Friday, May 30, 2008

Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy and here's what happening in your world tonight.

The Mighty Lakers vs. The Celtics in the NBA Finals
(schedule)

I'm sure it won't be the same the second time around, but we can always hope, can't we?

For the Lakers, this is their 29th trip to the finals, their 1st since 2004. For the Celtics this is their 20th trip to the finals, their 1st since 1987, when they were beat by Lakers.

The Lakers are 12-3 in the playoffs, while the Celtics are 12-8.

Keep an eye out for some great stuff on ESPN Classic the next few weeks as they try to revive one of the greatest rivalries of all time.

Hey, remember the 80s?

Check out the Top 10 moments in Celtics-Lakers postseason history. (with video clips)

Vote: Celtics vs. Lakers

Look out, Boston, Kobe's on a mission. He'd like to be the 2nd player ever to win the MVP, Finals MVP, and a gold medal all in the same year. You can probably guess the 1st to have done so.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Where we're going we don't need roads.

In the past, I've wondered what it would be like to live in different time periods. One that has always had particular appeal has been the 1950s.

Some notables:
  • 1950s Corvettes
  • Brown vs. The Board of Education (1954)
  • Rosa Parks
  • Marilyn Monroe
  • Elvis
  • Ben-Hur
  • "Leave It to Beaver"
  • "I Love Lucy"
  • "The Honeymooners"
  • Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy
  • Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books
  • President Eisenhower
  • The Cold War
  • Before the world was tainted by the shenanigans of the 1960s.

I really think I would have enjoyed living in the 1950s. It's nice to receive some confirmation from this quiz.


You Belong in 1956



You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public, alright?

Of course, knowing is half the battle. But, after all these years, I still don't know what makes up the other half.

Anybody know?

My cogitations:

  • Winning? (but 50% seems too small, since "winning is everything")
  • How you play the game?
  • Love ... is a battlefield?
  • Belongs to the Lord?
  • Doing?
  • Being?
  • Chuck Norris on your 911 speed dial?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Why do you need a hairbrush? You don’t have any hair!

I recently read a piece by Al Mohler (HT Chris Brauns) dealing with the issues of technological distractions and student learning, evidenced by college lectures being in competition with various other things students can do on their computers and/or phones.

(See also the professor who shuts down class if he sees someone texting.)

There were more than a few interesting issues raised, but one particularly stuck with me.

Josh Waitzken went back to his alma mater and sat in on Professor Dalton's lecture ("Mahatma Gandhi's mass civil-disobedience campaign following the Amritsar massacre") and was in disbelief regarding the students' activities.
"A few solely took notes, but many flipped back and forth between multiple windows: shopping on Amazon, cruising Facebook, checking out The New York Times Style section, reorganizing their social calendars, e-mailing, playing solitaire, doing homework for other classes, chatting on AIM, and buying tickets on Expedia."

Waitzken would later write an open letter to those students:
"I understand that your minds move quickly and we are all impacted by a fast paced culture, but do you realize the horror of shopping online while Dalton describes…mothers throwing their children into a well to avoid a barrage of bullets? What are you doing? There comes a day when we must become accountable for our own learning process…Take it on. This is your life. What is the point of neurotically skipping along the surface when all the beauty lies below? Please seize the moment and listen deeply to Dalton's final lectures. Close the computers. Stop typing madly and soak in the themes he develops…Learning is an act of creativity, not mind-numbing, tv watching passive receptivity." (emphasis mine)

I think Waitzken's understanding of why students go to college is flawed, which makes his advice misguided.

By way of caveat, I'm an educator and have been at many levels, having been a Sunday school teacher for elementary school students, youth, adults, and even senior adults. I have taught math and science for junior high students as well church history and preaching to seminary (graduate) students. Pretty much every Sunday morning I stand up and attempt to teach a wide range of people from God's Word, the Bible.

Through it all I have discovered the utilitarian nature of education. By that I mean that people learn for a reason. Education is a means to an end, not the end in an of itself.

Some study a subject because they enjoy the subject, so even their learning for the sake of learning is utilitarian.

Some study a subject to get a grade to get a diploma/degree to become more marketable to get a better job or whatever, to have a better car or house or spouse.

Some study to appear smarter or perform better while watching Jeopardy in the privacy of their own homes,

Why do you study a subject?

Whatever anyone's reason, I assert it's all still utilitarian.

I think the key is for each person to assess beforehand what function any course of learning will serve and approach it in that light.

In other words, I would expect a history major to approach the above mentioned lecture in a different manner than the football player who needs to check the box for that requirement. I would expect the electrical engineering student to approach that lecture in a different manner than the student from India planning on getting a PhD upon returning to the homeland.

So, while the behavior observed above may be disrespectful, rebuking the students because they're not fully devoted to the content is to misunderstand why they're there.

Why should the football player in his last semester before graduation who only needs a "D for diploma" necessarily fret beyond what is necessary to achieve his goals, since he has been drafted by the Cowboys and will still graduate?

I think Waitzken is being naive in presuming that his favorite class from his college days should be theirs, or at least important to them. I seriously doubt he approached all of his classes with equal zeal.

While teaching in the seminary and I first noticed students working on their laptops, I was tempted to be tender that they weren't affording the subject its proper respect.

To me the subject was important enough that I study it and teach it to others, because I long to see expository preachers preaching to change lives to the glory of God.

I think I can say that some of them are foolishly not taking (utilitarian) advantage of the course if they anticipate preaching regularly in their vocation, because that's a huge measure of their "success" and even from a "not so spiritual perspective," good preaching is a key to "climbing the ladder" in Christian ministry.

If they were spiritually minded, I would say that they need to remember the vital role expository preaching plays in the lives of the listeners as they are transformed by the renewing of their minds, etc.

Look, most professors thinks their course/subject is the most important. This is why professors of different departments can nearly go to blows over competition for required hours and funding.

To the students, I give the following advice: Don't believe the hype. Determine what your goals are and then assess where learning fits into your plan, or how learning fits into it.

If you need a "B" average in your major, then study harder for that than for your elective, though it may be more fun, assuming your goal is staying in your major, working in your field, etc.

What your goals should be is a discussion for another time, but you get the idea.

This is true of biblical and theological knowledge as well.

Why do you read the Bible? Why do you memorize Scripture? Why do you show up to work in the nursery at church? Is it to impress others? Is it to feel superior to others? Is it to obligate God or others?

I always teach and preach with the goal of changed lives to the glory of God, as I'm convinced that's our chief assignment, to glorify God.

I study for my own sanctification and for how my growth and knowledge might benefit others. I like to be well-rounded, but even my Bible learning is not for the sake of learning in and of itself, it's to ultimately glorify God, like a good utilitarian Christian.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

Some good bull video for your Monday. (HT Chris Brauns) Check out its remake as well.


Read Rediscovering the Barber Shop and why males should go there instead of a "beauty salon." (HT Lance)

Read Rev's essay that won him front row tickets to Merle Haggard and a picture with the icon: Why I'm American Proud.

Read as Heath Taylor explains how God uses potty training for his sanctification.

Check out
7 gadgets James Bond covets.

Check out Tenth Presbyterian's Spiritual Health Survey, a good exercise to asses sanctification. (HT Colin Adams)

Read a quick hit from Martin Luther on Christ's actions toward sin, law, death, and His people.

Check out Timothy's Monday round up for comics, including some good political cartoons.

Check out C.J. Mahaney on Leadership + Family Vacations (part 1).

Read as John Piper asserts that a Love for Missions Starts at Home.

Read as Johnny Mac addresses the question of whether or not Satan knows our thoughts.

Check out
the important points Chris Brauns emphasizes in his letter to the graduates in his church.

Read about the GCSE music exam accidentally having the answers printed on the back.

Read Brandon O'Brien on Defending Depravity, including some good quotes from Chesterton & Herman Melville.

Read about kids who found a hand grenade while picking up trash.

Read Dan Edelen's thoughts on the Strange Fire in Florida.
"2. There’s no fool like a charismatic fool. And I say that as a charismatic. Too many charismatics drink from poisoned wells only to clutch their guts in pain later, asking what went wrong."

Read about cancellation of the special German nude flight.

Read some Memorial Day thoughts from Noel Piper, the Rev. Dr. James Galyon, Al Mohler, Jeff Wright, Rush Limbaugh, and Logan's suggested movies.

Read about the new Indiana Jones movie upsetting the commies.

Read about Women in Combat and a (subtle?) change in Prince Caspian from the book to the movie.

Read a good collection of articles from Doug Moo on Jesus, Paul, and the Mosaic Law.

Read as Johnny Mac addresses the issue of whether or not Christians can be demon-possessed.

Read about Singapore banning a whole 2 pornographic websites!

Read as Jay Bennett asks, "How are the benefits of Christ’s atonement acquired?"

Read about the Austin court's decision that Texas Department of Family and Protective Services officials had no right to seize more than 400 children from the ranch.

Read about the man stealing the water pipes from public restrooms.

Read as C.J. & Carolyn Mahaney answer the following: How do parents engage in gospel-centered parenting with children who are too young to comprehend the message of the gospel? (HT Vitamin Z)

Read about the woman who got so fed up with whistles from construction workers that she took off her clothes. I guess she showed them.

Read Stuff White People Like #100: Bumper Stickers.

Read Lance's thoughts on public rebuke (cf. 1 Tim 5:20).

Read about 31,000 scientists rejecting the "Global Warming."

Read about the lost parrot who was able to tell the vet his address.

Read Tim Kang's lessons to be learned from tragedies.

Read about the Missouri car dealer offering a free handgun with every vehicle purchase.

Read about twins graduating as valedictorians together.

Comment of the Week:
"I am concerned - of the four trees planted at my house, three are dead (not including dead Christmas tree in the backyard). I hope there is no spiritual significance to the dead trees, but gazing upon the dead tree, I cannot help but think of Jesus' teaching on the bad tree which bore no fruit being cut down and burned - why encumbereth the ground? So, the dead tree in my yard is a good reminder to persevere in sanctification. Sadly, my HOA doesn't care about that and wants it replaced." (Oilcan)
Listen to yesterday's sermon at Providence Church on Philippians 2:12-13, "I Like the Way You Work It."
"I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on."
-Beryl Pfizer

Thursday, May 22, 2008

many leather-bound books

May Giveaway

Canadian Tim Challies (G'Day, mate!) likes to give away stuff and this may just be his best giveaway yet. I heartily encourage you to enter the contest.

Otherwise, we'll have to say, "Take off, you hoser."

$200 of free books from Monergismbooks.com?!

You can't beat that with a stick. With 200 bones, you could buy many leather-bound books, which would be particularly nice if your apartment smells of rich mahogany.

May Giveaway

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

Is fellowship just "being with" other believers? Or is it something much deeper and potentially much more frightening than that?

From John Loftness, "Chapter 2: Fellowship Rediscovered" in Why Small Groups? ... together for maturity, ed. C.J. Mahaney.
"What is fellowship as defined in the New Testament? Just this: participating together in the life and truth made possible by the Holy Spirit through our union with Christ. Fellowship is sharing something in common on the deepest possible level of human relationship--our experience of God himself." (p. 19)

The 8 Means of Fellowship:
  1. Worship together.
  2. Pray for one another, especially regarding the things that burden us and how God is at work in our lives.
  3. Utilize our spiritual gifts to help others grow in God.
  4. Carry one another's burdens.
  5. Share about our spiritual experiences.
  6. Confess our sins to one another.
  7. Correct one another when we see someone has failed to recognize and take responsibility for his sins.
  8. Serve one another in practical ways. (pp. 24-25)
"We must, however, beware of thinking that the mere act of doing of any of these things will automatically produce fellowship. Remember, these are 'means of fellowship.' They simply put you in a place where fellowship becomes possible, not certain. True fellowship is a work of the Spirit by grace. ... Still, failure to practice these means of fellowship denies us the opportunity to draw on fellowship as a means of grace." (p. 25; emphasis original)

(Download this chapter for FREE.)

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here.

As we recently planted 6 more baby trees in our yard to balance the adults and the adolescents, I was thinking about trees.

I drove by our old house and looked at the trees we planted 8 years ago. I drove by our older old house and looked at the trees we planted 12 years ago.

Wow, like spirituality, you don't really notice growth on a day to day basis, but inspect again after a few years and you might be surprised.

I've got a little black book with my poems in ... here's one for your edification.

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

-Sgt. Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918),
KIA at the Second Battle of Marne

Monday, May 19, 2008

Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

Finally, some positivity from the land of Sports, a memorable home run. I had seen the picture and heard about this, but the video slooge is good bull. (HT Lance)


Read the Detroit Free Press' preview of Game 6 tonight against the Stars. (HT Robert Wilonsky) Will Marty have to stop another 38 of 39 shots? Folks, we have a series.
"Marty Turco, more than any Dallas player, has inspired his team to rise from the near-dead and make these Western Conference finals a series. The entire Dallas roster knew that Turco hadn't won at Joe Louis Arena as a professional coming in here Saturday. So when he played 'Yes I Can' hockey, what choice did the Stars have but to do the same?"

Read about the newly discovered spider named after Neil Young. (HT Brent) I just hope his spider will remember, a southern man don't need it around anyhow.

Read this Exclusive: Texas Rangers Interviewing FLDS Minors Without Attorneys Present.

Read 5 things you should know about Protestant evangelicals.

Read about John Hagee apologizing for calling the Roman Catholic Church “The Great Whore.” (HT Brent)

Learn how to break down a door.

Read the results of a study finding How A Container Feels Can Affect Taste.

Read of Michelle K's 1st encounter with John Piper's preaching.

Read as Johnny Mac details God's Plan for the Gay Agenda, his response to the California Supreme Court ruling gay marriage a constitutional right.

Read as Jay the Bennett addresses the issue of cessationism vs. continuationism, including some slooge from Jonathan Edwards.

Learn How to Memorize Verbatim Text.

Read thoughts on whether or not the horror genre is redeemable.

Read about the origin of the "red-letter" Bibles.

Read Justin Taylor's thoughts on "only one way to God," being sure not to miss clip of RC Sproul's thoughts on the subject at the end.

Check out this blog, explaining a theological word of the day. (HT Tim Challies)

Read about how to Bimbo-Proof the Nursery: How to be sure your daughter doesn't turn out like Lindsay Lohan.

Read about the Australian fined for using the seatbelt to strap in his beer, instead of his 5 year old passenger.

Check out some free Sunday school training materials.

Read the thoughts of Jay the Bennett on Jesus' words "No one knows ... not even the Son of Man."

Check out Reality TV's Most Memorable Christians.

Read The Rich Drink Better Beer, Not More by Daniel Hamermesh.
"... most people roughly double their spending when their income doubles. But everything we buy consists of both a quantity dimension and a quality dimension."

Read about some interesting Harvard findings from studying babies, including origins of prejudice and abilities to perceive and respond.

Read the interesting story of Stan "the Man" Musial's 3000th hit with the Cardinals.

Check out this heinous story of a mom dressing her kid up like a Cub Scout to collect for a fictitious cause.

Beware of the toughest movie characters of all time.

Read Brent Thomas' Mission-Minded, Missional, Missionary, On Mission, Huh? Can’t We Just Be A Church?

Read about the 19 year old elected mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma. First order of business needs to be cleaning up the men's restroom at the Shell station. Oh yeah, there's a story there.

Read Russell D. Moore's Should We Miss Our Church Graveyards?

Read about traffic derailed by 14 tons of spilled Oreo cookies. Yes, you guessed it; they were double-stuff.

Read John F. MacArthur, Jr. on True Objectivity.

Read as Joe Carter ponders How do you love a porn star?
"How do you befriend someone who relishes what you despise? Can you show someone love while keeping your distance?"

Read Ed Stetzer's thoughts on Contextualization, Fundamentalists, Modernists, the ABWE, and the Kingdom.

Read about the McKinney High School's yearbook being sabotaged by a disgruntled Lifetouch employee.
"Besides the head and body switching, some necks were stretched, one girl's arm was missing, and another girl's head was placed on what appeared to be a nude body, with the chest blurred."

Read as Hello Kitty is named Japan's Tourism Ambassador.


Comment of the Week:
"Excuse my ignorance, but this Canadian boy has never heard the term 'slooge.' Please fill me in." (Sean Crowe)
Listen to yesterday's sermon at Providence Church on Philippians 2:5-11, "Setting the Standard for Servanthood."
"Have you ever noticed … that people who go around saying 'I'm a perfectionist' never are, while people who actually are perfectionists never go around saying it? I have."
-Stephen J. Dubner

Friday, May 16, 2008

What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to you.

I finished reading Johnny Got His Gun last night, by Dalton Trumbo.

It was originally written in 1938 and made into a movie in 1970. It's a cautionary tale about the reality/brutality of war and it's interesting to see how it's been received by different generations and during different wars.

I found the author's comments in the introduction interesting, for they exhibit a postmodern perspective, before postmodernism was "cool."

In 1959 he wrote that he contemplated making revisions and updates to the book.
"After all, the book is twenty years younger than I, and I have changed so much, and it hasnt'. Or has it?

Is it possible for anything to resist change, even a mere commodity that can be bought, buried, banned, damned, praised, or ignored for all the wrong reasons? Probably not. Johnny held a different meaning for three different wars. Its present meaning is what each reader conceives it to be, and each reader is gloriously different from every other reader, and each is also changing.

I've let it remain as it was to see what it is."
-Dalton Trumbo, Los Angeles, March 25, 1959
(emphasis mine)

For those of you not familiar with a postmodern understanding of the text and meaning, this is a nice indicator of such a mindset.

Authorial intent is irrelevant. Each text is given meaning by the reader, each time the text is read. Meaning is created at that point.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Last time I looked in the dictionary, my name's Ron Burgundy. What's your name?

Brent Thomas has posted about church names and it got me to thinking of church names to avoid.

I'm curious as to what you've seen as well. What are some weird or hokey or confusing church names?

I would avoid the following church names:
  • Freewill Baptist Church
  • Free Love Baptist Church (never actually seen this one)
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • Buelah Land Baptist Church

I would also suggest avoiding the word "Temple" in the name.

Sometimes church names are just funny and/or ironic. Remember Calvin Freewill Baptist Church? (HT Matthew Bradley)

It seems to be popular to put "Community" in the name and I can understand putting locational aspects in the name, but I tend to think of these things from a pastoral perspective. For example, I think it's cool to have some Latin in the name, but I know I'm in the minority.

I'm curious as to what other pastors think about church names, but also what does the common (wo)man think about church names?
  • Is it important to have the denomination identified in the name?
  • Is "Fellowship" preferred to "Church"?
  • Are there benefits to changing a church's name? Like what?
  • How trendy is too much with names?
  • What's the best church name you've come across? the worst?
  • If you could rename your present church, what would it be?

(cf. The significance behind "Providence Church.")

Monday, May 12, 2008

Would an ape make a human doll that talked?

What is a movie genre?

I enjoy comedies, but some of my favorite movies fall into a peculiar genre that I can easier describe than label.

I really enjoy movies where I find myself (typically at the end) saying, "Hmm. I didn't see that coming" or "Hey, that's an interesting thought" or "I'm gonna have to see that again to soak up the fullness of that."

The best of these can leave me wondering "What if?" for quite some time afterward. The films tend to have a message and are designed more for you to think that to merely be entertained, not that thinking isn't entertaining, mind you.

I've heard these films referred to as being "transcendent," but I would say they have a high slooge quotient, with all the accolades inherent therein.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I share with you some of my favorite movies that I think have a high slooge quotient.
  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  2. The Butterfly Effect (director's cut, not the sloogey version)
  3. City of Angels
  4. Crash
  5. The Dead Zone
  6. The Devil's Advocate
  7. Dreamscape
  8. The Family Man
  9. The Forgotten
  10. Flatliners
  11. Groundhog Day
  12. I, Robot
  13. It's a Wonderful Life
  14. The Matrix
  15. Minority Report
  16. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
  17. The Philadelphia Experiment
  18. Planet of the Apes
  19. Premonition
  20. The Prestige
  21. The Recruit
  22. Somewhere in Time
  23. Stranger than Fiction
  24. The Usual Suspects
  25. Vanilla Sky

N.B. These are not typically great "date movies," and my wife is often apathetic, underwhelmed, or whipped by movies with a high slooge quotient. Also, some of these movies are "one-timers," since knowing the ending can ruin the rising action the 2nd time through.

Any others in that "genre," perhaps that I've yet to see?

Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

Isn't this what most Mondays feel like? At least the morning commute?


Read How to Botch an Altar Call. I would probably retool as how to botch evangelism, but some interesting insights.

Read about the finding of a wallet stolen 35 years ago.

Read Owen Strachan's Things Christians Overlook: The Bible Has a Thesis.

Read the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals stance toward "Lordship Salvation." (HT Timothy)

Read the ACE's related thoughts on the relationship between faith and works.

Read about the legally blind man who bowled a perfect game at age 78.

Check out Rev's compilation of the church fathers on the subject of abortion and infanticide.

Check out 3 books to Reform the Black Church.

Read Tim Challies' thoughts on depravity as the great equalizer among humanity.

Read about the case where a man is accused of spiking his pregnant girlfriend's soft drink in order to induce abortion.
"Authorities are considering the crime an aggravated assault against both the girl and her unborn child."

Read about the impact of a weakened/weakening dollar on US missionaries abroad. (HT Tim Challies, HT Jake Hunt)

Check out C.J. Mahaney's words to fathers about modesty and their daughters. (HT Chris Brauns)

Read some thoughts from Pulpit Magazine on making wise decisions.

Read about the German officer who almost assassinated Hitler.

Read about the Mighty Lakers' Kobe Bryant winning the MVP for the first time.

Read Dr. Paige Patterson's insights and thoughts regarding the recent SBC figures indicating decline. (HT Mark L)

Read Stuff White People Like: Grammar.

Check out Ethnologue: An encyclopedic reference work cataloging all of the world’s 6,912 known living languages.

Read about the 1st white valedictorian of Moorehouse College, Joshua Packwood. (HT Antony J. Carter)

Read the Baptist Press report on the Evangelical Manifesto.

Read Jared Nelson's thoughts on the failing of the Evangelical Manifesto in its attempt "to identify and solidify a coherent Evangelical identity."

Check out Rev's assertion that the atonement is not limited, but it is particular (some great historical quotes included).

Read about Bicycling magazine's best and worst cities for cycling. N.B. Dallas made the list and you probably know which one.

Read 14 Ways to Affair Proof Your Marriage.

Read differing thoughts on whether or not there will be regret in heaven.

Read this thought-provoking Washington Post piece about the myth of the melting pot: One Nation, Indivisible: Is It History?

Read Vincent Bugliosi's accusations of President Bush: The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder. He alleges that the President intentionally misled the nation into a war with Iraq. This is some pretty harsh stuff from a man with a fair amount of credibility. WARNING: Conspiracy theorists abound in the comments section.

Read The Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle.

Read about Tony LaRussa trying to get a "hit" changed back to an "error" in the official scoring of a game to save his pitcher 4 earned runs toward his ERA. I'll not give this its own post to avoid the accusations of "sports blog," but I've lamented for years the lax scoring that awards hits to bolster hitter's averages and not shame the fielders for shoddy defense. However, it's the pitchers who pay the price.

Check out Steve Camp's Christian Bill of Rights--Living Christlike in a pagan society.

Read the story of the Mac user who remotely took pictures of those who stole her laptop, leading to their arrest and the recovery of much stolen property. (HT Joshua Harris)

Read Johnny Mac on why doctrine matters.

Read Ed Stetzer on clergification, the potential for over-reliance on paid/professional clergy to accomplish the church's mission.

Read Lionel Woods' thoughts on passing over Samaria in being His witnesses as churches fled to the suburbs.

Read of Brent's dissatisfaction with the John 3:16 conference, particularly the "implicit ad hominem nature of the conference itself," since Calvinists actually do believe John 3:16.

Check out Reality TV's Most Memorable Christians.

Read The Truth about Oil by Vasko Kohlmayer. Perhaps Doomsday is not as imminent as previously perceived. (HT Tim Challies)

Read Don't Waste Your Summer: 9 Resolutions. (HT Tim Challies)

Read Anthony Bradley's thoughts on introverts vs. extroverts and missional activity.

Read about the Connecticut boy who finally took off his Brett Favre jersey ... after 4 years.
"Witthoft conceded his son was starting to become more concerned about his appearance after the jersey barely came down to his belt line."

Check out some answers from the Gospel Coalition to the question, "What is the most crying need of the church in America today?" Oddly enough, I was the only one to suggest the real answer: More Cowbell.

Read about the potential California law that would outlaw driving with your pet on your lap. How can this not already be a law?!

Comment of the Week:
"I thought Jesus was returning in '88 cause that was 40 years after the birth of the nation of Israel - a generation. Isn't He 20 years late? My charts are all messed up now!" (Rev)
Listen to yesterday's sermon at Providence Church on Philippians 2:1-4, "Looking Out for #2 First."
"Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address."
-Lane Olinghouse

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Alright, give your mother a kiss, or I'll kick your teeth in.

Happy Mother's Day to those most experienced at sacrificing for others.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

The phrase "working mother" is redundant. ~Jane Sellman

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

If the whole world were put into one scale, and my mother in the other, the whole world would kick the beam. ~Lord Langdale (Henry Bickersteth)

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. ~Abraham Lincoln

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together. ~Pearl S. Buck

A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother. ~Author Unknown

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. ~Ambrose Bierce

Women's Liberation is just a lot of foolishness. It's the men who are discriminated against. They can't bear children. And no one's likely to do anything about that. ~Golda Meir

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ~Honoré de Balzac

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. ~Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895

He is a poor son whose sonship does not make him desire to serve all men's mothers. ~Harry Emerson Fosdick

Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime. ~William Shakespeare

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. ~Spanish Proverb

She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn't take them along. ~Margaret Culkin Banning

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? ~Milton Berle

Motherhood is priced
Of God, at price no man may dare
To lessen or misunderstand.
~Helen Hunt Jackson

Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own. ~Aristotle

Women are aristocrats, and it is always the mother who makes us feel that we belong to the better sort. ~John Lancaster Spalding

Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.
~William Goldsmith Brown

What are Raphael's Madonnas but the shadow of a mother's love, fixed in permanent outline forever? ~Thomas Wentworth Higginson

The formative period for building character for eternity is in the nursery. The mother is queen of that realm and sways a scepter more potent than that of kings or priests. ~Author Unknown

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. ~Marion C. Garretty

[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled. ~Emily Dickinson

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with ease. ~Lisa Alther

A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them. ~Victor Hugo

Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother. ~Beverly Jones

That best academy, a mother's knee. ~James Russell Lowell

The only mothers it is safe to forget on Mother's Day are the good ones. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories. ~Honoré de Balzac

A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands. But a mother's love endures through all. ~Washington Irving

My mother is a poem
I'll never be able to write,
though everything I write
is a poem to my mother.
~Sharon Doubiago

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing. ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

With what price we pay for the glory of motherhood. ~Isadora Duncan

One good mother is worth a hundred schoolmasters. ~George Herbert

Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved. ~Erich Fromm

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother.
~Ann Taylor

Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries. ~T. DeWitt Talmage

The precursor of the mirror is the mother's face. ~D.W. Winnicott, Playing and Reality, 1971

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships. ~Victoria Secunda

Mother's love grows by giving. ~Charles Lamb

I miss thee, my Mother! Thy image is still
The deepest impressed on my heart.
~Eliza Cook

The tie which links mother and child is of such pure and immaculate strength as to be never violated. ~Washington Irving

I cannot forget my mother. She is my bridge. When I needed to get across, she steadied herself long enough for me to run across safely. ~Renita Weems

A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, "where mother is." ~Keith L. Brooks

Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, comrades and friends - but only one mother in the whole world. ~Kate Douglas Wiggin

If I was damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o'mine.
~Rudyard Kipling

Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not. ~James Joyce

My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation. ~Mark Twain

It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it. ~From the television show The Golden Girls

The mother's heart is the child's school-room. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Women know
The way to rear up children (to be just)
They know a simple, merry, tender knack
Of tying sashes, fitting baby shoes,
And stringing pretty words that make no sense,
And kissing full sense into empty words.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

The desolation and terror of, for the first time, realizing that the mother can lose you, or you her, and your own abysmal loneliness and helplessness without her. ~Francis Thompson

Every beetle is a gazelle in the eyes of its mother. ~Moorish Proverb

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother. ~Abraham Lincoln

No painter's brush, nor poet's pen
In justice to her fame
Has ever reached half high enough
To write a mother's name.
~Author Unknown

Women who miscalculate are called mothers. ~Abigail Van Buren

A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done. ~Author Unknown

One of the very few reasons I had any respect for my mother when I was thirteen was because she would reach into the sink with her bare hands - bare hands - and pick up that lethal gunk and drop it into the garbage. To top that, I saw her reach into the wet garbage bag and fish around in there looking for a lost teaspoon. Bare hands - a kind of mad courage. ~Robert Fulghum

One lamp - thy mother's love - amid the stars
Shall lift its pure flame changeless, and before
The throne of God, burn through eternity -
Holy - as it was lit and lent thee here.
~Nathaniel Parker Willis

No one in the world can take the place of your mother. Right or wrong, from her viewpoint you are always right. She may scold you for little things, but never for the big ones. ~Harry Truman

Life is the fruit she longs to hand you,
Ripe on a plate.
And while you live,
Relentlessly she understands you.
~Phyllis McGinley

All mothers are working mothers. ~Author Unknown

Because I feel that in the heavens above
The angels, whispering one to another,
Can find among their burning tears of love,
None so devotional as that of "Mother,"
Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,
You who are more than mother unto me.
~Edgar Allan Poe

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. ~Oprah Winfrey

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest. ~Irish Proverb

The Apostle Paul wrote: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4) Is there any greater human example of this than a mother? ~Gunny Hartman

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Well now, I don't wanna get mad in a biblical place like this.

Today is the 60th birthday of the modern nation of Israel, which became a nation on May 8, 1948.

That one event, perhaps more than anything else, I contend led to the rise in popularity of the dispensational, pretribulational rapture view of the end times and Jesus' 2nd coming.

One of the things I find particularly interesting is the popular opinion in Christian circles that the US needs to be nice to this nation of Israel in order to benefit from the Abrahamic Covenant and to not be cursed by it.

You may recall God's promise to Abraham:
"I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
-Genesis 12:3, ESV

Thus, for many evangelicals their foreign policy has the priority that the US be nice to Israel.

But is this a valid application/understanding?

Is it not those who are of the faith (i.e., Jews and/or Gentiles) who are the true children of Abraham?
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
-Galatians 3:28-29, ESV

Did not Jesus tell the Jewish Pharisees that they were not children of Abraham, but children of the devil?
39They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41You are doing the works your father did." ... 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.
-John 8:39-41, 44, ESV

So, wouldn't it stand to reason that God's blessing is upon those who respond rightly to the children of Abraham, that is Christians?


Just a thought, but shouldn't there be greater concern for the future of the nation with regard to how it treats Christians than how it treats the nation of Israel?

Nonetheless, Happy Birthday, Israel. I mean you no ill will on your special day.

What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor. Real wrath of God type stuff!

The “Fear of the LORD” in the book of Proverbs

Introduction

A theme that seems to be emphasized often in the Bible in general, and in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament in particular, is the fear of the Lord. In Ecclesiastes 12:13, as a concluding statement of that book, the author writes, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” The purpose of this study is to understand what the concept of the fear of the Lord means theologically and then to examine the practical ramifications of this idea in daily life.

There has been much discussion and dissension over the significance of the fear of the Lord and there is a lack of consensus on what it means to fear God. This concept of the fear of the Lord is especially prevalent in the book of Proverbs, which will be the main source of our discussion on the topic. As it seems to be critical to the “whole duty of man,” it will be time well spent to investigate further what this entails.

Meaning of “the Fear of the Lord”

There seem to be two aspects of this fear. It entails a reverential awe and respect of God as well as a psychological fear of God. Some would like to drop that second aspect as it seems inconsistent with a god of love, but that seems unbiblical. When discussing whom to fear, whom not to fear, and why, Jesus gives these words: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:4-5). To deny this aspect of the fear of the Lord would be tragically close to worshiping another God, if it is not already.

First, although it should seem obvious, it is important to note that the fear of the Lord is not a fear that is God’s fear, but rather fear that humans manifest. They are to fear Him. Upon examination of the references to the fear of the Lord in the book of Proverbs it appears that the verses can be divided into three categories based on the message they portray about the fear one should have of God. The first category of usage seems to link the fear of the Lord with the possession of wisdom and/ or knowledge. The second category entails action and shows those that fear the Lord as abstaining from evil practices and living righteously before God. The third use of the concept of the fear of the Lord in Proverbs gives the benefits associated with fearing God. While all three seem to have a persuasive intent, to motivate one to fear God, this category is most overt in the reasons given for fearing God.

The first category of usage associates the fear of the Lord with having wisdom or knowledge. The first reference to the fear of the Lord in Proverbs is 1:7, which states that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” This verse deals with both wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is stated to be the beginning of knowledge. As knowledge and wisdom are so closely linked, it is no surprise to see Proverbs 9:10 note that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We are also told that a wise man fears the Lord (14:16) and that the fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom (15:33).

The second category of usage deals with actions. Specifically, this aspect shows that those fearing the Lord will exhibit it through their lifestyles. We see that, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil” (8:13). Also, note that we should be able to spot someone who fears the Lord as his “walk is upright” (14:2). Through the fear of the Lord one avoids (16:6) and shuns evil (3:7 & 14:16). One that is zealous for the fear of the Lord should not envy those who do wickedness (23:17) nor should they be rebellious to God or those in authority (24:21). The fear of the Lord should motivate one to live righteously. It would appear that one’s life can be a good indicator of the presence or absence of the fear of the Lord. The litmus test for that fear will be the actions of the individual.

The third category that seems to be represented in the book of Proverbs lays out the rationale for fearing God. It is as though the writer is answering the question, “Why should I fear God?” The benefits of fearing the Lord are manifold and are laid out clearly. Fearing God will add length to one’s life (10:27) as well as bringing the fearer wealth, honor, and life (22:4). That sub-theme of the fear of the Lord bringing life is often stated. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life (14:27) and leads to life (19:23). Other benefits promise contentment (19:23), security in a “secure fortress” (14:26), and God’s blessing (28:14). We note that more important than charm or beauty is fearing the Lord and that such a fearer ought to be praised (31:30). Finally, a general statement about fearing God notes, “Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil” (15:16).

Application

There is a general lack of reverence for God in Christianity today. The Lord Jesus Christ is commonly referred to as, “J. C.”, and praying to God is often called, “Rappin’ with God.” God is not seen as the Almighty Creator of the Universe, but rather as a buddy who is there when we need something. The caviler attitude many take into prayer or worship is shameful. It is so contrary to Scripture that one would think they were worshipping another deity entirely. Perhaps they are, if they assume that God wants to be approached in such a fashion. Although we are His children (John 1:12) and are, thus, encouraged to come to Him, we come boldly, but politely. With common mortals we will say, “Please,” and, “thank you,” but those common manners are rarely displayed when dealing with God.

What is the biblical notion of entering God’s presence? Moses had to remove his sandals as the ground was holy because of God’s presence (Exodus 3:5). Isaiah’s entrance into the presence of God caused him to curse himself as he saw his unholiness in contrast to God’s holiness (Isaiah 6:5). When John saw the risen Lord Jesus on the Isle of Patmos, he fell at His feet as if dead (Revelation 1:17).

A fear of God will motivate one to take prayer and worship seriously. Our prayer should be that of the Psalmist, “Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name” (Psalm 86:11, KJV). In worship, we should be less worried about what worship styles we like and focus more on what He likes. After all, worship is for His benefit, not ours.

As was seen in the discourse on the meaning of the fear of the Lord, this lack of reverence and fear demonstrates a corresponding lack of wisdom and knowledge. We should strive to demonstrate our fear of the Lord by our actions. We must abstain from sinful practice to avoid punishment and to demonstrate our loyalty and subordination to God. There were many motivating factors given as incentives to fear God. They are merely the icing on the cake. Even if there were no benefits for individuals in fearing God, they ought to do it as it is their duty. He is worthy of that reverential awe and respect. The Lord our God is still a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24).

The need for a return to the fear of the Lord is obvious. Christian churches have lost sight of the fact that our priority in life is worship. We plan to spend an eternity in heaven worshiping God, but we have no motivation to do it now. In a current worship service, the service looks nothing like true worship that is described in Revelation 4-5. The way Christians treat God must send a message to the heathen. Surely they see Him as a god who is more of a puppet or bell hop for us than the sovereign Lord before whom every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10). The grace of God has been turned into a license for sin (Jude 4) and we are content with a Christianity that mirrors the lifestyles of the world. The only potential difference between the average professing Christian and a pagan is seen on Sundays at 11 o’clock in the morning where we sacrifice a whole hour to our God.

We are not a people characterized as servants of God, yet that is our calling. May God be gracious with His church and grant us the prayer of Psalm 86:11, that He would unite our hearts to fear His name. Only then will a watching world see that we have a God who is worthy of worship, adoration, and service. May God grant us the wisdom to fear Him. May we never be content with our sinfulness, but rather hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6). A holy God deserves obedient servants. May we fear God and keep His commandments, as that is our whole duty (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when he sings "When a Man Loves a Woman."

An open letter to the "classic rock" radio stations in Dallas (and worldwide) ...

To the Andy Travis of your station,

The following are my top 3 classic rock "beat down" songs. These are songs that either whip me in their own right or have attained beat down status from overexposure.
  1. The Boys Are Back in Town, Thin Lizzy
  2. I Heard It through the Grapevine, Creedence Clearwater Revival
  3. Old Time Rock & Roll, Bob Seger
Please never play these again. Also, in the comments section others may post their top "classic rock beat down" songs, so stand apprised of them as well.

Also, please tell your respective Dr. Johnny Fevers and Venus Flytraps I said, "More rock, less talk."

Lastly, I would like to hear more from the following:
  1. Journey
  2. REO Speedwagon
  3. Electric Light Orchestra
  4. Steve Miller Band
  5. Seals & Croft
  6. Bread
  7. Chicago
  8. Sugarloaf
  9. Atlanta Rhythm Section
  10. The Guess Who
  11. The Who (other than just Pinball Wizard)
  12. Bill Withers (though perhaps not "classic" classic rock)
  13. My Sharona, by The Knack
Rockin' on,
Gunny

P.S. Contrary to what you might hear, Foghat's Slow Ride needs to stay in the rotation.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

This is insightful and stirring, Wintley Phipps dealing with the "black notes" on the piano and hymnody, particularly the negro spiritual. (HT Steve Camp)


Check out this wacky story of the librarian who got fired for reporting a guy viewing child pornography on the library's public computers.

Read about the controversy caused by the recent TIME magazine cover.

Read Is hating ‘haters’ hateful? by Scott Lively.
"After awhile, I realized that the only way I could get them to stop calling me a homophobe was to start agreeing with them about everything."

Read about the lacrosse players disciplined for mooning as part of a player's prom invitation. Dating sure has changed since I was a lad.

Read about Six worldviews you’re competing against and the biblical response, by Rick Warren.

Read Johnny Mac on Genesis 1 and Biblical Authority.

Read Johnny Mac on taking Genesis at face value.

Learn about the release of a new Keith Green CD/DVD of a live performance with extras.

Read about the 75 year old woman getting a phone call from the funeral home to arrange for her services ... while she's still alive. I can imagine the discussion. "I'm not dead yet." "Yes, you are, stop whining." "I'm getting better." "You'll be stone cold in a moment."

Check out a couple of 60 minutes video clips of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Read about the Iranians upset over destructive influence of Barbie and "Westoxication." I'm no Iranian, but I'm feeling them on this one.

Check out Joshua Harris on the need for unity among educational "camps," whether that be home, public, or private school.

Read about the woman pinned for days under her husband's dead body after his heart attack following mowing the lawn.

Read John Piper's reminder about how God motivates.

Read the responses to Joe Thorn's question: "If you could only get three periodicals (magazines, journals, etc.) regularly delivered to your home, which ones would they be?"

Read about the new cell phone problem, "Sexting," where teens (primarily girls) take and send sexually explicit photos (primarily to boys). (HT Anthony Bradley)

Check out Thabiti Anyabwile's compilation of the 9 Marks ejournal dealing with the topic of church unity.

Read Steve Camp's explanation of 2 views of regeneration: Synergism vs. Monergism. (HT Jim Kang) If you reading only one thing this Monday, this would be a good choice.

Check out this great time waster whereby it will turn your color photo into a "vintage" version. "Click browse, choose a photo and click the “upload” button underneath. It’s in Japanese but you can assume what the buttons mean." (HT Michelle)

Learn "proven" outreach strategies your church can implement in public schools this year.

Read about the 7-year old taken from his father's custody after the dad unwittingly gave his son a lemonade at the game ... a HARD lemonade, courtesy of Mike. (HT Tim Challies)

Read Steve Camp's criticism of "live blogging," seeing the term as false advertising.

Read Timothy's response to 20 Things That Christians Do in Church That Annoy Me.

Read about the trend of many companies having chaplains on staff. (HT Brent)

Check out 7 Children's Books That Need To Be Filmed Immediately. (HT Brent)

Read Brandon O'Brien's Christianity Today piece A Jesus for Real Men: What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong.

Read some lighthearted notes on punctuation from Lewis Thomas (including the beloved semi-colon). (HT Tim Challies)

Check out Saddleback's Ten Commandments for Staff. (HT Ed Stetzer)

Learn from Al Mohler about plants' rights, that is in addition to animal and human.

Read about the Florida Senate not passing a bill (tie vote) that would have required ultrasounds prior to abortions.

Check out Ray Pritchard's recommendation to write a prayer for a friend. (HT Tim Challies)

Check out Matthew Bradley's picture of a potentially schizophrenic church in Oklahoma. I drove through Oklahoma this weekend, but missed this one somehow.

Check out 12 Spiritual Lessons from "Prince Caspian."

Read John Piper on what the Pharisees got right.

Read Brad Wheeler's God helps those who help themselves? (Roles & Responsibilities in the Process of Conversion) Make sure you don't succumb to Bootstrapitis.

Check out the Cornell system of note taking to increase recall & general usefulness. (HT Ray Fowler)

Check out a list compiled by The Rebelution of great resources on dealing with lust/sexual purity. (HT Benji)

Check out new audio and video of John Piper's 5-hour seminar exegetically unpacking the theology of the T.U.L.I.P. (aka 5 points of Calvinism).

Find out your peculiar aristocratic title. I am hence evermore ... His Excellency Gunny the Antediluvian of Waldenshire under Throcket. (HT Rev)

Check out this list of "offensive" blogs, including Conservative Reformed Mafia (of which I am a member) and 2 Worlds Collide, from our beloved Rev.

Read about Lance's experience and suggestions for dealing with telemarketers.

Read about the pipe smokers convention that will be smokeless due to Illinois ban.

Comment of the Week:

"Still the best argument against abortion, I believe, is that you are destroying someone who bears the Imago Dei. That is what gives us value. It's not just life, but life of one who is an image bearer. Therefore life is to be respected because of Who's image we bear. To destroy that image needlessly, or out of a sense of the hassle it will bring, is repugnant. We are made in His image, and this gives us, and all humanity, value." (Timothy)
Listen to yesterday's sermon at Providence Church on Revelation 19:11-21, "The Severity of Sin, the Wonder of Grace" by George "Horhay" Deines.
"Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event."
-Oscar Wilde