Mind in Renewal

God, Who is Like You?

2011-01-30T01:39:00.000-05:00

Holy God, with eyes like fire,

What could I do to please You?

Is there anything in me You could desire?

Is there any good that I could do?

Entangled in sin up to my eyes,

Even my “good” deeds are as filth.

I'm worth nothing but the pyre.

O God, who am I before You?

Mighty God, with eyes of flame,

Who am I before You?

I look at the many works that You have made

There is nothing You can't do.

Your deeds are marvelous,

Your wonders are grand,

And I am but a rebellious slave.

What is my worth before You?

Gracious God, who formed my being,

What is my worth before You?

Surely I am dust and filthy as the lowest thing,

And unable to stand before You.

But You formed my inward parts,

And knit me together in the womb.

Every part of me You have always seen.

How do You not see my sin?

Glorious God, with radiant face,

How do you not see my sin?

From my egregious evil You turned Your eyes away.

As Jesus took my place, condemned.

His righteousness now mine,

My penalty paid by Him.

Your holy wrath is now assuaged.

O God, do You love me so?

Wondrous God, who sent Your Son,

Do You love me so?

Five wounds attest the answer yes, the vict'ry's won

You've washed me white as snow.

Nothing in me but what You've done

In You only is my hope.

Bought by Your grace,

You've made me Your son,

God, who is like You?

-Nathan C. Matthews

Thoughts on Bible Reading Plans

2011-01-29T00:13:00.000-05:00

Last January, I made a New Year's resolution to read through the entire Bible in one year, as many people do. I must confess that, though I have stuck with my reading plan, I have not in fact completed the plan yet. Still, I intend on completing this goal, but partly due to some inconsistency in my reading and partly because I have chosen to slow my reading down, I still have two months left. That being said, I thought that I would share my thoughts with you on reading the Bible in a year.

First of all, I think that wanting to read through the Bible is a noble and good desire. And reading the Bible quickly and in large sections has it benefits, if done correctly. Foremost of these benefits in my mind is the overview of the grand story, the meta-narrative. When we read books and chapters at a time, we can sometimes see better how things connect to one another and how the Bible truly is one story, with books written down at different times by different God-inspired authors.

Also, when reading quickly through, we can have a general idea of what each part of the Bible is about. This may allow us to know where to look when specific trials come our way, and have an idea of what areas we would like to study further.

On the other hand, I don't think that it's healthy to normally read Scripture in large portions without digging deeper. The Scriptures are breathed out by God and have riches farther down than we'll ever be able to delve. Therefore, we are called to meditate on God's Word and to write it on our hearts, and I believe that this is best done in smaller portions. I know there are times when I have spent more than an hour simply trying to understand a single verse. Because God's Word is deep and because our hearts are sinful, often we will have to grapple to truly comprehend and appreciate the beauty of this treasure, something that often can't be done with large portions of text.

The one qualm I had with my particular Bible reading plan (The Discipleship Journal Plan) was that often while reading in the Old Testament, I had to read between 3 and 5 chapters at a time to stay on track. Now, this wasn't always that bad, particularly when I was reading through the narrative portions, but especially when I tried to read books like Isaiah or Lamentations, I simply wished I could have had more time to take it in.

All in all, I think that trying to read the Bible in a year is a worthwhile endeavor and I think that I may attempt to do so every few years. But, I also believe that this should be accompanied with careful and specific study in the Word.

A Blog in Renewal

2011-01-17T20:24:00.000-05:00

So, it's been a while since I last blogged. I've been on an unplanned, but needed break to refocus myself and organize my life a little more. But, it's good to be back with a renewed vision for this blog and how to carry it out.

As always, my ultimate goal for this blog is that God would be glorified. To this end, my posts will continue to be for the purpose of edifying other believers and pointing them further to God's Word and His glory in the cross. However, I feel that a couple of changes are in order.

First, I will be making a greater effort to post more original content. At times, I have felt that this blog has simply been a compilation of what other people are writing and creating. While I will continue to post content from other blogs, I simply will be writing more myself and posting here.

Secondly, I want the posts that I write to be more Bible-saturated. Because of this, I will be writing more about what I am wrestling with and thinking through in Scripture. And the things which I write about which are not directly Scriptural I want to be more obviously biblically informed and grounded.

These are my two New Year's resolutions of sorts for this blog- 17 days after the fact, but I pray not too late.

Did Jesus Get Sick?

2010-12-13T11:51:00.001-05:00

Russell Moore always does a great job of answering questions with insight and candor. His latest question deals with whether or not Jesus got sick, something that may seem inconsequential on its face, but I think Dr. Moore answers this question particularly well. Check it out:

It just doesn’t seem right to us to imagine Jesus feverish or vomiting. But that’s precisely the scandal. It didn’t seem right to many to imagine Jesus as really flesh and bone, filled with blood and intestines and urine. Somehow that seemed to detract from his deity. It surely didn’t seem right to many to imagine the only begotten of the Father twisting in pain on a crucifixion stake, screaming as he drowned in his own blood. This was humiliating, undignified. That’s just the point. Jesus joined us in our humiliation, in our indignity.

Donate to The Gospel Coalition

2010-12-06T11:45:00.001-05:00

I have decided to take part in a contest to raise funds for the the Gospel Coalition. The competition is being held through the website razoo, a website which allows nonprofit organizations to fundraise through creating web pages where donors can give money as they wish.

For those of you who don't know about the Gospel Coalition, it is basically an organization whose main purpose is to see Christians live Gospel-centered lives by equipping them with resources to do so. For more information, you can visit their website or watch this video.

I would ask that you please support the Gospel Coalition by donating at my page. You can also donate using the widget on the side of the blog.

I would rarely ask anyone to give money to anything of mine, but all funds go directly to the Gospel Coalition and I think that this is more than a worthy cause to give to. I have listed my reasons for making raising funds here:

I am a college student at West Viriginia University who plans on going into full-time ministry. I have joined this fundraising campaign for several reasons.

1) The Gospel Coalition has provided with many resources to help keep my life Gospel-centered. Particularly, I subscribe to several blogs and will be attending their conference this coming year. These things consistently point me to the cross and help to equip me to lead a godly life. Therefore, making this fundraising page is really just a small way to say thanks.

2) The Gospel should always be first and foremost in our lives. This is the main premise of the Gospel Coalition and to that end they work. In my opinion, any organization that aims for such godly things should be supported and promoted.

3) Not only does the Gospel Coalition want to see those who are Christians living lives that are Gospel-saturated, but in addition they want to see the Gospel proclaimed to the ends of the earth for the purpose of many people coming to know, understand and accept the Gospel. This is a high aim and one that I support wholeheartedly.

My prayer for this page is that many would donate and that all would be done for the glory of God.

P.S.- for full disclosure, yes I would like to win this competition and I am grateful for the DVD that The Gospel Coalition is giving out. However, I think that my chances at winning this competition are very slim and hope that this campaign competition will truly be used by God to continue to equip Christians everywhere for living Gospel-centered lives.

Thank you!

The Gospel is NOT... A Datum

2010-12-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

(This is the third post in the series "The Gospel is NOT...")

The Gospel is NOT... A Set of Rules

The Gospel is NOT... A Political Party, Ideal or System

3. A Datum: Sorry to use such an unconventional word here, but my main point in this post is that while the Gospel is factual, it is not merely a set of facts.

When talking about the Gospel, we must recognize that we are presented with radical truth claims about who God is, who Jesus Christ is, who we are, what our greatest need is and how that need can be met. On one hand, this means that we cannot simply say we believe in the Gospel and not understand what that actually means. This is why we must be so careful to present and understand the Gospel correctly. Yes, it can be presented in a variety of ways and in different contexts but the core truths cannot be changed. Otherwise, we will not have the Gospel, but a false one.

On the other hand, simply agreeing with these truth claims does not equate a reception of the Gospel. These truths must be understood and accepted, but they call for radical change. The truth of Jesus Christ calls us to confess and repent (turn away) of our sin and to trust and rely on Jesus alone to save us. One can agree with the truthfulness of Scripture and still not have saving faith. One may even be able to know how to defend Christianity historically and logically and still not have saving faith. We cannot simply say that we accept these things; we must trust in them.

It may help to have an example. I believe that the Earth is 93 million miles away from the sun and that it orbits it every 365.25 days. I can validate this scientifically and mathematically and I can show you well documented proof of these facts. However, they have nearly no effect on my daily life. I don't get up every morning and think about how the light had to travel 93 million miles to get to where I am. I don't adjust my daily routine because the Earth's orbit is 365.25 days.

Those who have saving faith are entirely different. They take the facts of the Gospel and stake their entire life on them. They will not be able to go on living as they once did before their encounter with these glorious truths. True saving faith will produce a radical change in their hearts and in their lives, a radical change that is not the basis of our faith, but the result of it.

Christians and World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T16:25:00.001-05:00

Russell Moore has some helpful and convicting thoughts on World AIDS Day. He closes his article with this:

I wonder how many of us will hear the words from our Galilean emperor, “I had AIDS and you weren’t afraid to come near me.”

And so, if we love Jesus, our churches should be more aware of the cries of the curse, including the curse of AIDS, than the culture around us. Our congregations should welcome the AIDS-infected, and we shouldn’t be afraid to hug them as we would hug our Christ. Our congregations should be on the forefront of missions to AIDS-ravaged regions of the world. Our families should be willing to welcome those orphaned by this global scourge.

Through it all, we should be insistent in gospel proclamation. To those whose blood has become their own enemy, we should announce blood they know not of, the blood of One who can cleanse them of all unrighteousness, just as it cleansed us (1 Jn. 1:7); the blood of One who is forever immune to sin and death and hell (Jn. 6:53-56).

Jesus loves the world, and the world has AIDS. Jesus identifies himself with the least of these, and many of them have AIDS. Jesus calls us to recognize him in the depths of suffering, and there’s AIDS there too.

Jesus has AIDS.

The Achilles' Heel of the Next Generation

2010-11-29T16:08:00.002-05:00

This video has been around for a little while, but I thought it would be helpful to share it here as well:

The Trellis and the Vine: A Review

2010-11-13T00:29:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I finished reading The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift that Changes Everything by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. While I many reviews have already been written on the book (for one such review, see here), I didn't think it would hurt to add one more endorsement.

In The Trellis and the Vine, the authors seek to look at some of what has been accepted as the "norm" within the Church in recent years and challenge their readers to compare these to Scripture, and particularly the mandate to "make disciples" (Matt. 28:19). Beginning from an explanation of what God Himself is doing in our world, they continue on, describing our part in this work, which is to be disciple-making disciples. From there, they continue to explain how this is worked out in a local body, addressing concerns and appealing to Scripture all along the way.

All in all, the book is an invaluable resource in regards to church ministry. The book is easy to understand, applicable, and, I believe, pertinent to the church at this time. I would recommend this book to all in the body of Christ.

Matt Chandler's Latest Update

2010-11-12T12:29:00.000-05:00

A while ago, I posted about Matt Chandler, pastor at The Village Church in Texas and his battle with brain cancer. Though I have failed to post all of his updates here, I thought that it was important that I share this one with you (you can see all of Matt's updates throughout the year here):

(you can see all of Matt's updates throughout the year here)

(HT: Vitamin Z)

The Gospel is NOT... A Political Party, Ideal or System

2010-11-05T00:25:00.002-04:00

(This is the second post in the series, "The Gospel is NOT...")

The Gospel is NOT... A Set of Rules

2. A Political Party, Ideal or System: Considering that this is the week of the midterm elections, this post seems particularly relevant.

Because of America's founding on certain Biblical principles and the feeling among some that we are somehow a "Christian nation", I think that there is a peculiar presence of those who hold to certain political stances as being distinctly Christian. For instance, some may think that those who do not believe in a democratic republic form of government as the best form of government are in some way unchristian. They couldn't fathom being a Christian and also in support of a monarchy or other forms of government. However, there have been Christians throughout the ages who have lived and died as good citizens of governments that were anything but democratic.

Likewise, in the political sphere, there a many Christians who on both sides of the fence politically. I have friends who genuinely disagree about the role government has in meeting the needs of people and wear the label "liberal", "libertarian" and "conservative" accordingly. But these friends also realize that the Gospel is what is central and ultimate, not their political views. Certainly, there are issues that have grave moral significance and are much easier to think through from a Biblical perspective. For instance, the Bible is clear about the moral nature of abortion. However, the fact that two people agree that abortion is wrong does not mean that the they will also agree on economic policy, or that being a Christian means that one must be for or against limited government, welfare or any other number of issues. God has blessed us with wisdom and logic to think through these things- indeed it is our responsibility to do so- but we should not expect that we will always be in agreement or that taking one stance is necessarily more in line with the Gospel than another.

In other words, believing the Gospel will not lead anyone to take a particular governmental or political stance. The converse is true as well. Being a Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative or anything else will not save you. Jesus will not come back and ask what political party you were affiliated with. This may seem silly, but sometimes it seems that people think this way. They appear to find it unfathomable that those who call themselves "Christian" would not share their views.

But the root problem with all of this is that we are putting an extra requirement on people that the Bible gives no credence for. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. It's not that we have to have faith and be registered as a Republican. It's not that we believe in Christ and support the Democratic party. It's that we believe in Christ, who told us to submit to the government (no matter the structure) [Rom. 13:1] and who said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). We trust in Him who will one day put all governments beneath His feet and rule as our perfect, praiseworthy King (1 Cor, 15:26-27; Rev. 19:16). It is from Him that we receive salvation, and no earthly power.

Solace of Silence

2010-11-04T16:08:00.001-04:00

Solace of Silence

Silence.

Quiet.

Calm.

To where have they gone?

Though we long, we yearn... we scream for them,

Instead we’re encased

in this cacophony of

DRIP! DRIP! DROP!

CLICK! CLICK! CLACK!

CLING! KINK! CLANG!

Bustling, hustling and jostling around us.

A swarm, a tempest, a tsunamic wave

Crashes upon our ears,

Splinters our thoughts,

Corrodes our concentration,

And attacks our minds.

Where is the peace

Of a cool summer breeze?

Where is the serenity

Of a mountain lake?

Where is the mute

Solace of silence

That brings lucidity, clarity, and health to our souls?

It is not to be found, my friend,

On the lofty peaks of the Rockies,

In the deep valleys of Appalachia;

Neither in the trees of the Amazon,

Nor in the waters of Lake Victoria,

No, no, it cannot be found there

For even there the tranquility will end

Even there Noise will intrude,

For our lack is within us,

Though our desire without,

And that need of calmness only One can fill:

The One who still cries out

“Be still!”

And bids these waves of clamor subside

-Nathan C. Matthews

The Gospel Is NOT... A Set of Rules

2010-10-29T16:43:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I think it is helpful to understand what something is through negative understanding, or by understanding what something is not. Particularly, the more complex and important an issue is, the more beneficial it is that we hear something taught in a variety of ways. Therefore, I will be posting several posts on what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is NOT:

1. A set of rules: Commonly, it is said that Christianity is not a religion. By this most people mean that true Christianity is not simply a list of things that one must or must not do, which is entirely correct. While God's law certainly is still valid, those who try to abide by the His law will certainly die (1 Cor. 15:56). You see, the law was and is meant to show us our sin, because we could never keep it no matter how hard we try. This should lead us to depend on Jesus because He is the only one that was able to obey the law perfectly. It is by faith in Him that we are saved, not by anything we do or don't do (Eph. 2:8-9).

Does this mean that if we place our faith in Jesus, then we can do whatever we want? Paul asks it this way:
"Shall we sin that grace may abound more?", a question he then answers with an emphatic "By no means!" (Romans 6:1-2). You see, if we truly have an understanding of God's grace within our lives and the gravity of our sin, our failure to keep the law, then our faith will be real, and as James tells us, our faith will produce works as a result (James 2:26). In other words, it is out of our love for Christ that we will obey His law, not because we are seeking to prove ourselves to God or make ourselves good enough, because we never could. Jesus did what we never could, took our punishment for breaking the law and offers His free gift of salvation to all who believe.

Sam Harris Believes in God?

2010-10-25T16:03:00.000-04:00

Newsweek has just come out with an article on the well-known militant "new atheist", Sam Harris and his belief in "God". The article explores how Sam Harris is not so willing to go by the label atheist because he "concedes he believes in something certain people call 'God'." While the article goes on to explain Sam Harris' belief in "spirituality" and that this belief is not in "God, but consciousness", the most troubling aspect I found was the statistic that "a quarter of Americans believe that God is 'an impersonal force'", and as Newsweek goes on to explain:

When polled about God, “people substitute in their own ideas,” says John Green, senior research adviser at Pew. “People have a vague, fuzzy notion of transcendence, and they substitute God for it...When you try to make the definition more specific, fewer people answer in the affirmative.” Or put another way, “If you let the concept of God float a little bit, almost everybody is a theist,” says Stephen Prothero, author of God Is Not One. What Sam Harris believes in—rationality, morality, transcendence, humility, awe, community, selflessness, and love—meets a fairly common definition of God.

My friends, this is the reality of living in a postmodern world. As time goes on, I believe that the real challenge to the Church will not be convincing people that there is a god, but showing people that the God of the Bible is the only true and living God.

Loving and Thinking

2010-10-11T20:57:00.001-04:00

Here's a good quote from John Piper's new book, Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God

The main reason that thinking and loving are connected is that we cannot love God without knowing God; and the way we know God is by the Spirit-enabled use of our minds. So to “love God with all your mind” means engaging all your powers of thought to know God as fully as possible in order to treasure him for all he is worth.

God is not honored by groundless love. In fact, there is no such thing. If we do not know anything about God, there is nothing in our mind to awaken love. If love does not come from knowing God, there is no point calling it love for God. There may be some vague attraction in our heart or some unfocused gratitude in our soul, but if they do not arise from knowing God, they are not love for God.

HT: Zach Nielsen

Treasuring Him- Sermon Jam

2010-10-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

The Unspeakable Gift of Jesus

2010-09-25T19:40:00.000-04:00

O God of grace,
teach me to know that grace

precedes,
accompanies, and
follows

my salvation;
that it sustains the redeemed soul,
that not one link of its chain can ever break.
From Calvary’s cross, wave upon wave of grace

reaches me,
deals with my sin,
washes me clean,
renews my heart,
strengthens my will,
draws out my affection,
kindles a flame in my soul,
rules throughout my inner man,
consecrates my every thought, word, work,
teaches me Your immeasurable love.

How great are my privileges in Christ Jesus.

Without him I stand far off, a stranger, an outcast.
in him I draw near and touch His kingly scepter.
Without him I dare not lift up my guilty eyes;
in him I gaze upon my Father-God and friend.
Without him I hide my lips in trembling shame;
in him I open my mouth in petition and praise.
Without him all is wrath and consuming fire.
in him is all love, and the repose of my soul.
Without him is gaping hell below me, and eternal anguish.
in him its gates are barred to me by His precious blood!
Without him darkness spreads its horrors before me.
in him an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon.
Without him all within me is terror and dismay,
in him every accusation is charmed into joy and peace.
Without him all things external call for my condemnation;
In him they minister to my comfort, and are to be enjoyed with thanksgiving.

Praise be to You for grace,
and for the unspeakable gift of Jesus.

—”Privileges,” from The Valley of Vision

HT: Justin Taylor

Doug Wilson on Glenn Beck

2010-09-21T00:52:00.000-04:00

A good word from Doug Wilson:

Ask Doug: Glenn Beck from Canon Wired on Vimeo.

HT: Mere Orthodoxy

Jesus and the Elephant

2010-09-20T00:08:00.005-04:00

There is an old Indian story that is often used to express relativity of or the impossibility of knowing truth.

Basically, the story goes that there were several blind men all touching the same elephant, wondering as to what it was.

The first man, touching the ear of the elephant said "Surely this thing is thin and papery."

The second man, feeling the elephant's trunk said, "I agree that the thing is thin, but it is certainly not papery, but rough and round."

A third man, with his hand on the leg of the elephant, responded, "My brother, I agree that this thing is round and rough, but I must say that it is thicker than my thigh."

Still another, feeling the tail of the animal, said "I don't understand how any of you could think this thing is thick or rough, it is clearly thin as my little finger, and besides that, it has hair on the end."

So the four of them debated the nature of the elephant, unwilling to back down from their convictions or to consider the possibility that any of the other men could be right.

At the end of this story the question is then asked, "Which man was correct?" The expected answer is that all of them were equally correct, they just didn't have the complete picture. Or if the answer is that none were correct, then the response is that this is because no one can fully comprehend the truth and, in that we are all equally wrong, we are all equally right in the part that we do know.

Then, to end the story, the point is revealed, "So is truth".

What as Christians, should we do with this old tale? We could just ignore it and say that it is not in fact representative of reality. Or we could use this story as a Gospel opportunity.

We, as Christians, clearly believe that the truth is knowable through Jesus Christ and that this truth excludes all other views claiming to be truth. So, how does Jesus fit into this story? I would alter the story as follows:

While the four men debated the nature of the elephant, a fifth man, who was not blind, came upon them. Hearing their arguments, he said "Brothers, I tell you that that which you debate about is an elephant, and the attributes that you argue about are all present in different functions within this animal; but none of you have seen the complete picture."

For a minute, the men considered what the new man had said. But, one of them replied, "Why should we believe you? How can you claim that you are any more correct than we?

The man responded, "I too was once like you, blind and stubborn in my way. But as I was hobbling about one day, a man named Jesus came and touched me, removing my blindness. Now I can see this and much more. And you too, can see, if only you'll believe in Jesus and his healing power."

"Why should we believe you? What proof do you have that you can see any better than we can? And even if you can "see", why should we believe that you're not just trying to take advantage of us?"

And so the man tried to reason with them, but could not change their stubborn hearts. He went away sad.

Without Jesus Christ, we are all blind to the truth. We may know some things that are true, but we will never know the truth unless He opens our spiritual eyes. And the truth is not an elephant, it is a person, Jesus Christ.

The Gospel

2010-09-18T10:54:00.000-04:00

It's been way too long, but I've finally finished "The Gospel". You can access it under the pages heading to the right. I encourage you to check it out.

Fatherlessness by Odd Thomas

2010-09-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Gal. 4:4-5)

Love, Righteousness and Doctrine

2010-09-10T11:09:00.000-04:00

In his commentary on The Epistles of John, James Montgomery Boice, lays out the intricate relation between love, righteousness and doctrine in the Christian life:

Love without righteousness is immorality.
Righteousness without doctrine is legalism.
Doctrine without love is bitter orthodoxy (Pharisaism).

As Christians, we need all three.

You Need a Mother Very Badly

2010-09-09T11:50:00.005-04:00

Brett Harris, who lost his mother earlier this year has posted this poem:

You need a mother very badly!

   she always used to say

And I agreed when loads of laundry needed washing

       or when my stomach stole my lunch and

               held it ransom for a midday snack, and I

       always told her she was right

                            because it made her

       Smile, knowing she was loved.

Then I left for college and suddenly what I needed was

        George Washington's face times five

                Once for washing,

                         again for drying

    And my face on a keycard

           fed me three times a day

    Sometimes more if I

           could stash a snack in Styrofoam for later.

But I still called her on the phone and she

             still told me I'd be lost without her, and I

     always told her she was right

                         because it made her

       Laugh, knowing she was loved.

Summer came and went, and she

      never said, You need a mother very badly,

and we never told her we'd be lost without her

                     because it made her

       Cry, knowing she was fading.

But life goes on, and we're still living

      lungs keep breathing, hearts keep beating

            heavier perhaps, but steady as the world turns, and I

don't always think about the reasons why

      she needed to be needed so

                     because it always makes me

       Weep...

       knowing I was loved.

(HT: Josh Harris)

What is the Bible Basically about?

2010-09-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

A great video from Tim Keller:

People in Need of Change

2010-09-04T13:55:00.000-04:00

Let me just get straight to the point with this review: Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp is a book I believe every Christian needs to read; I cannot recommend it highly enough. In his book, Tripp takes Scripture and the Gospel and applies it to life in such a way that everything we thought we knew about counseling and ministry is turned upside down.

In the first part of the book, Tripp dispels the notion that ministry and are primarily done by ministers. The truth is instead, that most of this is done by the "normal" Christians as they come into contact with friends, family, and others who are going through difficult situations. The counseling and ministry comes as those people seek help and an ear from us. Secondly, he rejects the idea that changing behavior is our goal. Every issue is a heart issue and, therefore, our goal in every situation should be to see the heart changed through the Holy Spirit's work in us. Thirdly, he counters the view of many that the Bible is simply an encyclopedia of counsel or, in other words, a book which we come to looking for advice on a specific topic. To the contrary, we need to see what the Bible says as a whole, taking into account its view of God, man, sin and the world, and from there we begin to apply its message to our specific situation. The last thing I'll mention that Tripp talks about in this section is the idea of incarnational living. We are to be Christ and represent the Gospel in what we say and do in various situations.

In the second part of the book, Tripp lays out his plan for biblically counseling others, which he summarizes in four steps: love, know, speak and do. Before anything, we are to love the other person or people we are counseling, as Christ loves them. We are to get to know them well and have an understanding of their situation lest we simply throw verses or advice at them that may not actually be helpful. Then, once we have gathered information about the situation, we are to lovingly confront the people involved (confrontation here is not meant to be seen in light of its present negative connotation, but instead in it positive biblical meaning). Lastly, once the person has responded to the correction, it is necessary to have a plan of action to deal with the problem. This process is lengthy and hard, but it is biblical and right. And as we help people we too will be helped because everyone of us are, as the subtitle says, people in need of change.

Once again, I just encourage you to read this book and see how God uses broken vessels like us to be His instruments in accomplishing His glorious will.

The Gospel: the Greatest News in all the World

2010-08-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

I'm just going to let this video speak for itself:

A New Season

2010-08-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

For those of you reading this blog that might not know, last Wednesday I officially became a college student, and entered a new season of life. On the front in of this new change, I would like to tell you that God has certainly pressed a couple things on my heart.

The first is this, that I am to use my time right now for God's glory and according to His will. Though I do plan on going to seminary after college and becoming a pastor at some point after that, I cannot live as if my life and ministry will not start until then. What a horrible thing it would be to waste this college experience when there is so much to do. Instead, by God's grace, and as much as I am able, I intend to spread the Gospel, learn from the Word and others, encourage other believers, and continue to grow in living out a life that is pleasing to Him. This is where God wants me to be right now.

The second thing that God is really pressing on my heart is the need to be bold in spreading His name anywhere I go. There are so many people who need to hear the Gospel. My prayer is that God would help me to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-16) and that I would be able to say, with Paul that "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" (Romans 1:16).

I just pray that, in the end, my time here is glorifying to God. Soli Deo Gloria.

5 People I'd Love to Meet

2010-08-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

The following list is limited to those that I'd admire who are living in the United States presently. There are many people throughout history and around the world who I would love to meet, however I have limited it this way for simplicity.

Also, this list is more representative than exact. That is, there are other people who I would be honored to meet for the same reasons as some of those on this list.

1. John Piper- At a young age, I was drawn to the power of God through the preaching and passion of John Piper. I have learned countless things from his teaching, foremost of which is his classic phrase that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. John Piper is without a doubt my biggest hero that I've never met. I would love few things more than just to sit and talk with this man whom God has used and exalt in the glory of God with him.

2. Steven Curtis Chapman- I have long respected and appreciated the musical work of Steven Curtis Chapman. Several of his songs still remain among my all-time favorites. However, I do not put Mr. Chapman on this list for his creative abilities. Rather, Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the greatest modern examples of faith in the midst of loss, in my opinion.

In 2008, Mr. Chapman's youngest daughter, Marie Sue was killed in an accident at the Chapman home. Though must have been unimaginably painful, in less than a year Mr. Chapman and his family were on Larry King expressing their deep faith in Christ, even among such sorrow. I would love to sit down and talk with this man who has suffered so much and remained faithful to God in the midst of such incomprehensible loss.

3. Joni Eareckson Tada- A quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada has also been an amazing testimony to the love and goodness of God in incredible suffering. Ms. Tada has been in a wheelchair since she was in her late teens, and she has used the majority of her time since then sharing with others how God saved her and worked such horrific circumstances for His glory. I'm amazed at this woman who God has used so mightily and would love to sit down and learn from her.

4. Billy Graham- Billy Graham has been preaching and spreading the Gospel for just a few decades short of a century. He has been all over the world and won more respect worldwide than virtually anyone else alive. In a day in which we so many men and women of faith, politicians, musicians, leaders, and heroes of all kinds fall in the worst ways, it is refreshing to see one man who has stood faithfully for so long. It would be an immense blessing to sit down and talk with this stalwart and longstanding figure of the faith.

5. Glenn Beck- You may be surprised that I would include Glenn Beck among the likes of John Piper and Billy Graham. However, my immense respect for Mr. Beck has nothing at all to do with his religious views and little to do with his political views. Instead, I place Glenn Beck on this list because, despite the fact that he is perhaps the most hated man in the media and has been disowned from people on every side of the aisle, he has seemed to speak his honest opinions with a boldness I would love to emulate. It would be quite exciting to sit down with this man and, if he is truly who he claims to be, talk about the world.

These are some of the men and women who have inspired me throughout my life. I would be blessed to sit down for an hour with any one of these examples of courage, faith, passion, faithfulness, and boldness.

Who would you like to meet if you had your choice?

Randy Alcorn Makes Minimum Wage?

2010-08-02T21:56:00.000-04:00

Mark Driscoll, over at The Resurgence, interviews Randy Alcorn about why he can no longer earn above minimum wage. It's a video well worth watching.

God's Masterpiece

2010-07-29T23:08:00.000-04:00

This a great little film about being God's masterpiece by The Skit Guys. I hope that it encourages and edifies you as it has me.

The Christian Life

2010-07-23T13:26:00.000-04:00

This life, therefore, is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness
not health but healing,
not being but becoming,
not rest but exercise,
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it;
the process is not yet finished but it is going on;
this is not the end but it is the road.
All does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.

-Martin Luther, quoted in Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp

Stuff Christians Like: an Audiobook Review

2010-07-17T13:03:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking for a while how I would approach reviewing Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff. To begin with, listening to an audiobook always feels a little awkward (this is only the third one I've ever listened to), and Acuff's book is not exactly one that would normally be grouped with the books I usually read (John Piper, John MacArthur, CJ Mahaney, etc.)

However, I say neither of these things to discredit Acuff or say that I disliked it. To the contrary, as an overall statement I enjoyed Stuff Christians Like immensely. It had me laughing and thinking deeply about some things that deserve much thought. But before I get into that more, let me express the purpose of this book.

In his book, Jon Acuff uses satire as a means of communicating the absurdity of certain things that Christians do, or that are associated with Christians. And he does this as a Christian, often poking as much fun at himself (if not more so) than others. Acuff uses his satire expertly, in such a way that he is able to disarm the reader (or listener, in my case) and present a side of an issue that they might not otherwise listen to. However, there was at least one time when listening to the audiobook when I was confused as to what Acuff was trying to defend. Also, one caveat I would give is that, once or twice, I feel that I would have used different words or language than he used in the book. But I maintain that any such language was minimal.

For all the sarcasm and the laughs that came from it, at times, I was saddened by some of the things Acuff pointed out. It is unfortunate that Christians are perceived in certain negative lights. But it is especially unfortunate that Christians are perceived this way often because these things are true.

The final chapter of this book, in my opinion, was the most helpful. In it, Acuff puts aside the sarcasm and bares his heart for all to see. Much of what he says in that chapter resonates with my own soul, and how I too often rely on and love Christ too little, and depend on myself too much.

Ultimately, I am thankful for what God has taught me through Jonathan Acuff in this book. It was good to let down my guard enough to be able to laugh at myself and the foolish things I (and others) try to do to impress others or earn favor with God. I recommend this book to you if you can spare your pride long enough to read it (or listen).

NOTE: I would recommend listening to this book rather than reading it for two reasons. 1) There is something about hearing the author's sarcastic, satirical tone that is simply irreplaceable. 2) There are a few points throughout the book where Acuff stops reading for a few minutes to give background or extra information regarding what he is saying.

Piper's Caution to the Young, Restless, and Reformed Crowd

2010-07-14T11:59:00.000-04:00

Justin Taylor shares John Piper's advice to New Calvinists. Whether you are a New Calvinist or not, I believe all Christians should hear this. I urge you to take five minutes out of your day and watch this video.

As a young Calvinist and, therefore, a part of the "New Calvinism" crowd, I find this word of advice extremely relevant and in need of being heeded. Thank you John Piper, you have expressed where my heart is better than I could once again.

Memorial to a Father

2010-07-06T12:29:00.000-04:00

About two weeks ago, an excellent local surgeon by the name of Robert Rudolph passed away. While I did not know Dr. Rudolph personally, I went to school with his two sons and had seen him on occasion through the years.

Recently in a post on Facebook, one of Dr. Rudolph's daughters wrote a tribute to her father that I would like to share here with you. Whether you knew Dr. Rudolph or not, I encourage you to read this moving tribute to a remarkable man.

"Memorial for My Dad":

I’ve spent my whole life sharing my dad. It used to bother me when his beeper was relentless. His cell phone stuck to his ear. And then blue tooth came out…don’t even get me started on the blue tooth and the many conversations I thought I was having with him, but really he was having with someone buzzing in his ear. We’d be talking about something like my kids and then suddenly he’d be discussing someone’s colon or urine output, the light bulb would turn on and I’d then realize my conversation was being cheated on. There were moments that I thought about writing my name on a chart and dropping on the table in front of him to earn some time with him. It always made me mad to share him, until one day...

One day someone thanked me for sharing him. They told me their amazing story about how my dad and his blessed, skilled hands had healed their loved one. I then realized I shared my dad for thousands of reasons and they were all lives that he had touched. shared my dad because God was making it possible through my dad’s hands to save lives. My dad was giving other people their dads, their moms, their brothers, sisters, spouses, and the list continues on. Growing up, I spent hours at the hospitals learning which nurses would provide popsicles and pop. What stools on wheels were best to race on in the hallways, where the Xerox copiers were and what old school computers would print off pictures of Snoopy made from stars. But, best of all I got to see what amazingness my dad’s hands were capable of. I saw him advocate for his patients, shake hands, hug the families, I saw his handy work surrounding me. I saw God’s miracles through my dad. His hands…………My dad’s hands. My sister Julie admired my dad’s hands after he passed. It was a beautiful moment when she held onto him remembering all the stitches he had sown, all the lives had touched, all the surgeries he had performed.

As I remember his hands and talk about his work I can hear my dad in my head and the lecture begins, “Jennifer, you’re missing the point! Tell them about how God created my hands; tell them about how God used a stubborn doubting man of science to show His love through healing and hard work. Tell them about how God forgave me and how God used my greatest weaknesses for His greatest glories in my life.”

My dad was a strong man in his scrubs with scalpel in hand, but he always struggled with family. Family was his weakness. And God waited patiently for my dad to ask for help. When my dad finally realized that he needed God and came to God desperately seeking Him in all aspects of his life, God began to work miracles in our family. Beautiful, healing, awe-inspiring, loving miracles.

Although my dad absolutely, undeniably loved surgery and medicine, I believe that if you asked his greatest accomplishments in his 60 years, he would list his relationship with Jesus Christ and his family at the top. When the Rudolph family began multiplying my dad said he didn’t know how he felt about being a grandfather. We teased him about what the kids would call him and Sarah tried persistently to train the girls to call him “Pap-Paw.” It didn’t take long for Launa to wrap my dad around her little finger and he came running when he heard “Granddad.” One of my favorite memories will always be when I was pregnant with my second daughter and my husband Nate was out of town. So my dad offered to take Launa to the motocross track with Jonathan for the day, and it sounded like a great idea. Around 9p.m., they brought Launa home filthy dirty with a diaper that probably weighted 5lbs. sagging down to her knees causing her to walk like a duck, and on a caffeine-high from Lord knows how much sweet tea. The whole point of the trip was to give me some rest, and when Launa returned I was up until close to 2a.m. trying to go to sleep! Needless to say, my dad earned the title Granddad quickly through spoiling and returning her home to me. God uses our weakness to show how strong He can be for us when we need Him the most. And my dad’s life is a magnificent illustration of how God shows up big when we allow Him in our hearts.

11 years ago we lost my mom to colon cancer and I distinctly remember thinking how cruel it was that the world around me just continued on like nothing had changed, like no saint was lost, like no lives were devastated. I left my mom’s memorial service mad at the world, mad at God, closed fisted and ticked off. After a few years of bitterness and anger, I slowly began to see how awesome God’s plan was; how he was trying to hand me pieces of joy, but I had my hands closed to him. And when I opened my hands and allowed him into my heart he showed up big and small. He showed me how He healed my mom by bringing her home. He showed me the extended family I could have because she was home with Him. He gave me sisters and sisters and more sisters! He revealed how beautiful my mom’s faith was through her notes and Bible and sisters in Christ who continue to share stories about my mom. He continues to reveal His plan and I ask us all to leave our hands open today so that we can receive His love, His comfort; and I pray we keep our eyes and hearts open to His will so that we don’t miss the many blessings that will pour out from how God used my dad’s life. As I stand before you today, I look around at how the world continues on after the death of my dad and how glorious and beautiful it makes the world that we can keep going and the thread of my dad’s life continues on through us.
I leave you with this scripture, 1 Corinthians 15: 50-57:
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Glories of Christ

2010-07-01T12:57:00.000-04:00

John Flavel, a preacher who preceded the great American preacher Jonathan Edwards by about fifty years wrote a series of sermons entitled The Fountain of Life Opened Up in 1671. In the opening letter, he writes:

My dear and hounoured friends
If my pen were both able, and at leisure, to get glory in paper, it would be but a paper glory when I had gotten it; but if by displaying the transcendent excellency of Jesus Christ, I may win glory to Him from you, to whom I humbly offer them, or from any other into whose hands providence shall cast them, that will be glory indeed, and an occasion of glorifying God for all eternity...
Alas! I write His praises but by moon light; I cannot praise Him so much as by halves. Indeed, no tongue but His own (as Nazianzen said of Basil) is sufficient to undertake that task. What shall I say of Christ? The excelling glory of that object dazzles all apprehension, swallows up all expression. When we have borrowed metaphors from every creature that has any excellencey or lovely property in it, till we have stript the whole creation bare of all its ornaments, and clothed Christi with all that glory; when we have even worn out our tongues, in ascribing praises to Him, alas! we have done nothing, when all is done.

I'm Back

2010-06-24T11:41:00.001-04:00

Once again, I apologize for being gone so long. I've wanted to write for some time now, but I've just been so busy. However, now that summer is here and life is (somewhat) settled down, I'm back indefinitely.

Just to catch you up on some of what's been going on in my life, I thought I would list a few big events that explain some of the busyness in my life.

1. Together for the Gospel: This conference was amazing once again. There are few things more invigorating than spending time listening to and fellowshipping with mighty men of God. If you haven't heard them yet, you can download or watch the sermons, panel discussions and breakout sessions (I went to see Kevin DeYoung) online.

2. High School Graduation: Wow, I don't think I've fully let this one sink in completely yet. It was such a blessing to see so many of my family and friends come to see me graduate. I am humbled by the many godly and helpful people that God has placed in my life.

3. World Changers- Tulsa: I just got back from a week-long mission trip to Tulsa, OK with the older members of my youth group. This was the first time I've ever been involved with World Changers, which is a Southern Baptist short term mission organization, and it was well worth the time and energy.

Anyway, that's just some of what's been going on in my life. It's all been a blessing from God, but I'm glad to be back home, and back in the blogosphere.

I'll be back soon...

2010-05-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

Dear readers of "Mind in Renewal",

I am truly sorry I've been gone for close to a month now. I have missed sharing my thoughts and the thoughts of others with you for this time. I have failed to organize my time as best I could and unfortunately it was this blog that paid the price.

However, no matter how much time I take away from this blog, my plan is always to come back. So, I plan on regularly posting in about a week or so. I hope you'll wait for me.

Dependent on the grace of God alone,
Daniel

Matt Chandler on the Gospel

2010-03-06T15:25:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I didn't post this video earlier. This is Matt Chandler, who I have mentioned before speaking for the 20/20 Collegiate Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Unfortunately, he was unable to actually make the conference. However, this is his fill-in video.

He speaks on making the Gospel explicit:

Matt Chandler - 20/20 2010 Session 1 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.

The Tragedy of Tiger Woods

2010-02-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

As many know, Tiger Woods gave a public speech today for the first time since his marital infidelties were revealed about 3 months ago. I will not pretend to commend or defend what he has done. His actions were horrible and it grieves me to see such a previously respected and honored person fall. However, I would like to note some postitive things I heard and the one thing I wish he would have said.

First of all, I am encouraged that Woods realized that he is solely responsible for what he has done. Unlike many public figures who have "confessed" their sins before the people, Woods did not skirt around his own guilt or try to blame anyone but himself. He admitted that he was the only one who was unfaithful and it was his fault alone.

The second thing that I respect I about his speech is that he recognized his own pride. He mentioned how he was selfish and thought of himself above the rules. The fame and money got to his head and he considered it his right to give into temptation. (Also, I would add that he made it easy to give in to temptation by letting himself be without accountability).

The last thing that I want to commend is that Woods defended his wife even as he is possibly facing a divorce. The fact that he made it a point to dispel all rumors of domestic violence on her part is (deservedly) respectful even in this tragedy.

All of that being said, and even though Woods' acceptance of responsibility for his actions is good, I find it no less than tragic that his conclusion was also focused on himself. Woods made sure to assure others that he would do better, seek help and get back to his Buddhist roots. Sadly, his own work will never be enough to "atone" for what he has done. The only hope that Tiger Woods, along with everyone else, has is the forgiveness and atonement that is found in Christ Jesus who died. His death is the only thing that will wash Tiger Woods' guilt away. Jesus' death and resurrection is the only hope that Tiger Woods has, the only hope that anyone has.

Please join me in prayer that Tiger Woods will know that hope for himself.

God's Love

2010-02-13T08:48:00.000-05:00

This Valentine's Day, let's remember what love really is:
John 15:13:

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for
his friends.

Romans 5:7-8:

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good
person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:31-39:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be
against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how
will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any
charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ
Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right
hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord

True Love

2010-02-12T20:35:00.000-05:00

Thinking about Valentine's Day, I thought that this song by Phil Wickham would be appropriate:

Here are the lyrics:

Come close listen to the story
about a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave his only Son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Search your heart you know you can’t deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Now, Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive X4
Oh, He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Come close listen to the story

Free Driscoll Audiobook

2010-02-09T18:27:00.000-05:00

Each month Christianaudio.com gives away a free Christian audiobook. This month, the book is Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears' Religion Saves and Nine Other Misconceptions.

Order and Argument in Prayer

2010-01-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

In the third chapter of his book The Power in Prayer, Charles Spurgeon explains two aspects of prayer which seem to me to be lacking in many Christians' prayer life, including my own. He suggests first that we, as Christians should order ourselves before prayer and secondly, that we should have proper arguments for our cause.

Order in Prayer

First and foremost, when we approach God we must realize that we are coming before an infinitely holy, powerful, and just King of all Creation. By all rights, we should never be permitted to come before God at all. It is only by sheer grace that God would allow us to come before Him. It is only because He has taken us (wretched, arrogant, sinners dead to all that is holy) and made us alive through the blood of His perfect Son.

This is the very same God who made the universe with the breath of His mouth and holds in being at all times. He ordains the sun to rise and fall and rains to fall. This is the God whom we approach when we pray.

Because of this, we need to prepare our hearts -to humble ourselves and consider just how unworthy we are and, more importantly, how merciful God is in letting us come before Him. And not only does God allow us to come before Him, but He invites us to approach the throne of grace confidently (Hebrews 4:16) and with the expectation that our prayers will be heard. With this in mind, we prepare our hearts before God -reverent of His great power, and gratefully awed by His grace.

Arguments in Prayer

Once our hearts are in order, we then may approach God with arguments, not against God, but for what we are presenting before Him in prayer. Argument must not be mistaken for complaints, for complaints are made unaware of the true nature of God and not out of a grateful and trusting heart. In particular, he outlines six arguments in prayer that one can use:

1. God's Attributes: We must use what we know about God to be true from Scripture. We know that God is just and merciful. If you cannot lay hold on God's justice rightly, lay hold on his mercy. We also know that God is faithful and holy and that He will do what is right in all circumstances. It is with who God is that we begin to for our arguments.

2. God's Promises: Whether it's Romans 8:28 or Philippians 4:19, the Bible is filled with the promises of what God will do for His children. What God has said He will never go back on.

3. The Great Name of God: God will not be dishonored for long. He will always vindicate His name. We can trust that if what we ask is for God's glory then it is a worthy argument to bring before Him.

4. The Sufferings of His People: "Nothing is more eloquent with a father than his child's cry. Yes, there is one thing more mighty still, and that is a moan -when the child is so sick that he is past crying a lies moaning with the kind of moan that indicates extreme suffering and immense weakness. Who can resist that moan? Ah, and when God's Israel will be brought very low so that they can scarcely cry but only their moans are heard, then comes the Lord's time of deliverance, and He is sure to show that He loves His people."

5. The Past: If God has begun a work, He will complete it. He is faithful to us and will not grow weary or tired of what He has set out to do. God is unchanging and will do in the future what He has done in the past.

6. The Sufferings of Christ: God will not deny His own Son's name. "When you plead the name of Christ, you plead that which shakes the gates of hell and that which the hosts of heaven obey, and God Himself feels the sacred power of that divine plea."

A Good Word from Kevin Deyoung

2010-01-29T21:48:00.000-05:00

Kevin Deyoung writes some helpful advice to all Christians. We would be wise to heed what he says. You can see his post here.

A Godly Vision

2010-01-25T06:27:00.000-05:00

(This is a guest post from my wonderful girlfriend Mollie.)

This past month, I found my mind drifting to the idea of “vision”. I questioned: What does God have to say about vision? From where do visions come? How do we know if an idea I have latched onto is a self-centered dream or a God-given vision?

One evening, Daniel and I discussed this idea and decided to search Scripture regarding the subject. Two passages that he noted, in particular, piqued my curiosity:

Where there is no revelation*, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the law. - Proverbs 29:18, emphases mine
*some versions use the word “vision”

Thus says the LORD of hosts,
"Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you
They are leading you into futility;
They speak a vision of their own imagination,
Not from the mouth of the LORD. - Jeremiah 23:16, emphases mine

Aha! God told his people through Jeremiah that prophecies or visions from the mouth of the LORD were reliable, but that those from human imagination were not. We can be sure God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and that it stands aligned with the law (Proverbs 29:18 above. See also Deuteronomy 11:18-25). Over and over again while reading passages about vision Daniel and I discovered that vision, or “revelation”, was aligned to the law – in other words, God’s Word – in this way. Could it really be that simple? Do we discover and test vision through the reading of the Word?

While meeting to pray with friends after returning to school earlier this month, I shared this idea of vision. Rather than brainstorming to create personal goals or (i.e., those from our own imagination) we searched Scripture for prayers of the Bible, noted that which was lacking in our own prayer lives, and wrote what we called “What if?” statements on which to focus this coming year.

Here is part of my “What if?” statement, or if you prefer, my Prayer Vision:

"What if I let go of myself and set my eyes on God in prayer? What if I trusted him to do abundantly more than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), even though my prayers were "imperfect" every time? What if I prayed prayers of thanksgiving when I was enduring challenges and difficulty and truly learned to rely on God for my everything (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)? What if, not just in my mind but in my heart, I deemed nothing impossible for God, even that which I knew was humanly impossible (Luke 1:37)?"

There it was – a God-given vision for my prayer life. It wasn’t accompanied by flashes of lightning. It didn’t make me giddy with excitement. And it certainly wasn’t original or creative. But it was biblical and, because I believe that the Bible is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), I knew it was trustworthy.

Lesson learned? Don’t “dream big” because you follow the world’s doctrine that tells you to “believe in yourself.” “Live big” and “pray big” because you follow a God who is strong in your weaknesses and glorifies Himself despite your failures! Immerse yourself in “the law” and you will be immersed in God’s vision. I have discovered that my failures and those areas in which I am lacking are precisely the places where God extends the most grace and where He begins to show me His vision.

Missions Call

2010-01-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

I thought I would round out my week of videos with a call to the important work of missions.

R.C. Sproul interviews Ben Stein

2010-01-23T22:52:00.000-05:00

The next video I would like to share is an interview of Ben Stein by R.C. Sproul. Though this was made a few years ago to discuss Stein's move Expelled, the points about evolution, chance, and creation are still worth noting.

Note: To my knowledge, Ben Stein has never professed to be a Christian, but rather claims the Jewish faith as his own. Pray that God will change his heart. Even though he does not share the Christian faith, still he can see the logic of a Divine Creator. I only hope that Stein will know Him personally some day.

99 Balloons

2010-01-22T06:39:00.000-05:00

To comemorate the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I would like to show this video of Eliot Harman Mooney, celebrating the dignity of every life, no matter how short.

99 Balloons from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2010-01-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

Since I seem to be in the mood for videos, I thought I would post a couple of my favorite of all time over the next couple days. First, John Piper preaches against the Prosperity Gospel:

Important!

2010-01-20T22:21:00.000-05:00

In response to the horrible events in Haiti, Mark Driscoll and James McDonald have teamed together to create Churches Helping Churches Ministries to provide support and the Gospel to those who have been effected by this disaster. You can donate here.

Totally Like Whatever, You Know?

2010-01-20T22:05:00.001-05:00

Not only is this video funny, but it's an important message for this generation.

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream"

2010-01-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Update from Matt Chandler

2010-01-18T17:45:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have heard of Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Texas, and his amazing story of faith under trial, here is an update on his present condition.

Does God Hate Haiti?

2010-01-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

In the midst of the tragedy and destruction in Haiti, Albert Mohler offers his answer to the question, "Does God Hate Haiti?":

Does God hate Haiti? That is the conclusion reached by many, who point to the
earthquake as a sign of God's direct and observable judgment.
God does judge the nations -- all of them -- and God will judge the nations.
His judgment is perfect and his justice is sure. He rules over all the nations
and his sovereign will is demonstrated in the rising and falling of nations and
empires and peoples. Every molecule of matter obeys his command, and the
earthquakes reveal his reign -- as do the tides of relief and assistance flowing
into Haiti right now.
A faithful Christian cannot accept the claim that God is a bystander in world
events. The Bible clearly claims the sovereign rule of God over all his
creation, all of the time. We have no right to claim that God was surprised by
the earthquake in Haiti, or to allow that God could not have prevented it from
happening.
God's rule over creation involves both direct and indirect acts, but his rule
is constant. The universe, even after the consequences of the Fall, still
demonstrates the character of God in all its dimensions, objects, and
occurrences. And yet, we have no right to claim that we know why a disaster like
the earthquake in Haiti happened at just that place and at just that moment.
The arrogance of human presumption is a real and present danger. We can trace
the effects of a drunk driver to a car accident, but we cannot trace the effects
of voodoo to an earthquake -- at least not so directly. Will God judge Haiti for
its spiritual darkness? Of course. Is the judgment of God something we can claim
to understand in this sense -- in the present? No, we are not given that
knowledge. Jesus himself warned his disciples against this kind of
presumption.
Why did no earthquake shake Nazi Germany? Why did no tsunami swallow up the
killing fields of Cambodia? Why did Hurricane Katrina destroy far more
evangelical churches than casinos? Why do so many murderous dictators live to
old age while many missionaries die young?
Does God hate Haiti? God hates sin, and will punish both individual sinners
and nations. But that means that every individual and every nation will be found
guilty when measured by the standard of God's perfect righteousness. God does
hate sin, but if God merely hated Haiti, there would be no missionaries there;
there would be no aid streaming to the nation; there would be no rescue efforts
-- there would be no hope.
The earthquake in Haiti, like every other earthly disaster, reminds us that
creation groans under the weight of sin and the judgment of God. This is true
for every cell in our bodies, even as it is for the crust of the earth at every
point on the globe. The entire cosmos awaits the revelation of the glory of the
coming Lord. Creation cries out for the hope of the New Creation.
In other words, the earthquake reminds us that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is
the only real message of hope. The cross of Christ declares that Jesus loves
Haiti — and the Haitian people are the objects of his love. Christ would have us
show the Haitian nation his love, and share his Gospel. In the midst of this
unspeakable tragedy, Christ would have us rush to aid the suffering people of
Haiti, and rush to tell the Haitian people of his love, his cross, and salvation
in his name alone.
Everything about the tragedy in Haiti points to our need for redemption. This
tragedy may lead to a new openness to the Gospel among the Haitian people. That
will be to the glory of God. In the meantime, Christ’s people must do everything
we can to alleviate the suffering, bind up the wounded, and comfort the
grieving. If Christ’s people are called to do this, how can we say that God
hates Haiti?
If you have any doubts about this, take your Bible and turn to John 3:16. For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life. That is God’s message to Haiti.

Check out...

2010-01-14T18:28:00.000-05:00

Kevin DeYoung's post on over thinking decisions we make.

Also, Katherine Jeffrey, in Christianity Today, writes a helpful review on The Shack. (One caveat. I do believe that some things that Young writes in his book, within the proper context, could be helpful to the Church and Christians as a whole. However, I agree with her on the whole, and particularly that this book is not one that should be considered helpful, but rather harmful for the Christian (see my review)).

Salt

2010-01-06T11:40:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Brad recently sent me an e-mail with these considerations of the attributes of salt:

1. Salt incites thirst

Salt makes any of us (human or animal) thirsty. It has the effect of making us get to some water or juice and guzzle it down. The other day I was unusually thirsty and upon reflection I realized that I had tasted some of Papa's country ham and biscuits. It was the salty country ham that made me really thirsty.

Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth...”
When people are in your presence (or even after they leave your presence) do they have this inexplicable thirst to find out more about Jesus?

This may be a partial answer to the age old proverb: "You can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink." You can't force the horse to drink, but slip him something "salty" and see if that doesn't trigger his thirst.

That puts a responsibility on all Christians to stay "salty". Our very presence in others' lives should incite a thirst for Christ.

2. Salt flavors

A salty disciple has a way of turning bland into tasteful. I hope and pray that your presence in the lives of friends, relatives and co-workers makes them want to "taste and see that the Lord is good"; that your "salty" presence will turn blah and bland fare into desirable and tasty victuals . Spice up your life! Spice up others' boring existence with juicy flavor. "Season your speech with salt" Paul said, so that people will desire to ingest more of what you have.

3. Salt holds back corruption

In the days before refrigeration, people would salt their meats not only for flavor, but to preserve it from spoiling. Does your presence in a place (work, home, play) hold back the onslaught of sin and corruption? It will if you are salty. A Christian's presence anywhere holds evil at bay...

So, are you salty? I plead and beg God that we who are "the salt of the earth" (Jesus' description of us) will never lose our saltiness or flavor. Bland is boring. Salt stimulates thirst and appetite. I hope we are more stimulating and less bland as we grow old.

The Five Solas

2010-01-05T09:31:00.000-05:00

For those who haven't ever heard of the Five Solas of the Reformation (or those who have forgotten about them), I thought I would post them in Latin with their English translation.

~Sola Scriptura- Our ultimate standard is "Scripture alone"

~Soli Deo Gloria- Everything is "For the Glory of God alone"

~Solo Christo- Salvation is through the work of "Christ alone"

~Sola Gratia- Salvation is by "Grace alone"

~Sola Fide- Justification by "Faith alone"

For a brief explanation for each "sola", you can go here.

Mind in Renewal is here!

2010-01-03T22:08:00.000-05:00

After a little over a year of blogging as "A Fool for Christ", I have decided to move my blog here to its new home "Mind in Renewal". As you may see, the blog has been renovated and renamed. My main purpose in changing the blog is to make it easier to remember. As you can see, the name of this blog is in the URL.

However, in the process of moving the blog, I have made some basic changes in the appearance of the blog. Also, I intend to add a couple pages to the sidebar (Starting with "The Gospel" which will hopefully be up soon). Aside from that, posting will remain the same. I hope that you will find this blog edifying, encouraging, and pointing you to Christ. Soli Deo Gloria (To God alone be the glory)!

Ten Questions to Ask for the New Year

2009-12-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

Don Whitney provides ten questions to ask for the New Year:

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

You can read his entire article and download the pdf version of this here.

On the Incarnation

2009-12-26T22:00:00.000-05:00

My good friend Josh writes on the incarnation:

To feel and comprehend the magnitude of the birth of Christ, one need only to turn to the Holy Scriptures where God lays forth His redeeming plan of salvation, giving hope and light to the depraved souls that walk the earth. Before time even began, God knew that eventually sin would enter the perfect world He would soon create. He knew that man, not perfect, because He and He alone is perfect, would fall prey to the temptations given under the domain of darkness and that redemption would have to be accomplished. He also knew, however, that the only path to true glorifying redemption would be a perfect sacrifice, without reproach, that would bear the darkness of the wretched world. Therefore, because of the fullness of His immeasurable grace and truth, God himself entered the world that He would become this perfect sacrifice the world so desperately needed.

Read the rest of his post here.

Spurgeon and Edwards

2009-12-23T19:13:00.000-05:00

I recently finished reading The Power in Prayer by Charles Spurgeon. Though short in length, this book delves far beyond the surface of its subject matter and provides helpful insights into both the reasons and modes of prayer. Starting from the most basic aspects of prayer, Spurgeon masterfully progresses to some deeper and perhaps less thought of facets of the praying life. I especially appreciated Spurgeon's challenge to prepare myself as I come before the Lord of the Universe to make my petitions as well as his treatment of "Order and Argument in Prayer", which I will be posting on later (Lord willing). In all, I recommend this book to you wholeheartedly for your edification.

Another resource that has been encouraging and enlightening to me has been the audiobook A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards, written by George Marsden and produced by Hovel Audio. This audiobook has been an insightful overview of Edwards' life that sets itself apart from other biographies in its comparison and contrast of Edwards to his contemporary Benjamin Franklin. Another short book (about four hours in length), A Short Life receives my full endorsement.

The "X" in X-mas

2009-12-21T22:40:00.000-05:00

R.C. Sproul explains why it might not mean what you think. See his article here.

Christmas Giveaway

2009-12-16T09:16:00.000-05:00

Trevin Wax has another Christmas giveaway this year. The winner will receive an ESV Study Bible, Trevin Wax's latest book, Holy Subversion, and these ten books for free:

1. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009- Greg Wills
2. Unfashionable- Tullian Tchividjian
3. Deep Church- Jim Belcher
4. The Case for Life- Scott Klusendorf
5. The God Who Smokes- Timothy Stoner
6. Adopted for Life- Russell Moore
7. Manhunt- James Swanson
8. Counterfeit Gods- Tim Keller
9. Why We Love the Church- Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
10. The God I Don't Understand- Christopher Wright

To enter for this contest, visit his blog here.

Billy

2009-12-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

Billy Graham has been a faithful servant of God for many years and a man that has always been known for his moral strength and dependence on God. I recently was able to get a closer look at his life through the eyes of one of his close friends.

Billy: A Personal Look at Billy Graham, the World's Best-loved Evangelist, by Sherwood Eliot Wirt, is less of a biography about the events in Mr. Graham's life and more about revealing the character of a great servant of God as seen from a man who was close to him for many years. If you want to get to know Billy Graham and how God worked through him throughout his many crusades over the year, then I recommend this book to you.

The Artificiality of Christmas

2009-12-14T21:12:00.000-05:00

With the Christmas tree up in my house and hot chocolate in my mug, I would say that the Christmas season is in full swing. And, truly, I love this time of year –the carols, the presentations, the snow, the decoration, and, most importantly, the opportunity to celebrate my Savior's birth. The whole atmosphere is exhilarating.

But despite all of these things, there is a portion of the Christmas season that bothers me. There is an element of artificiality that pervades this time of year like no other. Every Christmas, millions of people around the world (particularly in America) put up artificial trees, teach their children about a fake gift-giver, and put on a fraudulent show of charity to match the Christmas season. Now, I have nothing against artificial trees, nor do I think that there is anything wrong with Santa Claus.

However, the latter of these problems causes me some trouble. In my experience, too many people fake a sense of joy and kindness just for the sake of the season. For some, this manifests itself in toothy smiles and a seasonal hospitality that covers up an otherwise discontented and angry soul. For others, their charity is obvious by the large sums of money and material goods they give the Salvation Army and Good Will, while throughout the rest of the year they refuse to give anything more than will get them a tax cut. This is so like human nature, to use one particular season to ease the conscience for the entire year. It breaks my heart.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that these people give as they do. There are poor and needy people who need it all and more. If these people didn't fake what they did, then I can't think to imagine the amount of people each year that would be left out in the cold (some more literally than others). No, I do not want any of these people to give any less. Count me as the last to discourage anyone from giving, whatever the motive. What I want to see is not less giving, but more giving from the heart. I earnestly desire that people would give from their abundance and serve the poor from a heart made new and released from sin –a heart that is so in love with its Creator that it gives in and out of season, with or without pressure, under any circumstance.

And most importantly, I want these people to put away their facades, to realize their true sinful nature, and to see the blazing truth of Christmas –that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to earth so that He might live and die and rise again to save us all from our artificiality and sin, and to make us real. This is my hope this Christmas.

Advent

2009-12-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Desiring God has several good posts on the meaning of Advent, the period of time leading up to Christmas. Advent has never been something that my family has been dedicated to observing, but these posts make me want to make it a lasting tradition for me and my family in coming years. The symbolism involved and the idea of anticipating Jesus' birth helps to put my heart in the right place during this hectic time of year. Here are the posts:

What is Advent?
Advent: Standing in the Middle
Looking Back: Advent Candles

Born to Die

2009-12-05T18:31:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs:

"Born to Die"
They never knew a dark night
always had the Son's light
on their face
Perfect in glory
Broken by the story
of untold grace...
come that day

Majesty had come down
Glory had succumbed now
to flesh and bone
In the arms of a manger
In the hands of strangers
that could not know
Just who they hold

Chorus:
And the angels filled the sky
All of heaven wondered why
Why their King would choose to be
Be a baby born to die

And all fell silent
For the cry of an infant,
the voice of God
Was dividing history
For those with eyes to see,
the Son would shine
From earth that night

Chorus

Bridge:
To break the chains
Of guilt and sin
To find us here
To pull us in
So we can join in Heaven's song
And with one voice around the throne

Chorus:
All the Angels filled the sky
And I can't help but wonder why
Why the King would choose to be
Be a baby born for me
Be a baby born to die

By Bebo Norman, Christmas... from the Realms of Glory
You can listen to the song here.

Why Did they Kill Jesus?

2009-12-03T09:31:00.000-05:00

Kevin Deyoung has a helpful post on why Jesus was killed. He dispels the notion that it was simply because "Jesus loved too much". I encourage you to check it out.

'Tis the Season

2009-12-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

It's only December first and I've already been in the Christmas mood for about four days. Saturday night, I walked down my street to watch a Christmas light show at a neighbor's house. Sunday, I listened to two Christmas sermons. And in addition to that, I've only been listening to Christmas music since the day after Thanksgiving.

I guess I'm just trying to say that, perhaps more than in years past, I am really ready for Christmas this year. It's not that I want gifts or anything like that; I'm just excited to be celebrating my Savior's birth. This is one of the seasons where it's easy to focus on worldly things --money, traditions, and material things. But, if we make an effort to put the focus where it belongs --on Christ-- then this can be a season unlike any other.

Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

2009-11-30T09:14:00.000-05:00

At around 1600 pages, Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem is, as of now, the longest book that I have ever read (excluding the Bible). Though it is technically written to be a text book, Grudem's Systematic Theology is one of the most accessible books discussing theological matters that I have ever read. The only time that I found things hard to understand was when the subject matter itself was difficult, never was I turned away because of Grudem's wording.

I recommend this book as a resource that should be in every Christian household. It's accessibility and plain language make it easy to find answers and study theological subjects. As Christians, we are all theologians, in that we all should be studying about God and the things of God. For those who have never did any real theological study, this book is a wonderful place to start.

3 Reasons I Love John Piper's Preaching

2009-11-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

1. It always points me to Christ and Him Crucified.

2. It is so cross-centered that no matter what the subject matter, the cross is never left behind, but always at the forefront being glorified and magnified for all to see.

3. It is truly revolutionary in the best of ways --rebelling against the flesh, the world, and sin.

Reasons Not to Look for Signs

2009-11-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

Many of us, as we read the story of Gideon, are tempted to think that because Gideon sought God's will through a miraculous sign then so should we. However, as J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom point out in their book, Guard Us, Guide Us, they break down several reasons why this is not a correct assumption. They are as follows:

1. Most of the Bible had not yet been composed in Gideon's day (the books of Moses and maybe Joshua) and there is no reason to think that country-boy Gideon would have had access to what there was.

2. Gideon's situation was significantly different than our own: he had already been visited by an angel of God. Also, the fate of a nation was being decided, not a personal decision as in our own experiences.

3. Gideon was asking for reassurance, whereas when we "put out a fleece" we are coming dangerously close to what Jesus called putting God to the test (Matthew 4:7, citing Deutoronomy 6:16).

4. "...to treat the Old Testament account of someone's action or experience as a model for ourselves without taking into account the difference made by the coming of Jesus, and the completing of revelation, and the writing of canonical Scripture, plus the present reality of the full post-Pentecost ministry of the Holy Spirit, is always a mistake."

5. "Laying down a fleece" may easily be a sign of laziness with almost no character development.

6. When the Antichrist comes, he will be accompanied by "many signs and wonders".
(taken from pages 39-44)

Tenth Avenue North

2009-11-27T08:19:00.000-05:00

Tenth Avenue North is a band that has recently come on the Christian music scene, but they have certainly made waves and, personally, have become my new favorite band. The members of this band have hearts that seek to truly honor God in their music as well as in all parts of their lives and minds that are level-headed as well as talented. This is evidenced not only by their song lyrics, but also by their journal posts which not only explain their songs, but give helpful insights and wisdom. Their first album, Over and Underneath, is one of the few that I can listen to over and over again. I greatly recommend this band for your consideration and I watch with great anticipation to see how God will use them in the future.

Guarded by the Good Shepherd

2009-11-26T19:42:00.000-05:00

I've been a little behind on letting you know about the books I've been reading, but I would like to try to remedy that in the upcoming week or so. So, for starters, I would like to recommend to you Guard Us, Guide Us, by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom.

In their book, the authors explain biblically what divine guidance is, starting from Psalm 23. They relate how God guides us not normally through impressions, visions, or other subjective spiritual experiences, but rather through His Word, through other Christians, and the wisdom that we get from them. They seek to dispel the notion that making decisions without any overt affirmation from God is somehow less spiritual than acting upon personal revelation. In fact, they argue, it takes more spiritual maturity to examine the Bible, understand its principles and evaluating how they relate to your situation so that you can make the right decision –and they expound upon how to do that effectively.

I recommend this book to any who are seeking God's guidance in their lives –which should be all followers of Christ.

From Whence this Fear and Unbelief?

2009-11-19T22:35:00.000-05:00

From whence this fear and unbelief?
Hath not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for me?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?

Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost Thou hast paid
Whate'er Thy people owed
How then can wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in Thy righteousness
And sprinkled with Thy blood.

If thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine.
Payment God cannot twice demand
First at my bleeding Surety's hand
And then again at mine.

Turn then, my soul, unto thy rest!
The merits of thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty.
Trust in His efficacious blood
Nor fear thy banishment from God
Since Jesus died for thee!

by Augustus Toplady, quoted in Knowing God by J.I. Packer

One Year of Blogging

2009-11-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's hard to believe, but, as of today, I have been blogging for one year and, in addition, this is my hundredth post. Praise God for this past year!

$3 worth of God

2009-11-13T08:43:00.000-05:00

The Voice of the Martyrs printed this in a previous issue of the August issue of their magazine. It really reflects how many Christians view our Lord. I hope that we desire more than this:

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy not tranformation. I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like $3 worth of God, please.
-Wilbur Rees

Michael Crichton Came Close... But Missed It

2009-11-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

Michael Crichton was a popular science fiction writer who died last year and whose most famous works include: Congo, The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park and The Lost World. He was well-known for his way of incorporating cutting edge and controversial scientific issues into his fictional stories. And he was often good at hitting on key philosophical and ethical issues in a profound way. He certainly recognized the enormous complexity and wonder of the universe. In The Lost World he writes:

"[Darwin had no idea] that life is so unbelievably complex... Nobody realizes it. I mean, a fertilized egg has a hundred thousand genes, which act in a coordinated way, switching on and off at specific times, to transform that single cell into a complete living creature. That one cell start to divide, but the subsequent cells are different. They specialize. Some are nerve. Some are gut. Some are limb. Each set of cells begins to follow its own program, developing, interacting. Eventually there are two hundred and fifty different kinds of cell, all developing together, at exactly the right time. Just When the organism needs a circulatory system, the heart starts pumping. Just when hormones are needed, the adrenals start to make them. Week after week, this unimaginably complex development proceeds perfectly --perfectly. It's incredible. No human activity comes close...

"I mean, you ever build a house? A house is simple in comparison. But even so, workmen build the stairs wrong, they put the sink in backward, the tile man doesn't show up when he's supposed to. All kinds of things go wrong. And yet the fly that hands on the workman's lunch is perfect."

However, to my knowledge, Crichton never professed faith in the Lord Jesus before he died. Crichton glimpsed the glory of the Lord in His creation, but unfortunately he didn't see God in it, nor did he accredit it to the Lord, but instead to chance. I pray that others would not make the same mistake.

The Authority of the Bible

2009-11-10T07:29:00.000-05:00

I used this video last Wednesday at our Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting, provided by Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington:

Every Day

2009-11-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

This song has helped me get through many days:

"Every Day"
By Joel Sczebel and Todd Twining
As recorded on Come Weary Saints

In Your grace, You know where I walk
You know when I fall
You know all my ways
In Your love, I know You allow
What I cannot graspTo bring You praise

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

Your great power is shown when I’m weak
You help me to seeYour love in this place
Perfect peace is filling my mind
And drawing my heart
To praise You again

In my uncertainty,
Your Word is all I need
To know You’re with me every day (repeat)

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)
Sovereign Grace Ministries

An Interview with Steven Curtis Chapman

2009-11-03T20:18:00.000-05:00

Steven Curtis Chapman has released a new album, the first since the death of his five year old daughter, Marie Sue. Justin Taylor shares an excerpt from Christianity Today's latest article on it: An Interview with Steven Curtis Chapman.

The album contains a song written specifically for his daughter entitled "Heaven is the Face", which you can watch here. Warning: this song has brought tears to my eyes every time I've heard it.

Update: here is the video, courtesy of Tangle.com:

Posted using ShareThis

Free Wallpapers!

2009-10-31T21:18:00.000-04:00

Just in case you haven't heard, Desiring God is offering free wallpapers with over at Don't Waste Your Life.com. They're free to download and share and are based on John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life. Enjoy!

Westminster Bookstore

2009-10-30T09:31:00.000-04:00

Attention book lovers! If you have not heard of Westminster Bookstore, you'll be glad to know that this online bookstore has a wealth of resources for every Christian bibliophile and for every Christian in general. Some of the advantages of buying from Westminster:

1. Westminster's prices are often equal or less than that of other comparable sites, such as Amazon.
2. It is easier to find certain Christian books than at other websites.
3. When you buy from Westminster, you're supporting a Christian organization.

Next time you're looking for a Christian book, I encourage you to go to the Westminster Bookstore online.

Judging People Rightly

2009-09-21T17:39:00.000-04:00

Justin Taylor shares a prayer that we all should take to heart:

Help Me to Judge Rightly
Lord, help me to judge others
as I want them to judge me:
Charitably, not critically,
Privately, not publicly,
Gently, not harshly,
In humility, not pride.
Help me to believe the best about others,
until facts prove otherwise—
To assume nothing,
to seek all sides of the story,
And to judge no one until I’ve removed
the log from my own eye.

May I never bring only the Law,
to find fault and condemn.
Help me always to bring the Gospel,
to give hope and deliverance,
As you, my Judge and Friend,
have so graciously done for me.

Free Download!

2009-09-17T22:29:00.000-04:00

Sanctus Real Fans: Get a FREE DOWNLOAD of an Exclusive Acoustic version of “Whatever You’re Doing”

Sanctus Real is a band that I was able to see this summer for the fourth time. Every time I've been able to see them I've been encouraged and enjoyed their show. So, I highly recommend this download for everyone. Enjoy!

My New Baby Brother!

2009-09-16T23:26:00.000-04:00

Tonight, James David was born at 10:12 p.m. with the weight of 7lbs. 11oz. Praise God for a new life in our home. My prayer for James is that he would grow up to know the Lord and to be a mighty man of God.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

I'm So Sorry

2009-09-16T20:11:00.000-04:00

I'm so sorry I've been gone so long. This past summer has been a busy one and the beginning of this year a rough one, but God is good and faithful and, by His grace, I will be able to get back on a regular schedule of posting. I have many ideas and thoughts and things I've learned that I'd like to share. Please look forward to those updates.

Antipsalm 23

2009-07-25T17:56:00.000-04:00

Over on the Boundless blog, David Powlison has posted an article entitled Sane Faith, Part 1. In it he writes the Antipsalm 23, or what Psalm 23 would look like if God were not in our lives. He writes:

I'm on my own.
No one looks out for me or protects me.
I experience a continual sense of need. Nothing's quite right.
I'm always restless. I'm easily frustrated and often disappointed.
It's a jungle — I feel overwhelmed. It's a desert — I'm thirsty.
My soul feels broken, twisted, and stuck. I can't fix myself.
I stumble down some dark paths.
Still, I insist: I want to do what I want, when I want, how I want.
But life's confusing. Why don't things ever really work out?
I'm haunted by emptiness and futility — shadows of death.
I fear the big hurt and final loss.
Death is waiting for me at the end of every road,
but I'd rather not think about that.
I spend my life protecting myself. Bad things can happen.
I find no lasting comfort.xI'm alone ... facing everything that could hurt me.
Are my friends really friends?
Other people use me for their own ends.
I can't really trust anyone. No one has my back.
No one is really for me — except me.
And I'm so much all about ME, sometimes it's sickening.
I belong to no one except myself.
My cup is never quite full enough. I'm left empty.
Disappointment follows me all the days of my life.
Will I just be obliterated into nothingness?
Will I be alone forever, homeless, free-falling into void?
Sartre said, "Hell is other people."
I have to add, "Hell is also myself."
It's a living death,
and then I die.

Also, here's the real Psalm 23:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Quote of the Week

2009-07-19T08:40:00.000-04:00

This week's quote comes from the great hymnwriter John Newton, most famous for his hymn "Amazing Grace". However, he wrote many other hymns, stood against slavery in his day (having been a slavetrader himself) and preached. He wrote:

Everything is necessary that he sends. Nothing can be necessary that he withholds.”
- John Newton

Happy Birthday Isaac Watts

2009-07-17T12:22:00.000-04:00

On this day, in 1674, famed hymn writer Isaac Watts was born. His most famous hymns are probably "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Joy to the World".

He was also a theologian and logician. Mars Hills talks more about his life:

Together for the Gospel 2010

2009-07-16T02:34:00.000-04:00

I am absolutely ecstatic about T4G 2010. Registration has been open for a while already, but everything else seems to be in full swing as well now.

The unifying theme of the conference is: "The (Unadjusted) Gospel". The speakers will be the same as 2008: Albert Mohler, CJ Mahaney, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, John MacArthur, Thabiti Anyabwile, and John Piper.

But new to this coming year is the choice of one "break out" sessions that will be made available to each participant. The speakers for these break out sessions include authors that I've read such as Kevin Deyoung (Why We're Not Emergent) and Josh Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye) and many others who I've truthfully never heard of, but every session sounds great. The only downside is that I can only choose one.

Oh, I can barely wait until 2010- all the good teaching, the great preachers, the fellowship with the men in my church and men and women in the Church worldwide, singing with over 5,000 men, spending time in downtown Louisville (where some of my family lives) and, of course, all the free books!

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl

2009-07-15T13:42:00.000-04:00

N.D. Wilson has released his new book, Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl. If it sounds interestin, watch the trailer below or read about the new book on Justin Taylor's blog. All I can say is that I can't wait to get my hands on this book.

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl trailer from Gorilla Poet Productions on Vimeo.

Quote of the Week

2009-07-14T12:27:00.000-04:00

This week's quote come from the last words of Jaroslav Pelikan:

If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen— nothing else matters.”

Disappointment with Philip Yancey

2009-07-12T08:28:00.000-04:00

Following my summer reading list, I recently finished the book Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey. While I was encouraged by much of what Yancey had to say, I felt that some of the material he dealt with has been dealt with in better ways by other writers. Ultimately, I found the book itself a little disappointing.

In the book, Yancey deals with three questions: 1) Is God unfair?, 2) Is He silent?, and 3) Is He hidden? Of course, Yancey answers each of these questions with a resounding "no!", but he explores why even strong Christians must, at some point, deal with these questions. His main answer is that God requires faith and that He wants to see that grow in us.

My main problem with this book is that Yancey (in my opinion) takes anthropomorphism (or giving God human attributes to communicate truth) too far. He speaks of God taking risks (Chapter 6 is entitled "Risky Business" and of God having an "inner conflict"(pg. 141). I believe that Yancey is not being unorthodox, I only wish he would have been more careful in his wording and theologizing. In addition, as I said before, I simply think that there have been others (such as John Piper) who have done a better job in dealing with these questions that Yancey proposes. I do not mean to beat up Philip Yancey or his writing (other books of his are wonderful reads, such as In His Image, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, and What's So Amazing About Grace?), I simply would not recommend this particular book.

Happy Birthday, John Calvin

2009-07-11T18:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, renowned theologian John Calvin (were he still alive) would have turned 500. The importance of this day has been covered by nearly every reformed person I know on the blogosphere, but a particularly helpful post can be found at Kevin Deyoung's blog here. For my part, instead of answering why Calvin is still relevant in today's world (that's been answered well in many other places), I will just affirm that, yes, he is and insist that whether or not you are reformed, you should read some of his work. I hope that we, the whole Church, can regain the sense of awe and reverence for God that John Calvin clearly had and rejoin with him in living our lives Soli Deo Gloria; To God's glory alone!

Quote of the Week

2009-07-05T15:52:00.000-04:00

I know I haven't done this in a while, but here's the quote for this week. It's from Augustine of Hippo (who the Catholic church canonized soon after his death), an early church father who stood firmly for the Christian faith against the heresy of Pelagianism. His most famous works were his City of God and his Confessions. Recognizing the tendency that we as human beings have to ignore what is spoken by those we disagree with, Augustine simply said:

All truth is God's truth.

(John Piper discusses the abuses of this quote here)

Pierced for Our Transgressions

2009-06-23T05:42:00.000-04:00

Penal Substitution. The sad fact is that most Christians have probably not heard of this crucial doctrine that lies at the very heart of the Gospel, or at least not in a way that is clearly defensible and biblically supported. And yet it is under attack at both the insitutional, academic level as well as the level of the average church member.

For these reasons, Steve Jeffrey, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach have released their joint book entitled Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution, which I have been reading recently. In their book, the three authors give an intelligent and thorough, yet accesible, explanation and defense of penal substitution. I would suggest every Christian read at least the first half of this book, which is the biblical and historical explanation of this glorious doctrine. But that's not to downplay the second half of the book which is just as useful in that it answers every objection to penal substitution that these men could find. The book as a whole is edifying and enlightening and one that I would highly recommend.

When This Passing World Is Done

2009-06-22T17:02:00.000-04:00

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call,
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart,
Then Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When the praise of Heav’n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters’ noise,
Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass
Darkly, let Thy glory pass,
Make forgiveness feel so sweet,
Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,
Even on earth, Lord, make me know
Something of how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Savior’s side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

Oft I walk beneath the cloud,
Dark, as midnight’s gloomy shroud;
But, when fear is at the height,
Jesus comes, and all is light;
Blessed Jesus! bid me show
Doubting saints how much I owe.

When in flowery paths I tread,
Oft by sin I’m captive led;
Oft I fall—but still arise—
The Spirit comes—the tempter flies;
Blessed Spirit! bid me show
Weary sinners all I owe.

Oft the nights of sorrow reign—
Weeping, sickness, sighing, pain;
But a night Thine anger burns—
Morning comes and joy returns;
God of comforts! bid me show
To Thy poor, how much I owe.

-Robert Murray M'Cheyne

re:Sound and the Rain City Hymnal

2009-06-12T22:35:00.000-04:00

Music from Resurgence (headed up by Mark Driscoll) has recently been released:

Summer Reading List

2009-06-10T17:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday on his program, Albert Mohler posted his recommended reading list for the summer. Along the same lines, I thought I would post a list of books that I intend to either finish or read through completely in the coming summer months. Of course, we’ll see how much of this actually comes to pass.

Books I intend to finish this summer:

1.The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
2.Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution by Steve Jeffrey, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach
3.Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

Five other books I intend to read this summer:

1.Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey
2.Desiring God by John Piper
3.Knowing God by J.I. Packer
4.Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson
5.Guard Us, Guide Us by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom