00.000-04:00

Satan says their eyes will be opened and they will be like God. When they eat their eyes are opened and... they know they're naked. The form of the words tells us: Satan lied.

God does not question the serpent when the woman blames him. He gives man a chance to repent, but not the serpent.

Adam names Eve "woman" before the fall, and "Eve" after the fall. Not sure exactly what that means. Maybe that good husbandry of the woman takes twice as much work as of creation?

Deliberate Interaction

2011-09-07T14:27:00.000-04:00

RC Sproul, Jr. writes:

"If you are alive and not on the moon, you have successfully managed to be "in the world." Now let's work on not being of the world."

I must quibble with this. He asserts we need do no work to be in the world. But it does take work to learn one's cultural assumptions and happenings to know how to speak to them most effectively.

It's true we need to work harder on our holiness. But we need to engage a lost world just as deliberately.

Your 2 minute grace reminder

2011-09-07T13:02:00.000-04:00

Good video - Mark Driscoll and Doug Wilson

What grace means for your life now.

Ecclesiastes in 330 words

2011-09-06T14:21:00.002-04:00

Funny, readingEcclesiastes on Labor Day.

Most view thisbook of the Bible as the musings of a skeptic, who finds no meaning in lifewithout God. I disagree. These are the writings of a wise man, not a fool.

He sees that forall his work, little really changes in the world (1:1-11). He tries to findultimate meaning (1:12-15) through wisdom (16-18), pleasure, projects andpossessions (2:1-11). Wisdom is a little better, but the wise die like the fool(12-17), and work is still frustrating (18-23). What really makes life –enjoyment - is something only God can give; and He doesn’t give it to all(24-26).

God has differenttimes for different things in life (3:1-8). We can ponder but not plumb thedepths of eternity, so we should enjoy our place in life, not try to be God,but rather receive gratefully what He gives (9-15). There is injustice(3:16-22), oppression (4:1-3), envy and striving and ambition (4-8).Companionship and wisdom are better, but they go the way of all flesh, too(9-16).

Worship andgodliness is not about many words, but deeds (5:1-7). Love of power and moneyis worthless in the long run, but those who enjoy what God has given and don’ttake themselves too seriously are blessed (5:8-6:12).

Wisdom is betterthan folly (7:1-19), but it isn’t the silver bullet, either, because our sinsmess it up (15-29). Earthly authority brings some helpful limitations, but thefear of God or lack of it determines our destiny (8:1-13). Having wisdom andgoodness often don’t count in determining if you’re blessed (8:14-9:12). Havingwisdom is better, but it is easily ruined or lost (9:13-10:4). Lack of wisdomreally hurts (10:5-20).

Do your work andbe generous, but the final result is up to God, who judges, so remember Himbefore you grow old and die (11:1-12:8). Well placed words are useful, but manywords weary one. In the end - fear God (12:9-14).

On the Wedding Ceremony

2011-09-06T11:53:00.003-04:00

I've had several people comment about how I officiate at weddings.

Before the father gives away his daughter to the groom, there are vows of intent, where the parents hear the future couple commit to what they will do. So the question is "Will you..." and they say, "I will." The parents then, formally satisfied (they obviously are already, but this is the formal acting out of it), give her to the guy. They then (later, after the sermon, responding to the gospel) make vows to one another in the present tense: "I take you..." or "I do." Sometimes this leads to no "I do" if the couple repeat vows. "I groom, take you bride..."

This is a pretty minor grammatical point in the scheme of things. Does the groom take the bride before the father gives her? In real life, it often works this way, but ideally not. The words we say at our ceremonies should uphold the best way, and the hard part is living up to those rituals. Improving our baptism, communing with Christ (Lord's Supper), actually being a walking billboard for Christ and the Church in your marriage - these rituals are easy to administer, but hard to live faithfully.

The Messiah - The Bridegroom

2011-09-05T21:54:00.000-04:00

We know the principles of marriage before we are married. Weknow as single women that we are to be a helper for their future husband, eventhough they don’t know who that is, yet. We know as single men that we aremeant to provide for a future wife, though we don’t know who.

In the same way, God’s people in the Old covenant knew thatthey were meant for God. They knew the basic pattern of their relationship withHim, and that God would provide for them through a Messiah. But they didn’t knowwho that was yet.

Until Jesus came and turned water to wine.

At a wedding.

Families, Big and Small

2011-09-05T14:01:00.001-04:00

This article by Kevin DeYoung originally appeared in the July issue of Tabletalk magazine.

I want to talk about the size of our families. More importantly, I want to talk about loving as we want to be loved and giving each other the benefit of the doubt.

Scripture says the human race should be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28; Mal. 2:15). Children are always seen as a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5; 128:3-4). Church growth happens evangelistically andcovenantally. So I like big families. My wife and I are on our way to a big family with four little ones already. In pre-marital counseling I challenge newlyweds to think through the reasons for birth control (which I am not against) instead of just assuming it. I warn against the abortifacient possibilities of taking the Pill. I try to dissuade most young couples from the notion that they have to be married for several years before they start a family. I am pro-children big time.

But this does not mean I am anti-small family. All else being equal, I’d encourage Christians to have more than two kids (keeping above the replacement rate). But all else is not equal. There are simply too many things I don’t know about other couples to even dare to judge. I don’t know how difficult it can be too get pregnant or how difficult the pregnancies are. I don’t know the financial situation, the medical history, the family pressures, the cultural expectations. I don’t know what their kids are like, their marriage, or their attitude before the Lord. I don’t know what other God-glorifying, self-sacrificing, world-serving opportunities they are praying through. So when we see faithful Christians with two kids or ten kids, we should praise God and assume the best.

And yet, any pastor paying attention to the hearts and hurts of his church, will tell you that there is a lot of tension around the size of our families. Here is an opportunity for the devil to work discord among us. But here also is a wonderful opportunity to love our neighbors as ourselves and open wide hearts and affections to families that look different than ours (Matt. 22:39; 2 Cor. 6:11-13).

Think of all the trouble we get into in the church, and on this issue in particular, because we assume the worst. Big families assume smaller families are being selfish. Smaller families assume big families are out to prove something. Parents assume their children are rejecting their choices when they make different ones. Children assume their parents would have acted like them if they were more spiritual. And everybody assumes everybody else is assuming something about them!

This is not the way of 1 Corinthians 13 love and it has to stop. Let’s assume the best of each other on this issue and not assume we’re being judged because someone else feels strongly about the way they do things.
And let’s be sensitive to the feelings of others rather than sensitive to perceived sleights and offenses. In some churches women may feel a pressure to be pregnant. Maybe the pressure is stated, maybe unstated, maybe it’s inaccurately perceived. But it is felt, so let’s be careful not to add to the pressure. In a church where literally dozens of women are bursting at the womb almost constantly and all the talk is about latching, stripping membranes, and other pleasantries we must be careful that young women who aren’t pregnant don’t feel inferior or out of place. I can just about guarantee they feel that way already, so you’ll have to go out of your way to welcome, affirm, and include.

On the flip side, there’s no good reason—certainly no biblical ones—why families with five, six, seven, ten, or fifteen kids should be made to feel strange. There’s no need for comments like, “Really, another one?” Or, “Wow, he can’t keep his hands off you!” Those comments are hurtful, and so are the eye rolls and exasperated sighs and suspicions. Let those who have eight kids not judge those who have two, and those with one child not judge those with six.

And let me throw out one other verse while I’m at it: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). For most Christians there is almost nothing as joyful as having a baby, and almost nothing as painful as being unable to do so. This leads to lots of awkward church lobby deliberations: “Should I tell her I’m pregnant? She’s been trying for so long, my news will just make her sad. But if I don’t tell her she’ll find out eventually and be hurt that I didn’t mention anything. Maybe I’ll tell her privately. But then that will make her feel singled out. What to do?” There is no solution to this problem. Infertility hurts and babies can make it hurt more. But a step in the right direction is God’s command in Romans 12. Let every young lady rejoice with her friend’s pregnancy and let that same friend weep when her sister in Christ hasn’t or won’t experience the same joy.

I don’t pretend to get all this baby stuff right. I’m sure I’ve been woefully insensitive at times. I’ve probably made silly “you get pregnant around here just by drinking the water” jokes that have been quietly unhelpful. I need God’s help too. But as a pastor I try to set the right tone, dial down the tensions, and encourage every man and wife to assume the best (and assume everyone else is doing the same). It doesn’t make all the tensions go away. But I’m hoping it will help us love each other’s families, the small and the big, in big ways and small.

Read the whole Bible

2011-09-03T11:29:00.000-04:00

This is really good, especially from :45 to 3:30

Two views on the health and wisdom of the Family Integrated Church movement

2011-09-03T11:10:00.000-04:00

These are quotes from a recent email discussion. My summary is at the very bottom.

View One - Potential Allies

"They largely come from baptistic and pietistic backgrounds (which gets a little intolerable, sometimes). But, largely, I consider them allies in the faith. [They] have done MUCH to influence a following into Reformed doctrine."

"The main idea of "family integrated" was to eliminate children's church, youth groups, and divided-up groups, and emphasize the whole family in the worship service. Additionally, it emphasized family devotions/worship/Bible study, at home where the father would take on the spiritual responsibility that had been previously (if any) relegated to the mother. His job was more than bringing home the bacon; but raising up his children in the Lord. Most of these fathers have no confessional/creed/catechism understanding or background. Yet, once they see they don't have to become Catholics to practice such things, they generally embrace it."

View Two - Potential Troublers

"I don't know about this. The folk we've had come through here think of themselves as fully formed and they're here to teach you. What that translates into is immature, grumpy, highly opinionated people who are always quick to jump all over people for their clothing, movies they watch, not homeschooling, feeding their kids Hostess Twinkies, and not having their boys dress up like Davey Crockett until they're 18. This means pastors and elders constantly have to steer them away from new people so they don't scare the crap out of them. Who needs that kind of stress?"

Back to View One

"These people… were effectively run out of their baptist circles because they wanted to keep their children in the main service, and not have them sent off to children's church. That is the kind of nonsense these folks are responding to, by building something on their own where the kids can stay in the service. Help them; don’t blast them."

I found myself agreeing with both of these views, as some folks are loving, sensitive to church life and open to hearing teaching that isn't their exact view; while others are inexperienced in living together as the church and think they have all the answers to the church's problems already.

2011-08-31T23:15:00.003-04:00

UnderstandingJob, in a mere 500 words

Why did God do this to me?Job asks. And his friends come and tell him it was because he sinned. Jobreplies that he has been upright. He wants an audience with God for God haswronged him (19:6).

Then along comes Elihu, ayounger companion. He is mad at Job for justifying himself instead of God(32:2). He is mad at Job’s friends for not answering Job well and yetcondemning him (32:3).

There is a big dispute ifElihu is one of the friends who gets it wrong or if he gets it right. It’sfairly clear to me he gets it right. First, there is the commentary in 32:2-3that hints at the author’s perspective: he is rightly mad at both Job and hisfriends. Second, at the end of his long speech he starts sounding the way Godtalks in chapters 38-41, referring to God’s power in nature. Third, why notanother “younger brother” type in Scripture? One who (by God’s choice)surpasses his older generation in wisdom and faithfulness, like Isaac, Jacob,Joseph, David, Jesus, etc. And last, Elihu is not rebuked at the end – only theother three friends are.

Elihu affirms the twotruths at issue in the dispute, without going overboard and reacting poorly ina delicate situation. Truth one: yes, Job has been upright, but “in this youare not righteous” (33:12): in contending with God with Job’s “perfection” andclaiming injustice. Job irreverently misapplies the truth of his uprightfaithfulness to what God owes him. Truth two: yes, God rewards the faithful andpunishes the wicked as the friends are quick to point out. But there is not aone-to-one correlation between our morality and God’s providence in our livesat any given point (35:6-8). They cruelly misapply the general truth to Job’scurrent situation.

Each of thesemisapplications take place in part because of their sin, I’m sure. But the textshows us that such misapplication also occurs because on earth we see in amirror dimly, and do not see all of God’s intentions in His providence. Oneapplication for us is to be still and wait patiently on the Lord.

But the last chapter isthe kicker. Even though they are both speaking “off key,” God justifies Job.Why? Job repents of his words against God. His friends remain stuck in theirrigid and cruel application of truth. Although they were technically “moreright” than Job, they are called to repent, for they have not applied truth inways that drew Job to God. Rather, they provoked Job to speak evil of God. They“have not spoken of [God] what is right” (42:8), though they spoke right words.God will put up with us when we suffer and we cannot be still and waitpatiently on Him. He understands when we are full of words and frustrated atthings. Check out Psalms 12 and 35 for examples. But He won’t tolerate peoplewho know the truth, who know that they know it, and who use it in selfish or flippant ways thatturn their audience against God instead of toward Him.

2011-08-31T23:11:00.001-04:00

Abel's Island by William Steig
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay. Abel gets stranded on an island, survives the winter, and returns to his wife. He grows up a bit in the process. Got from the library - same author as Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, but Abel wasn't nearly as good, and 100 pages instead of 20. It /does/ have some good dramatic suspense, which I just spoiled for you, above...

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2011-08-31T23:07:00.000-04:00

The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“The Next Story” by Tim Challies

Tim Challies is a popular blogger and knows the digital world. This book helps us think carefully about ourselves as we email, text, blog and surf the web. I really enjoyed it. Ironically (full disclosure, here), I listened to the whole thing… on my iPhone.

The digital world is a real and significant change. We store and process information very differently than 30 years ago. Publishing and reading patterns have changed because things are now digital. Publishing can be instant, instead of requiring time and editing. We now assume we can instantly connect with anyone anytime, which was unheard of 40 years ago.

The digital world makes us more momentary. A three day old email is irrelevant. A three hour old Facebook status or text is useless. We care less about and pursue less, things that last, chasing instead after what is new. As the digitial revolution has progressed, the pace of what is new has quickened. As we communicate more and more, the content gets more and more inane. (“Where are you?” “Hey.” “Ltr.”)

The digital world distracts us. Keeping up with all of this data consumes us. We go from phone messages, to text messages, email, blogs, facebook, news sites, and then start all over again. If we’re honest, we usually welcome this distraction from our work or out of boredom. But this rat race leaves behind the harder pursuit of more rewarding content (books, conversations, etc.). The average expected length of a piece of reading has gone from a newspaper page to a tweet. I’m keeping these sentences and paragraphs short on purpose. Blog writing advice is to keep it short, with short paragraphs, realizing your writing will be scanned, not read.

The digital world reveals our priorities. People want to be connected. So badly that they will go to great lengths. We have to have a phone with a text plan, because if we don’t we can’t really be friends with certain people. And the sad part is, that’s true. We also like putting most of our time to not very helpful things. We are amusing ourselves to death with Youtube instead of television.

The digital world dehumanizes us. Google’s success has come from turning our searches into results mathematical formulas, from turning internet usage data into information that can be used to advertise to interested internet users. We’d rather text than talk. Easier. Less bothersome to texter and textee. No small talk or social courtesies needed. We’d rather leave a message or email than talk on the phone. We defriend with a hardly a thought. This cuts against the grain of 2 John 12 and 3 John 13-14.

What to do?
Think through what information you really need to process. We are overloaded and much of it is not needed. Cut the fat. Unsubscribe.

Try a digital fast. No computer or phone or ipad or other device for 24 hours. 3 days. 1 week. Feel the withdrawal set in. Re-learn the difference between what you THINK you need to know, and what you REALLY need to know.

But don’t go Luddite. You don’t have to be Wendell Berry, clacking away on a typewriter, or only writing by hand and using a cord phone. This isn’t the answer. It certainly changes a person, but denying the digital revolution isn’t the answer, long term.

Thoughtful use is the answer. Think through what you need to communicate to others and how you should do that. Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should. Think through the purpose of the newest gadget before you rush to get it.

Now that you’ve scanned this article, commit to reading something longer and more substantive before the day is out. If you need a concrete idea, I’d suggest a whole book of the Bible, or a Shakespeare play. See how far you can get before distraction sets in…

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2011-08-31T22:51:00.001-04:00

William of Orange: The Silent Prince by W. G., Jr. Van De Hulst
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Children's book, with uneven pacing, but full of interesting history and got across the pinch William was in.

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More than in the head

2011-08-30T16:53:00.002-04:00

When we know truths about Christianity but do not live them out, there is a disconnect between head and heart. I learn a lot of true things every day about being a Christian and about God’s Word. But I still have a hard time loving my wife, raising my children, and shepherding a congregation as I ought. Knowing is half the battle, but it’s only half. Knowing isn’t doing.

Sin, Shame, and Spiritual Fellowship

2011-08-30T16:46:00.000-04:00

Peter writes his first epistle from Rome, likely during the reign of Nero, who persecuted believers. He speaks of the fiery trials his readers are going through. Nero seemed to have a thing for fire, and I wonder if there is a connection. But he writes to believers in modern-day Turkey, not in Rome. Perhaps he is making a connection with them. “You know I’m going through fiery trials here, and I know you are, too.”

One of the things that makes spiritual fellowship difficult is not knowing the trials others are going through. How do you break the ice into such conversation?

I’m more and more convinced that Western culture is no less an “honor” culture than any other. Westerners just deal with shame or honor more under the surface, but it’s still there, affecting things, especially keeping us from opening up to others when we are hurting. This dynamic is more potent because we deny it is there or we just don’t notice it.

As a pastor, I see sin up close and personal in people’s lives. Sin brings shame, and it is important to deal with both sin and shame well. We know we are supposed to repent of sin, but what do we do with lingering shame? Realize this is collateral damage from sin – its public element. We shy away from exposing our faults willingly to others, when that could be of major help to others. We often shift the shame and blame onto convenient scapegoats. Let us instead be willing to suffer reproach when we mess up. Let us be willing to take the hit when we don’t mess up but we get blamed anyway. Reagan had some saying, that it’s amazing how far you can go when you don’t care who gets the credit. I’d say it this way: when you live knowing you’re justified by God in Christ, then blame, shame and credit before men don’t matter as much (I think that’s the point of 1 Cor 4:3).

And this helps us use our trials to grow closer to others, rather than allow our troubles to separate us from others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation."

On opposing sin sinfully

2011-08-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

So we had an interesting discussion lately about how to deal with friends or acquaintances who sin. There is a spectrum from clarity to grace. You can value clarity to such a degree that you demean the person needing correction. Or you can value grace to such a degree that you don't register your opposition to the sin.

And along comes a great example of the first error. Some teacher lost his job for speaking out against gay marriage on his Facebook page. I think it a fine thing to speak against gay marriage, and don't think he should have lost his job. But when he wrote what's below, he didn't do himself any favors on the job front, and he opposed sin sinfully.

“By the way, if one doesn’t like the most recently posted opinion based on biblical principles and God’s laws, then go ahead and unfriend me. I’ll miss you like I miss my kidney stone from 1994. And I will never accept it because God will never accept it. Romans chapter one.”

It's the "You're a pain if you don't agree with me" attitude that is the problem, here, not his position. How are we to win people to the truth and joy of Jesus with that?

On Complaining about Your Church

2011-08-30T11:47:00.000-04:00

Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.
This applies in a special way to the complaints often heard from pastors and zealous members about their congregations. A pastor should never complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men.
. . . let [the pastor or zealous member] nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin, and pray that he may not wrong his brethren. Let him, in the consciousness of his own guilt, make intercession for his brethren. Let him do what he is committed to do, and thank God.

Life Together, trans. John W. Doberstein, (New York: HarperOne, 1954), 29

On maturity

2011-08-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

From Randy Booth's excellent blog:

"One person described maturity this way: 'The ability to stick with a job until it’s finished; the ability to do a job without being supervised; the ability to carry money without spending it; and the ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.'

"My definition of immaturity is two two-year-olds in a room with one toy."

The Lord of the Storm

2011-08-26T14:15:00.000-04:00

Nahum 1:3, 5-8

The LORD has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet....
5 The mountains quake before Him,
The hills melt,
And the earth heaves at His presence,
Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before His indignation?
And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is poured out like fire,
And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7 The LORD is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.
8 But with an overflowing flood
He will make an utter end of its place,
And darkness will pursue His enemies.

The dance of marriage

2011-08-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

Here's a great article on the dance of marriage.
I'll summarize so you'll go read it.

1. The entire dance depends on male leadership.
2. Leadership requires a lot of communication.
3. Many couples need more tension in their lives.
4. Submission and anticipation are contradictions.
- (most enlightening and challenging point!)
5. Submission depends on a lot of communication.
6. Love and gentleness are musts.
7. Have fun learning

A Good Enough Christian

2011-08-24T15:40:00.000-04:00

Over at Stuff Christians Like, there's a great post to go along with my Galatians series, steering us away from performance-based "Christianity" and back to grace.

Earthquake

2011-08-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

So, I just experienced my first earthquake, ever. www.dailypress.com says it was 5.9 magnitude.

I was sitting on our back deck, and thought the wind picked up at first, blowing our umbrella and thus wiggling the table. But the umbrella wasn't moving. My chair and the whole deck wiggled gently for about 10 seconds. Grace was laying on a chair out here with me, and it barely registered with her. By about second 5 I thought it might be an earthquake and looked up at the houses around me, but couldn't see anything moving. I don't think it was that big.

I went inside and Sara thought the kids were just jumping around upstairs. Heh. Owen seemed to have noticed, though.

A non-event as far as damage around town, it sounds like, but pretty interesting to sit through.

Politics and the Gospel

2011-08-23T11:44:00.000-04:00

Here's another "shaving." Something I cut from a paper I'm writing. It just didn't fit there, but it expresses well something I think is important.

I myself am a political conservative and rejoice to find another pastor who is one. But I’m troubled when anyone’s Christianity is defined largely by their political views. God has an opinion on the role of the state, I think, but many Christians don’t understand it, it is hard to get them to understand given so much history and prejudice on the hot topic of politics, and it is ancillary not central to the Gospel. We should have way more grace with political opponents than we do. This does NOT apply to issues that are obviously moral where evil men are devising to subvert God’s law and justice (endorsing abortion, homosexuality, etc.).

Reclaiming shipwrecks by grace

2011-08-19T09:29:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while life takes a turn and then I run into some work of art that speaks directly to it.

That happened to me in the last 12 hours. Here's the poem I just discovered. It conveys grace in the midst of brokenness so well.

WOODEN HEART (sea of mist called skaidan)
We’re all born to broken people on their most honest day of living
and since that first breath... We’ll need grace that we’ve never given
I've been haunted by standard red devils and white ghosts
and it's not only when these eyes are closed
these lies are ropes that I tie down in my stomach,
but they hold this ship together tossed like leaves in this weather
and my dreams are sails that I point towards my true north,
stretched thin over my rib bones, and pray that it gets better
but it won’t won’t, at least I don’t believe it will...
so I've built a wooden heart inside this iron ship,
to sail these blood red seas and find your coasts.
don’t let these waves wash away your hopes
this war-ship is sinking, and I still believe in anchors
pulling fist fulls of rotten wood from my heart, I still believe in saviors
but I know that we are all made out of shipwrecks, every single board
washed and bound like crooked teeth on these rocky shores
so come on and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

I am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made it
but we’re making it taped together on borrowed crutches and new starts
we all have the same holes in our hearts...
everything falls apart at the exact same time
that it all comes together perfectly for the next step
but my fear is this prison... that I keep locked below the main deck
I keep a key under my pillow, it’s quiet and it’s hidden
and my hopes are weapons that I’m still learning how to use right
but they’re heavy and I’m awkward...always running out of fight
so I’ve carved a wooden heart, put it in this sinking ship
hoping it would help me float for just a few more weeks
because I am made out of shipwrecks, every twisted beam
lost and found like you and me scattered out on the sea
so come on let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, just some tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

My throat it still tastes like house fire and salt water
I wear this tide like loose skin, rock me to sea
if we hold on tight we’ll hold each other together
and not just be some fools rushing to die in our sleep
all these machines will rust I promise, but we'll still be electric
shocking each other back to life
Your hand in mine, my fingers in your veins connected
our bones grown together inside
our hands entwined, your fingers in my veins braided
our spines grown stronger in time
because are church is made out of shipwrecks
from every hull these rocks have claimed
but we pick ourselves up, and try and grow better through the change
so come on yall and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, were just tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

credits

from Wooden Heart Poems, released 06 July 2010

A sermon shaving

2011-08-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

Paul’s ministry begins years after his call on the Damascus road.

It’s often said in stories: "his whole life was leading up to this moment." Or "She was born for this." We see it in Esther: “who knows but that you were brought to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Much of our life is preparation for that time. Seek out your calling; prepare well for it; be on the lookout for ways to fulfill your calling.

Face to Face

2011-08-11T09:11:00.002-04:00

Face to Face by Steve Wilkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Steve Wilkins says many things the modern church needs to hear. Wilkins tends to repeat themes from chapter to chapter, but it’s important enough to go through. In our digital world we lack deep friendships and often even the basic social courtesies of life. We need to recover a life of sacrificial love for our neighbor, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. Hospitality is a key ingredient to this love. Recovering a hospitable heart toward others will make us more Christ-like and witness to the world: “See how they love each other.”

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Redwall

2011-08-10T10:03:00.002-04:00

Redwall by Brian Jacques

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Just finished reading this book to the kids. They loved it. It is quite well-written, though the plot was pretty predictable. Delightful additions abounded, though: the hero reconciles bitter enemies along the way. The story upholds and honors courage, enterprise, effort, heritage, defending the weak, and more. Well worth the read.

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Faith only in Jesus

2011-08-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

"Human reason has the law for its object, thinking, 'I have done this; I have not done that.' But faith in itself has no object but Jesus Christ, the Son of God, given up to death for the sins of the whole world. It does not say, 'What have I done? In what have I offended? What have I deserved?' It says, 'What has Christ done? What has he deserved?' He has redeemed you from your sin, from the devil and from eternal death."

Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians. Crossway, 1998: pg 71-72.

Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb

2011-08-05T16:23:00.002-04:00

[On the Triumphal Entry - Matthew 21]

This is the first part of the establishment of the feast of Passover. When Jesus enters Jerusalem, Passover is 4-5 days away. And these verses tell Israel to choose a lamb for the Passover 4 days before it. When Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly, one thing all Israel had on their minds was that they had to pick out their lamb for sacrifice. Jesus' entrance at this time is not just a king coming to His city. He is not just a prophet condemning sin and injustice. He is also a priest offering an unblemished lamb to Israel – take me for your sacrifice. Each Communion celebration we give thanks to God for giving us an unblemished sacrifice.

3/6/11

What God regards

2011-08-05T16:22:00.000-04:00

Psalm 51:17 - "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise."

God despises sin and will not look upon it. When we try to hang on to our sin and still act religious, God will not hear us the prophets say. But when our hearts are broken, our spirits contrite over our sin, God does not despise. He deals with us kindly.

3/6/11

Jesus: the Only Way to God

2011-08-03T22:37:00.002-04:00

Jesus, the Only Way to God: Must You Hear the Gospel to be Saved? by John Piper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Piper wrote this book to demonstrate to the reader the necessity of missions to yet-unreached lands. If people believe that the “innocent” natives who have never heard the Gospel will not be condemned, they will not have a compelling motive for evangelizing them. Piper writes to convince us that conscious faith in the name of Jesus is required for salvation.

Overall this was a good book. Piper makes a convincing case that unreached people are condemned and without excuse. They need to hear about Jesus. Simply seeking the truth is not sufficient, because the name of Jesus must be claimed. This is a powerful impetus to evangelize and seek out the seekers in any tribe or nation.

I think Piper makes an error in his assessment of Cornelius, though. He judges Cornelius to be lost before Peter preaches Christ to him, seeing his situation as identical to an unreached heathen. But Cornelius was a god-fearer with much knowledge of God. He lived during the unique transition from Old to New Covenant, when I believe fearers of the God of Israel were saved if they hadn’t yet heard of the Messiah, Jesus. I don’t think this disagreement changes my basic appreciation for his argument above, though.

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