Friday, December 30, 2011
Applying Scripture When It Doesn’t Speak Directly to You
(David Powlison) Here is a core dilemma for Bible readers. On the one hand, we are told that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Likewise, we believe that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” But sometimes it is hard to see how. As David Powlison says, “Most of the Bible does not speak directly and personally to you.” He lists some examples: MORE
5 Signs You’re Borrowing Too Much
(Time) They’re ba-ack. Like the ghosts in Poltergeist, shoppers have returned this holiday season and they are threatening to stir up a familiar demon—debts they can’t repay.
Black Friday sales set records. Cyber Monday sales were torrid too. Personal spending accounted for the vast majority of third-quarter growth, and spending has been up three of the past four months, reports the Wall Street Journal. The savings rate has fallen to 3.5% from 5.3%. MORE
Black Friday sales set records. Cyber Monday sales were torrid too. Personal spending accounted for the vast majority of third-quarter growth, and spending has been up three of the past four months, reports the Wall Street Journal. The savings rate has fallen to 3.5% from 5.3%. MORE
Intense Bible Reading: 10 Chapters a Day
(Professor Horner) ve shared here before that I often find it difficult to find real joy and freedom in my personal devotions. At times things go very well, but then inevitably it seems that difficulties creep in and I find that I come to dread my time spent reading and praying. What is at some times delight is at other times the most difficult of duties.
Tim Tebow: Too Big to Fail?
(Mark Mellinger) Despite losing to the New England Patriots on Sunday, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow continues to be the talk of the NFL and all of professional sports. Since taking over the starting role a few weeks into what was looking like a lost season, Tebow has led the resurgent Broncos to a 7-2 record that now has them sniffing the playoffs. MORE
Friday, December 16, 2011
Flying Right: A CEO’s Moral Stand
(Breakpoint)
Many Americans — from Main Street to Occupy Wall Street — have been shocked at how some corporate CEOs have made out like bandits after flying their companies right into the ground. Other chief executives have done extremely well after breaking their word to stockholders, the general public, and the people who work for them. MORE...
Many Americans — from Main Street to Occupy Wall Street — have been shocked at how some corporate CEOs have made out like bandits after flying their companies right into the ground. Other chief executives have done extremely well after breaking their word to stockholders, the general public, and the people who work for them. MORE...
5 Ways Husbands Can Sanctify Their Wives
(Jared Wilson) Ways Husbands Can Sanctify Their Wives
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
-- Ephesians 5:25-27
1. Put Her First
Sacrifice is in view here, as is the understanding of "sanctify" in the sense of "setting apart for special use," as in consecration. Husbands honor their wives not among others, but before and above others.
2. "Gospel" Her
Yes, I know it's not a verb, but you get my meaning here. The passage says Jesus sanctifies the church by "washing" her with the water of the word. The understanding of "sanctify" as "cleanse" is in view here, and a husband who wants to sanctify his wife will share with her the word of God, speak to her the word of God, remind her who she is in Christ, forgive her sins, give her the opportunity to forgive his in word-driven repentance, and in general make sure she is gently, lovingly covered in the Scriptures.
-- Ephesians 5:25-27
1. Put Her First
Sacrifice is in view here, as is the understanding of "sanctify" in the sense of "setting apart for special use," as in consecration. Husbands honor their wives not among others, but before and above others.
2. "Gospel" Her
Yes, I know it's not a verb, but you get my meaning here. The passage says Jesus sanctifies the church by "washing" her with the water of the word. The understanding of "sanctify" as "cleanse" is in view here, and a husband who wants to sanctify his wife will share with her the word of God, speak to her the word of God, remind her who she is in Christ, forgive her sins, give her the opportunity to forgive his in word-driven repentance, and in general make sure she is gently, lovingly covered in the Scriptures.
A Brief History of Christmas
(Doug Wilson)
MORE
| A Brief History of Christmas |  |  |  |
| Liturgy and Worship - Church Year |
| Written by Douglas Wilson |
| Saturday, December 10, 2011 8:13 am |
| INTRODUCTION: We celebrate the birth of Christ, and we are able to do this because we have seen what His rule has accomplished in the world. Jesus told Thomas once that there was a blessing for those who would believe without having seen the risen Christ, as Thomas had (John 20:29). On this principle, our place in history gives us access to a greater blessing because we have not seen Christ with our eyes. But it goes the other way also. Those at the time of Christ had not yet seen what His rule would do in history (as we have). And so they are more greatly blessed looking toward the future—the same way that we will be blessed by looking forward to what Christ has yet to do (1 Cor. 2:9). |
MORE
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The History of the Sign Gifts
(Michael Patton)
The following is part of a discussion (not debate) between two friends, Sam Storms and C. Michael Patton, about the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. Sam is a Charismatic. Michael is not. If you have come in late, you can access the entire series here.
BTW: After Sam and I respond to each other’s post on history, we both have a short conclusion then this series is tetelestai!
Sam, I have often admitted how important personal experience is to my understanding of this issue about the continuation of the spiritual gifts in question. I try not to hide behind some presumption of objectivity, as if I can read the Scriptures and ignore my own experiences. The best I can hope to do is recognize and harness their influence on me. However, I don’t think I am, even in an ideal world, expected to ignore them. Ronald Nash talked about this in his work Life’s Ultimate Questions. He gives four tests by which we must evaluate a proposed worldview. One of these tests is the test of “practice.” In what he calls “the laboratory of life,” a given worldview must be evaluated by this question: “can people who profess that worldview live consistently in harmony with the system they profess?” (28). As Scripture is my ultimate guide and I remain unconvinced that it speaks clearly to this issue, I have to ask myself this question: If I were to convince myself that the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healings were continuing and normative (or “normal” as you , Sam, would rather put it) in the church today, does my experience affirm or deny this belief? At this point, as you know, I have not had a definite experience of these gifts, much less in any normative way. Therefore, I would be forced to live in a bit of cognitive dissonance were I to become charismatic. My said beliefs would play tug-a-war with my experience and greatly weaken the reality of such beliefs. MORE
The following is part of a discussion (not debate) between two friends, Sam Storms and C. Michael Patton, about the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. Sam is a Charismatic. Michael is not. If you have come in late, you can access the entire series here.
BTW: After Sam and I respond to each other’s post on history, we both have a short conclusion then this series is tetelestai!
Sam, I have often admitted how important personal experience is to my understanding of this issue about the continuation of the spiritual gifts in question. I try not to hide behind some presumption of objectivity, as if I can read the Scriptures and ignore my own experiences. The best I can hope to do is recognize and harness their influence on me. However, I don’t think I am, even in an ideal world, expected to ignore them. Ronald Nash talked about this in his work Life’s Ultimate Questions. He gives four tests by which we must evaluate a proposed worldview. One of these tests is the test of “practice.” In what he calls “the laboratory of life,” a given worldview must be evaluated by this question: “can people who profess that worldview live consistently in harmony with the system they profess?” (28). As Scripture is my ultimate guide and I remain unconvinced that it speaks clearly to this issue, I have to ask myself this question: If I were to convince myself that the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healings were continuing and normative (or “normal” as you , Sam, would rather put it) in the church today, does my experience affirm or deny this belief? At this point, as you know, I have not had a definite experience of these gifts, much less in any normative way. Therefore, I would be forced to live in a bit of cognitive dissonance were I to become charismatic. My said beliefs would play tug-a-war with my experience and greatly weaken the reality of such beliefs. MORE
Handling the Conflict of God and Suffering
(Byron Yawn)
And then sometimes the opportunities simply fall in your lap. Case in point. My wife and I were eating lunch at a Mediterranean restaurant we frequent here in Nashville. By frequent I mean – I no longer need to order. The owner, a gracious Arabic lady, automatically prepares my plate when she sees me walk in. I’m greeted with a “Byron!” every time. (Sounding more like “Baroon!” filtered through the heavy Lebanese accent.) She and I know each other pretty well. Well enough for her to inquire about my family. “How are the kids?” So I tell her the latest. My oldest son recently shattered his lower leg and will be semi-home bound for several months. Upon hearing, she stops – dollop of hummus suspended in midair – and asks one of the more profound questions a human can ask. (This is word for word.)
MORE
And then sometimes the opportunities simply fall in your lap. Case in point. My wife and I were eating lunch at a Mediterranean restaurant we frequent here in Nashville. By frequent I mean – I no longer need to order. The owner, a gracious Arabic lady, automatically prepares my plate when she sees me walk in. I’m greeted with a “Byron!” every time. (Sounding more like “Baroon!” filtered through the heavy Lebanese accent.) She and I know each other pretty well. Well enough for her to inquire about my family. “How are the kids?” So I tell her the latest. My oldest son recently shattered his lower leg and will be semi-home bound for several months. Upon hearing, she stops – dollop of hummus suspended in midair – and asks one of the more profound questions a human can ask. (This is word for word.)
MORE
The Naughty or Nice Retailers List
Naughty or Nice? AFA's 2011 listing of top retailers and how they recognize Christmas - check it out! (AFA) MORE
Federal Spending Cuts You Would Choose
Freedeom Works -- A chance for you to prioritize the spending...
MORE
MORE
What Christians Really Believe: “I Must Try Harder”
(Ed Welch) Hello, I am a moralistic therapeutic deist.” That’s the word from a number of evangelical teens.
I really liked that phrase when I first read it, though it seemed a little clunky. It was introduced by the 2005 book, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. After listening to about 3,000 interviews the authors suggested that evangelical teens describe their beliefs this way:
I really liked that phrase when I first read it, though it seemed a little clunky. It was introduced by the 2005 book, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. After listening to about 3,000 interviews the authors suggested that evangelical teens describe their beliefs this way:
God created
God wants us to be happy
God waits around until we have a problem then jumps in to help
Good people – people who are nice – go to heaven
In other words, they are moralistic therapeutic deists. MORE
God wants us to be happy
God waits around until we have a problem then jumps in to help
Good people – people who are nice – go to heaven
Why Did a Leading Company Pull Out of Embryonic Stem Cell Research?
(Geron) LOS ANGELES (BP) -- In a surprising move, the company that launched the nation's first government-approved embryonic stem cell trial is halting further research due to funding -- a shift that pro-life leaders say confirms long-held doubts about the value of embryonic stem cells.
Geron, which launched the first FDA-approved embryonic stem cell trial in 2010 with much fanfare, said Nov. 14 it will stop funding its stem cell trials and move that money to cancer research, a move it said is necessary in the "current environment of capital scarcity and uncertain economic conditions."
The shift is effective immediately. MORE
Geron, which launched the first FDA-approved embryonic stem cell trial in 2010 with much fanfare, said Nov. 14 it will stop funding its stem cell trials and move that money to cancer research, a move it said is necessary in the "current environment of capital scarcity and uncertain economic conditions."
The shift is effective immediately. MORE
Jesus the Botanist: Musings About the Biblical Heart
(Deepak Reju)
I’m not a botanist. I can barely tell the difference between most trees. I am generally ignorant about the intricacies of gardening. But did you know that Jesus occasionally talked about trees? That’s right—He was a botanist of sorts. Recall His words from Luke 6:No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:43-45).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)