Some Facts About Saint Nicholas (pt. 1)

Records of Nicholas' life weren't written down till about the 8th or 9th centuries A.D. Nicholas (which in Greek means "people's victor") was born in about A.D. 280 in a small town called Patara in the province of Lycia (modern day Turkey). His parents were Christians named Theophanes and Nonna. Theophanes' profession isn't known, but they were both well-off people. A plague hit Lycia sometime after he was seven and killed his parents. He ended up living with his uncle and training for the priesthood, even traveling to the "Holy Land" (Jerusalem). He completed his training and his uncle ordained him as priest. Records indicate that he did a myriad of good, righteous things during this time. One story told is of a poor family who couldn't support themselves. When Nicholas heard about them and saw their troubles, he, using the inheritance from his parents, put several gold coins in a pouch and secretly dropped it in their window at night while they were sleeping (some say there was a shoe or a hanging stocking that it fell in). The family was overjoyed. They were able to support themselves and get one of their daughters married. Nicholas did this secretly two more times so that they could continue living and getting their two other daughters married. The third time the father was able to catch Nicholas and find out that he was giving them the money all along. The father thanked him, but Nicholas told him not to tell anyone what he had done.

Eventually he was chosen to be bishop of Myra, a city several miles east of Patara.

Soon after that, the Great Persecution broke out on the Christian church. The emperor, Diocletian, who became emperor in A.D. 284, was determined to bring order back to Rome. Chaos was spreading due to constant attacks on all sides by people outside Rome's borders and riots were going on within the boundaries. Diocletian and his heir, Galerius, blamed the Christians who did not worship the old gods of Rome or sacrifice to the emperors. In A.D. 303, Diocletian decreed that "Christian churches were to be destroyed, services banned, and scriptures burned," (William J. Bennett, "The True Saint Nicholas", pg. 27). Nicholas was imprisoned for his faith, but he still kept his faith in God and continually ministered to his fellow captives. After a twenty-year reign, Diocletian renounced the throne. Galerius was next in line. He redoubled the persecutions on Christians, but on his deathbed he "issued an edict of toleration restoring rights to the Christians in parts of the empire," (William J. Bennett, "The True Saint Nicholas," pg. 29). Nicholas was set free from prison where he began ministering and comforting the afflicted people in Myra.

Evidence that Cats are Evil

Those duplicitous little furballs!

http://www.cracked.com/article/226_6-adorable-cat-behaviors-with-shockingly-evil-explanations/

Praying for the Chandlers.

Let's all pray for Matt Chandler, the head pastor at the Village Church in Texas, who suffered a seizure last Thursday. Let's also pray for his family. May he recover.

http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/

"Why does God let bad things happen to good people?"

It's a good question, but I think it's misguided. Jesus says it quite bluntly to the rich ruler...

A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone..."
Luke 18:18-19

This is the opposite of what people think of most of the people that they know. Not one of us is good except God. Jesus gets into more detail about the evil of humans at other times...

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person..."
Matthew 15:19

Your heart and my heart were described there. He says further...

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13

So there are no good people. This changes the question from "Why do bad things happen to good people," to, "Why do good things happen to bad people like us?" We can't fully understand God's grace and love for us despite how much we sin against Him, but Christ's death on the cross is the perfect example and assurance of his great love for us.

Recommended Reading (pt. 9)

Evangelism in the Early Church by Michael Green

This is a history book used for classes in Seminary. Doesn't sound too exciting for most people, but I'm glad that I was introduced to this book and able to read it. Anyone interested in the ancient history of the early Christian church will learn a lot here. This book is specifically on early church evangelism. How did the church go about evangelizing to the Jews? To the Gentiles? What were the things that helped them do this? What things made it difficult? What was it that motivated them to evangelize? What made evangelism work? What made it not work? What made people believe in the message? What kept them from believing it? What kind of people did it? All of these things are addressed and looked into deeply. I learned a lot of neat history and was deeply convicted by the bravery and assurance of truth that people back then had. I highly recommend it for people who are willing to read this kind of stuff.

Puritan's Work Ethic.

A good article on Wall Street about the work ethics of the Puritan church.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704431804574541403268485712-lMyQjAxMDA5MDIwMDEyNDAyWj.html

An understanding look at Pro-Life advocates by a Pro-Choicer.

A Pro-Choice man who has gained an understanding of the Pro-Life groups. Nice to see.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2009/11/abortion-politics-and-its-discontents.html

"Toward an Evangelical Understanding of Postmodernism and Mission"

Ravi Zacharias gives a speech on Postmodernism. Good speech as usual.

http://www.henrycenter.org/media/?id=200&type=video

Recommended Reading (pt. 8)

Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller

Success, money, true love, and the life you've always wanted. Many of us placed our faith in these things, believing they held the key to happiness. The recent economic breakdown has cast a harsh new light on these pursuits. In a matter of months, fortunes, marriages, careers, and a secure retirement have disappeared for millions of people. No wonder so many of us feel lost, alone, disenchanted, and resentful. But the truth is that we made counterfeit gods of these good things- gods that can't give us what we really need. There is only one God who can wholly satisfy our cravings- and now is the perfect time to meet Him again, or for the first time.

In Counterfeit Gods, Keller shows how the Bible reveals the unvarnished truth about our faith and our hearts' desires. This powerful and inspiring message will cement Keller's reputation as a critical thinker and pastor, and comes at a crucial time- for both the faithful and the skeptical.

The college ministry that I am apart of, Veritas, has chosen a good book to have a discussion on with its members. College students are in a time in their life where they are interested in love and sex- perhaps thinking about their future marriage- and working their way up towards careers that involve making money and gaining power. Timothy Keller's book gives us a good look of how people in this world make idols out of those things and more, why they don't work, and why we need God for true fulfillment. He uses people in the Bible as examples for this, revealing them in a light and giving me a deep perspective of them that I would have never seen myself. His writing style is simple and easy to read, but profound and thought provoking. I learned a lot by reading this book, like I do with all of them. This is a great book for all of those who want to get a perspective on the idols in their lives and how to replace the idols with the true love and hope of Jesus Christ.

Deny Yourselves

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Luke 9:23

I've mentioned in an earlier post (somewhere) that God commands us to do certain things and to live a certain way because it is a reflection of His holy character. We're commanded to be holy because He is holy (Leviticus 11:44). If this is so, why does God ask us to deny ourselves? "If we are faithless, he remains faithful- for he cannot deny himself," (2 Timothy 2:13). If God cannot deny Himself, why are we asked to? The reason is because man is fallen, God is not. Because of the sin in us we are not true to ourselves, we are not holy, nor are we completely good like God is. We have to deny our sinful natures and live for God. We have to deny ourselves and submit ourselves fully to God in order to be who we were truly meant to be. God, however, has nothing to deny. He is completely good, holy, and perfectly true to Himself. In this way God isn't commanding us to be something opposite of Him. By commanding us to deny ourselves, He's commanding us to be more like Him: holy, pure, and completely true to ourselves.

Terrific, humorous story.

This is suppose to be a committee interviewing a person for ordination as a pastor. It's a humorous (and fictional) piece.

District Superintendent: "Well, Sam, would you tell me about the parable of the Good Samaritan?"

Sam: "Once there was this man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among thorns, and the thorns spring up and choked him. And as he went on, he didn’t have money, and he met the Queen of Sheba, and she gave him 1,000 talents of gold and 100 changes of raiment. And he got into a chariot and drove furiously, and when he was driving under a big juniper tree, his hair caught on a limb of that tree, and he hung there many days, and the ravens brought him food to eat and water to drink, and he ate 5,000 loaves of bread and two fishes. One night when he was hanging there asleep, his wife Delilah came along and cut off his hair, and he dropped, and fell on stony ground. But he got up and went on, and it began to rain, and it rained forty days and forty nights, and he hid himself in a cave, and he lived on locust and wild honey. Then he went on ‘til he met a servant who said, “Come, take supper at my house.” And he made an excuse and said, “No, I won’t. I have married a wife, and I can’t go.” And the servant went out in the highways and in the hedges and compelled him to come in. After supper, he went on and came on down to Jericho. And when he got there, he looked up and saw old Queen Jezebel sitting down way up high in a window. And she laughed at him. And he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down and he said, "Throw her down again." And they threw her down seventy times seven, and of the fragments that remained they picked up twelve baskets full, besides women and children. And they said, “Blessed are the piecemakers.” Now, whose wife do you think she will be in the Judgment Day?”"

Why Hell is Hell

I got this interesting description of Hell in the Christianity section of my World Religions class.

"God loves those in hell. It is His love that is perceived by the damned as a torment. The fire of His Presence- made known much more fully to those in heaven- is unpleasant to those in hell because they refuse to be cleansed, adapted, acclimated to God's love. The punishments of hell are, in other words, self-induced, and, as C. S. Lewis put it, the doors of heaven are bolted from the inside"

Whether one accepts this may depend on his interpretation of Hell in the Bible, but it makes sense in some ways. Humans have rejected God. Unless we are forgiven by Him, we don't want anything to do with Him. Living in eternity in His love would be a terrible torment to those who don't want it. Unbelievers may ask why God would send people to Hell for not believing in Him. But think about it: they don't want to worship God even on earth. Why would they want to do it for eternity in Heaven? God doesn't force people into Heaven if they don't want to go. The torment there, by some interpretations, is self-induced and not simply physical torture. C.S. Lewis once said that there are basically two people in this world: those who say to God, "thy will be done," and those that in the end God says, "alright, thy will be done." As Paul says in Romans 1:24, He "gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts..." However, I pray that God increases His Kingdom on this earth and saves as many people as He desires so they can live in eternal bliss with Him, our Father forever. Amen.

Mark Driscoll on Nightline

Nightline recently had a feature on Mark Driscoll, his church, and his family. It's some good stuff. Check it out.

http://blog.marshillchurch.org/2009/01/28/thank-you-nightline/

Mind the Gap

Part 1 of a speech by Ravi Zacharias called "Mind the Gap." I recommend a listen. Click on the archive tab to go to the archives and find the other 3 parts after that.

http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Listen/JustThinking.aspx?archive=1&pid=1652

unChristian

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11

I saw a small group of people holding up "God hates fags" signs in Columbia yesterday at the Broadway and College intersection. I was thoroughly upset and incredibly exasperated by what I saw. How can people who claim to follow Jesus so blatantly disobey his commands to love others, including your enemies? Why is this sin set apart from the other sins as the one that God hates the most and does not forgive? Paul makes it clear that homosexuality is among the things that Jesus died to forgive. Are these people saying that Christ's death on the cross wasn't sufficient for everyone's forgiveness? This is an impoverished view of the Gospel. After seeing this I said to God as Jesus did on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34).

Recommended Reading (pt. 7)

John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken.

Strangely, there is no summary for this book, but it's not that hard to figure out. It is a biography about the well known 18th century Christian, John Newton. The only thing that most people know about this man is that he wrote the well-known song, Amazing Grace, but this book really opened my eyes to how amazing this man's life was. It is one of the best stories of a rebellious, blasphemous sinner turned Jesus-loving, God-fearing Christian I've ever read. The life of John Newton really shows how God can save even the lowest of sinners and use them for great purposes. John Newton was a very rebellious man in his youth and spent most of his young years out at sea. In his 20's he was extensively involved in the slave trade, even commanding a ship of his own for a few years. Eventually his true Christian conversion and spiritual growth led him to become a minister. After many years of highly successful ministry he counseled and even assisted William Wilberforce in the abolition of the slave trade. The book itself is very entertaining, which sounds surprising for a biography. Hardly any of it is dry. Newton's life is an emotional and spiritual roller coaster and Jonathan Aitken does a great job of showing it. While reading, I learned some spiritual truths following the life of Newton: 1) That a Christians spiritual growth and refinement can take many years. It's especially comforting for me to hear since sometimes I'm tempted to feel like I have to be a perfect saint right now. And 2) God's timing isn't always our timing. I'm sure Newton would have wanted to be a pastor the very year he decided to do it, but he had to wait 6 frustrating years of rejection to finally get a position. The perfect timing of this lead to many events in his life that changed not only his own life, but history. I seriously recommend this book for people interested in learning about Christians that God has used in history to build his kingdom.

Saint Augustine's Confessions

A great insight by Augustine that is very relevant today.

"I was captivated by theatrical shows. They were full of representations of my own miseries and fuelled my fire. Why is it that a person should wish to experience suffering by watching grievous and tragic events which he himself would not wish to endure? Nevertheless he wants to suffer the pain given by being a spectator of these sufferings, and the pain itself is his pleasure. What is this but amazing folly? For the more anyone is moved by these scenes, the less free he is from similar passions. Only, when he himself suffers, it is called misery; when he feels compassion for others, it is called mercy. But what quality of mercy is it in fictitious and theatrical inventions? A member of the audience is not excited to offer help, but invited only to grieve. The greater his pain, the greater his approval of the actor in these representations. If the human calamities, whether in ancient histories or fictitious myths, are so presented that the theatregoer is not caused pain, he walks out of the theatre disgusted and highly critical. But if he feels pain, he stays riveted in his seat enjoying himself."
Confessions, Saint Augustine (Oxford World's Classics, pg. 36)

Just Be More Good Than Bad?

We're on Judaism in my World Religions class this week. Many people are claiming (probably because the book gave them the wrong idea) that Judaism teaches that we just have to be more good than bad to gain forgiveness, or to have more good deeds than bad in order to be fine with God and get into the afterlife.

But if that's the case, why were Adam and Eve removed from Eden? Surely they did more good than bad, yet God punished them for one act of disobedience. God seems a little too intolerant of evil to let someone get away with it just because they did a little more good than bad.

Quote of the Day

"Two things fill me with constantly increasing admiration and awe, the longer and more earnestly I reflect on them: the starry heavens without and the Moral Law within."
Immanuel Kant

Evangelism in the Early Church.

All the information I got for this post came from the excellent history book, Evangelism in the Early Church by Michael Green.

Back in the first century there were many obstacles to proclaiming the "Gospel." When Jesus told the apostles to "go and make disciples of all nations," they must have felt almost overwhelmed by how difficult that would be. Here are some of the things that made it difficult.

The stumbling-block of Christ

First of all the men proclaiming the "good news" were nobodies. They were men with no formal rabbinic training who were trying to correct the theology, belief, and religious practices of qualified, professional religious leaders.

Next, they were proclaiming that Jesus Christ was the long-awaited Messiah. Jews were offended by this. A carpenter-teacher is the summit of Israel's development? Get out of here! Someone so recent is wiser than Moses himself? No way! An unordained rabbi who came into conflict with the official exponents of the Torah was a divinely authenticated teacher of Israel? Can't be! The Jews were waiting for someone who was a deliverer and conqueror. A political leader that would overthrow the Roman empire and reestablish the throne of David. Jesus didn't bring this. These things made it difficult enough to preach it to the Jews, but what made it nearly impossible was Christ's execution. Only lowly criminals were crucified. The Old Testament made it clear that anyone hanged on a "tree" was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23). How could God's chosen one have been cursed in this way? This was a big stumbling block for the Jew.

Pathways for Evangelism

However, as Michael Green says, "probably no period in the history of the world was better suited to receive the infant Church than the first century A.D., when, under the Empire which was literally worldwide, the scope for the spread and understanding of the faith was enormous," (1.29). Jesus entered the world in a time of unparalleled peace. The road system made it possible for Christians to move around quickly and easily to spread the Gospel everywhere. The Greek language was an almost universal language spoken by everyone, so everyone could understand it. Also, many people back then were appalled by the immoral behavior of the gods they worshiped. It wasn't Christians who first attacked the gods of Greek myth. It was exposed by Greek philosophers long before that. This made the Christian God look more attractive to the communities who were impatient of the worthless deities they had traditionally worshiped. These things and many others made it possible for Christianity to spread far and wide at a fast pace. It is as if God chose the perfect time to send His Son down to the earth.

New Title Picture

I'd like to thank Jake Wandel for it. Thanks!

Justification by Sanctification?

I never knew how to describe my spiritual struggle for the longest time. Fortunately, God shed some light on it in a conversation with my good friend, Ryan Stoll. We have this tendency to think that by continuing sanctification we are justified before God. Because humans are always inclined to want or think they need "a little more," we're never satisfied with what we have done to justify ourselves before God. We're just not good enough. There's always a little more that could be done. "I should help more of the poor." "I should volunteer at church more." "I should renounce marriage, own nothing but a robe and a walking stick, and go around preaching about the Second Coming while serving widows and orphans!" This is a sin that can lead us to depression, anger, and even rebellion because we might think that if we're not seeing enough of a change then we must not be saved. What a terrible feeling! Questioning our salvation because we realize that we cannot work our way to Heaven. Well the Bible does teach that! We can't work our way to Heaven because we aren't good enough.

They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Psalm 53:3

That's why our hearts rejoice because the good news, the gospel, is that Jesus died for us!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

You see that? However believes shall not perish. This is one of the things Paul emphasized quite a bit in his writings.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...
Ephesians 2:8

I have probably stressed this truism multiple times in my blog, but it's something we have to continually remind ourselves of lest we forget. Believe in Christ and do good works to show your gratitude towards God.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

Truth is Relative?

"I believe truth is relative to the individual." says Sally.

"Really? Is that true for everyone?" replies Bob.

"Yes... Oh... Wait a minute..." says Sally.

The Glory of God's House.

"This is what the Lord Almighty says, 'In a little while, I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake the nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord Almighty. 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the Lord Almighty. 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the Lord Almighty."
Haggai 2:6-9

In case you're wondering what's going on, the first temple has been destroyed by the Babylonians. They are currently being told to build a new one for the Lord. This new one isn't quite as big and majestic as the old one, but God declares that "the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house." Now, when God says that he will fill it with glory, that can only apply to His presence. Then Malachi, who lived later, made this prophesy concerning the temple...

"I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty.
Malachi 3:1

Now, the second temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans, so it couldn't have happened after that. Hmm. Who, I wonder, could it have been then? I'm guessing his name starts with a "Jes" and ends with an "us"!

The Trinity

Sorry about all these link posts.... I'll write my own material at some point later.

Found this good blog post about the doctrine of the Trinity and why it matters. Really good. Check it out!

http://www.revkevindeyoung.com/2009/09/most-important-doctrine-many-never.html

Why this guy...

... is no longer an atheist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0khsot_hNWs

Just don't know how to think about this.

I've been taking an American history class from 1865 onward. I came upon a shocking passage in chapter 19 of my book, The American Journey. In the 1860's a Methodist minister, John Chivington, led a militia force to the Sand Creek camp of the Cheyennes. Chivington ordered his men to "kill and scalp all, big and little." They attacked the village without warning. One white trader later described the battle: "They were scalped, their brains knocked out; the [white] men used their knives, ripped open women, clubbed little children, knocked them in the head with their guns, beat their brains out, mutilated their bodies in every sense of the word."

We would rightly say that that minister wasn't following Christ when he did this. Perhaps most of the men in the militia weren't Christian either. It never gives us details about the men. Most of us will read this in disgust and see it as a great act of evil. However, I also think about the times when Israel was freed from Egypt by God and was fighting for the Promise Land. They were ordered to kill everyone in the lands they attacked; men, women, and children. When I think about the Israelis doing this, the picture that comes to mind looks a lot like the description of the massacre at Sand Creek. I see children crying as their mothers are killed right in front of them before being mercilessly killed themselves. God ordered the Israelis to do this. What am I suppose to make of this? I know God has the right to do what He wants with His own creation and that He Himself is Holy, but I see nothing but evil in these acts. If a non-Christian were to bring that up, and they often do, I wouldn't know what to say. I pray that God helps me understand, cause I don't right now.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Why, God? (pt. 2)

How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
Habakkuk 1:2-4

Lord, are you not from everlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you will never die.
You, Lord, have appointed them to execute
judgment;
You, my Rock, have ordained them to
punish.
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than
themselves?
Habakkuk 1:12-13

Suffering and hardship are things that the authors of Biblical texts were well acquainted with. Jesus Himself was well acquainted with it, "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief..." (Isaiah 53:3). We see it consistently throughout our lives and even throughout the Bible. People crying to the Lord because suffering has become so unbearable. Why does He not intervene if He is all powerful? Why does He let bad things happen to good people? All throughout the Bible you see questions like this almost as if the question is invited. Believers should come to God with these questions. To me it shows that there's an acknowledgment of His existence, power, and sovereignty. How has suffering played a role in your relationship with God, whether it's suffering you've gone through or suffering you see around the world? In what ways has it strengthened your love for Him? I want to make this something readers talk about. I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Angry at God?

Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias and a clinical psychologist talks about being angry at God. Is it okay? Is it a sin? Is it healthy? See what they have to say!

http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Listen/LetMyPeopleThink.aspx

Forgiven in Christ

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indeptedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14

What sent Jesus to the Cross? Was it Judas, out of greed? Was it Caiaphas, out of envy? What is Pilate, out of cowardice? It was your sin, and my sin, that sent Jesus there. Every sin that we have ever committed and ever will commit is what sent Jesus to the cross, because God "so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16). Our sins were nailed on the cross that day. Jesus took the punishment so that we those who believe in Him wouldn't have to. "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation," (Colossians 1:22). This is the good news! This is why Paul was able to say, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1). And now we can truly say that there is, as this song says, "No guilt in life, no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me."

"At the cross in holy love God through Christ paid the full penalty of our disobedience himself. He bore the judgment we deserve in order to bring us the forgiveness we do not deserve. On the cross divine mercy and justice were equally expressed and eternally reconciled. God's holy love was 'satisfied.'" John Stott.

Mark Driscoll: Gospel of Luke

I'm pretty excited about the new sermon series Mark is doing on the Gospel of Luke. It's going to be three years long, but Mark and his family traveled around the locations mentioned in Luke to learn more about it and to bring the viewers into the world of Jesus like we've never been before. It starts this Sunday. Check it out!

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/preview

"They Will All Know Me"

"This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the Lord.
"I will put my laws in their minds.
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the Lord.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
Jeremiah 31:33-34

There are undoubtably many differences between Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic theology. It can be unsettling to see that different interpretations can be taken out of the same written Revelation from God (though not all are accepted as valid). But like God says, "No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest..." It seems that on this side of Heaven we won't be absolutely sure and we'll draw different conclusions from the same book/event/etc., but for those who trust in Christ Jesus, God promises us eternal life with Him in the new Heavens and new Earth. When we are there, when we are with the living God, we will all know Him. There will not be this abstract theology, there will not be these disagreements, there will be God and there will be his children. May we persevere until that day.

Quote of the Day

"Nothing that we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves. We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or don't do, and more in light of what they suffer."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Why, God?

But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
Psalm 88:13-14

Doesn't it feel like this with all of us? Everyone asks the question of why. Why all this suffering? Why all this evil? What is interesting about the Judeo-Christian worldview is that it invites us to ask God these questions. Why, God? In Hinduism and Buddhism, suffering happens because of Karma. It's universal cause and effect. In Islam, it's all the will of Allah and to question his will would be bordering blasphemy. The question of why in naturalism isn't even justified. Richard Dawkins, an Oxford professor and the author of The God Delusion, says quite eloquently that, "The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at the bottom no design, no purpose, no evil, and no good; nothing but blind, pitiless indifference." There's no one to ask "why" to. The Bible, however, is full of questions from Godly people. David cried out to God,

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
Psalm 22:1-2

Those very words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" were uttered by our very own Lord and Savior, Jesus, when He was hanging on the tree. Those questions are invited. It shows that these things that cause suffering, misery, and our imperfect community with God ought not happen and deep down inside we know it. Christianity may not be able to actually answer the problem of suffering, but it at least justifies it.

Recommended Reading (pt. 6)

The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel

Today, the traditional picture of Jesus is under an intellectual onslaught from critical scholars, popular historians, TV documentaries, Hollywood movies, bestselling authors, Internet bloggers, Muslim debaters, and atheist think tanks. They're capturing the public's imagination with a radical new portrait of Jesus that bears scant resemblance to the picture historically embraced by the church.

How persuasive is this new image of Jesus? Is it based on well-supported facts and arguments- or does it fade away when exposed to the hot light of scrutiny?

In this dramatic investigation, award-winning writer and former legal editor Lee Strobel explores such controversial questions as: Did Christianity suppress "alternative gospels" that portray Jesus more accurately than the New Testament? Did the church distort the truth about Jesus by tampering with early biblical texts? Have fresh insights and explanations finally disproved the resurrection? Were the essential beliefs about Jesus stolen from earlier mythology? Have new objections disqualified Jesus from being the Messiah?

Evaluate the evidence for yourself as leading experts grapple with the latest objections from today's foremost critics. Then reach your own verdict in The Case for the Real Jesus.

In The Case for Christ, Lee gives us the overwhelming evidence that the Gospels give the most accurate picture of Jesus and that they are records of historical fact. However, over the years many more critics have come with their objections and alternate explanations. Lee continues the Case for tradition by interviewing the top scholars in the field to answer the objections he's heard from atheists, Muslims, Jews, and other historians. An excellent book with a lot of information for people who may have heard these objections and are looking for answers.

Praying for Others

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ephesians 1:17

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.
Ephesians 6:18

We tend to pray for ourselves all the time. While it is not bad to ask God for things (we are commanded to afterall), we should also show concern for the spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should pray for their growth, sanctification, and perseverance. We are all part of one Body. We are all children of God. Let us pray and be thankful for one another.

Slaves to Sin

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God- or rather are known by God- how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Galatians 4:12

Most people don't want to follow God because they feel that their freedom will be restricted. They don't want to be some kind of slave with few rights. However, Paul gives us the opposite view. Anyone who does not follow God and indulges himself in his sinful desires is a slave to sin. He's not free. His lust controls him. His anger controls him. His addictions control him. He does not have the power to say "no" to them. He bows to their will and cannot refuse. Only through the love of Christ can we be liberated from our slavery.

The Old Testament Law

Someone asked Gregory Koukl, "What is a general principle to determine what in the Old Law applies to Christians under the New Covenant?" His answer is kinda hard to follow, but I think I get it.

http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2009/08/old-testament-law.html

The Dangers of Basing Your Faith in Your Mind

The Apostles make it clear that having faith in Christ is a spiritual thing and is also an intellectual thing. I find that as Christians we tend to focus too much into just one of those aspects. Most believe in Jesus as a purely spiritual thing based on feelings. Perhaps my assumption is an impoverished view of how some believe in Him, but that's what I gather from my viewing. People like that are doing right, but I think there can be issues with not using your intellect with the truth of Christianity. However, what I want to emphasize is the problems with being too intellectual about it. I'm not an intellectual myself. Heck, I don't know that much at all, and the more I learn the more I realize that. However, many people attest to the fact that I have learned a lot in the year that I've lived here. It certainly has strengthened my faith in Christ. I know He's my Lord not just cause it's a personal experience of mine that some other people share, but also because of objective evidence that I've learned from philosophy, history, and archeology. The problem comes when I soak my mind too much into this evidence stuff. When I spend so much time and effort soaking my mind on theology and apologetics, it gets so cold, so mechanical, and so lifeless that it can numb me to the warmth of Christs love. How do I know Christ is alive? I'd like to say it's because He "lives in my heart" as the old hymn says. While that's true, I might put more stock into facts like "It's the best explanation for how Christianity came about the way it did." I'm not saying that it's not good to know facts like that. It is good to know that stuff these days because that's what the skeptics are asking, but if that is the ultimate reason why I believe it then we have problems. In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in Heaven." It was my Father in Heaven that revealed who Jesus is to me. It is Jesus whom I put my faith in. It is the Holy Spirit who guides me, ministers to me, and helps me persevere. I don't want to know one hundred facts about God. I want to know God! I pray that the Lord renew the spiritual fullness and freedom that comes only from a relationship with Him! I pray for wisdom in what I've been learning, but I ask that God help me keep my heart centered on Him as the ultimate reason why I believe in Him. I also pray this for my brothers and sisters in Christ. That they may grow in wisdom and love the Lord because they know He loves them.

Pantheism

Pantheism is the belief that all is God and God is all. This includes us humans. Hinduism and Buddhism are the most well-known religions part of this worldview, but there's something that scares me about it. I know that these religions have the karma system, but I'm not sure how it works out logically (probably due to my lack of understanding). My problem is this: if everything is God, then that means that life, death, good, and evil, all come from the same source. Where is the line that separates good and evil? It disappears. Christianity actually gives me a point of reference by which to justify my question of good and evil. There's a boundary between the two and I can know both pragmatically and logically the difference between Mother Teresa and Hitler.

We Want a Sign!

The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
He replied,"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.
Matthew 16:1-4

Jesus has already done many signs by this time, but still people keep asking Him to do more and more. Some people say that their faith would be better if they could just see these signs, yet the Bible says otherwise. Exodus explicitly tells us about the acts of idolatry the people of Israel committed even after seeing all the wonderful miracles God did in order to free them from Egypt. Human beings are so hard-hearted that even seeing miracles continuously won't produce in them a love, fear, and faith in God that He desires. There can be a danger in putting too much emphasis on seeing miracles in your own life too. A Christian might unknowingly put his own faith in the miracles rather than in God. If he were to see a miracle, great faith! If God doesn't do one for a while, faith withers! God wants us to love Him and to put our faith in Him, not in the wonders that He does.

John Lennox

A series of interviews with Oxford professor of pure mathematics, John Lennox, at the Center for Public Christianity. An incredibly smart man with a triple doctorate in science, philosophy, and math, and a deep devotion to the Lord. He talks about faith and science, atheism, morality, and God's goodness.

http://www.publicchristianity.com/lennoxvids.html

One more post before work.

A terrific seminar with Michael Ramsden (European Director of the Zacharias Trust) on the C.S. Lewis Institute website about answering tough questions from the skeptic. You can either listen to the four part seminar audio or the two part seminar video. Both are free.

http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/apologeticEvangelism/resources2.htm

Three-Way Marriage

Probably a bad idea for someone like me to write a blog about marriage, but I'll take that risk!

Marriage in God's eyes isn't just a contract between two people. It's a covenant between man, woman, and God. The couple is brought together by God and is accountable to Him. It's an image of His fidelity to us and our fidelity to him. So seriously does God take marriage, that being faithless to your wife or mistreating her has terrible consequences....

You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."
Malachi 2:13-16 (ESV)

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

It seems these actions anger God so much that he ignores the prayers of the men who do these things. It also affects the man's spiritual well-being. I do find it interesting that God aims all these consequences at the men. For the one or two people who read my blog, what are your thoughts on this?

Hard Hearts.

In an earlier post I mentioned how God commands us to do something because it reflects His holy character. However, there are some things that obviously don't. Divorce is one thing. Jesus makes this clear when talking to the Pharisees in Judea:

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Matthew 19:3-9

It seems that some things that God allows are to be seen as concessions to the hardness of the human heart rather than reflections of God's holy character. God is pretty blatant here:

"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel, "and I hate it when people clothe themselves with injustice," says the Lord Almighty.
Malachi 2:16

The same can be seen with slavery. It exists because of the hardness of the humans heart, not because God wants it to. God doesn't completely ban it from Israel, but he sets rules to limit it's evil. You could not kidnap a man and sell him to slavery (Exodus 21:16), you couldn't return an escaped slave to his master (Deuteronomy 23:15), and anyone who harmed so much as a tooth of his slave had to let him go free (Exodus 26:27). So it may be good to make a distinction between what God commands because it's good in His eyes and what God allows for now, but still hates. My prayer is that we reflect Him.

Wisdom and Doubt

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything form the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:5-8

These verses fill me with much joy, but also scare me. I love wisdom. I love learning about God's Word, about Jesus, and how His Truth corresponds to reality, whether historically, scientifically, or philosophically. It's wonderful that I can ask God for wisdom and He gladly gives it! However, I'm kind of a doubter. When I pray to the Lord for some kind of sanctification to my heart and mind, I feel this inexorable doubt creeping in my mind. Uh oh! Now I'm afraid that this doubt is going to keep God from giving me wisdom! What do I do?!......... I have no idea. I usually end my posts with some kind of hope or solution or pointer to a solution, but I'm a little perplexed this time. Perhaps this just shows the impatience in my heart. God does everything in His timing, not Kyle's timing. I've only been a Christian for about a year, I can't expect to perfectly image Christ in about a year. God doesn't work that way (though He could if He wanted). So I will be patient and keep praying. I will keep knocking on God's door and seeking Him. Jesus gives us this wonderful analogy to illustrate this.

"Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened."
Luke 11:5-10

Why Historians Take the Resurrection Seriously

A good series of short videos by John Dickson, a Christian writer and historian, about why historians take the Resurrection seriously as a historical puzzle.

http://www.publicchristianity.com/resvid1.html

False Hope

This is inspired by the speech Ryan gave yesterday at Veritas.

Humans always put their hope in something or someone. It's natural to us. What is also common is disappointment. Most of the time what we hope for opens a door of opportunity for us then it quickly gets slammed shut right in our face. I often times hope for a fun night of hanging out and socializing, then suddenly my work schedule changes and I have to miss it. I always hope for a sense of belonging in the community I'm in, but so often I feel utterly alone and ignored. During the Summer I had the opportunity to go to Houston to see my mother. It was a good chance to see some family I haven't seen in a while and my only chance for a vacation that Summer. However, once I got to the airport the door of opportunity quickly slammed shut as they told me that I couldn't go because it turned out the ticket wasn't under my name. My mother was very upset that she wouldn't get to see her favorite son for who knows how long now. After that I felt stupid for ever thinking that something like that would actually happen. Vacations and fun stuff only happen to other people, not to you, Kyle. Now, these are really small hopes that don't affect life as a whole, but if I can't even have hope in these small things, it makes it much harder to have hope for something infinitely bigger like the Resurrection or Heaven. I often times hear people say that they just think about a certain verse in the Bible and it comforts them and makes them feel better. It's not the same with me, but that doesn't mean I don't believe the promises that it makes. I'm reminded of this well known verse:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Also, C.S. Lewis has a terrific insight that I also believe.

"Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

I pray that God returns and restores the world. I pray for all the wicked to get punished, for all the suffering to end, for sin to disappear, and for everyone to know and acknowledge that God is our Lord.

Forgiveness

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sons against me? Up to seven times?" Matthew 18:21

Peter probably thought he was being pretty generous and merciful when he said seven times. I believe the number of times Jews would typically do was three throughout their history. However, Jesus probably surprised him with His answer.

Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:22

Other translations say "seventy times seven." Either way, it's a pretty big number! I don't think Jesus is being literal here. Think about it, who would actually count to seventy-seven or four hundred ninety! I think what Jesus is saying is don't count! Always forgive! Jesus says in Luke...

"If a brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them." Luke 17:3-4


We are commanded to be holy because our Father is holy (Leviticus 11:44). If we are commanded to always forgive, it must be because it reflects God's holy character! God always forgives those who humble themselves and repent! It's all because Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for the sins that we commit in this life. Thanks be to God for forgiveness!

Calming the Storm

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:23-27

Our lives are like this boat on the lake. As we sail through life there will be "storms" that threaten to overtake us. In those times, it sometimes seems like the Lord doesn't even care. He's just a distant God who is sleeping through those storms while we face them alone. But this story shows that our Lord is with us in the boat at all times. He is the Lord that we can call on for help, and He will answer. He'll always be there to calm the storm.

A Prayer by Saint Augustine

This was my prayer to the Lord this morning as I was desperate for His embrace.

"Who will enable me to find rest in you? Who will grant me that you come to my heart and intoxicate it, so that I forget my evils and embrace my one and only good, yourself? What are you to me? Have mercy so that I may find words. What am I to you that you command me to love you, and that, if I fail to love you, you are angry with me and threaten me with vast miseries? If I do not love you, is that but a little misery? What a wretch I am! In your mercies, Lord God, tell me what you are to me. 'Say to my soul, I am your salvation' (Ps. 34:3). Speak to me so that I may hear. See the ears of my heart are before you, Lord. Open them and 'say to my soul, I am your salvation.' After that utterance I will run and lay hold on you. Do not hide your face from me (cf. Ps. 26:9). Lest I die, let me die so that I may see it." (Oxford World's Classics, Confessions by Saint Augustine, pg. 5)

The Trinity

The Trinity is an important and fundamental truth about God that Christians teach. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Some, however, don't understand it (I'm sometimes scared to talk too much about it myself for fear of blaspheming). Isn't this polytheistic? It is not. Overall how there can be one God and three persons is a profound mystery to us, but we do have some illustrations to explain it. God is three persons but one essence. He is three persons but only one in nature. Think of a triangle. A triangle has three corners, but is still one triangle. God isn't 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, He's 1 x 1 x 1 = 1.

It's also fundamental for understanding some of God's nature. Christians all agree that God is a God of love (1 John 4:16), we also agree that God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He's the same yesterday, today, and will be the same forever, so we can safely assume that God has always been a God of love. However, in order to love, there must be a lover. Before creation, who was God loving? The Trinity makes that more clear. There's a lover (Father), a loved one (Son), and a spirit of love (Holy Spirit). There is an "I - You" relationship within God Himself. This is a profound mystery and one of the most beautiful truths about our God!

For a much better explained look into the Trinity I recommend reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis and Can Man Live Without God by Ravi Zacharias. Also chapter one of Who Made God? gives a brief answer to the question.

The Question of Evil with Ravi Zacharias

I got this interaction from many of Ravi's lectures and from his book, Can Man Live Without God (pg. 182).

Ravi Zacharias, a Christian philosopher, had an interesting interaction with a student at the University of Nottingham in England. As soon as he finished one of his lectures, the student shot up from his seat and blurted out, "There is too much evil in this world; therefore, there cannot be a God." Ravi said, "If there is such a thing as evil, aren't you assuming there is such a thing as good?" The student paused, reflected, and said, "I guess so." Ravi countered, "If there is such a thing as good, you must affirm a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil. When you you say there is evil, aren't you admitting there is good? When you accept the existence of goodness, you must affirm a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil. But when you admit to a moral law, you must posit a moral lawgiver. That, however, is who you are trying to disprove and not prove. For if there is no moral lawgiver, there is no moral law. If there is no moral law, there is no good. If there is no good, there is no evil. What, then, is your question?"

The student responds with, "What, then, am I asking you?" Indeed. What is the question?

Isaiah 9:6

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given" Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah chose his words very carefully here when he predicted Christs coming. The "son" is not born, the Son has always existed. The Son is given, the child is born. Such a vivid expression of the incarnation of Christ!

An interesting discussion

Here's a very interesting discussion between Richard Dawkins (atheist) and Francis Collins (theist) on Time magazine.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1555132-3,00.html

Biblical Dating

Holding Hands Holding Hearts by Richard D. Phillips & Sharon L. Phillips

What does the Bible say about dating? Nothing. And everything!

That's the catch-phrase of this book and the closest thing to a summary provided for it. Holding Hands Holding Hearts is a book by a husband and wife couple about how to date as Christians devoted to Jesus, not as people of the world do. For all 1.5 of you who have been reading my blog, you're probably surprised to see a book this frothy on my list. I usually read more intellectually engaging books rather than practical or self-help books, but I had nothing to read at the time and this book is short so I got it. Since this book is about single people dating they naturally spend about half of the book talking about marriage. Wait... What? As exasperating as that can be it is a necessary thing as Christians should date in order to lead to marriage. One thing I did enjoy about the book was their in-depth look into the curses that God places on men, women, and the earth and how it affects our relationships with each other in this fallen world. Unfortunately, I didn't agree with everything they said. In chapter 9 they say, without equivocation, that singleness is not a gift. I kept rereading it to see if I misinterpreted them, but I don't think I did. What is singleness then? It is a trial. While it is not untrue that singleness is a trial, and that marriage and parenthood, even though they are gifts, are also trials, and that there certainly are people who have this gift of being able to stay single for the Kingdom (all things that they claim), I think their insistence that singleness itself is not a gift is an erroneous claim. Indeed, I can't say I'm always happy to be single, but does God not have a loving reason for giving it to me? I'm more in agreement with Paul Matthias, a pastor at the Village Church, that singleness is a gift and marriage is a gift. Both have their own trials in this fallen world and both provide us with opportunities to serve God and serve the church.

Despite some issues I have with it, I did enjoy the book. The fact that it's simple and quick helps. I recommend it to anyone curious about gender roles, the value of men and women, and how to date them well. Now if only I could put the advice to use!

Recommended Reading (pt. 5)

Can Man Live Without God by Ravi Zacharias

In Can Man Live Without God, Ravi Provides a brilliant and compelling apologetic defense of the Christian faith-the likes of which we haven't seen since C.S. Lewis. With forceful logic, insightful illustrations, and passionate convictions, he shows how affirming the reality of God's existence matters urgently in our everyday lives.

I'm a huge fan of Ravi Zacharias. I'm always excited to here another speech by him. That's why I'm glad I was finally able to find his books in stores. Can Man Live Without God is a heavily philosophical book where Ravi goes through what the loss of God as a point of reference does to morality and truth. He is a man who takes a lot of time to read what the biggest naturalistic philosophers are saying, so he spends time unpacking the things that have been said by people such as Friedrich Nietzsche and countering them with the logic of belief and the hope of the Cross. He goes into many different aspects, including philosophical, historical, and Biblical reasons why Christianity is the truth. I highly, highly recommend Ravi Zacharias to anyone who loves philosophy and apologetics. Ravi is one of the best this century.


God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis

God in the Dock contains forty-eight essays and twelve letters written by Lewis between 1940 and 1963. Ranging from popular newspaper pieces to learned defenses of the faith, these essays cover topics as varied as the logic of theism, good and evil, miracles, the role of women in the church, and ethics and politics. Many represent Lewis's first ventures into themes he would later treat in full-length books.

As described in the summary, this is a series of essays and letters by C.S. Lewis, considered perhaps the greatest apologist of all time. In these essays you'll get Lewis's responses to questions about Christianity and the church, philosophical defenses of the Christian faith, and the conclusions he's made about how unbelievers think about God and the church. Some profound thoughts by a great apologist.

My problem with "tolerance."

People these days often define tolerance as not only respecting other people's opinions and lifestyles, but also accepting them as morally ok. No lifestyle or opinion is better or worse than any other. None are more true or less true than another. It's all subjective. I have two main issues with this kind of "tolerance."

1) People who stress this kind of tolerance are themselves intolerant towards intolerance. It's a completely inconsistent lifestyle. It's also amazing how people who preach tolerance are quite intolerant towards Christianity in particular.

2) The logic of this belief says that morality is relative, so we ought to be tolerant of others. But how can we possibly have an objective moral duty to be tolerant of others when all moral duties are simply relative to the individual? What if I think it's morally okay to be intolerant of homosexuals? What right do you have to pass judgment on me? If I had a belief that they disagree with, they become moral absolutists pretty quickly.

Your Kingdom Come

When talking to some young Christians today, I see such individuality. I don't get the sense that they are aware that they're not just individuals, but they are part of a larger community. I don't get the sense that they know they're part of something bigger than just them. When they say "God's plan" they mean just for them, just within their lifetimes. When I say that it would be great if Jesus came back to earth now and restored it, I often hear them respond with an almost immediate "no." Usually it's because they want to get married first. When I hear that response my heart gets confrontational and I want to ask why they want Jesus to postpone his justice on evildoers and comfort to the suffering for a fleeting pleasure of theirs. As soon as that happens I reveal something in my own heart that still needs improvement. It's possible that I'm completely wrong about a lot of these Christians and I'm the one with the bigger problem than them. Perhaps I'm just ranting. I just think that it is important for Christians to pray for Jesus to return. It's good for us to be excited for Christs coming more than anything else in this life. It isn't fun that will be banned from Heaven, it will be sin. Enjoying an eternity with the Lord in a world without death, pain, loneliness, jealousy, and suffering. Come, Lord Jesus! Come!

Recommended Reading (pt. 4)

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller

In The Prodigal God, he uses one of the best-known Christian parables to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation. Taking his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity, Keller uncovers the essential message of Jesus, locked inside his most familiar parable. Within that parable Jesus reveals God's prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a while new way.

While Keller's first book was an apologetic made to convince skeptics, this book was made to give a message of what the Gospel message is all about that can help believers in their faith and help non-believers get a better understanding of Christianity that they may have lacked before. It's an in-depth look at the parable of the Two Lost Sons. It's amazing how much a short parable like that actually has inside it! Tim does a masterful job at explaining the parable and showing what Jesus is talking about with it. I highly recommend this book to all Christian readers.



The Dawkins Delusion? by Alister McGrath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath

Alister McGrath, along with his wife Joanna, is ideal to evalute Dawkins's ideas. Once an atheist himself, Alister gained a doctorate in molecular biophysics before going on to become a leading Christian theologian. He wonders how two people, who have reflected at length on substantially the same world, could possibly have come to such different conclusions about God. McGrath subjects Dawkins's critique of faith to rigorous scrutiny. His exhilarating, meticulously argued response deals with questions such as: Is faith intellectual nonsense? Are science and religion locked in a battle to the death? Can the roots of Christianity be explained away scientifically? Is Christianity simply a force for evil? This book will be warmly recieved by those looking for a reliable assessment of The God Delusion and the many questions it raises- including, above all, the relevance of faith and the quest for meaning.

Alister McGrath is no joke. He's a professor over at Oxford (just like Dawkins) and has degrees in science and theology. He already has a more drawn-out, more detailed book on the subject called Dawkin's God. This is pretty much a shorter version of that. Alister goes against the claims that Dawkins makes and answers the questions that many Christians probably had when hearing about this popular book. I recommend it for people who enjoy scientific or historical apologetics and want to be able to provide an answer for people who bring up the issues Dawkins does in his book.

Acts (pt. 3)

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under Heaven by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

That's about as exclusive of a claim as anyone could possibly hear. Jesus says this himself in John chapter 14: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." When one rejects the Son, he's rejecting what the Father sent him to do, so the Father's wrath is still on that person rather than on Jesus on the cross.

"The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Acts 11:26

Christians themselves didn't designate themselves "Christians." Non-Christians gave them that name because they were like "little Christs." They were Christ followers, so they called them by that name.

"Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him." Acts 8:2

While we can have confidence that a Godly person is with the Lord, there is nothing wrong with mourning the loss of fellowship with that person. Jesus mourned the death of Lazarus. Paul mourned for his unbelieving brothers. Death isn't suppose to happen. It is an evil caused by sin. One day, however, there will be no disease, aging, or death.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'" Acts 17:24-28

Paul gives this talk while in Athens. What is interesting is that he approvingly quotes two pagan philosophers, Epimenides and Aratus. He was finding common ground with his worldview and theirs in order to help evangelize to them and help bring them to the truth about Christ. This must have taken a lot of studying. He probably spent a lot of time reading the philosophers and poets of that culture and learning about it in order to do this. It is also good for Christians to learn what other people believe and are saying in order to get a better understanding of them. This can help increase our own faith and help us evangelize with more effectiveness.

Reading list

Found Can Man Live Without God? by Ravi Zacharias! Didn't think I'd ever find a Ravi Zacharias book in stores! Also wanted to get The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel, but I'll have to get paid first. I've finally decided to read the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Just need to find someone to borrow a copy from first..... Also at Barnes and Noble I read through the Gospel of Judas, the Gospel of Mary, and some of the Gospel of Thomas. They were boring, weird, and the fact that they were all written way too late in history to have any real association with Judas, Mary, or Thomas kinda hurts their credibility.

Reflection

First I would like to congratulate the newlyweds, Andy and Lindsey. May God's gift to both of you be a constant source of joy, love, and redemption. May God be glorified through your covenant. As God says in His Word: the two shall become one. What God has brought together, let no one separate.


"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." Lamentations 3:22

The life of following Christ can be a way of immense joy and freedom, but it can also be a great struggle. Indeed, it can be one of the biggest struggles. My depraved heart desires things that are contrary to the desires of the Holy Spirit graciously given to me by God. The conflict in my soul rages on. It's like Paul says in his letter to the Roman's, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?..." But God hasn't left us in our evil, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:24-25. Even though Satan fights hard to claim us again, I wholeheartedly believe Jesus when he says, "All whom the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37, and a little later, "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." John 6:39. God's grace is greater than any amount of sin. Once we are chosen, God never stops working with us to bring us out of our slavery to sin. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6.

Amen.

Glad I'm Not the Only One

Even Scripture writers like Peter thought Paul's letters were hard to understand often times.

"His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." 2 Peter 3:16b

So we've established that his letters are difficult to understand. Peter also says that unstable people will distort his scriptures, probably by using them to justify their sinful actions. I see this happen all the time. Next you'll notice that Peter calls his letters "Scripture." He includes Paul's letters as God's word along with the Old Testament. 2 Peter was probably written in the mid-late 60's A.D., so at this very early period Paul's letters were already widely distributed and considered authoritative. In Paul's epistle to Timothy he quotes a verse from Luke right next to a verse of an Old Testament book (1 Timothy 5:18), which means Luke's Gospel was already widely spread and considered authoritative during Paul's ministry.

Haven't updated in a while

I moved into a new apartment so I've been too busy to blog. The fact that the place doesn't have internet yet doesn't help.... Besides lack of internet and no washer and dryer, it's a pretty good place. I like it.

More updates in the future!

If Jesus Were Walking on Earth Today

The Gospels tell us who Jesus was, what he did, and what he said. What is interesting is that his kindness and love often times went out to the sinners. To the "lost sons." His harshest words were reserved for the so-called obedient, religious Jews, the Pharisees. If Jesus were walking on Earth today, who would He show compassion towards and who would His harshest words be reserved for? Naturally, Jesus showed compassion and love towards everyone, but He didn't tolerate the hypocrisy of the Pharissees or Sadducees. If Jesus was physically on Earth today, would he be unwelcoming towards the pagans? The greedy people? The sexually perverse? He obviously wouldn't approve of their behaviors or beliefs, but He would love them and show them the way to the Truth. I think the people He would be most angry at are the self-righteous "Christians."

"Woe to you experts in the law, becaue you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." Luke 11:52.

God by His very nature has to punish evil, but He doesn't delight in sending his children to eternal punishment. Unfortunately, the self-righteous religious people who put on this guise of Christianity close the path to eternal life to unbelievers by making it look unreasonable and undesirable. There are many people who have been hurt by Christians so they turn from the Way and look for something else. I imagine if Jesus was walking on Earth right now, He would be unhappiest towards them.