What is important?

Recently I have been privy to some debates between Christians on the issue of Calvinism and Arminianism, or the sovereignty of God vs. Free Will. Growing up as a traditional Southern Baptist, I recognize that Baptist history is notoriously schizophrenic on the issue--we are Arminians until you get saved and Calvinists afterward. In all honesty, in all my years as a Christ-follower, I haven't really changed that perspective much. As one of my professors used to say, "Somedays I'm Calvinist, other days I'm an Arminian." I realize that some of you would probably like me to make a choice, so go ahead and try to convince me if you must.

I have come to recognize that Scripture uses language full of tension--there is the language of choice (e.g., "Choose you this day," "Whoever believes" etc.) and there is the language of election (do you really need examples?). That tension has not really proven a difficult thing for me. In fact, more difficult than the tension in the biblical language is the fact that Christians I respect tend to see it as some kind of badge or victory to beat each other up over the issue. I mean, God gives us this perfectly good armor to wear and with which to fight the enemy of our souls, and we spend more time attacking each other with it (or else we spend our time polishing it and commenting on how powerful it looks) rather than getting out there and using it for its proper purpose.

All of this is basic introduction for an epiphany I had this morning. As I was driving to work, I was listening to an old cassette I made (appropriately entitled "Rock Warfare") on which I had recorded songs about music and spiritual warfare from several different Christian bands of the 70s and 80s. One song that caught my attention was from DeGarmo and Key (and, no, it wasn't JUST because these fellow are from Memphis, TN). The song is "Up on a Cross," and I wanted to share the lyrics with you. Think of the music as Rock Ballad and hum along.

"Up on a Cross"
Words and Music by Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key
on Street Light
Copyright 1986

You say I must not sing or dance
They say the Spirit must come through
You say that I must be immersed
They say a sprinkling will do

(Chorus)
Will you still love me after I choose?
Doesn't the issue stand upon this truth?
Up on a cross he died for sinners
Up on a cross between two thieves
Up on a cross he died for you and me

You say a man has a free will
They say he isn't really free
You pray exactly what you feel
They memorize their liturgy

(Chorus)
Will you still love me after I choose?
Doesn't the issue stand upon this truth?
Up on a cross he died for sinners
Up on a cross between two thieves
Up on a cross he died for you and me

I heard the Devil's voice today

It is that last line that got me.

"I heard the Devil's voice today."

DeGarmo and Key do not define the "devil's voice." I don't think that they meant to implicate either side of the debate above.

I think that the "Devil's Voice" is a reference to our quibbling and fighting.

Ouch!

As a philosopher and a professor of Biblical Studies, that hurts.

I quibble a lot.

I hope in the future that any arguments I may have with my brothers and sisters will be over what is really important and not over doctrinal systems developed a few hundred years ago.

Here are my irreducible minimums--(1) the authority of Scripture and (2) the role of Jesus Christ in bringing humans and God together in salvation.

Let's talk, but remember, no quibbling. (grin)

I don't want to speak with the devil's voice.

Thanks for reading!

Some random quotes . . . .

I didn't have any specific things to say today, so I thought I'd post some random quotes. Enjoy!

John Milton—"For Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them." Foreword of A True-born Englishman, M. P. Willcocks (London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1947).

Leigh Hunt (1784-1859)—"Give me a small snug place almost entirely walled with books."

“Never covet another person’s gift, and never despise your own.” William L. Lane

“One way to express this is to say that in order to be a living reminder of the Lord, we must walk in his presence as Abraham did. To walk in the presence of the Lord means to move forward in life in such a way that all our desires, thoughts, and actions are constantly guided by him. When we walk in the Lord’s presence, everything we see, hear, touch, or taste reminds us of him. That is what is meant by a prayerful life. It is not a life in which we say many prayers, but a life in which nothing, absolutely nothing, is done, said, or understood independently of him who is the origin and purpose of our existence.” From The Living Reminder by Henri J. Nouwen.

“As Pascal says, faith is a gift of God. It is different from the proof of it. It is the kind of faith God himself places in the heart, of which the proof is often the instrument. Faith that makes us think of credo (I believe), rather than of scio (I know). He says of it, too, that it is the heart which is aware of God, and not reason. That is what faith is: God perceived intuitively by the heart, not by reason. . . . Faith does indeed tell us what the senses do not tell, but does not contradict their findings. It transcends but does not contradict them. Pascal repeats, ‘Faith is the gift of God.’” Malcolm Muggeridge in The End of Christendom, p. 6

Basil the Great—“Truth is always a quarry hard to hunt, and therefore we must look everywhere for its tracks.” (From On the Spirit 1.1).

St. Francis—“Preach always. If necessary, use words.”

Thanks for reading!

How do these people survive?

Below are some stories that I have been assured are true, but some may well be urban legends. If these are true, please explain to me how the human gene pool continues to prosper. Here they are:

1. Recently, when I went to McDonald's I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I asked for a half dozen nuggets. "We don't have half dozen nuggets," said the teenager at the counter. "You don't?" I replied. "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply. "So I can't order a half dozen nuggets, but I can order six?" "That's right." So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets.

2. I was checking out at the local Wal-Mart with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those "dividers" that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the "divider", looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code she said to me, "Do you know how much this is?" I said to her "I've changed my mind, I don't think I'll buy that today." She said "OK," and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.

3. A lady at work was seen putting a credit card into her floppy drive and pulling it out very quickly. When I inquired as to what she was doing, she said she was shopping on the Internet and they kept asking for a credit card number, so she was using the ATM "thingy."

4. My neighbor works in the operations department in the central office of a large bank. Employees in the field call him when they have problems with their computers. One night he got a call from a woman in one of the branch banks who had this question: "I've got smoke coming from the back of my terminal. Do you guys have a fire downtown?"

5. Police in Radnor, Pa., interrogated a suspect by placing a metal colander on his head and connecting it with wires to a photocopy machine. The message "He's lying" was placed in the copier, and police pressed the copy button each time they thought the suspect wasn't telling the truth. Believing the "lie detector" was working, the suspect confessed.

Life is tough. It's tougher if you're not too bright.

I hope you enjoyed the laugh.

Thanks for reading!

It's my birthday, and O'Charley's forgot the appetizer again!

Howdy!

In case you weren't aware, today is my birthday. Yep, I'm a Valentines baby! My mother's Valentine to the world, so to speak.

Anyway, having a birthday on a special holiday has its drawbacks. First, everyone buys you just one gift or card and says "This is for your birthday AND Valentines Day!" Second, try to go out to dinner on your birthday--everybody and their brother is out in the restaurants. Last year Lisa and I went to five different restaurants before we found one that wasn't full!

Speaking of restaurants, my family decided to take me to lunch today for my birthday. We went to O'Charley's (because I like it and the kids eat free!). Since it was a special occasion, I decided to order an appetizer (the Pepper Jack Cheese Wedges with marinara sauce!). Now, you have to understand that the only other appetizer experience I have had at O'Charley's involved the same appetizer. The only problem is that the appetizer never came. The waiter felt bad and gave us a coupon for a free appetizer. We went home happy. When we returned about a week later, however, the coupon wouldn't work. I don't know what happened, but it just didn't work. The poor waiter gave us a free entree for our problems.

Well, to make a long story even longer--today when my family took me to O'Charley's, I decided to tempt the appetizer gods by ordering one again. Guess what?

Yep!

It didn't come!

Lisa and I laughed out loud when our meals showed up and no appetizer was in sight.

Today, however, a manager type person was wandering around the restaurant. He stopped by our table and asked how our lunch tasted. My wife said, "Everything is great except for the appetizer we ordered. It never came!" She laughed, "In fact, this is the second time it has happened."

The much chagrined manager said, "I'm so sorry that this happened. I'll buy you an appetizer."

Within a few moments, there was the appetizer at no charge.

Of course, it was par for the course that on my birthday I'd have these problems.

It beats being stuck in the Charlotte airport. . .

Or getting lost in the mountains. . .

Or breaking down on the highway.

It was actually a good lunch and a good day.

It is my birthday, and I finally got my appetizer.

God is good. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't.

God is STILL good.

Happy Valentines Day!

Thanks for reading!

C. S. Lewis on Naturalism

Today in philosophy class I lectured a bit on the Naturalists or materialists in the history of philosophy. We got up to the modern naturalists (folks like Carl Sagan who claim that "the universe is all that there is, was, or ever will be"), and I was reminded of Lewis' treatment of this idea that all of reality is summed up in Nature. Simply stated, this view holds that all events, all effects, i.e., "every finite thing or event must be (in principle) explicable in terms of the Total System. . . . For by Naturalism we mean the doctrine that only Nature--the whole interlocked system--exists. . . . [and] every thing and event would, if we knew enough, be explicable without remainder as a necessary product of the system." (Lewis, Miracles, p. 12) That is, nothing can happen that is not contained in the metaphysical box of Naturalism. Lewis continues by saying, "[I]f any one thing makes good a claim to be on its own, to be something more than an expression of the character of Nature as a whole--then we have abandoned Naturalism." (Lewis, Miracles, p. 12) Lewis then argues that the very basis of thought (i.e., logic) is something that is inexplicable by the system of Nature. Here is the relevant material:

All possible knowledge, then, depends on the validity of reasoning. If the feeling of certainty which we express by words like "must be" and "therefore" and "since" is a real perception of how things outside our own minds really "must" be, well and good. But if this certainty is merely a feeling in our own minds and not a genuine insight into realities beyond them--if it merely represents the way our minds happen to work--then we can have no knowledge. Unless human reasoning is valid no science can be true.

It follows that no account of the universe can be true unless that account leaves it possible for our thinking to be real insight. A theory which explained everything else in the whole universe but which made it impossible to believe that our thinking was valid, would be utterly out of court. For that theory would istelf have been reached by thinking, and if thinking is not valid that theory would, of course, be itself demolished. It would have destroyed its own credentials. It would be an argument which proved that no argument was sound--a proof that there are no such things as proofs--which is nonsense.

Thus a strict materialism refutes itself for the reason given by Professor Haldane: "If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain, I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true . . . and hence I have no reason for supposing my brain to be composed of atoms." (Possible Worlds, p. 209)

But Naturalism, even if it is not purely materialistic, seems to me to involve the same difficulty, though in a somewhat less obvious form. It discredits our processes of reasoning or at least reduces their credit to such a humble level that it can no longer support Naturalism itself. (Lewis, Miracles, pp. 14-15)

Naturalism falls prey to its own system. For it to be true, then it has to be a product of the system. but if it is a product of its system then its truth claims are determined by the system. The truth claims of Naturalism are not objective but determined. If they are determined, in what way are they true? How can they be found out to be true?

Or, to think of it in another way--how can the Naturalist conceive of truth claims as true? Aren't all truth claims in the system merely determined by the system itself? How can a knower know them to be true or not? They simply are or are not depending on the collision of atoms or on the arrangement of the system. In fact, how can we talk about the "System" as an objective thing if there is no means by which to do so?

Ouch, my brain hurts. The bottom line here is that such a deterministic system as Naturalism ends up without any way to prove itself true. The very idea of Naturalism is simply the natural outcome of the mechanical system itself, but in order to discuss it we must assume a sense of objectivity and independence as thinkers that the System will not allow. See the problem?

Ah well, enough philosophy for today. The rest of the weekend beckons. Have a good one.

Thanks for reading!

A reprint . . .

This morning I was looking at some old posts on this blog, and this one caught my attention. I had originally called it "A frightening and sobering reality" (I think), but the message here resonated with me this morning. So, please pardon this reprint from May 2005.

This morning I was thinking about the “absence” of God. Some of the things I read gave me pause as I thought about the concept of God’s omnipresence. Those of us who claim to be Christians (or even Jews and Muslims, for that matter) typically claim that God is everywhere always. That is, he is right with us even when we don’t think he is, and worse, when we hope that he is not. He is there. I think Francis Schaeffer wrote a book entitled The God who is There. At any rate, I was thinking about all the times in my life when God was present (like he always is), but I tended to overlook that reality.

When I notice God there on the fringe of my experience (kind of hanging around like a brother who wants to be involved in everything you do), sometimes I respond with a sense of comfort (Oh good, he is there!). Other times I respond with fear (Oh no, did he see that!). Other times I am complacent (Oh, it’s just you, huh?). Still some times I am overwhelmed (Thank God you’re here!). I think of the Jews wandering in the wilderness and camped at Mt. Sinai. God showed up on the mountain, and they begged Moses to make it stop! “Don’t let God speak directly to us again, we can’t take it!” The acknowledgement of God’s presence frightened them, maybe it made them a bit uncomfortable. Maybe we respond to God in the same way. Annie Dillard addresses this problem when she says:

“It is difficult to undo our own damage, and to recall to our presence that which we have asked to leave. It is hard to desecrate a grove and change your mind. The very holy mountains are keeping mum. We doused the burning bush and cannot rekindle it; we are lighting matches in vain under every green tree.

“What have we been doing all these centuries but trying to call God back to the mountain, or, failing that, raise a peep out of anything that isn’t us? What is the difference between a cathedral and a physics lab? Are they not both saying: ‘Hello?’ We spy on whales and on interstellar radio objects; we starve ourselves and pray till we’re blue.” From Teaching a Stone to Talk by Annie Dillard

Our fear of God’s omnipresence causes us to turn off a switch in our minds and souls that helps us to ignore this fascinating (and sometimes frightening) reality. We pretend he isn’t there. We even ignore his obvious appearances. We ignore the God of all, then we say that we didn’t know he was there. As A. W. Tozer notes:

“. . . If God is present at every point in space, if we cannot go where he is not, cannot even conceive of a place where he is not, why then has not that Presence become the one universally celebrated fact of the world? The patriarch Jacob, ‘in waste howling wilderness,’ gave the answer to that question. He saw a vision of God and cried out in wonder. ‘Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.’ Jacob had never been for one small division of a moment outside of the circle of that all-pervading Presence. But he knew it not. That was his trouble, and it is ours. People do not know if God is here. What a difference it would make if they knew.” From The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

We “know it not” because we don’t like the reality that God’s omnipresence makes us face. That reality is this—when we fail and sin, he is there. When we succeed, he is there. When we need him, he is there. When we think we don’t need him, he is there. Even when we don’t want him to be, he is there.

One of my pet peeves is to hear a preacher talking about Jesus’ cry (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”) from the cross and say something like, “At that point, God turned his back on Jesus because he became sin for us.” Think of the ramifications of that idea—God, the omnipresence One, turning his back on his only unique Son. God, the merciful, overlooking the sacrifice his own Son Jesus is offering. Can you imagine it? God, forsaking his Son! It sounds ridiculous because it is. God did not “turn his back on Jesus” (look in the text of the Gospels, it does not say any such thing). No, God was watching the brutal fact of it all with tears in his eyes. He did not forsake Jesus, and he does not forsake humanity. He endures when we pretend he is absent, but he is there. He loves Jesus, even when Jesus became sin for us, God lovingly watched his Son. God lovingly watches you as well. Scary, ain’t it?

Thanks for reading!

Seminary obsolete? I may soon be out of a job . . .

The following article by Michael Duduit is quoted from Preaching Now, volume 5, number 6. It has made me fearful for my job. After all, if they can sum up 3 years of seminary in one 700 page book, why do they need longwinded and boring professors like me? Read it and weep:

Who knew I was wasting three years?

All those years in seminary earning a Master of Divinity (not to mention the additional years on that silly Ph.D.) when now I learn that I could have bought one book and avoided all those term papers and exams.

I just read about a forthcoming book called The Portable Seminary, described as "A Master's Level Overview in One Volume." Even at 704 pages, it's going to have to be an overview from a pretty lofty elevation, given that I had single seminary classes with that much reading.

The publisher reports that this book is "Designed for anyone who wants an introduction to a seminary education but cannot afford the time or money to attend seminary, who lives where formal training is unavailable, or whose previous education is primarily secular." The publisher's catalog also says that it is "A user-friendly theological education without the time and expense of seminary."

Wow, who would have ever guessed you could skip through the hard work of preparation for ministry by reading one book? Personally, I am eagerly awaiting additional volumes such as The Portable Medical School and The Portable Law School, given that I don't have time or money to go to such places but am anxious to dabble in those noble professions. Maybe after that I'll pick up a copy of The Portable Engineering School and get a job designing airplanes and such.

Just so long as they're "user-friendly," of course. Who needs all that hard work, anyway?

Michael Duduit, Editor
michael@preaching.com
www.michaelduduit.com

This is an actual book that is actually being published. Bethany House Publishers has it listed with a July 2006 publicationn date. You can see more information about it on Amazon.com if interested.

All I can say is that I've missed my calling. I should write a book entitled Seminary for Dummies (Wayne, are you reading?) and cash in.

What's next? The Portable Brain Surgeon or the Portable Heart Surgeon?

Reading about this book made me think of Jethro Bodine off of the old "Beverly Hillbillies" TV show--"I don't know what I want to be Uncle Jed, but I'm either gonna be a fry cook or a brain surgeon."

I think that the publisher needs to add the following:

DISCLAIMER--Reading The Portable Seminary will NOT give you the equivalent of a Master of Divinity.

I'm at a loss for words! Someone write that down.

Thanks for reading!

One of my heroes--Sgt Alvin York

Some of you may not remember Sgt. York of the First World War, but being a good Tennessean, I learned to idolize this sharpshooting man from the mountains from an early age. What you may not know is that this man was not just a man of duty who served his country, he was also a man of faith who served God. Let me relate a story about this man to you (with thanks to the magazine America's First Freedom, February 2006 edition, from which I paraphrase this material).

Alvin York made a commitment to Jesus Christ on Jan. 1, 1915 and joined the Church of Christ in Christian Union (a fundamentalist group that had spun off from the Methodists during the Civil War). The church was not officialy pacifist, but they had broken with the Methodists over support for the War between the States. In June 1917, York received his draft notice. He had read the command "Thou shalt not kill" and had interpreted that to mean that war was wrong. He originally put in for a conscientious objector status but was denied because his church had no "official" position on the matter. So, Alvin York went to basic training.

In the spring of 1918, York reiterated his objection to killing in the war to an officer of the army. Major George Edward Buxton got word of York's objections and had York come to his office for a discussion of the Bible. Buxton pointed out some places in Scripture that seem to indicate the necessity of war. York left this discussion unsure of his next move. Buxton gave him a 10 day pass to go home and mull things over with the promise that if York returned and still believed that he shouldn't kill, then Buxton would assign him to a non-combat position.

York returned home and was urged by his church to remain a conscientious objector. York decided, however, to go into the mountains and spend some time alone with God to pray for guidance. After two days and one night alone, York came down from the mountain and told his church, "If some fellow was to come along and bust into your home and mistreat your wife and murder your children, would you just stand for that? You wouldn't fight?"

York returned to his unit and took a combat position with the 82nd Infantry. The rest is history. York almost singlehandedly brought in 128 German enlisted men and four officers. He killed 25 German soldiers in combat and knocked 35 machine gun nests out of commission. York believed that God had supernaturally enabled him to do this amazing feat. He believed that God had protected him in the fight and given him victory. Later, General Julian Lindsey asked York, "How did you accomplish this feat?"

York replied, "Sir it is not by man power. A higher power than man power guided and watched over me and told me what to do." The general put his hand on York's shoulder and said, "Son, you are right."

Here's another York quote--"Liberty and freedom and democracy are so very precious that you do not fight to win them once and then stop. . . . Liberty and freedom are prizes that are awarded only to those people who fight to win them and then keep on fighting eternally to hold them."

York's devotion to God led him to defend his country and others in a time of war. I wonder if my devotion to Christ would cause me to fight with equal zeal to see people released from the bondage of sin?

I sure hope so!

May God raise up more Alvin Yorks!

Thanks for reading!

Unexpected Grief

Recently I got word that a good friend of mine had passed away in Waco, Tx. He was 44.

Tony was such a dear friend that my kids called him "Uncle Tony." He had a contagious smile and a great laugh.

He loved God, life, and people.

We don't know why he died.

They found his body on Dec. 28, and he had apparently been dead for several days. No signs of forced entry or criminal activity. Tony was simply dead. As of today they don't even know how he died.

The shock of hearing about a friend's untimely death (is death ever timely?) is bad enough, but this sudden bit of bad news has hit me harder than I would have imagined.

You see, grief came knocking on my door, and he was not expected.

I wasn't prepared, I didn't know how to act or what to say.

When my father died, I had seen his slow deterioration and was not surprised.

Tony is my age (or close enough). He was relatively healthy and happy.

Grief often shows up at the most inopportune time. He is seldom a welcome guest and even more rarely an invited one. He walks in unannounced and tries to take over the household.

Grief immobilizes you. It makes you stop and hurt.

I guess grief is useful, but when you are experiencing it you just want it to stop. You want the uninvited pest to go away.

I am grieving for the loss of my friend. Although, to be honest, I am probably grieving more for my own sake than his. I will miss Tony. A part of my life has been taken away without my permission. I have been reminded that I am mortal and temporal.

I am not infinite.

To borrow from Robert Browning Hamilton:

I walked a mile with Pleasure, She chattered all the way; But left me none the wiser, For all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow And ne'er a word said she; But, oh, the things I learned from her When Sorrow walked with me!

I must admit that Sorrow has often enriched me in ways that Pleasure never did, but in all honesty I enjoy Pleasure's company more. It is true with most of us humans.

Of course, I guess we don't appreciate Pleasure as much as when we have walked with Sorrow.

Grief has come to me, he came uninvited.
We will walk a while, probably in silence.
At the end, I will still miss my friend, but I will cherish life more.
I hope.
Grief is not my friend, but he helps in some ways, I guess.
Grief came knocking on my door, and I didn't check to see who it was before I answered.
Now Grief is a guest in my home.
How long he'll stay is anybody's guess.
He'll leave quietly one day and the only evidence that he was there will be the memory of our missing friend and a few tear-filled tissues.

Grief will go, but hopefully he will leave me wiser and more grateful.

I miss Tony.

This topic is heavy, I think I want to put it down now. Sorry for being a bummer!

Thanks for reading!

Failure vs. Competency

Romans 9:6—“But it is not as though the word of God has failed.”

1 Corinthians 14:12—“So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”

2 Corinthians 3:4-6—“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God; who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

“Failure!” How I hate that word. I guess deep in my own heart and mind I fear it more than anything else. I don’t want to fail; I don’t want to be a failure.

The word itself is threatening. It is harsh. “He is a failure” we say about someone who has not lived up to the potential that we saw in them. He failed—at business, at love, at sport, at play. None of these things are considered praiseworthy.

No one wants to be a failure.

God doesn’t fail. His word succeeds; it does what he sent it to do. The word of God has not failed.

It doesn’t matter what the world may look like, it doesn’t matter even the circumstances around us. God’s Word has not failed. Things will work out just as God predicted. He is not unaware.

He has made us competent.

Not failures, but competent.

Because his promise is true and will succeed at what it is sent to do, we can be confident in this thing—God has not called us to fail as his ministers, as his servants, as his children. We are competent to the task he has called us, not by virtue of our own abilities, but by virtue of the Spirit of God which he has given to us in a lavish manner.

Nothing comes from us. We cannot claim that anything we have or even own came from us. Everything comes from the hand of God, the same hand that makes us competent in his service and by his grace.

Competent! I am not a failure in God’s sight. I am competent by Christ. Competent by the Spirit of God. I can do what he asked me to do. I am competent as a minister of the new covenant.

Sometimes it is difficult to see the competency that God s working in us. Sometimes we only see failure and disrepute. But God is faithful; he will do what he said he would do. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 3 that God is able to make us competent to perform the tasks to which he called us.

Competent! Capable! Able!

In Christ, I am competent.

It is a good thing to know. It feels good to hear it. By God’s grace we are competent to fulfill the tasks to which he called us.

We can go and teach. We can win souls, we can baptize, and we can do whatever we are asked to do. We are competent.

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thanks for reading!

File it under "Dumb Criminals"

Hey y'all:

I wanted to share a story that happened right here in central Virginia. You can find the whole news item in the News and Advance online here:

More Charges in Christmas Barrage

.

The story is that a certain fellow who lives near Liberty University received a birthday gift of "homemade liquor and 5,000 rounds of ammunition" for Christmas. After drinking a few rounds of his homemade brew, he decided it would be fun to shoot up the neighborhood ("Drinking and Shooting don't mix" and "Don't Shoot Drunk." Ads for Moms against Drunk Shooting--MADS). At any rate, his neighborhood included the above mentioned school and the River Ridge Mall.

Neighbors called the police who tried to contact the fellow by phone. He wouldn't answer the phone. In fact, he came out of his mobile home onto his porch and fired his gun into the air as the officers watched!

Unfortunately for him, his homemade liquor dulled his senses.

Evidently when he came out onto the porch to shoot his gun into the air, he inadvertently locked himself out of the house!

Can you say "Nowhere to hide?"

Needless to say, the police took the drunk shootist into custody and charged him with several felonies.

I guess the reason he locked himself out of the house was because he left his keys with his designated driver. Who knows?

I tell this story as evidence of how dumb humans (all of us!) can be.

Most of us reading this story chuckled at the man's ineptitude, but we aren't much different.

We persist in our own sins and selfishness, brandishing our self made guns at our Creator while drunk on the homemade liquor of our own arrogance.

We think we can outwit God just by avoiding answering the phone when he calls.

We think we can be "responsible" with our sin, that is, do it only so much so that "it doesn't really hurt anybody."

In reality, our selfishness has made us drunk. Our sin has made us stupid!

We can't see the damage we do when we choose to go our own way, drink our own brew, shoot our own guns without any thought of others around us.

Professing ourselves to be wise, we become fools.

Jesus reminds us that if we really want to have an impact on the world (besides being drunk with our own sin and shooting everyone in sight with our own self-righteousness, that is) then we really should learn to serve others. That's right, we should seek to make the least among us (the least glamorous, the least successful, etc.) the most important. We should take the servant's towel and wrap it around our waists, we should wash the stinky, dirty feet of the person we would normally not even notice. We should serve others instead of drinking ourselves into oblivion on our own importance.

We need to be like Jesus--willing to die for those who really don't deserve it.

I don't want to be drunk on my own selfish ideas.

I want to sober up with service. I want to learn to love my neighbor properly.

Thanks for reading!

"Indian Summer" or thoughts for a warm January day. . .

Today is one of those days that (if it occurred in November or December) my parents would call an "Indian Summer." The temperature here in Lynchburg is around 65 degrees, the sun is out, and a slight breeze is blowing. It puts me in mind of those days just before summer when you could finally put the top down (if you had a convertible) or just roll down your windows and cruise. It is perfect for a country drive with some '70s rock and roll (I'm thinking Lynyrd Skynyrd, but right now I'm rocking to DeGarmo and Key--a Southern rock Christian band from the late '70s and early '80s).

At any rate, the weather puts me in a spring like attitude. I don't want to argue theology or talk shop at the seminary, I want to bask in the wonder of this creation God has graciously given us. I want to sit in the sun, have a fond memory, listen to oldies . . . I just want to drink in life and all the full malt goodness it offers today.

Yeah, I'm kinda goofy. I know. But I love these days. I think about the first time I'd go barefoot in Millington, Tennessee after winter had finally relinquished its cold grip to spring. The grass would be moist, there would still be little bite in the air, but the breeze is warm enough to be in shirt sleeves. Think drinking a nice cold soda after a long hot day of baseball. There ya go! Let your mind wander!

Okay, that's far enough.

You can come back now.

Isn't it amazing how weather can affect our thoughts and emotions?

This complex ecosystem into which God has placed us really is in many ways an ideal location. I am grateful to God for his grace in creation.

Well, I gotta go back outside.

Thanks for reading!

The mystery of Christmas

A little over 2000 years ago, a tiny child was born in the bleakest of conditions. Oh, he wasn’t the only one born in a bad state. In fact, in some ways, he was one of the lucky ones. He and his mother actually survived childbirth and thrived. Still, this story is unique and amazing on several levels.

First, this child would literally change the way time is reckoned in the world. His life and abilities would so impress generations of others that a brand new movement would be created, one that would radically change the very face of the earth (sometimes for good, sometimes for bad). His name would become recognized among the names of the greatest of humans, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings or lost a sense of who he was.

The second thing about this child is tied to the first in that this baby, this helpless lad full of spittle and mush, was born as the very Son of God. When Mary held his little head to her breast, he drank human milk. Yet, he was (and is) the God of the universe. Can you picture this simply ridiculous, yet somehow poetic scene? God, who calls the stars by name, pressed to the human breast for sustenance. Humble, yet almighty, is how most folks would no doubt recall this child.

A little over 2000 years ago, God proposed that the only remedy for the human condition of sin would be if he humbled himself, stepped out of eternity and into human flesh, and suckled at Mary’s breast in preparation for the greatest, most impressive conversion of all. God, in Mary’s arms, toddling around Joseph’s shop, learning to talk, learning to walk, tasting and touching things with human hands. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, “such knowledge is too wonderful for us, we cannot contain it.”

God knew that the only way to redeem us was if he did it himself. Haven’t you ever had that thought? You know, the one where you say, “If I want something done right, I’ll just have to do it myself?” Imagine God having that thought about bringing us back to proper relationship with him. Imagine again that the only way he knew he could do that is if he came to earth as a baby. Think of it—how vulnerable the almighty God was at that moment, how paradoxical that the God of all creation had to learn to walk! And why did he put himself in this situation? Out of his inexpressible love for each of us he acted in this manner.

He became insane that we may be sane. He became flesh so that we might walk in the Spirit. He became sin that we might be righteous. He became poor so that we might be rich. He became a toddling, dribbling, helpless babe so that we could become mature humans in the image of almighty God. What wondrous love! What humility and service! How then can anything he asks of us be too difficult?

Lord, in this Christmas season, remind me of your sacrifice and love so that I might be a light shining in darkness to others. May the grace of God and the peace of Christ rule in my family and my life.

Thanks for reading!

Some random quotes

Here's an observation from a friend about Christmas--"Isn't it funny that we honor the God who left it all to become poor for our sakes by giving each other motorized tie racks?"

I'll go one better--Isn't it ironic that Jesus left it all to become sin for us so that we can buy each other expensive gifts and ignore the hungry and poor in our midst? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Here are your random quotes:

St. Francis of Assisi—“The safest remedy against the thousand snares and wiles of the enemy is spiritual joy.”

Mr. Holy-Man in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress—“There are two things that they have need to possess who go on pilgrimage—courage and an unspotted life. If they have not courage, they can never hold on their way; and if their lives be loose, they will make the very name of the pilgrim stink.”

“If you say that man is too little for God to speak to him, you must be very big to be able to judge.” Blaise Pascal

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Ronald Reagan, 1989

John Wayne, as Davey Crockett in the movie, The Alamo—“There's right and there's wrong. You gotta do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around but you’re dead as a beaver hat.”

Thanks for reading!

What's playing in my office . . .

Currently on the old CD player are the following:

1. Sixpence None The Richer--"Collage: A Portrait of their Best"
2. David Crowder Band--"Can you hear us?"
3. Silers Bald--"Real Life"

Alternative music rocks!

Thanks for reading!

God's kindness . . . a brief rant

Ps 25:4-10

4 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6 Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth; look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. 8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way. 10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees. NLT

Where are words?

Where shall I find a vocabulary worthy of the kindness of God?

Where can I find the language necessary to thank God for his faithful love, for his mercy, for his lovingkindness?

In every generation he has shown himself not only merciful, but faithful to the children of Adam and Eve. Sons and daughters have often received of his grace great rewards and mercies, yet so often we have ignored them, even in some cases despised them.

God in his patience has waited, he has held out empty arms to us, longing for his arms to be filled with grateful, even playful children.

He longs for us, and we despise him

He loves us, and we hate him.

He waits, we run.

The story of humanity from Genesis to Revelation is that of a patient Father searching for his wayward children. “Adam, where are you?” God continues to cry even today.

And we continue to hide—in our arrogance, our wrongful actions, and in our hurtful ways. We would rather be “right” than reconciled. We would rather be “esteemed” than accepted.

We are jerks, total idiots.

Why does God love us?

Why does he continue to show us patience and kindness?

I don’t pretend to know, but I am learning to be grateful that he does.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, because the Bible tells me so.”

What a great idea! I’m glad God thought of it. I hope in some way I can live worthy of it.

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thanks for reading!

What Middle Earth race are you?

This will be interesting for all you Tolkein fans out there. There is a web site that offers a test to show you to which Middle Earth race you may belong. You can find the site at What Middle Earth Race Are You?

Here are my results:



Thanks for reading!

Nothing in particular

I wanted to let everyone know that I will be away from my computer for the majority of this week, so I will not (in all likelihood) be posting much to my blog. That being said, here are some bits and pieces of rambling.

I've been seeing some cool advertisements for the C. S. Lewis movie coming out soon. In preparation for it, I have been listening to the Chronicles of Narnia on CD. I just finished The Horse and His Boy, and there is an interesting interchange between Aslan and the boy Shasta in which the boy asks Aslan for information regarding his friend. Aslan responds by saying that he will not tell the boy anything about his friend. His reason is this--"I only tell each person their own story." Some of you are no doubt aware that I have an interest in the idea that God is telling our story. In one of my first posts to this blog, I mentioned the writings of John Eldredge (especially his book Epic) as influential on my thoughts regarding our lives as God's story (for more on the idea, see my post here Our Stories Matter). At any rate, the other day I was listening to some old T-Bone Burnett music. On his "Talking Animals" album, he has a song entitled "The Strange Case of Frank Cash and the Morning Paper." Here are the lyrics:

it was late september two years ago
frank cash was down on his luck
he'd made a killing at churchill downs
and that left him somewhat thunderstruck

so he rented a place down on lonely street
he was looking for somewhere to hide
the paper showed up at the door every day
and he'd go through the classifieds

then one morning he turned to the sports page
and he noticed that something was strange
the race results were from the day before
but the football scores were from next week's games
frank felt a scared and a little deranged
but a switch board lit up in his brain

that sunday he watched in amazement
as the scores flashed by on his tv set
monday morning he ran for the paper
and made it to the phone and began placing bets
he put ten thousand that night on the jets
ten grand he didn't have on the jets

it happened like that the whole season
he couldn't even count all the money he'd made
he started buying italian women and shoes
which he kept on a sprawling estate on the lake
and by that i don't mean by the lake
i mean ON the lake

he waited all summer for the football to start
the maiden brought him the paper every day
but all he could find was yesterday's scores
the damned paper had ceased to prognosticate
then a look of horror crossed his face
it finally dawned on him but too late

his rolls hit the pavement at a hundred and twenty
heading for lonely street
he rang the bell and a john walker answered
frank pressed his luck against the door screen

frank asked if he still got the paper
john walker said "what do you care?"
frank answered "i need to see the sports section
just for a minute" and john walker stared

frank tried to push through the doorway
john pulled a real forty-five
the dogs were all barking as the rolls pulled away
john walker was no longer alive

the judge looks down through his bifocals
the peers of the jury squirm in their seats
the courtroom is silent except for his footsteps
frank cash is about to speak

and frank says:

your honour and ladies and gentlemen of the jury
all this has been happening to me because of this guy
named t bone burnett. he's been making all this up
and i just want to say i don't believe in him
in fact i don't even think he exists and not only that
BUT THIS SONG IS OVER

frank got a suspended sentence
the jury ruled it was self defense
they ignored his statement
on the grounds it didn't make any sense

frank cash had a pretty good year
considering the dizzy chain of events
that paper was never delivered again
but i gave him back all the money he'd spent

and he married a woman with a lot of soul
and his first son will become president
if you see him tall him i said "hello"
and that i'm happy to be able to call him my friend

Burnett examines some interesting themes here, but the one that got my attention is the idea that God is telling our story (or writing our song), and not only can we be aware of it, but we can also ignore it or choose not to believe it.

Did you get that point?

We are aware that there are forces acting on our behalf (and sometimes against us), but we simply choose to ignore that fact. We simply do not believe it.

Is God busy writing our stories? If so, what does that tell us about our dreams, our desires, our choices?

Are we locked in a song like Frank Cash? Are we, like Shasta in The Horse and His Boy , merely driven by circumstances beyond our control?

If so, how is it that we can choose to deny those forces? How is it that we can choose not to beleive in them?

I will be dealing with some of these issues in my philosophy class soon. As I think about them, it is fascinating to think that God is writing a story about me, but that in some small ways I may also have the privilege of composing some part of that story with him. What an opportunity to be co-workers with God!

What kind of story am I writing?

What about you?

Thanks for reading!

Professing to be wise . . .

Hymn: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, by John G. Whittier

“Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our feverish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper rev’rence praise.

“In simple trust, like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious call of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow Thee . . . .”

Romans 1:22 struck my attention today. Paul is writing to a congregation who doesn’t know him, and he appears to be explaining his preaching of the gospel. At any rate, in a section dealing with the sinfulness of humanity and our seemingly incessant idolatry, Paul makes the following statement—“Claiming to be wise, they became morons.” Actually, modern English translations usually use the word “fools,” but the Greek verb here has at its root the source of our word “morons.” The Greek version can be translated variously as “fools, foolish, stupid, silly, insipid, or tasteless.” These words call to mind some aspects of modern Western culture, don’t they?

Seriously, I think it is highly ironic that Paul is comparing self-proclaimed wisdom to stupidity. “Professing to be sages, they became morons.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We’ve all been there, proclaiming our incredible abilities far beyond those of mortal men and women. We are the best at what we do, why shouldn’t everyone consult us? We know what we’re talking about, right?

Then, in the back of our minds somewhere, we hear the sanity of God’s grace whispering, “Professing to be wise, they became fools.”

If we are honest and sane, we will admit that we did nothing to earn what we have. We are not the greatest nor the brightest, we are humans who sometimes think too highly of ourselves. We are morons. We are (or, at least, can be) fools.

Thank God for the wisdom of grace. Thank God for sanity poured out in a bludgeoned and bloody sacrifice on a cross on Calvary. Thank God for his inexpressible gift of grace through his son, Jesus Christ.

I don’t want to be a moron.

Thanks for reading!

Some news items from National Review

Three members of Bucknell College’s Conservative Club were dressed down for their use of “offensive” language. Their offense? In an e-mail promoting a speaker, they wrote, “Where were you during the months following September 11? Major John Krenson was hunting terrorists” in Afghanistan. The offending part isn’t immediately clear, but it turns out that in the cosseted world of Bucknell the phrase “hunting terrorists” is verboten. University president Brian C. Mitchell called it “unfortunate language” and said that he wished to “prevent this from happening again.” Got it: Next time, make it, “Krenson was trying to start a useful dialogue on sensitive issues with freedom fighters subjected to U.S. imperialism.”

An interesting example of cultural cross-fertilization showed up on our TV screens the other day when Martha Stewart, our national icon of middle-class domesticity, played hostess on her talk show to rapper and pop-music entrepreneur — he is the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment — Sean Combs, a.k.a. “Diddy.” Mr. Combs taught hip-hop slang to Ms. Stewart, and watched with approval while she rapped: “It’s Miss Martha from Jersey City / I’ll bake you a cake and make your crib look pretty . . .” Ms. Stewart’s venture into street culture seemed to us to fall into that category of performances famously remarked on by Doctor Johnson: It was not done well, but one was surprised to find it done at all. We doubt Ms. Stewart will have much of a career as a rap singer. The other side of the exchange was more promising. Mr. Combs learned how to make Chinese dumplings, how to personalize wrapping paper, and the proper way of watering house plants, accomplishments that will no doubt enrich his future life, broaden his horizons, and elevate his standing among his peers.

On October 3, 1995, O. J. Simpson was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. On September 30, 2005, Simpson was back in Los Angeles, autographing sports memorabilia for a horror-movie convention. “I don’t keep these dates in my head,” Simpson remarked of the near-coincidence, no doubt because his pursuit of the real killers has been all-consuming.

From National Review, OCTOBER 24, 2005, VOL. LVII, NO. 19

Thanks for reading!

The worth of a blog

My blog ain't worth much evidently. There's a blow to the head! Ah well, I'll write anyway.

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

Some thoughts and Sarah Kelly

This week has been a bit of a blur. I've been a bit overwhelmed in my mind and heart by circumstances and events, some of which are quite beyond my control. I haven't quite been sure how to put things into perspective lately. My heart hurts for friends in Waco, my mind swirls with a hundred possible scenarios to make that hurt go away, and yet I know that sometimes life just has pain. The hope that comes to me first looks a bit like the sun at dawn. It peeks over the fog and the dark clouds of the night. It seems almost timid, not sure whether or not to make its presence known. Then, the bright light pierces some part of the darkness. That little bit of light brightens the space, makes it seem lighter, more accessible.

Hope has been like that to me the past few days. By God's grace I see hope peeking into a dark time of life. The sun has not fully risen to its zenith, but there is a shaft of light shining into a dark place, making it livable and alive. In the midst of this darkness, I have taken solace in some music. One song that has encouraged me is "Take Me Away" by Sarah Kelly. It can be found on her album by the same name. Here are the lyrics:

no more weary teary eyes
just sunny skies
never have I felt so alone
my how I've grown
maybe that's the way it's supposed to be
as I'm walking down this street
maybe if it's just you and me
we'll never even miss a beat
maybe

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

captured by your love
I'm such a fool for you
the day you laid your hand upon my heart
tore my world apart
there's been so many times that I have prayed
to hear you speak my name
and though I've never seen you face to face
I search for you everyday

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

come what will and come what may
I know your love will remain
through the joy and through all the pain
I surrender and it makes me want to fly

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

I have this sense that God is there. He cares. I want to run away to him, to be in his lap for a few minutes. I want the ugliness of this fallen world to disappear, just for a minute. I want to experience the joy of Narnia without any evil. I know that a day will come, a day unlike any other, a day when we can tread the streets with no names and find what we are looking for. That hope is what drives me today. I'm not depressed, I'm sad that the ugliness of this world necessitates the death of so many who are too young to die. Kyle is an isolated event and a friend, but he isn't alone in the tragedy of human existence. God is beyond that tragedy. He is there. I turn to him, he is my hope. Without him, it just isn't worth the work, it isn't worth the effort, I'd just stay in bed.

Thanks to God for hope, thanks to God for his inexpressible gift. The sun will rise, life will continue, good will happen. Joy comes in the morning. I look forward to joy.

Thanks for reading!

Tragedy

Today I am in a rather somber mood. I received an e-mail from a friend in Waco, TX (Hello Kyle!) regarding a tragic event in the life of many Baylor students and the Waco Christian community at large. I'm not real clear on all the details, but I wanted to write my friends in the blogosphere to ask your prayers for this situation. Here is the story:

Yesterday morning (Sunday, October 30), University Baptist Church in Waco was getting ready to observe a baptism. As the pastor, Kyle Lake, began his descent into the baptism pool, he evidently reached up to adjust a microphone used for baptisms. The microphone caused a spark of some sort that resulted in the electrocution of Pastor Lake. Emergency help was summoned, but Kyle was declared dead at 11:30 a.m. at Hillcrest Baptist Memorial Hospital. He leaves a wife and three young children.

Kyle Lake was not a close friend. I knew him from my work as a bookstore manager. He was loved by many, at any rate, and he died at the age of 33.

33?

You gotta be kidding me, right?

Regular readers here will know of my grief over the loss of a cousin this past summer (You can read it here if you missed it--It isn't Fair. The feelings are the same now as then). Drew was closer to my age, but he was still young.

I feel so (what's the word?) angry, upset, sad. . . . I'm not sure what to say.

I'm still confident in God's character.

I know God is faithful and good.

But this whole thing just seems so wrong.

I hate death.

Yes, I hate it.

On the day when Death and Hades are kicked into the bottomless pit, I will stand and cheer. I will dance about wildly, flinging my arms and body in all sorts of direction in praise of a great accomplishment--greater than any touchdown, homerun, or pay raise. I will celebrate madly the final death of Death. I long for the day.

I know, I know, it's time to turn off the rant. Please pray for the Lakes and the others from UBC and the surrounding community who are hurting now.

Thanks for reading!

Some rambles about T Bone Burnett songs . . .

I'm kinda in a funk today, so instead of rambling aimlessly, I thought I'd offer some thoughts on the songwriting of one T Bone Burnett. Burnett is married to the former Leslie (now Sam) Phillips, and he is not only a prolific songwriter, he is quite a producer as well. At any rate, he put out an album in 1988 entitled "The Talking Animals." On this album are two songs I want to share with you. The first one (called "The Wild Truth") is about human need for truth. Here are the lyrics:

you never said it was a bed of roses
but you never said it was a bed of nails
you never told me 'bout the rubber hoses
or how unsteady were the justice scales

i need the wild truth

on the street there are a billion people
they got no love, they got no hope
they got no youth, they got no beauty
they're looking backwards through a telescope

they need the wild truth

whatever happened to the man walking down the street
with his hands in his pockets whistling a tune?
science fiction and nostalgia have become the same thing

i don't know how to make any choices anymore i mean,
who do i vote for? i get the feeling that as soon as
something appears in the paper it ceases to be true

i have to meet the man who can crack this world of justice
like a safe. someone with the courage to allow room for
good things to run wild

into the wild truth

we don't need no voodoo stories
from no magic president
who tries to make a dream a fait accompli
by using phantoms for his evidence

we need the wild truth

i tell a hundred thousand lies that twist me
into the noise where i hide my sin
my shame and scandal pull me down and kiss me
i can't live a life that might have been

i need the wild truth

are we supposed to take all this greed and fear and hatred
seriously? it's like watching dust settle it never changes
it's too consistent

mercy is not consistent it's like the wind
it goes where it will. mercy is comic, and its the only
thing worth taking seriously

i need the wild truth

This song strikes me as though the writer is seeking for something to make a difference in his life. Kind of like "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" by U2, this song says that we need something that will not only take us by surprise, but that will also make sense of the nonsense around us. We need "wild truth" that turns our evil into good and our anger to mercy. We need Mercy, we need Grace, we need the Wild Truth.

The second song is "Relentless" and is about love. You may want to debate with me regarding the origin of the love in the song, but I think the writer is talking about both the love of God and love between humans. Let me know what you think.

i stand and tremble in the driving rain
while your love rages like a hurricane

i can't break the silence as you still the wind
but i can hear you breathing underneath my skin

i am relentless almost senseless you are relentless

i reel and stagger in the blinding light
while your love flashes like a lightening strike

so i find the darkness where i grow afraid
but i cannot shake you and the blackness fades

i am relentless almost senseless you are relentless

you are relentless
this mercy convulses my pride
you are relentless
i find you wherever i hide
you are relentless
i have got nothing to win
and so i give in

i run and stumble as the mountains shake
while your love blazes like a world in flames

to shoot all fear into the desert sky
as stars fall like water through the dead of night

i am relentless almost senseless you are relentless

Thanks for reading!

The human dilemma . . .

Today I wanted to offer you something to think about that comes from Francis A. Schaeffer. I've been perusing his The God Who Is There lately, and I came across the following material that I found both shocking and culturally relevant to post-modern Christians in a twenty-first century world. Let me know what you think. The quotes below come from pages 193ff of Schaeffer's book.

The historic Christian position is that man's dilemma has a moral cause. God, being non-determined, created man as a non-determined person. this is a difficult idea to anyone thinking in twentieth-century terms because most twentieth-century thinking sees man as determined. He is determined either by chemical factors, . . . or by psychological factors . . . . In either case, or as a result of the fusion of these two, man is considered to be programmed. If this is the case, then man is not the tremendous thing the Bible says he is, made in the image of God as a personality who could make a free first choice. Because God created a true universe outside of Himself (not as an extension of His essence), htere is a true history which exists. Man as created in God's image is therefore a significant man in a significant history, who could choose to obey the commandment of God and love Him, or revolt against Him. There is no reformed theologian, however strong his reformed theology might be, who would not say that Adam in this way was able fundamentally to change the course of history.

This is the wonder of man and the wonder of history. . . . Man can understand and respond to the One who, having made him and communicated with him, called upon him to show that he loved Him by simple command, 'Don't do this'. . . . This is the infinite-personal God calling on personal man to act by choice. . . . He could so act by choice because he was created to be different from the animal, the plant and the machine.

To ask that man should have been made so that he was not able to revolt is to ask that God's creation should have ceased after He created plants and animals. It is to ask that man should be reduced to machine programming. It is to ask that man should not exist.

If one begins to consider the Christian system as a total system, one must begin with the infinite-personal triune God who is there, and who was communicating and loving before anything else was.

That's a lot to take in for one day, but I wanted to add a postscript. This morning in philosophy class I acknowledge that the only true knowledge of God begins with God's initiation. That is, God is reaching out to me to communicate to and relate with me. That is the record of Scriptue, and, I argue, the record of human history and experience. I cannot come to God on my own abilities or knowledge, even though those things may be gifts from that same God. No, the only way to have a relationship with God is through the initiative he shows to us all in the grace of Jesus. Chew on these things for a while and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!

T-Shirts . . .

Today I wanted to post the lyrics from a song by Derek Webb. The song is entitled "T-Shirts (what we should be known for)" and comes off of Derek's "I see things upside down" album. The song is a take off of John 13:34-35. Good stuff! Chew on this:

They'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
They'll know us by the way we point and stare
At anyone whose sin looks worse than ours
Who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare
They'll know us by our picket lines and signs
They'll know us by the pride we hide behind
Like anyone on earth is living right
And isn't that why Jesus died
Not to make us think we are right

Chorus:
When love, love, love
Is what we should be known for
Love, love, love
It's the how and it's the why
We live and breathe and we die

They'll know us by reasons we divide
And how we can't seem to unify
Because we've gotta sing songs a certain style
Or we'll walk right down that aisle
And just leave 'em all behind
They'll know us by the billboards that we make
Just turning God's words to cheap cliches
Says "What part of murder don't you understand?"
But we hate our fellow man
And point a finger at his grave

Chorus

They'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
They'll know us by the way we point and stare
Telling 'em their sins are worse than ours
Thinking we can hide our scars
Beneath these t-shirts we wear


So, what do you think?

Thanks for reading!

What is my problem? Some rambles . . .

I sit here listening to the greatest hits of DC Talk and grading Philosophy worldview papers, but my mind continues to wander to other things. What is my problem?

I have tried for almost 2 weeks to get through the worldview of Augustine. Heck, it took three classes to cover Plotinus, and only God knows how long I took on Aristotle. I certainly enjoy the discussions we have in class (if any of you are reading this post, thanks for asking questions, it makes my day!), but some days I get bogged down in (what seem to me) unnecessary details.

Ever have one of those days?

Like Wednesday, we had a great discussion of the old "free will" versus "sovereignty of God" debate. I don't know if we settled anything, but I think we as a class framed the argument well and asked the right questions. Maybe some of life is simply a mystery to which we can't always find specific answers. Heck, I'm a philosopher, I ought to know this stuff! What is my problem?

I understand that I am human, I am not perfect. I know that the search for Truth (with a capital "T") is a lifelong pursuit. Dang, if it was easy, then everyone would do it, right? I guess today I am just a bit anxious that I didn't offer help in pursuing the issues. My desire is to provide a place where questions can be considered with openness, honesty, and reason. I want to help others to think critically about the important things in life--especially the things of God.

Hey, don't we all want to be the hero? Right?

Is this thing on?

Is anyone out there?

Sometimes I think I hear God in the back of my mind whispering encouragement. He offers tantalizing evidence of his love and watchcare by quietly speaking in the darkest reaches of my heart. I hear it, but sometimes it is too faint. I run to look at it more closely, yet I often take a wrong turn. Anyone else ever feel that way?

What is my problem?

It is Friday, I want to go home and play with my kids, and I'm feeling too introspective.

God help us when we get too introspective.

A note of interest that relates to nothing above--on Monday a friend of mine will come by the house to build a sukkoth to celebrate the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. My family will join his family (hi Joe!) and others (Hi Wayne!) to offer thanks to God for his provision for us. I'm looking forward to it. Wednesday night I had the privilege of participating in Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) services with the same folks. It was quite impressive.

To think that God cared enough for me to provide a covering for my relationship to him. He loved us in such a manner as to give us a relationship with him through the sacrifice of his own Son. When I get down or introspective (like today), it is good to remember this fact. God loves me! Yes, he loves you too!

I may not know what is my problem today, but I know that God loves me. Thanks for listening to me ramble.

I appreciate you all.

Thanks for reading!

Problems with the media, reality TV . . . and more Muggeridge

Those who are familiar with Malcolm Muggeridge already know that he was a journalist. If you didn't know that, you may wonder how it is possible for a journalist to be a Christian (grin), but that's a discussion for another day. The fact is that Muggeridge was a journalist, and in his lectures that later became the little book, The End of Christendom, Muggeridge notes some problems with the media. Here is the quote from pages 38-39.

"A strange thing I have observed over many years in this business of news gathering and news presentation is that by some infallible process media people always manage to miss the most important thing. It's almost as though there were some built-in propensity to do this. In moments of humility, I realize that if I had been correspondent in the Holy Land at the time of our Lord's ministry, I should almost certainly have spent my time knocking about with the entourage of Pontius Pilate, finding out what the Sanhedrin was up to, and lurking around Herod's court with the hope of signing up Salome to write her memoirs exclusively. I regret that this is true. Ironically enough, as the dramatization of the public scene gains impetus, so we move farther and farther from the reality of things and become more and more preoccupied with fantasy."

That last line gave me pause. Here is Muggeridge, speaking in 1978, addressing the problem of news and reality. I understand this paragraph to be saying that even in '78, Muggeridge saw signs of the media's "dramatization of the public scene" as opposed to the straightforward reporting of "the reality of things." Is this some kind of reference to "making the news" versus "reporting the news"? Perhaps, but more to the point is the reference to the danger of becoming "more and more preoccupied with fantasy." This remark certainly sounds a lot like "reality" TV, doesn't it?

Think about it--we neglect our "real" lives to tune in to shows that purport to show us "reality" on TV. Yet these very shows are more interested in the dramatization of an "unrealistic" setting than in offering us "reality." We strand a bunch of people on an island, encourage them to stab each other in the back, film the results, edit that film, and then call it "reality!" Does anyone else appreciate the irony?

We take the desire among most humans for a loving relationship, find some single guy, set him up with a choice of several gorgeous women, and then film their responses as the fat hits the fan. Then we call it "reality" TV!

We put a bunch of has-been celebrities together in a house, encourage them to participate in shenanigans, then we call it "reality."

Why are we obsessed with this stuff? Could it be that our own "reality" is so mundane that we want a substitute reality for it?

We all know that (like TV wrestling) most of these "reality" shows follow a script and are edited to elicit a certain response, yet we persist in calling them "reality" TV!

Muggeridge was practically prophetic here. Look at the major cable "news" networks--don't you see basic "dramatization" of events instead of a reporting of "things"? Why does the coverage of MSNBC, CNN, and even Fox look the same? We are living in the age of reality dramatization predicted by Muggeride almost 30 years ago!

What do you think?

More Muggeride to consider

Here are a couple more quotes from Malcolm Muggeridge for you all to chew on.

“Words can be polluted even more dramatically and drastically than rivers and land and sea. There has been a terrible destruction of words in our time.” The End of Christendom, p. 2

“As Pascal says, faith is a gift of God. It is different from the proof of it. It is the kind of faith God himself places in the heart, of which the proof is often the instrument. Faith that makes us think of credo (I believe), rather than of scio (I know). He says of it, too, that it is the heart which is aware of God, and not reason. That is what faith is: God perceived intuitively by the heart, not by reason. . . . Faith does indeed tell us what the senses do not tell, but does not contradict their findings. It transcends but does not contradict them. Pascal repeats, ‘Faith is the gift of God.’” The End of Christendom, p. 6

"Because (Pascal) understood how important humility is and because he could recognize the arrogance that was growing up among scholars and learned people, he foresaw the dangers that the Enlightenment would bring. He knew that as never before in history a choice was going to confront man between seeing the whole future of mankind in terms of man shut up in his physical being--as we say today, in his genes--and the alternative of accepting in humility and contrition a role in the purposes of a loving God." The End of Christendom, pp. 7-8

I look at the world some thirty years after this lecture and shudder to think that Muggeridge may be right. Like C. S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man, Muggeridge almost speaks prophetically to us, warning us of the dangers of unrestrained and proud science. If the whole of human existence is wrapped up in our genes, and if we are able by science to alter that structure as we see fit, who then determines what is an improvement or a defect? Who gets to say what is the "ideal human" or the perfect man or woman? As Lewis notes, the only ones left to make this decision are also human, and as such, subject to the same potential "evolutionary" changes in their genes as the rest of us. What makes this "elite" group more capable to decide what is proper or not in human genetic development? Who gets to decide?

What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

How 'bout some Baptists?

Having grown up in the Southern Baptist version of Christianity here in America, I have a special love for all things Baptist. One thing I have tried to do with fair regularity is to learn something about the various groups of Baptists that exist around the world. One of my favorite names is the Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists (imagine that on a softball shirt!). These folks trace their roots to the Waldenses and began in America in the eighteenth century with the protests of one Daniel Parker against missions and Sunday School. Yep, you read that right, protests agains missions and Sunday School.

Parker evidently had a genuinely negative view of the Arminian doctrine of the Methodists and based his dislike of the missionary effort and church schools on what he called his Two-Seed doctrine. Briefly stated, this doctrine holds that two seeds entered the life stream of humanity in the Garden of Eden. One seed was good, the other evil. Every child is born with one seed or the other and thus predestined to either salvation or damnation depending on which seed the child has. Mission activity is therefore useless, as each child has within them the "seeds" (pardon the pun) of salvation or destruction! The seed is in the spirit, not in the flesh of humans. At any rate, I thought you all might be fascinated with this information.

I've taken to calling this group the Dead Sea Scrolls Baptists given the similarity in doctrine to some of the materials found at Qumran. Nonetheless, I would be curious as to whether any of you have encountered these folks. They were a small group when I first looked into them in the mid 1980s, so if you can find any info on them, post it here. Oh, if you want to read my source for the material above, I found it in Frank S. Mead's Handbook of Denominations in the United States.

Thanks for reading!

And now a word from Malcolm Muggeridge . . .

I've been reading parts of Muggeridge's The End of Christendom lately, and I thought you might benefit from some quotes. This first section is a description of Pascal in Muggeridge's words. Muggeridge says:

"Like all true believers, (Pascal) was deeply skeptical. His intelligence was wonderfully astringent and critical. It is one of the fantasies of the twentieth century that believers are credulous people, sentimental people, and that you have to be a materialist and a scientist and a humanist to have a skeptical mind. But of course exactly the opposite is true. It is believers who can be astringent and skeptical, whereas people who believe seriously that this universe exists only in order to provide a theatre for man must take man with deadly seriousness. I believe myself that the age we are living in now will go down in history as one of the most credulous ever. . . . The truth is that the farther our faith reaches, the more doubts it encompasses, as from the highest hills there are the fullest vistas." (pp. 4-5, The End of Christendom)

What do you think? Is Muggeridge right? Does faith include some element of doubt? Do cynics make good believers? It is something to ponder, huh?

And now, to balance the thought, let me quote Pascal himself from Pensees, p. 149:

"It is in vain that you seek within yourselves for the cure for your miseries. All your insight only leads you to the knowledge that it is not in yourselves that you will discover the true and the good. The philosophers promised them to you and they have not been able to keep their promise. . . . Your principle maladies are pride, which cuts you off from God, and sensuality, which binds you to earth. And they have done nothing but foster at least one of these maladies. If they have given you God for your object, it has been to pander to your pride. They have made you think that you were like him and resemble him by your nature. And those who have grasped the vanity of such a pretension have cast you down in the other abyss by making you believe that your nature is like that of the beast of the field and have led you to seek your good in lust, which is the lot of animals."

Well, I think that these quotes are enough for today. Chew on them. Think about them. Then, if you want, share your insights with the rest of us.

Thanks for reading!

A word from Derek Webb

I've been listening to Derek Webb's "She Must and Shall Go Free" album today, and I wanted to share a provocative song entitled "Nothing (Without You)."

I've got the dress; I've got the ring
I've got a song that I can sing
I've got the bread; I've got the wine
But I've got the life I left behind
I've got everything but I've got nothing without you

I've got the law in my heart
I've got your love tearing me apart
I've got a vow that I can't keep
But I've got your promise getting me to sleep
I've got everything but I've got nothing without you

I've got your works and I've got my faith
I've got all the wine that you can make
I am the kiss of your betrayer
But I've got your grace on every layer
I've got everything but I've got nothing without you

'Cause you see it's all just a show
And you either hate it or you don't
And only time will tell the difference
If you get it clearly or with interference

Because I've got the race; Got the election
But win or lose I've got protection
I found a lobbyist in the devil
And I've got salvation in a rebel
I've got everything but I've got nothing without you.

Let me know what you think of this song.

Thanks for reading!

A word to Atheists . . .

I've been reading C. S. Lewis' Surprised by Joy recently, and several quotes have gotten my attention in this account of his conversion from atheism to Christ. So, with some comments, here are the quotes.

"In reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,' as Herbert says, 'fine nets and strategems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous." (p. 191)

I love the image painted here. Lewis is trying his best to maintain a reasonable atheism as his philosophy of life, but even in the realm of literature he seems to butt up against the idea of God constantly. He cannot escape the divine person he calls "the Adversary." In fact, I think this image is appropriate. God, the creator of the universe, is constantly trying to "trap" us in the net of his grace. He wants a relationship with us so much that he is willing to be (in Lewis' words) unscrupulous in his pursuit of us. Atheists be warned, God has laid a trap for you. He is on the hunt, and reason will not keep you safe from him. In fact, as Lewis describes it, reason itself is one of the traps God uses to catch us.

"Really, a young Atheist cannot guard his faith too carefully. Dangers lie in wait for him on every side. . . . For the first time I examined myself with a seriously practical purpose. . . . Idealism can be talked, and even felt; it cannot be lived. It became patently absurd to go on thinking of 'Spirit' as either ignorant of, or passive to, my approaches. Even if my own philosophy were true, how could the initiative lie on my side? My own analogy, as I now first perceived, suggested the opposite: if Shakespeare and Hamlet could ever meet, it must be Shakespeare's doing. Hamlet could initiate nothing. . . . The real terror was that if you seriously believed in even such a 'God' or 'Spirit' as I admitted, a wholly new situation developed. . . . I was to be allowed to play at philosophy no longer. It might, as I say, still be true that my 'Spirit' differed in some way from 'the God of popular religion.' My Adversary waived the point. It sank into utter unimportance. He would not argue about it. He only said, 'I amd the Lord'; 'I am that I am'; 'I am.' . . . . People who are naturally religious find difficulty in understanding the horror of such a revelation. Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about 'man's search for God.' To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse's search for the cat." (pp. 226-227)

Lewis had come to the philosophical conclusion that a "Spirit" existed beyond mere natural existence, and now that very "Spirit" was interfering with Lewis' life and thought. The very idea unnerved him. He did not want such an interference, he wanted his soul to remain his own personal possession. Now, however, he was coming to the reasonable conclusion that such a wish is practically impossible. He could not live without interference from the divine. Lewis continues:

"Doubtless, by definition, God was Reason itself. But would he also be 'reasonable' in that other, more comfortable, sense? Not the slightest assurance on that score was offered me. Total surrender, the absolute leap in the dark was demanded. . . . The demand was not even 'All or nothing.' I think that stage had been passed, . . . Now the demand was simply 'All.'" (p. 228)

Given his own thoughts and attempts to live his rational philosophy, Lewis ended in one of God's traps. He could not find a way around the practical conclusion that if a divine "Spirit" existed, he/she/it had the right to demand something of humans. At least, that is how it reads to me. This realization of God's all encompassing claim on humanity caused a crisis for Lewis. What to do? He even uses the words "That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me." His response?

"I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England. I did not then see what is now the most shining and obvious thing; the Divine humility which will accept a convert even on such terms. . . . who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape? The words . . . compel them to come in, . . .properly understood, . . . plumb the depth of Divine mercy. The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation." (pp. 228-229)

I love the way Lewis expresses himself here, and I am inclined to agree with him. Lewis the atheist has come face-to-face with the realization that Someone may be there, Someone who has a prior claim on humanity. It subsequently frightens him and concerns him, but he sees no recourse but surrender. Is he right?

What do you think?

I encourage you to get this frank book and read a description of a conversion that is quite unlike that of St. Augustine.

Thanks for reading!

Are you there yet?

Phil 3:12-15
12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NASU

2 Cor 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. NASU

Today I feel drawn to these words of Paul. I like both the humility and the possibility inherent in these words—the wonderful “not yet” and the strangely exciting “one day.” I find it interesting the Paul did not consider himself a person who had figured out all of God’s plans. Paul did not think of himself as someone who had “made it,” as someone who had “already obtained it” or “become perfect.” Yet, this same fellow could remind us of the wonderful opportunity to look at the glory of the Lord directly through the mediation of Jesus Christ. Paul also often told us to imitate him, even though he had not yet apprehended or comprehended the full counsel of God on every issue.

How unlike us today! We want others to think we have a corner on God’s market. We want others to respect us for our degrees, or our learning, or our Bible knowledge. We can quote Scripture, we understand eschatological charts, we can look up Greek and Hebrew words, we have done exegesis! We are worthy of emulation, we are excellent exemplars of the kind of person God respects, right?

But . . .

I think God is more interested in whether or not we do his Word, not just in how much we can quote. God is more concerned with our obedience than with our knowledge. Application and practice seem to be priority items in heaven.

That shouldn’t be taken as a knock against knowledge. Not at all! But knowledge that isn’t acted on is useless. If I know how to fix my own car, but then I insist on paying someone else to do it, then I am in some ways being foolish. Knowledge is important, but practice makes knowledge better.

Finally, I don’t want to sound too negative about learning or degrees (I have a few myself). My point is this—God wants the company of humble men and women. Folks who know stuff, but recognize their status compared to the Lord of the universe. As Isaiah says, God likes to be around the humble and contrite, folks that have an honest assessment of their worth, i.e., one that is based on God’s value system rather than a human one.

God values each of us, that is why he gave Jesus in our place. We have not really done much to get ourselves to the point of success in which we find our lives today. In reality, God is the one who has driven things to this point. He alone rules all the details.

Yet, he values our cooperation with him. He wants us to work with him, to be his partners in the enterprise of loving other people and showing his grace for all.

Are we willing to humble ourselves and join him? Can we be partners with God, all the while letting him be the one in charge? I hope so. Nothing else seems worthwhile to me anymore.

Thanks for reading!

Be careful little hands what you do . . .

Luke 20:17-18
17 But Jesus looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:

'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'?

18 " Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust." NASU

Ex 14:13-14

13 But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you. The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. 14 The LORD himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!" NLT

How comfortable I become in my laziness and in my lax approach to life! I am given so many advantages compared to others, and yet instead of pursuing excellence, I seem to pursue mediocrity. Bill Lane once told me that he was a child of God first and a scholar second. His scholarship was his gift to God for the grace God had given him. I wonder if we take seriously the tasks that God has set before us. Think about it! In James 4:17, we are told that if we know the right thing to do, but then refuse to do it, we are willfully committing sin. Then, Colossians 3:24-25 tells us that the person who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong done, and that without partiality. I’m not talking about a form of Christian legalism here, I have in mind the idea that we need to remind ourselves on a regular basis that our acts, our deeds, are as important as our lives. What we do or don’t do can weigh heavily against us or for us.

Take some time to contemplate that. God cares what you do.

In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus distinguishes between the two groups by what they did or didn’t do. The book of Revelation reminds us that all humans will be judged for their deeds. How many times do we have to be told to watch what we are doing before we actually start “watching” what we are doing? Even our choice to do nothing is an action that has consequences.

God, forgive your people for substituting inactivity for real activity. Forgive us for substituting mediocrity for excellence. Remind us of the great grace and kindness you have shown us. Remind us so that we will feel that holy obligation to be and to do that which will bring you glory.

Some random notes, stuff I've been doing lately . . .

I want to post here, but sometimes I'm not real sure what to say. I recently submitted some reviews of three books in the Journal of the Study of the New Testament Supplement series. Each book was, in its own right, an interesting read. The one that really grabbed my attention was entitled Scalometry and the Pauline Epistles. The author is George K. Barr, and he proposes using a measure of scale to understand and to interpret texts. Barr contends that the Pauline materials (as well as other texts) evidence a surprising range of scale that could be important for determining not only the importance of certain elements in a text, but also for the possibility of determining authorship of various disputed works. For Barr, scale exists in written texts as surely as in art, music, and architecture. The presence of scale in a text informs the reader with regards to the importance of certain materials, lending a sense of immensity to major themes and an aura of the mundane to less important materials.

Now, this idea intrigued me because I had no idea how to measure scale in a text. Fortunately for me, Barr spends a great deal of time not only defining the concept of textual scale, but also he describes a method whereby the scale of a text can be graphed and studied. Now, if you are graphically challenged like me, this material may not be the most exciting reading you have ever done. Nonetheless, Barr delineates an approach that has a feel of objectivity to it and yields some fascininating conclusions. Simply stated, Barr discovers 6 basic levels or models of scale in Pauline materials. Applying these models to books that are not universally accepted as Pauline, Barr discovers that they show the same range of scale as the undisputed Pauline materials. That is, they chart the same graph of scale as other works considered definitely by the hand of Paul.

Now, you may have turned off your computer at that point, but I think it is interesting in this way--working as I do in conservative Christian circles, the view has long been that Paul wrote all those epistles directly attributed to him. In other scholarly circles, however, the opinion has long been that Paul only wrote a handful of the 12 or so epistles bearing his name. If Barr's method checks out, then there will be a sort of graphical or scientific evidence that the conservative is correct. In fact, Barr believes so strongly in his conclusions that he calls for a radical change in sholarly consensus about the Pauline epistles. His call is similar to Luther's nailing the 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg.

At any rate, I found it interesting that after all this time, an academic work could have a different or fresh approach and hold my attention. It might not be fascinating to you, but I certainly enjoyed the challenge of learning the language and use of scale in texts. Ah well, I've rambled enough. If you want more, feel free to ask.

Thanks for reading!

What I'm listening to this morning . . .

I'm feeling nostalgic, so I have on two classics from the rock group Kansas:

1. Leftoverture

2. The Point of Know Return

Remember, we are all "dust in the wind," so we should "carry on" in what we have to do today! (smile)

Thanks for reading!

What I'm listening to today . . .

1. Altar Boys, "Against the Grain"

2. Tonio K, "Romeo Loves Jane"

Thanks for reading!

Some thoughts from Spurgeon

An excerpt from a devotional by C. H. Spurgeon:

"I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." --Ecclesiastes 10:7

"Upstarts frequently usurp the highest places, while the truly great pine in obscurity. This is a riddle in providence whose solution will one day gladden the hearts of the upright; but it is so common a fact, that none of us should murmur if it should fall to our own lot. When our Lord was upon earth, although He is the Prince of the kings of the earth, yet He walked the footpath of weariness and service as the Servant of servants: what wonder is it if His followers, who are princes of the blood, should also be looked down upon as inferior and contemptible persons? The world is upside down, and therefore, the first are last and the last first. See how the servile sons of Satan lord it in the earth! What a high horse they ride! How they lift up their horn on high! Haman is in the court, while Mordecai sits in the gate; David wanders on the mountains, while Saul reigns in state; Elijah is complaining in the cave while Jezebel is boasting in the palace; yet who would wish to take the places of the proud rebels? and who, on the other hand, might not envy the despised saints? When the wheel turns, those who are lowest rise, and the highest sink. Patience, then, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time.

"Let us not fall into the error of letting our passions and carnal appetites ride in triumph, while our nobler powers walk in the dust. Grace must reign as a prince, and make the members of the body instruments of righteousness. The Holy Spirit loves order, and He therefore sets our powers and faculties in due rank and place, giving the highest room to those spiritual faculties which link us with the great King; let us not disturb the divine arrangement, but ask for grace that we may keep under our body and bring it into subjection. We were not new created to allow our passions to rule over us, but that we, as kings, may reign in Christ Jesus over the triple kingdom of spirit, soul, and body, to the glory of God the Father."

What do you think?

Thanks for reading!