tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245405052024-03-07T15:22:25.357-05:00One Day Again...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-83858490793607117242014-10-27T12:29:00.000-04:002014-10-27T17:21:49.654-04:00Destiny's identity crisis, and the way forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nUJtcTbSII4/VE4sNVw92OI/AAAAAAAABk0/_3o6cByETog/s1600/037118ac655e43b5c6d1bb074ec0c90a-destiny-the-official-dorkly-review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nUJtcTbSII4/VE4sNVw92OI/AAAAAAAABk0/_3o6cByETog/s1600/037118ac655e43b5c6d1bb074ec0c90a-destiny-the-official-dorkly-review.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">This game continues to suffer from an identity crisis. The saying goes, "If you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098);"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">As someone who enjoyed the game even with the "level 20-29 grind limbo", I have concerns about the longevity of the game. My concern is that Destiny's popularity and high level of gamer engagement has only lasted this long because of the game drought we are in. I think this continued struggle for identity is going to cause long term problems and here's why...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098);"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Players looking for a good PVP experience will almost certainly never be satisfied. Why? Because PVP in general, across all titles, is incredibly repetitive (this isn't Destiny's fault). And even with special events like the Iron Banner, if we are honest, the PVP experience in Destiny leaves much to be desired for (lots of lag comp, delay, very little depth, typical game modes, etc.) And you really can't reverse or undo the terrible experience so many of us had with OP shotguns and the misleading nature of the first Iron Banner. So all your die hard PVP fans will eventually jump ship when better big name PVP titles start to drop. Especially games whose identity is more firmly planted in PVP. They tend to offer more and have deeper layers of creativity and incentivized reasons to play, level up, etc. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Players looking for a good PVE RPG shooter experience have already moved on because there is little reason to play once you get to level 28-29. Continue grinding for materials? Waste 3 hours on the Vault of glass only to get no vault armor? No thanks. Many of us have gone to Borderlands The Pre-Sequel and many more will move in droves when bigger next-gen RPG titles like Dragon Age and others start to launch.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The reason games like Halo, Call of Duty, and Borderlands have been so successful and have high DLC saturation rates is because they have a clear identity. So expectations are set and largely met, resulting in a loyal and recurring audience. Destiny has tried to straddle the chasm between the experience of a solid co-op open world RPG and the experience of a fun fast paced competitive shooter. In the end, both aspects of the game are diluted, repetitive, and boring. Again, as I said on the outset, if you aim to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098);"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">My recommendation is this. Since the nature of PVP games are so quickly ran through and cast aside (see Titanfall and each Call of Duty title for examples), I would strongly suggest focusing all efforts on content. Content content content. Content is king. Competitive shooters are going to re-saturate the market soon, and there is going to be very little to make Destiny stand out, other than the litany of problems and complaints. Leave PVP as it is and continue to add bounties, but if you really want people to play your game for ten years, you need to leave the PVP on the shelf and refocus your identity. Not because PVP is a dying genre, but because it doesn't line up with the identity that Destiny promoted itself to have and it doesn't have the longevity you're hoping to get out of it. G</span></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">o back and watch all your teaser trailers and </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">announcements and you'll see why so much of your audience is unsatisfied and angry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">See Borderlands as an example of an RPG shooter that has ridiculous hours logged from their audience, and launches DLC for almost 2 years after the game drops. They wouldn't keep doing it that way if it wasn't working. Then look at Call of Duty. A new title every year with DLC crammed out faster and faster each time (and constant marketing to get you to purchase DLC before the game is even out). If Call of Duty has to launch a new full game every year to stay on top as the biggest PVP shooter, and they even had two different companies so this was even possible from a development standpoint, you're going to find yourself running up a mountain on a treadmill. You will never keep up.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85098); color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Reestablish and fix the identity, and set yourself up to have a loyal and recurring audience. Anyone in business will tell you that loyal and recurring business is far better.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-49910297958268687212014-02-05T14:41:00.000-05:002014-02-06T09:07:01.227-05:00Are Bill Nye and Ken Ham both right?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, I think there are much better debates to watch if you're curious about the issue of atheism vs the existence of God (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqaHXKLRKzg" target="_blank">Daniel Lane Craig vs Sam Harris</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QasXlw8zK0w" target="_blank">Christopher Hitchens vs Doug Wilson</a>).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basically just watch any debate that Hitchens or Daniel Lane Craig have had and you’ll be better squared up on the main issues.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that discussion is more foundational before considering the debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nobody Really Knows What Happened<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I know, how wonderfully agnostic and unhelpful. But let me elaborate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the 1960’s Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson detected strange radiation with their instruments at Bell Labs in Holmdel, New Jersey (Bill Nye outlined this story in the debate). What they discovered was cosmic background radiation which lead to the undeniable conclusion that the universe had a precise and explosive beginning. This discovery has been championed by both sides of the debate as proof for their position. Now, since we weren’t there we can only make predictions about how it happened. Maybe God sped up time? Maybe he didn’t, and it took a long time, because a day is like a 1,000 years to him. More on how we should read Genesis below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is why I said the existence of God debate must happen first. If you grant for a moment that God might exist, and has the power to create all things, then isn’t it possible that the expansion and explosion of the universe happened at a rate incalculable by science because it was done supernaturally? And that animal life and plant life look to be from a single source because God shaped and molded all things as he went, leaving traces of what looks like species transforming into other species? Scientists have no instruments or methods for studying and measuring the supernatural, so maybe both sides are closer to the truth of how it all happened then either wants to admit. Even Creationists must grant that the biblical narrative simply doesn’t say in any detail how it all happened, just that it did. I know many will say, “Yes, but it says how long it took, 6 days!” Alright, well…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young Earth Creationists Should Keep an Open Mind<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh brother, now I sound like a Universalist! R.C. Sproul made a good point in a <a href="http://vimeo.com/41386833" target="_blank">video</a> about the age of the universe. He basically said, “<i>We saw we had wrong interpretations that the sun rotated around the earth because of scientific discovery.</i>” What if, <b>now hang with me here…</b> What if part of our understanding of the first two chapters of Genesis is flawed? I encourage everyone to read, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-World-Genesis-One-Cosmology-ebook/dp/B003VM8QK0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391628692&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Lost+World+of+Genesis+One" target="_blank">The Lost World of Genesis One</a>” by John H. Walton. He makes a compelling case that our understanding of the creation account is not informed by ancient cosmology and the context of the original audience. I've not read anything, save Walton's book, that considers language and context of the time. Walton slowly walks through much of the ancient literature surrounding the time of the writing of Genesis, and I think he makes a compelling case that the Israelites would have understood “create” much differently than we do, which should inform our interpretation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I am Not Saying<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be clear, I am not saying that Christians should waffle and waver on Biblical authority, the existence of God, or the claims of/about Jesus simply because scientists say otherwise. What I am saying is that perhaps we’ve been ardently defending a literal 6 day creation and a young earth when we don’t have to. Sure, Ken Ham and others will say, “<i>Then you’ve got the problem of death before the fall.</i>” But again, what if part of our understanding of Genesis 1-2 is flawed? Where does it say no animals died prior to the fall? It says man will surely die in the day he eats the fruit (then Adam doesn’t die in the day he eats the fruit), and later says that the tree of life would have granted them eternal life (Gen 3:22). So which is it? Adam was going to live forever and sinned, bringing physical death into the world? Or sin broke covenant and revoked access to the tree of life and by default brought death into the world? What if the death was spiritual in nature and the curses were the result of being separated from God and his tree of life? Paul can still say “By one man…” because Adam brought this on us, separated us from God, and Christ has to restore that broken order. So, there is certainly multiple ways to read/interpret this, and if large amounts of data show us death happening long before man shows up, then maybe we need to stop burning modern Galileos and adjust our interpretation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bill Nye’s Two Points to Consider<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The two points Bill Nye made that I found the most interesting were about age of the earth, not evolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, he points to trees that are older than the flood. How would this be possible? Many typically reply to age of the earth questions by saying, “<i>Adam was created with age and so was the earth.</i>” Okay, but what about after the flood? That’s a precise point in the historical biblical narrative, and we have trees that somehow survived and are older than the flood? So even if the trees were created with age, how did they survive the flood? (Another discussion: global vs local flood) This leads to his other point, which is a solid counter to the “created with age” response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, he points to the many fossils found in various layers of the earth that represent different ages of the earth. If God created the earth with age, which is why mountains and layers in the Grand Canyon look really old… Why would there be dead animals inside them? This poses the same problem Ken Ham laid at the feet of theistic evolutionists: death before the fall. If you make the claim that the earth was simply created with age, then the fossils and their locations mean that death happened during creation or God simply created the mountains and rock layers with fake fossils.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it is far more likely that part of our understanding of Genesis 1-2 is flawed, and that the basic big picture teachings from it are true and easily verified in our existence today. Man is told to subdue the earth and fill it. Humans have clearly and undeniably done that in a very short amount of time. Sin put enmity between man and God, and man and man. This is clearly seen in the disgust and hate people express for God, even though they claim he doesn’t exist, and the constant turmoil, fighting, and war amongst men. The foundational claims made in Genesis 1-2 lead us directly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is far more important than the age of the earth. Man is the prominent species almost everywhere on earth, pining, fighting, and searching for identity. It can’t be found in a fossil record or a sea bed nor can it be found in the precise age of the earth; it can only be found in the one who conquered death.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-16411203665882494482013-12-03T17:17:00.003-05:002013-12-03T23:31:10.729-05:00Your Opinion about Rap Might be Racist<div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0196078); border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI90GH0tr0zZXcg_dqNYvvGXXDqU7_6qKsg5OwOrsrCgXGbXX235dkn8itPqdyjj2oP3Ff8DOrDzA5oxDQI8AESnmfttDzYphveTemji-cXgG1p4mDw1a7qKHlzM1o8SQ3HDwE/s1600/no-rap.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI90GH0tr0zZXcg_dqNYvvGXXDqU7_6qKsg5OwOrsrCgXGbXX235dkn8itPqdyjj2oP3Ff8DOrDzA5oxDQI8AESnmfttDzYphveTemji-cXgG1p4mDw1a7qKHlzM1o8SQ3HDwE/s200/no-rap.png" width="200" /></a>Recently there's been a bit of a dust up over comments made by some panelists at a "Worship of God Conference". It has been to my great disappointment, that <a href="http://religiousaffections.org/articles/articles-on-culture/explanation-of-my-comments-about-reformed-rap-on-the-ncfic-panel/" target="_blank">Scott Aniol</a> has doubled down on his position, attempting to argue that the Bible supports his position that rap is not glorifying to God. It has also been incredibly disappointing to see so many Christians agreeing with him.</div>
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The biggest mistake critics of rap are making is thinking that asserting an opinion is the same as making an argument. Just because you think that rap is “<i>not good music</i>” or is not “<i>glorifying God with excellence</i>” does not mean you have actually shown, from reason and Scripture, that is objectively true of rap. I can say that hymns are “<i>not good music</i>” (I actually really enjoy hymns), but that does not mean it’s factual or even biblical, it’s just an opinion.</div>
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Christians really need to heed Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in Matthew 15 about elevating man’s traditions to being equal with the commands of God. Your view of a given music style is not equal to God’s word, and leveraging passages about worship being excellent as if they somehow support your opinion is reckless eisegesis.</div>
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Here’s the uncomfortable reality for most of the people criticizing, dismissing, and denouncing rap. You’re allowing a cultural-ethno-geocentric bias to keep you from having enough grace for a style of music outside of your taste and context. This undermines a Gospel for all peoples and is a poor representation of a gracious Father who calls us to love our enemies. If we are to love our enemies, how much more should we love our brothers and sisters and have the grace to allow for musical differences?</div>
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Think of the variety of music styles across the globe, and you’re going to single out rap as “<i>not good music</i>” and “<i>not glorifying to God</i>”? Expect the charge of racist when you single out a style of music with a history and context that is culturally derived from a specific race. If the shoe were on the other foot, and black Christians were saying that rap and gospel were the only appropriate forms of music, you’d start to understand why racism is a legitimate accusation.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-1701271653023836072013-07-15T11:48:00.000-04:002013-07-15T15:06:53.445-04:00Children Are Disposable<div id="video">
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She says she knew this decision would make others “uncomfortable”, laying the blame for any opposition to what she did at the feet of everyone else. In her mind it is clearly something wrong with those disagreeing with her decision, and not anything wrong with her actions. The way she talks about it displays a dissociative mental break from reality. She is disconnected, emotionless, un-empathetic, liken to a serial killer talking about his victims.<br />
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And if you listen carefully, blatant hypocrisy seeps out from her comments. When describing her own "discomfort" at her friend having 7 embryos implanted while continuing to have miscarriages she questions, "Don't you think your body is trying to tell you something?". So her friend's body having miscarriages is communicating something, but her body wasn't telling her anything when it had three living persons in it. All that "mattered" was that she was "in control of her decision", but her friend should relinquish control and listen to her body. All of this while she justifies silencing the voices of two lives in the womb.<br />
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For many in this country, children exist on a continuum. On one end, many treat their children like a commodity, living vicariously through them, dressing them up like little dolls (Toddlers and Tiaras), pushing for the best schools and best performance in sports and other activities. On the other end, they are an inconvenience, a disposable piece of waste that can be removed with the press of a button, or medicated and babysat by the TV. This woman, with unapologetic psychopathological speech describes how she saw her unborn children on both ends of the spectrum.<br />
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(HT: <a href="http://www.dennyburk.com/the-damning-euphemism-called-selective-reduction-ht-drmoore/" target="_blank">Denny Burk</a>)
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-80615036403839988322013-06-25T14:24:00.000-04:002013-06-25T14:24:45.988-04:00Rescue and Restore Album Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMGyBndmdx8iZW6k_J3fLdiIMWOLAv8Chb43oUzpKhg7D5spKdPDNWElpej2H_1TX6UXcHO5yLtTnNa47crl09QGV7DGh6W97sJYHszh_OiysMaYAgDybkK7zxF3jA9F9nyU6/s1600/August-Burns-Red-Rescue-Restore-Album-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMGyBndmdx8iZW6k_J3fLdiIMWOLAv8Chb43oUzpKhg7D5spKdPDNWElpej2H_1TX6UXcHO5yLtTnNa47crl09QGV7DGh6W97sJYHszh_OiysMaYAgDybkK7zxF3jA9F9nyU6/s200/August-Burns-Red-Rescue-Restore-Album-Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
"<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Restore-August-Burns-Red/dp/B00CMYRSQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372184484&sr=8-1&keywords=august+burns+red" target="_blank">Rescue and Restore</a>" thunders out as one of <a href="http://www.augustburnsred.com/" target="_blank">August Burns Red</a>'s strongest albums instrumentally. The band seems to have hit their stride by balancing the breakdown elements of "Messengers" with the fast intensity of "Leveler" and "Constellations". Fans of specific albums will be happy and satisfied with the variety and lively nature of the album. The artwork is bright and grungy which embodies the sound ABR has grown into. Lyrically the album is not their strongest, which seems due to the specificity with which Jake wrote some of the lyrics. He clearly has a passion in his personal life for healing and growth, both for himself and others, and that shines through in the lyrics. However, some of them feel more personal, like letters Jake has written to God, which may make it harder for listeners to relate and connect to the songs. The more I listened the more I came to enjoy the lyrics, trying to place myself in each song. If fans take an approach that is more personal, they may find the lyrics growing in strength over time as they feel certain songs or lyrics are their own. The in-your-face intensity is lacking when compared to an album like "Messengers", with the exception of the track "Treatment", which strongly condemns religious tribalism and bigotry. So, some fans may feel the album is somewhat flat lyrically, but again, it is more personal than preachy which some may prefer. Overall, the word to describe listening to the album is "fun". The increase in positive healing-focused lyrics and reestablishing of the participatory nature of the music will hopefully draw new fans in and be enjoyed by longtime fans of the band.<br />
<br />
5/5 stars - I highly recommend this album.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-92079191552438931452013-05-20T14:48:00.000-04:002013-05-20T14:56:16.003-04:00Thoughts on a Transient Church<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZbvdyMHtpw/UZpuVq60V8I/AAAAAAAABbw/jQj0rFqZZ8s/s1600/RevolvingDoor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZbvdyMHtpw/UZpuVq60V8I/AAAAAAAABbw/jQj0rFqZZ8s/s200/RevolvingDoor.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>
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As a member of <a href="http://cliftonbaptist.org/">Clifton
Baptist Church</a>, a church that is admittedly transient, I have often thought
about the best way our church can approach the seemingly constant influx and
outflow of people. Every church has its
own cultural climate and context, and often these factors can create an
environment where people are coming and going quite frequently. So if you are currently attending a church
and the transient nature of the membership is bothersome or discouraging, let
me offer an observation that helped me reorient how I think about my church and
ministry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Side note: If your
church is transient due to poor leadership or sinful behavior in the church
then what I’m about to say probably won’t be very helpful. I mainly have churches in mind that are in a
city or context where people naturally come and go as “way of life” situations
or “ministry calling” pulls them away.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We’re a Family</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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The language in the New Testament consistently invokes the
language of family, namely “brothers and sisters”. The idea behind this is that Christians are
siblings with God as our Father. This
theological theme encompasses why we should confront a brother who is in sin or
lift up a sister who needs encouragement: we love and care for our family. But how, you may ask, should this frame our
view of transience?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Serving for 6+ years with children and now teenagers has
brought me to a unique experience: watching those who I first met when they
were children graduate from High School.
I experienced something youth pastors must feel annually and parents
feel less frequently but more deeply: proud joy mingled with nostalgic sorrow. All the times mentoring, praying, studying,
and laughing are coming to a close. The
proud smile coupled with misty eyes as they cross a stage and are suddenly more
of a peer than a student is but a small reflection of the paradoxical feeling
within.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ebb and flow of life makes the moment of transition
almost magical. When did it happen? When did they stop running around laughing
uncontrollably as you played games with them on a playground and start taking
their life and faith seriously? As this
moment takes you by surprise you can’t accurately describe the feeling. You are proud of them, happy because they are
happy, but there is a unique sadness that only wells up during these times of
jettison. This is, after all, what you
have been working toward. And yet, part
of you wants to stop the clock, fly out the window beneath a star filled sky,
and runaway to Neverland, keeping the joy and laughter going on forever. But reality slowly settles on you, like a scratchy
blanket you reluctantly get used to, and you know they must go and that things
cannot go back to what they were.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As this realization landed on me, at first I was filled with
a great sense of dread. What’s the
point? Every year I will have to say
goodbye to another set of students, always feeling like a part of my family is
being ripped from my presence. But then,
suddenly, I realized, this is what families are meant to do. You invest, discipline, sacrifice, love,
serve, and work toward the day when the baby throwing food in your face is
shaking your hand like an adult and leaving your side. And if the church is a family, and if part of
the duty of the church is to send workers out into the world, then we,
like so many parents, can proudly wipe tears from our eyes as those we have grown
to love and cherish leave us. We may not be able to steal our churches and
friends away to some Christian-Neverland, where ministry, service, and love go
on forever… But one day our King will return and take us to a Forever-land,
where joy and laughter will echo in the hills and mountains on top of new
stories and smiles into eternity.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What now?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As this thought has continued to penetrate my heart, like a
new pair of glasses that come with tissues for joyful-sorrow-filled-tears, I
can look at my transient church with a newfound sense of purpose and wonder. God, in his glorious plan and love, has given
us a family larger and greater than we could fathom, and it comes with many unique
joys, privileges, responsibilities, and sorrows. A parent would never abandon their responsibilities
or stunt their child to keep them from growing up and moving away because they
love their family and know they are working toward something far greater. We also, out of love and an eternal purpose, should
not abdicate the same responsibility as the family of God. We meet to part and part to meet, indeed.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-31573850821899891352013-05-15T14:20:00.001-04:002013-05-15T14:20:56.834-04:00God creates evil? Q&A<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5qKYER427_EZkE9OQ9HNzAPL-J0B1IA0dxpQ9YqE85gzu67udzBWCUUXuLX69K64fe_y3fJ_U89bZ89juAojzkewY81eQ-hswLTUK6IWwmQtNUDjOO38ZPI8SBB3sSE3R7rS/s1600/it_photo_107887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5qKYER427_EZkE9OQ9HNzAPL-J0B1IA0dxpQ9YqE85gzu67udzBWCUUXuLX69K64fe_y3fJ_U89bZ89juAojzkewY81eQ-hswLTUK6IWwmQtNUDjOO38ZPI8SBB3sSE3R7rS/s200/it_photo_107887.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I was asked a few questions during my interaction about God and evil in Isaiah 45:7<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b>1. Couldn't
god find a better way to bring about good than via evil? (Or, if you prefer,
can you get creative and at least contemplate ways that appear, on the very
surface at least, better?)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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These types of questions are difficult because they
entertain the idea of a perfect being while suggesting that said being is doing
things imperfectly. I honestly don’t
know if he could do it better because the existence of evil draws our attention
beyond the here and now and thrusts into ultimate questions which in turn makes
us consider eternity. The very existence
of a non-temporal God and our temporal existence has built into it imperfection
and dependency which leaves the capacity for evil. And for some reason, unexplained to man,
God’s plan included a damaged creation being redeemed through the death of his
son. Just because we can’t conceive of
an explanation doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
And honestly, an infinite being explaining his infinite perfect plan to
finite imperfect creatures means by default we won’t fully understand because
our very nature is opposed to complete infinite exhaustive understanding. So the absence of an explanation doesn’t
necessarily prove anything, other than what we should assume to be the case
given the nature of an ultimate perfect plan and our limited imperfect
abilities. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b>2. Doesn't
the process of creating a negative and a positive equal a zero? </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not if the ultimate sum of all things is good. The evil actions of men are finite and
temporal, God’s plan is eternal. In
other words, his actions and will are going to bring about eternal
incorruptible good while the evil intentions and actions of men bring about
temporal evil and are part of an ultimate plan for ultimate good. So, Christ being killed was temporary and
evil, but it brought about a greater, ultimate, and incorruptible good: the
salvation of many.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I was asked why the buck stopped at us and why didn’t God
deliver the girls in Cleveland. Well, if
he brings about all things, then God is the one who ultimately delivered them
from the hands of the oppressor. Now,
the question remains, why didn’t God do it before they were raped? The short of it is, we don’t know, and we
don’t always get a clear 1:1 like we do in the story of Joseph or the death of
Jesus. Maybe it will increase awareness
in the area and keep a greater number of girls safe from abduction and
rape? Maybe it will be so shocking and
terrifying to the public that someone considering doing something similar decides
it’s better not to? Again, we see things
on a temporal scale while God sees a big and ultimate picture. So maybe the good never comes in our lifetime
or is even tangible. Maybe someone reads
this discussion or those like it and finds hope in their suffering knowing
there is some underlying current of good in their awful circumstance and they
face it with hope rather than despondency and bitterness? But ultimately, I don’t know. Again, the Gospel shows me that the worst
thing ever brought about something wonderful, so I can, as Paul says, grieve
with hope.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to clarify, my point was not that we need God to tell us evil
exists. My point was more of a
philosophical flipping of the coin. Say
there is no God, no absolute measurement, nothing supernatural, nothing above
the natural realm, then how do we claim metaphysical realities like evil
exist? How do we grieve with hope? How do we maintain in one hand that evil
exists, and in the other, provide hope for the damaged, the suffering, and the
down trodden?<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-86028294064543811962013-05-14T10:59:00.001-04:002013-05-14T10:59:42.731-04:00God creates evil?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPvql3n_7cAU3EBIFoClOthupu2D2qOuuQ4W_l9jmJQ2GBgV4Ni6-J8H-JHtw4S4oGjC8DeiEuxzENhoDoRPxFh2Ot-J114pBS4Z0jByg50zTss-0A97E9vIP9gZfJc3wjkDI/s1600/Why-did-god-create-evil-Negativity1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPvql3n_7cAU3EBIFoClOthupu2D2qOuuQ4W_l9jmJQ2GBgV4Ni6-J8H-JHtw4S4oGjC8DeiEuxzENhoDoRPxFh2Ot-J114pBS4Z0jByg50zTss-0A97E9vIP9gZfJc3wjkDI/s200/Why-did-god-create-evil-Negativity1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I was recently pressed with the question about a passage in Isaiah 45...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Isaiah 45:7</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The best place I can go when dealing with this passage in Isaiah, which at face value is admittedly challenging, is the story of Joseph. Joseph’s brothers commit a heinous crime against him, and would have killed him if not for Reuben. Their intentions are later described as evil in what is, in my opinion, the clearest passage for reconciling human responsibility and God’s sovereignty. Genesis 50:20 says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”(ESV) So, as best as I can understand and explain it, the intentions of man and the intentions of God run parallel. They intended destruction, God intended restoration. The intended evil of Joseph’s brothers brought about, ironically, their salvation. God’s plan was ultimate and good, their plan was temporal and evil. Now, they are not let off the hook just because God brought about something good from their evil because their intentions are described as evil over and against the good intentions of God. In other words, there is no shrugging of the shoulders, “all’s well that ends well”, because Joseph maintains the right judgment that his brothers intentions were evil. Now, in the bigger picture, this event with Joseph leads to the enslavement of Israel by the Egyptians, an evil act, which leads to their deliverance, a good act. God even claims that he raised up Pharaoh to show His power and his name proclaimed. Temporal evil running parallel to ultimate good is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible, the statement by Joseph just makes it about as clear as any. This theme has to be considered when you read a passage like Isaiah.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, we look at incredibly heinous behavior of people today, like your example of children’s hands being chopped off, and we bristle at the idea of God being in control of that. But a Christian can look at it and say, “Evil plans exist alongside the good and ultimate plan of God in a way we only get a glimpse of in the story of Joseph. But he is also a wrathful judge who has promised to make all things new and punish those who practice evil and has called us to deliver the oppressed from the hands of evil men.” Christians can both hope for the ultimate future but also have reason to fight evil now. See, we have a resource and a measurement that doesn’t make sense of evil in the moment, but is the temporal and ultimate solvent for it. Without an ultimate judge, god, or measurement, how can you even maintain that an act is objectively evil? Because you don’t like it? Because it hurts someone else? These are merely preferential in the absence of some form of absolute measurement. I would rather trust in the one who has shown he can use temporal evil for ultimate good than believe in space + time + matter = that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The central claim of Christianity is that God used the most evil event in history, the slaying of the innocent God-man, to bring about the salvation of sinners. So anyone familiar with Christianity is familiar with the greatest parallel of evil intentions running alongside the good intentions of God. If I believe in the claims made in the Gospels then I can trust God means good in all things, no matter how heinous they might be. So yes, He creates calamity, because it is by the greatest calamity that I’ve been saved.</div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-16537600973562334892013-05-03T15:40:00.000-04:002013-05-03T15:42:59.857-04:00Christians, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgN2N2VCkHsDZUUfXW7bFr3dGqX0cuG2hK_9i6KPBnx8t77gQMKDVdqd-vGACtUVfCfeun48qEZKCp5ik6Dxvynqa4oHPvBqj_7Q3TuJjL_ZAgY4QpwYFAEnlpUx5yw0hbxxMp/s1600/Mad-men-title-card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgN2N2VCkHsDZUUfXW7bFr3dGqX0cuG2hK_9i6KPBnx8t77gQMKDVdqd-vGACtUVfCfeun48qEZKCp5ik6Dxvynqa4oHPvBqj_7Q3TuJjL_ZAgY4QpwYFAEnlpUx5yw0hbxxMp/s1600/Mad-men-title-card.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://patrickschreiner.com/" target="_blank">Patrick Schreiner</a> recently wrote a <a href="http://patrickschreiner.com/2013/04/08/should-christians-watch-mad-men/" target="_blank">blog</a> about an on going discussion on the topic of whether or not Christians should watch the popular AMC series Mad Men. I found it to be a helpful and thought provoking discussion as it compared Mad Men to another popular AMC series, Breaking Bad. As an avid fan of Breaking Bad, and a person who gave up Mad Men after the second or third episode of the second season, I wrote the following...<br />
<br />
I think the primary difference between a show like Mad Men and Breaking Bad is that within the narrative of Breaking Bad you have characters that personify the tension of good versus evil. Jesse Pinkman is the voice of consequence as he embodies the guilt and shame that Walter White should be feeling. Hank is attempting to stop the infamous Heisenberg, Saul is the token bottom feeder, and all this within and around the incredible story of arc of Walter White transforming (“<i>chemistry is transformation</i>”) into the villain (“<i>I won</i>”). Walter becomes the one you fear, Jesse the one you hope for redemption, and you reluctantly cheer for Hank to slay the mighty dragon of blue crystal cave. It has a dynamic ebb and flow of character development that accurately represents the tension and war of dark and light we all sense in the world around us.<br />
<br />
In Mad Men, everyone is just statically bad; nobody is having the inner or outward dialogue of self-reflection. I watched Season 1 and got two episodes into Season 2 before giving up on it, and it always came across as expecting the viewer to make the decision about the characters. I was constantly saying, after each episode, "<i>Well that was terrible. Not a single character is on an arc of redemption or quest for good</i>.” You just end up feeling bad for them, which is a subtle message of victimization, “<i>Oh these poor people, ruining their lives and marriages through selfish ambition and pride</i>.” I didn’t stop watching it as a moral high ground decision; I stopped watching it because it made me feel depressed and dark after each episode. Perhaps that is the subtle genius of the show, in what was already eloquently put, “<i>Mad Men follows the standard narrative of our ad-addled culture, which says that if you dress something up enough, people will buy anything–even things that are morally depraved and terrifying.</i>”Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-34132677952409316422013-02-02T11:29:00.000-05:002013-02-05T21:30:59.046-05:00No Time For Peace<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5NKm_uteRCg/SjJM7iQJO2I/AAAAAAAAAJw/syG0Q8d9hXo/s0/" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5NKm_uteRCg/SjJM7iQJO2I/AAAAAAAAAJw/syG0Q8d9hXo/s0/" width="200" /></a>Peter Leithart wrote a recent post entitled, "<a href="http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2013/02/not-peace-but-a-sword">Not Peace, But a Sword</a>", which is helpful in seeing the aim of current political movements and desired cultural shiftings from Obama and his supporters.<br />
<br />
I did take issue with something in the post, so my following response is about that. I reccommend you read his post first, so as to be fair to him, rather than read him in light of what I'm about to say.<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I feel like he dances on the line of equating the GOP with the church, or at least an arm of the church. When he invokes the "not peace but a sword" language, I can't help but think that Jesus was speaking about the coming division that would flow out of the Gospel, not political battles about marriage. Not to mention the division that came was a natural result of their belief, not something they sought after.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm not saying Christians should abandon all political fronts, especially abortion. But I think going at it with the mindset of "With my dividing sword in hand, I'm gonna be like Jesus" is a misuse of biblical mandate and imagery as well as a confusion about the effect the Gospel and Christians can and should have on culture. We are to be known for our love (<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/matt+22%3A36-40/" target="_blank">Matt 22:36-40</a>), compassion (<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/james+1%3A27/" target="_blank">James 1:27</a>), and mercy (<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/luke+6%3A35-36/" target="_blank">Luke 6:35-36</a>). Not our political muscle, and especially not divisiveness. <a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/heb+12%3A14/" target="_blank">Hebrews 12:14</a> calls us to strive for peace with everyone, but I guess only until the political battle calls for the unsheathing of our swords. The author even says he doesn't think now is the time for peace. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Again, I'm not saying Christians and Republicans should abandon their principals and beliefs, giving over to the condescending and high handed pressure of Obama and his supporters. One obvious and natural out working of our faith is that we stand for and against certain things. But don't invoke Christ's imagery of division resulting from his death, resurrection, and subsequent spreading of the Gospel as your political call to arms. Too often Christians blur the line between political identity and our identity in Christ, and this feels like one of those times. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-24400461407335635322012-04-21T10:32:00.000-04:002012-08-03T08:17:39.140-04:00Confirmed Sight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CrTdSlBXxyZQPT5bIOaIrGtscpK2hTBrnI4Jj44MnuaWnC41nflyzaGM5h7uw1Q2MQ9lCJPl-r3Lj4FKmXBklffMfRgY1L4pbOY-k6Ut1hAw2Aj5-Lz80RO244lyidtHSUan/s1600/3706393447_db24971ed6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CrTdSlBXxyZQPT5bIOaIrGtscpK2hTBrnI4Jj44MnuaWnC41nflyzaGM5h7uw1Q2MQ9lCJPl-r3Lj4FKmXBklffMfRgY1L4pbOY-k6Ut1hAw2Aj5-Lz80RO244lyidtHSUan/s200/3706393447_db24971ed6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A presupposition ceases to be only that, once it finds a root in reality, while a starting place that strains but never finds affirmation is but a dream. Those starting thoughts that end in the bedrock of objective reality are pieces to the giant map that all men wish to see whole. The glimmer within that bounces off all things and reflects back the image of the one cause, the initiator. When a presupposition is confirmed, it no longer remains a pre-thought, but flourishes into confirmed sight. Like two men walking up to a cabin with light visible within. One may presuppose that a fire has been started and the other that lanterns have been lit. Both have an idea of how the light source exists, but only one presupposition will be confirmed, with the other easily abandoned.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-8700491828178118332012-02-17T10:50:00.005-05:002012-04-21T10:19:05.036-04:00Happy in Truth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZZVChnZ3vdrY4tz1480Crs6TEVIjsQx_y12nnMIZ_7Q6pKEopZB75f4ud1X4WhSPgg-eUNnu0Arf1Ll-nsYlx3Rv1_lVcbzJKo3dX3gyzeUTra-QDPif5TV7r6f7fyLW6D3x/s1600/truth-small.jpg" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710133343209006306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZZVChnZ3vdrY4tz1480Crs6TEVIjsQx_y12nnMIZ_7Q6pKEopZB75f4ud1X4WhSPgg-eUNnu0Arf1Ll-nsYlx3Rv1_lVcbzJKo3dX3gyzeUTra-QDPif5TV7r6f7fyLW6D3x/s200/truth-small.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 159px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><b style="font-style: normal;">Answer these two questions:</b><br />
<br />
<i>1. Do you want to be happy?</i><br />
<br />
<i>2. Do you want to be happy in deception or in truth?</i><br />
<br />
If we all want to be happy in truth then we all have a commonality that speaks to a purpose for which we exist. Man does not go through life neutral. He seeks and searches for happiness. Who told him to look for it? And nobody wants to be deceived. Who told us to desire truth?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-8254099335466222612011-02-17T21:33:00.003-05:002011-02-17T21:57:01.497-05:00Intentional Failure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgscFw-dh8pMJuZD840C5UXM_pGhhM6cSRL0eumTfCWtFMxRXZHGKwMHWYXqrcWbhLvefEAjq5jjzGK7Wx4oLBFJJjBnjIcN7Mpj7SUws-ltqakFtmzFg4jrVizhYUQrPT_ssk/s1600/416WY551GFL.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 126px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgscFw-dh8pMJuZD840C5UXM_pGhhM6cSRL0eumTfCWtFMxRXZHGKwMHWYXqrcWbhLvefEAjq5jjzGK7Wx4oLBFJJjBnjIcN7Mpj7SUws-ltqakFtmzFg4jrVizhYUQrPT_ssk/s200/416WY551GFL.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574857603138183730" /></a>"Some set up a wrong standard of sanctification before their eyes, and, failing to attain it, waste their lives in repeated sessions from church to church, chapel to chapel, sect to sect, in the vain hope that they will find what they want.<div><br /></div><div>There were people whose whole religion seemed to consist in going about complaining of their own corruptions, and telling everyone that they could do nothing of themselves... But I never like such complaints when I see ground for suspecting, as I often do, that they are only a cloak to cover spiritual laziness, and an excuse for spiritual sloth."<div>-<i>J.C. Ryle</i> in <b>Holiness</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>These are two separate descriptions from two different chapters, but the first paragraph struck me as leading to the second. If we let ourselves get lazy and slothful, we will want to withdraw from people who start to sense it (usually caused by rebuke). And then as a way of hiding it from our new friends we self-depreciate or complain about our "corruption" to mask the root cause: laziness. In other words, we setup unattainable goals out of laziness, never intending to reach them, and then "confess" our inability to hide our intentional system of failure. This was eye opening for me.</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-24185228272547663742011-02-16T17:24:00.003-05:002011-02-16T17:31:55.028-05:00Despair<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I40zBl_VLgI/TVxPhD_r9PI/AAAAAAAAAQw/iUaFU4yawCE/s1600/AliceInWonderland-DownTheRabbitHole-011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I40zBl_VLgI/TVxPhD_r9PI/AAAAAAAAAQw/iUaFU4yawCE/s200/AliceInWonderland-DownTheRabbitHole-011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574417868204537074" /></a>"For many years I looked at life like a case at law, a series of proofs. When you're young you prove how brave you are, or smart; then, what a good lover; then, a good father; finally, how wise or powerful. But underlying it all, I see now, there was a presumption. That I was moving on an upward path toward some elevation, where I would be justified, or even condemned. I think now that my disaster really began when I looked up one day, and the bench was empty. No judge in sight. And all that remained was the endless argument with oneself, the pointless litigation of existence before an empty bench. Which, of course, is another way of saying, despair."<div><br /></div><div>- Quentin in <i>After the Fall</i> by <b>Arthur Miller</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Tim Keller used this in a sermon and I thought it was so powerful in showing that outward works will never grant an inward peace.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-12197827895035469352010-12-19T15:26:00.006-05:002010-12-19T16:26:40.586-05:00Absolutes Assumed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRWa7tDYIWTbe4zTdO1XqCm8aZkYgI8SQLmFT48pbv6tI8BbqfBoAHaViyOX1SPWi4-BSxmo6E0J5njCA8SbHHrvS27JgHw_gTKbpANwVgLDkgQWljVt41ZgWnBPIgD0H2qmK/s1600/think.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 129px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRWa7tDYIWTbe4zTdO1XqCm8aZkYgI8SQLmFT48pbv6tI8BbqfBoAHaViyOX1SPWi4-BSxmo6E0J5njCA8SbHHrvS27JgHw_gTKbpANwVgLDkgQWljVt41ZgWnBPIgD0H2qmK/s200/think.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552502924029490994" /></a>John Piper's newest book, <i>Think</i>, has been excellent. The following quote made me write in the margin, "Absolutes assumed just in thinking/communication".<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><b>"Relativists employ the law of non-contradiction and the law of cause and effect whenever they talk about their belief in relativism and its relation to the world... People keep saying all is relative, when they know their very thinking and talking involves principles that are not relative."</b></span></div><br />In other words, as soon as someone attempts to communicate they assume enormous and far reaching absolutes. The first assumption (law of non-contradiction) is when they say they have A in their pocket that it does not mean they have non-A. The second assumption (law of cause and effect) is when they speak (cause) it will have an effect (communication). Now, these assumptions really start to matter when someone attempts to communicate their beliefs because they make more assumptions on top of the first two. They may assume that right and wrong exist, or that altruism is good and exploitation is bad. So when you communicate your worldview or defend your beliefs, you are admitting absolutes and meta-standards exist, even if you think they don't. Piper puts his finger on the motivation behind embracing a self-contradicting non-standard standard like relativism.<div><br /></div><div><b><i>"People don't embrace relativism because it is philosophically satisfying. They embrace it because it is physically and emotionally gratifying."</i></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-51080083244858213472010-12-13T21:19:00.005-05:002013-06-25T15:12:24.762-04:00Lord of the Leaves<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7Ir4OBaBDvExvQ0wMh18rVoe8rdiOYtig-NXQcA_ctd6TcPet6pXx0qy53X68So5fuysOBCBTp7Q2N8H8-STnsvXazc-vEzIm24ylTa5AnM9XcuDbljX8cShp5klPTJqrG2R/s1600/iStock_000009764015Medium.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550373380668573714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7Ir4OBaBDvExvQ0wMh18rVoe8rdiOYtig-NXQcA_ctd6TcPet6pXx0qy53X68So5fuysOBCBTp7Q2N8H8-STnsvXazc-vEzIm24ylTa5AnM9XcuDbljX8cShp5klPTJqrG2R/s200/iStock_000009764015Medium.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>We accept that laws dictate and arrange the world around us. Storms, movement of atoms, or just a fresh breeze, all seen as being governed by something; be it laws of nature or constants in the universe. But because we are conscious and the leaves of a tree are not, we automatically reject the idea that something governs us. Leaves do not "choose" their destination due to wind and weather. The shape and weight of the leaf may play a part in the direction and movement, but ultimately it is the wind that governs. What if we are governed in a similar way? An unseen but active hand guiding all we do? And what if the laws and constants we sense in the natural world are merely fingertips, gripping and maintaining all that we see?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-6694421946066397562010-12-12T13:53:00.003-05:002010-12-12T14:02:10.566-05:00A Son of Adam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/TQUb7fZN3oI/AAAAAAAAAPg/tcjOHE7pVMM/s1600/adam-eve5.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/TQUb7fZN3oI/AAAAAAAAAPg/tcjOHE7pVMM/s200/adam-eve5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549872824657501826" /></a>Why do I constantly make commitments to myself and others only to not keep them? Is it the resemblance of a covenant that forces my neck to go stiff? Is it just laziness? I typically settle for lower quality things over what I know is better. Like my first parents I give in to what I know is less in exchange for what is great. Is this man's constant plight? To knowingly choose what he should not? Thousands of years separate me from Adam, and yet truly I act as his descendant.<div><br /></div><div>"Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good." -Aslan</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-12634925705438684152010-01-01T12:40:00.004-05:002010-01-01T12:47:05.342-05:00Eternal Pleasure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ew2K9G2bEE6FZ8CPOpFt1DiFsmckj0fAgr9WulgSsTLRZrjqMQjHm9rz8HNZ1LyGKE6u-YaZwylAsLitk1RyHj4uj59dSpYH8UhbR7o1MyuN7ubzmdvKa3gGYuRqwp0AlcIM/s1600-h/cup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ew2K9G2bEE6FZ8CPOpFt1DiFsmckj0fAgr9WulgSsTLRZrjqMQjHm9rz8HNZ1LyGKE6u-YaZwylAsLitk1RyHj4uj59dSpYH8UhbR7o1MyuN7ubzmdvKa3gGYuRqwp0AlcIM/s200/cup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421828935225244258" border="0" /></a>Part of the reason moments of pleasure or joy are so enjoyable is because deep down we know we are tasting something other worldly. This is why addiction is so easy to fall into. We know a moment of pleasure is not something man deserves to have access to, so we seek it all the more. We become so desperate that any means, no matter how damaging, will suit our aim to feel more pleasure. Rather than straining to satisfy an unquenchable thirst by chasing rain drops, we can drink from the cup that promises us to thirst no more. And we should remember that any moment of pleasure or joy is undeserved. You will either pursue the moments themselves, or pursue the source of them. The first is illusive and damning, the other is illuminating and freeing.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-61868866144732896922009-12-24T08:59:00.002-05:002009-12-24T09:06:11.844-05:00What Could Cause This?The cause of all of this must be infinite in power, knowledge, and glory. What sustains of all of this must be mighty, sovereign, and loving.<br><br> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/17jymDn0W6U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/17jymDn0W6U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br><br>Psalm 19:1</span> The heavens are telling of the glory of God ; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-66474708443154713302009-12-02T13:29:00.006-05:002009-12-02T14:29:35.258-05:00Luke Plagiarized<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Reliability-Gospels-Craig-Blomberg/dp/0830828079/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259782158&sr=8-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/Sxa56fQlCzI/AAAAAAAAAPA/LQ76YsGTp7s/s200/blomberg-historical-reliability.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410716416806816562" border="0" /></a>I found this to be a very cool fact about the Gospel of Luke.<br /><blockquote>"Stephen Farris has shown that the Greek of Luke 1-2 is filled with grammatical and stylistic nuances not found with the same frequency elsewhere in Luke, or in a sizable selection of other ancient Greek writings surveyed, but that make good sense as a very wooden, literal translation of Hebrew or Aramaic into Greek. Farris emphasizes that these features are not the kinds that lend themselves to conscious imitation by one who might want to give his writing a biblical flavor, because they involve the frequency and usage of various prepositions, articles, adverbs and adjectives rather than the more readily reproducible vocabulary or parts of speech. Luke therefore most probably relied on earlier tradition for these chapters."</blockquote>In other words, there were already writings about Jesus available at the time of Luke writing his Gospel. This emphasizes Luke's care as an author and the closeness of his and earlier writings to the events of Jesus' life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-60743177485898944392009-12-01T10:04:00.000-05:002009-12-01T10:04:40.283-05:00Atheism Remix<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7701979&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7701979&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7701979">the campus church - atheism remix</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2661231">the campus church</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><p>A great video to watch, if you've got 80 minutes. If you don't then watch it in two sittings like I did. The first 4o minutes are a fantastic presentation and argument put forth by Dr. Mohler. The second 40 minutes is a Q&A that I found to be very informative and comforting.<br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-31906508735101616882009-11-23T09:32:00.004-05:002009-11-23T09:42:20.997-05:00Martyn Lloyd-Monday: No Vestige of Hope<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Exposition-Ephesians-8-vol-set/dp/0801057930/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258987327&sr=8-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SwqfACzApdI/AAAAAAAAAO4/oBlIpt_LKBI/s200/Untitled-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407309125711341010" border="0" /></a>I took two weeks off because I had all four wisdom teeth pulled. Back up and running now, and to kick it off with a solid quote from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones about how there is no hope outside of Christ.<br /><blockquote>"Let me assert it very dogmatically; there is no hope whatsoever for this world apart from our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you found any? I say again, search your newspapers, your books on history, philosophy, poetry, science; go the complete round; where is there any vestige of hope? There is none. But God has purposed to restore all things in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is the only way."</blockquote>-D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones<br />-An Exposition of Ephesians 3: The Unsearchable Riches of ChristAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-79576221432410229052009-11-09T08:23:00.005-05:002009-11-09T08:36:28.475-05:00Martyn Lloyd-Monday: How To Hunger & Thirst<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvgaQAK7ZSI/AAAAAAAAAOw/dr8nAEJVNOE/s1600-h/41JGE4242WL._SS500_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvgaQAK7ZSI/AAAAAAAAAOw/dr8nAEJVNOE/s200/41JGE4242WL._SS500_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402096615256974626" border="0" /></a>A fitting post for my birthday since Martyn Lloyd-Jones was probably the most influential author that I read after leaving a life of sin and deception. The following quote has been a favorite of mine for a long time. He is expounding on the opening progression of the sermon on the mount<br /><blockquote>"I am <span style="font-weight: bold;">poor in spirit</span>; I realize that I have no righteousness; I realize that face to face with God and His righteousness I am utterly helpless; I can do nothing. Not only that. I mourn because of the sin that is within me; I have come to see, as the result of the operation of the Holy Spirit, that blackness of my own heart. I know what it is to cry out, 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?' and desire to be rid of this vileness that is within me. Not only that. I am <span style="font-weight: bold;">meek</span>, which means that now that I have experienced this true view of myself, nobody else can hurt me, nobody else can insult me, nobody can ever say anything too bad about me. I have seen myself, and my greatest enemy does not know the worst about me. I have seen myself as something truly hateful, and it is because of this that I have hungered and thirsted after righteousness. I have longed for it. I have seen that I cannot create or produce it, and that nobody else can. I have seen my desperate position in the sight of God. I have <span style="font-weight: bold;">hungered and thirsted for that righteousness</span> which will put me right with God, that will reconcile me to God, and give me a new nature and life. And I have seen it in Christ. I have been filled; I have received it all as a free gift.<br /><br />Does it not follow inevitably that, if I have seen and experienced all that, my attitude towards everybody else must completely and entirely changed?"</blockquote>He inevitably arrives at the conclusion that seeing our own emptiness and God's fullness should change our treatment of others. In other words, inward change is the only way to true outward change.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-36865366306215431432009-11-07T11:56:00.014-05:002009-11-07T13:13:50.508-05:00Calvinism ResourcesWhile I do not normally promote that I am a Calvinist like some kind of badge, or enjoy using labels that can bring confusion, I think some of the following resources would be helpful to any Christian thinking about the topic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.all-of-grace.org/pub/others/deathofdeath.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 59px; height: 82px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvWor32LDdI/AAAAAAAAAN4/ElRSuHUTqEI/s200/ji-packer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401408799779786194" border="0" /></a>First, a great place to start is with J.I. Packer's <a href="http://www.all-of-grace.org/pub/others/deathofdeath.html">introductory essay</a> to John Owen's, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Christ-Controversy-Universal-Redemption/dp/0851513824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257613457&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Death of Deat</span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Christ-Controversy-Universal-Redemption/dp/0851513824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257613457&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">h in The Death of Christ</span></a>,". Not only will this give you an accurate account of the origins of the 5-points of Calvinism, but Packer makes a solid and winsome argument for Calvinism. I would not, however, recommend Owen's book for a beginner which is why I have provided a link to the <a href="http://www.all-of-grace.org/pub/others/deathofdeath.html">introduction</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Debating-Calvinism-Five-Points-Views/dp/1590522737/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612851&sr=1-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 59px; height: 89px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvWpoUPbqnI/AAAAAAAAAOA/P1USXCNLc10/s200/DebatingCalvinism.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401409838194076274" border="0" /></a>Next, after establishing the history and basic framework of Calvinism it would be good to read two well studied men debate the finer points of Calvinism. In the book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Debating-Calvinism-Five-Points-Views/dp/1590522737/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612851&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Debating Calvinism</span></a>," I found many of my knee jerk objections to Calvinism made by Dave Hunt and then promptly destroyed by Jame White. This is a fantastic read for people on both sides of the fence.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sovereignty-God-Sove-Arthur-Pink/dp/1589604385/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612882&sr=8-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 60px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q6OgwgR_NGIy-BU2qa9F7dnUwFVewd8MbWAPjJ_njJ1pZZHU5f95GE687cdhCpglxhWfiISrOdSqczDuut0E3iT80Rky-9HYzHvBrPt-jy6Rz7488us0ZnmqPbbXNBdRqWq6/s200/sovereigntyofgod-pink-baker-1..jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401411904493729170" border="0" /></a>Now, by this point you are either going to be strongly against, leaning toward, or convinced. If you are either of the two latter then, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sovereignty-God-Sove-Arthur-Pink/dp/1589604385/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612882&sr=8-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sovereignty of God</span></a>," by A.W. Pink would be a great book to read next. Pink is exhaustive, scholarly, but very easy to understand. I suppose this would be good if you are still strongly against Calvinism but open to hearing one of the most lengthy arguments for its main foundation.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Knowing-God-J-I-Packer/dp/0830816496/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 60px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozPmxRxqMUpQGYTEj-jKh38vDq3Voo4iIrVIxpjr0AmGBuPz_hG-c2CuWnKOsEh_Pp_CyrL5EeGaPRIFYnQ6yuCG7Ei-mCGNNi5UJGlrGzrKWNUJX8G_UzMtbfPt77cTv6Ig8/s200/knowing20god.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401418184978055026" border="0" /></a>After this much reading you are either going to walk away from Calvinism or agree with it and want to know more. It is at this point I recommend J.I. Packer's, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knowing-God-J-I-Packer/dp/0830816496/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a"><span style="font-style: italic;">Knowing God</span></a>," due to its rich content and laymen level of reading. This was probably the most influential book in my life as it dealt with my ignorance and many questions about God. The book is not a treatise on Calvinism, however Packer's Calvinistic convictions are quite obvious throughout the pages of this wonderful book.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Theology-Introduction-Biblical-Doctrine/dp/0310286700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612943&sr=8-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 58px; height: 73px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvWyMq-5VMI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ofSnDfUYhug/s200/grudem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401419258867045570" border="0" /></a>Now it is time to place all this information within a solid framework . The best book for this is, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Theology-Introduction-Biblical-Doctrine/dp/0310286700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257612943&sr=8-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Systematic Theology</span></a>," by Wayne Grudem. This is yet another rich resource of scholarly information put into the language of the laymen. Grudem also has lectures available in the iTunes store podcast section to couple the reading of his book with lectures he has given on each chapter.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Theology-John-L-Dagg/dp/0873779770/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257614537&sr=8-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 57px; height: 87px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMmhXMkb8sbmUakb76zVZpm7D0hK1UlhStmgwzwqKLRYltZYEyKV6NcHz1fqTUGitt1ei7rHMgc3dlUb7CMWmO88uFrCy7jb5ycsJeVxkVmIwT6WWHdvDNCDfnKKLK5KOlrb6/s200/Dagg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401421827819253922" border="0" /></a>Finally, a shorter and less "classroom" like approach to the broad area of theology. John L. Dagg's, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Theology-John-L-Dagg/dp/0873779770/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257614537&sr=8-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ma</span><span style="font-style: italic;">nual of Theology</span></a>," is a wonderful resource for concise and readable chapters on theology. I describe Dagg's writing as more devotional or conversational than Grudem. Both, however, are very helpful in dealing with biblically defining and defending Calvinism and other theological issues.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24540505.post-5658479095561949622009-11-06T08:39:00.006-05:002009-11-06T10:05:23.291-05:00Quit Using Facebook/Twitter To Glorify Yourself<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvQ3Lq4z2iI/AAAAAAAAANw/HEBMeJ51WHM/s1600-h/Untitled-2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxb2uZvUm8M/SvQ3Lq4z2iI/AAAAAAAAANw/HEBMeJ51WHM/s200/Untitled-2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401002526754724386" border="0" /></a>I have been growingly concerned with how much boasting and pride I see on facebook and twitter, and have been wanting to write about it for a while. After reading Psalm 5, I think I know how I want to proceed. First and foremost let me say that I struggle with this all of the time, so this entry is convicting me as I write it. Facebook and twitter are a means of people "seeing" me, so it is incredibly easy to do things that draw attention to myself instead of God. That is why I try to recite a verse to myself before doing an update or post...<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew 6:1</span><br />Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people <span style="font-weight: bold;">in order to be seen by them</span>, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.</blockquote><br />This always echos in my mind when I read over so many facebook and twitter updates. Many Christians make it their aim to practice their righteousness in order to be seen. As you read this I hope you feel the conviction to stop or the caution to steer clear. Now, verse 2 makes it very clear that what Jesus is saying is applicable to what many of us do in the public arena of the social web today.<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew 6:2</span><br />Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.</blockquote><br />Jesus warns us like this in three different ways: when we give to the needy, pray, and fast. I'm sure you may want to object at this point and say, "<span style="font-style: italic;">How does anyone do this on facebook or twitter?</span>" Well, it is actually quite common and very easy to fall into. Someone makes sure to mention how they are using their Saturday to give to charity (give to the needy). Someone makes sure to mention how early they have to get up for a prayer service that only a few people attend (prayer). Someone rails against a certain food or form of entertainment because they abstain (fast). Reading over these I'm sure you can think of a time you or people you know have done this. Now, this became more urgent to me when I read Psalm 5.<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Psalm 5:5</span><br />The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.</blockquote><br />David makes it very clear that what Jesus is talking about is not just something we do horizontally to those around us, but it is something vertical toward God as well. But what does it mean, "<span style="font-style: italic;">shall not stand before your eyes</span>"? What it means is that when you are boastful you align yourself with the evildoers that God hates, which is exactly what Jesus says in Matthew 6. He says over and over, "<span style="font-style: italic;">Do not be like the hypocrites</span>". So you are not just turning toward man to boast, you are removing yourself from the presence of God and standing in the way of sinners (Psalm 1:1). This is why Jesus repeated this warning three times and in three different ways. Reading over this has helped and convicted me, I hope it helps you as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618778834169208000noreply@blogger.com3