Technorati Tags: Christian living
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
called to who, what, or where?
“First and foremost we are called to Someone (God), not to something (such as motherhood, politics, or teaching) or to somewhere (such as the inner city or Outer Mongolia)." - Os Guiness, The Call
hell is like ...
I just noted how good the stuff is at nakedpastor's site and true to form he puts up this excellent post on Jonah giving us a glimpse of hell.
- The Absence of God
- The Inability to Worship
- Utter Confusion
- Hopelessness
- The Feeling of Dying
naked confessional suicide
The nakedpastor strikes again. His blog is filled with excellent stuff and worthy of a look. Here's a sample of some good theology/humor.
poverty and you
In this week's outreach newsletter, David Smith provides us these statistics.
Facts about World Poverty:
1. Average world annual income: $5000.
2. Top 10% in the world have an annual income of $25,400.
3. Top 1% in the world have an annual income of $47,500.
4. 4.4 billion people do not have a working sewer system. That’s 4/5 of the world’s population.
5. 1/3 of the world’s population doesn’t have clean water.
6. 1/4 of the world’s population doesn’t have adequate housing.
7. 1/5 of the world’s population doesn’t have health services.
Facts about Poverty in the United States:
1. 37 million people live in poverty. 12.7% of the population.
2. Poverty is considered any family that makes less than $19,307 annually.
3. 47 million people work for less than $10 an hour
4. 2 million people are in prison.
5. 43 million are without healthcare.
6. 28% of poverty families are female headed with no husband.
7. One of every six children live in poverty.
8. 24% are Black and 23% are Hispanic.
9. 30 million families are on food stamps.
10. 30 million children are on free lunch programs at school.
“If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.”
“If you can attend a place of worship without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.”
“If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world.”
“If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in their world.”
“If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace…you are among the top 8% in the world.”
“If you can read this email, you are more blessed than over 2 billion people in the world that cannot read at all.”
Where are you? Check out the "rich-o-meter" and then go give it away.
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” - Jesus
Facts about World Poverty:
1. Average world annual income: $5000.
2. Top 10% in the world have an annual income of $25,400.
3. Top 1% in the world have an annual income of $47,500.
4. 4.4 billion people do not have a working sewer system. That’s 4/5 of the world’s population.
5. 1/3 of the world’s population doesn’t have clean water.
6. 1/4 of the world’s population doesn’t have adequate housing.
7. 1/5 of the world’s population doesn’t have health services.
Facts about Poverty in the United States:
1. 37 million people live in poverty. 12.7% of the population.
2. Poverty is considered any family that makes less than $19,307 annually.
3. 47 million people work for less than $10 an hour
4. 2 million people are in prison.
5. 43 million are without healthcare.
6. 28% of poverty families are female headed with no husband.
7. One of every six children live in poverty.
8. 24% are Black and 23% are Hispanic.
9. 30 million families are on food stamps.
10. 30 million children are on free lunch programs at school.
“If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.”
“If you can attend a place of worship without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.”
“If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world.”
“If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in their world.”
“If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace…you are among the top 8% in the world.”
“If you can read this email, you are more blessed than over 2 billion people in the world that cannot read at all.”
Where are you? Check out the "rich-o-meter" and then go give it away.
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” - Jesus
Technorati Tags: Christian living, giving
macarthur on the trinity
"Coincidently", John MacArthur is also thinking and posting about the Trinity ...
The Trinity is an unfathomable, and yet unmistakable doctrine in Scripture. As Jonathan Edwards noted, after studying the topic extensively, “I think [the doctrine of the Trinity] to be the highest and deepest of all Divine mysteries” (An Unpublished Treatise on the Trinity). Yet, though the fullness of the Trinity is far beyond human comprehension, it is unquestionably how God has revealed Himself in Scripture—as one God eternally existing in three Persons.
women leading worship
Is it Biblical for a woman to lead worship? Bab Kauflin, as usual, directs us back to the Gospel to find the answers.
Monday, March 05, 2007
james cameron's grave discovered
This just in from Horn+Swoggled ...
Caretaker Discovers James Cameron's Grave
Caretaker Discovers James Cameron's Grave
A cemetery caretaker in Montpelier, Vermont, has uncovered "compelling evidence" that movie director James Cameron died in 1837. ...
Frostmore said he's not going public with the revelation of Cameron's death to make money, or to destroy people's faith in the movie business. "Regardless of whether James Cameron really contributed to great movies like 'Rambo: First Blood Part II,' or 'The Abyss,' the fact is that people are free to draw meaning from those films in their own personal way.
Technorati Tags: current events, humor
the trinity
Here's a short paper by John Piper on the Trinity.
I read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis a long time ago but this excerpt just recently came to light for me as I looked for words to explain the Trinity. I hope you find them helpful as well.
God is a Being which contains three Persons while remaining one Being, just as a cube contains six squares while remaining one body. But as soon as I begin trying to explain how these Persons are connected, I have to use words which make it sound as if one of them was there before the others. The First Person is called the Father and the Second the Son. We say that the First begets or produces the Second; we call it begetting, not making, because what he produces is of the same kind as Himself. In that way the word Father is the only one to use. But unfortunately it suggests that He is there first--just as a human father exists before his son. But that is not so. There is no before and after about it... The Son exists because the Father exists: but there never was a time before the Father produced the Son.
We must think of the Son always, so to speak, streaming forth from the Father, like light from a lamp, or heat from a fire, or thoughts from a mind. He is the self-expression of the Father--what the Father has to say. And there never was a time when He was not saying it... All these pictures of light or heat are making it sound as if the Father and the Son are two things instead of two Persons. So that, after all, the New Testament picture of a Father and a Son turns out to be much more accurate than anything we try to substitute for it... Naturally God knows how to describe Himself much better than we know how to describe Him. He knows that Father and Son is more like the relation between the First and Second Persons than anything else we can think of. Much the most important thing to know is that it is a relation of love. The Father delights in His Son; the Son looks up to His Father...
The union between the Father and Son is such a live concrete thing that this union itself is a Person. I know this is almost inconceivable but look at it thus. You know that among human beings, when they get together in a family, or a club, or a trade union, people talk about the "spirit" of that family, or club, or trade union. They talk about its "spirit" because the individual members, when they are together, do really develop particular ways of talking and behaving, which they would not have if they were apart. It is as if a sort of communal personality came into existence. Of course, it is not a real person: it is only rather like a person. But that is just one of the difference between God and us. What grows out of the joint life of the Father and Son is a real Person, is in fact the Third of the three Persons who are God.
This third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the "spirit" of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind than the other two... Perhaps some people might find it easier to begin with the third Person and work backward. God is love, and that love works through men--especially through the whole community of Christians. But this spirit of love is, from all eternity, a love going on between the Father and the Son.
david wayne on the sin versus the story
The "T" in the acronym TULIP stands for total depravity. RC Sproul more precisely refers to this as "radical depravity" - but then the acronym doesn't work -RULIP???
The difference is that man is not totally depraved but instead, while he is still an image bearer, sin has made him radically depraved. It has affected every aspect of his being - ultimately, he can do no good.
I like David Wayne's add to this concept by quote from Heaven is Not My Home by Paul Marshall.
The difference is that man is not totally depraved but instead, while he is still an image bearer, sin has made him radically depraved. It has affected every aspect of his being - ultimately, he can do no good.
I like David Wayne's add to this concept by quote from Heaven is Not My Home by Paul Marshall.
Sin is not the story, it is the blight on the story. Sin distorts everything, perverts everything, corrupts everything. It is not sin that makes us bear children, bu tit is sin that makes childbearing painful. It is not sin that attracts men and women, but it is sin that fills our relationships with control and suspicion. It is not sin that makes music, but it is sin that fills our music with vanity and lust. It is not sin that makes us construct cities and towers, but it is sin that makes those towers symbols of pride and power. It is not sin that calls human beings to live and love, to make music and art, to work and create, to plant and harvest, to play and dance. But it is sin that undercuts and perverts them all.We are corrupted yet our fundamental identity is not changed.
Sin does not create things. It has no originality, no creativity, no being in itself. Sin lives off that which is good. It is a parasite, feeding greedily on the goodness of what God has made. No relation is of itself sinful, but sin corrupts every relation. No area of life is in itself out of the will of God, but we defy God's will in every area of life.
idiot's guide to correction
Nicely done by Eric Simmons, An idiot's guide to correction, part 1 and part 2.
Technorati Tags: Christian living, ecclesiology
the kingdom mystery
As I noted before, while I enjoy NSV's spin on the Kingdom Experiment, I have had real issue with the original material. In the original, the claim is that the Kingdom of God was like a person in a dark room, unable to see, bumping into another person in the room unable to see, and somehow together they go on this journey in the dark. Another claim was that the Kingdom was "not knowing, the Kingdom is just doing." I find this terribly un-Biblical and fortunately NSV's Worship team leader put together the following Scripture list that he shared during the music at this week's service.
I'll let these words of Jesus recorded in Mt 13.10-11 provide only one reason why someone would think the Kingdom of God is about being in the dark. Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given."
- I Co 15:50ff - the Kingdom is a mystery but it is being revealed
- Dan 2:25ff - man cannot reveal these types of mysteries but God can (Dan 2.47)
- I Tim 3:14ff - there is reason for us to understand these mysteries
- Col 1:24ff - God does not want us to stay in a state of ignorance regarding His mysteries (Eph 1.3ff, Isa 45.3)
I'll let these words of Jesus recorded in Mt 13.10-11 provide only one reason why someone would think the Kingdom of God is about being in the dark. Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given."
Technorati Tags: Kingdom of God
Sunday, March 04, 2007
wrestling for jesus
Are you wrestling against flesh and blood? These guys are and claim it's good.Technorati Tags: ecclesiology
the kingdom "experiment" continues
Another week of the "experiment" has gone by with yet another super sermon by Matt Massey but not so good material from the Kingdom Experiment itself. Massey's sermon used the following from Matthew 10 as a springboard.
"... proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay."
Now that's powerful stuff - far above the social gospel often taught as being the Kingdom of God. I suspect the reason that the common teaching falls short of Jesus' command is (1) because of the popular but un-Biblical teaching that these things have ceased and (2) because of the mismatch between the Biblical record and our personal experience.
The second leads to the focus of what Massey spoke on, that is, we receive and we give. When we read this, our teaching is on giving. One would be hard pressed to find teaching focussed on receiving from God. We too often miss that the most important thing about us is that we are the Beloved of God. The emphasis is not on us or our action but on God and what He has done and is doing.
When we receive Him, He made us to become His children (Jn 1.12). This is not something we approach in a transactional manner, i.e., we do not barter with God. The difference here is the difference between earning and effort. We do not earn God's affection but because we are His, we give all our effort toward obedience. And finally, there is no end or cap to what we can receive. The glory of the Kingdom is beyond our comprehension and the King is able to meet all of our needs.
"... proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay."
Now that's powerful stuff - far above the social gospel often taught as being the Kingdom of God. I suspect the reason that the common teaching falls short of Jesus' command is (1) because of the popular but un-Biblical teaching that these things have ceased and (2) because of the mismatch between the Biblical record and our personal experience.
The second leads to the focus of what Massey spoke on, that is, we receive and we give. When we read this, our teaching is on giving. One would be hard pressed to find teaching focussed on receiving from God. We too often miss that the most important thing about us is that we are the Beloved of God. The emphasis is not on us or our action but on God and what He has done and is doing.
When we receive Him, He made us to become His children (Jn 1.12). This is not something we approach in a transactional manner, i.e., we do not barter with God. The difference here is the difference between earning and effort. We do not earn God's affection but because we are His, we give all our effort toward obedience. And finally, there is no end or cap to what we can receive. The glory of the Kingdom is beyond our comprehension and the King is able to meet all of our needs.
Technorati Tags: Kingdom of God
g3 crowd chant
Good news - just got our tickets for the G3 2007 concert in Cincinnati featuring Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, and Paul Gilbert. I'm already practicing my Crowd Chant. I hope he doesn't wear the orange wig.Unfortunately we had to pass on the Platinum Package which includes seating in the first 5 rows and collectible VIP laminate that gives you access to "CLUB JOE," the exclusive Joe Satriani meet and greet experience. a 60 minute Q&A and autograph session with Joe Satriani, a personal photograph, a guided tour of Joe's "Guitar World" and an autographed copy of Joe's new double DVD "Satriani Live". Two lucky guests will be brought back onstage to watch the show’s encore from the side of the stage! Sounds cool but I'm not up to the $325 per ticket - our tickets were a little less.
I didn't find a good link for Paul Gilbert so I'll though in this video.
Technorati Tags: music
Friday, March 02, 2007
misguided
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." - Martin Luther King Jr.
Technorati Tags: discipleship
willard on the social gospel
David Fitch summarizes his take on Dallas Willard's presentation at T.A.C.T..
Dallas asserted that there are "3 Gospels Heard at the Present"
1.) YOUR SINS WILL BE FORGIVEN and you will be in heaven in the afterlife if you believed that Jesus suffered for your sins
2.) JESUS DIED TO LIBERATE THE OPPRESSED and you can stand with him in that battle.
3.) DO WHAT YOUR CHURCH SAYS and it will see to it you are received by God.
Dallas said compare these 3 gospels with the following:
4.) Put your confidence and trust in Jesus and live with him as his disciple now in the present Kingdom of God (Matt 6.33; Rom 8.1-14; Col 1.13; 3. 1-4; John 3.1-8).
He said "Salvation is participating now in the life which Jesus is now living on earth - Of course that involves forgiveness and heaven afterward and much more."
Dallas asserted that there are "3 Gospels Heard at the Present"
1.) YOUR SINS WILL BE FORGIVEN and you will be in heaven in the afterlife if you believed that Jesus suffered for your sins
2.) JESUS DIED TO LIBERATE THE OPPRESSED and you can stand with him in that battle.
3.) DO WHAT YOUR CHURCH SAYS and it will see to it you are received by God.
Dallas said compare these 3 gospels with the following:
4.) Put your confidence and trust in Jesus and live with him as his disciple now in the present Kingdom of God (Matt 6.33; Rom 8.1-14; Col 1.13; 3. 1-4; John 3.1-8).
He said "Salvation is participating now in the life which Jesus is now living on earth - Of course that involves forgiveness and heaven afterward and much more."
Technorati Tags: Kingdom of God
Thursday, March 01, 2007
keller in cutting edge
If you are at all interested in Church Planting, you should be getting Cutting Edge. And, if you are a Christian, you should get interested in Church planting. The latest issue contained an interview with the always excellent Tim Keller. In that, Keller talks about being a disciple and making disciples.
You can't just disciple people on how to be Christians in their private lives, (e.g., prayer, witnessing, Bible study). ... your vocation dominates your life and your time. Discipleship must include how to be distinctively Christian within your job, including how to handle the peculiar temptations and ethical quandaries, and how to produce work in one's own field from a distinctly Christian world-view.
If you speak and discourse as if your whole neighborhood is present eventually more and more of your neighborhood will find their way in or be invited. Why? Most Christians, even when they are very edified in church, know intuitively that their non-Christian friends would not appreciate the service. What you want is for a Christian to come to your church and say, "Oh! I wish my non-Christian friend could see (or hear) this!" If this is forgotten, soon even a growing church will be filled with Christians who commute in from various towns and communities far and wide rather than filling up with Christians and seekers from your church's immediate neighborhood.
Technorati Tags: evangelism, missional, outreach
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
cheney and the taliban
Dick Cheney has been targeted by the Taliban. His response was that of a true gentleman, he has extended the hand of friendship and invited Osama to go quail hunting this weekend.
Technorati Tags: current events, humor
prince charles and the big mac
Prince Charles said banning McDonald's fast food was the key to a healthy lifestyle. What's next? Will he have the Burger King executed?
Technorati Tags: current events, humor
macarthur on election
"Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved. Election is unconditional, because it does not depend on anything outside of God, such as good works or foreseen faith (Romans 9:16)." - John MacArthur from Pulpit Magazine
MacArthur writes a short but beautiful summary affirming the doctrine of election.
MacArthur writes a short but beautiful summary affirming the doctrine of election.
When the Bible speaks of God’s foreknowledge, it refers to God’s establishment of a love relationship with that person.
Technorati Tags: Calvinism, soteriology
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