Friday, September 19, 2008

Blog Break


Ever been to a buffet and put too much on your plate, and realize that the pudding will just have to wait, that's how blogging has been for me, I have been crazy busy, in a good way, and blogging has taken a back seat, I plan to be back within a couple weeks, but until then the pudding will have to wait...

Monday, September 8, 2008

How Do We Preach?

As preachers, they were all remarkable. There are some who preach before their people, like actors on the stage, to display themselves and to please their audience. Not such were the self-denied preachers of Ross-shire. There are others who preach over
their people. Studying for the highest, instead of doing so for the
lowest, in intelligence, they elaborate learned treatises, which float
like mist, when delivered, over the heads of their hearers. Not such
were the earnest preachers of Ross-shire. There are some who preach past
their people. Directing their praise or their censure to intangible
abstractions, they never take aim at the views and the conduct of the
individuals before them. They step carefully aside, lest their hearers
should be struck by their shafts, and aim them at phantoms beyond them.
Not such were the faithful preachers of Ross-shire. There are others who preach at
their people, serving out in a sermon the gossip of the week, and
seemingly possessed with the idea that the transgressor can be scolded
out of the ways of iniquity. Not such were the wise preachers of Ross-shire. There are some who preach towards
their people. They aim well, but they are weak. Their eye is along the
arrow towards the hearts of their hearers, but their arm is too feeble
for sending it on to the mark. Superficial in their experience and in
their knowledge, they reach not the cases of God’s people by their
doctrine, and they strike with no vigour at the consciences of the
ungodly. Not such were the powerful preachers of Ross-shire. There are others still, who preach along
their congregation. Instead of standing with their bow in front of the
ranks, these archers take them in line, and, reducing their mark to an
individual, never change the direction of their aim. Not such were the discriminating preachers of Ross-shire. But there are a few who preach to
the people directly and seasonably the mind of God in His Word, with
authority, unction, wisdom, fervour, and love. Such as these last were
the eminent preachers of Ross-shire.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Driscoll's 6 Study Essentials


Pastor Mark Driscoll has made a list of 6 study essentials for growing in the Word of God:

1. Have a good Bible.
2. Have some good Christian Books
3. Have some good (free) online study resources.
4. Have some good Bible software.
5. Have some good websites
6. Have some good community.

Click here for a more detailed list and also some great links to some amazing online resources.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Obama and His Answer on Abortion

Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason has done a great job of breaking down the answer Barack Obama gave during the presidential forum on the issue of Abortion. I understand that Obama is a candidate for "change" (aren't they all?) and his run for the White House is historic, I get that, but this is a fundamental issue, one where millions of lives are at stake, and so it may be one of the most important answers a President has to deal with.
If you are a Obama supporter please tell me how his answer makes any sense, this is not about being a "right wing religous fundamentalist" I am not, I actually really like to listen to Obama on most things, and I totally agreed with Koukl on the issue of orphans of the world and how it is not the govt. job to help orphans, it is the Church's! But this is dealing with defenseless lives, and the legal execution of these babies, 45 million babies have been lost to this since Roe v Wade.
Want more proof go here to Abort73 and watch and learn the reality of abortion.
Obama supporters tell me, how does this answer make any sense after watching these videos...



Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Putin to Speak at The DNC??

Anthony Bradley chimes in on who the DNC should have speak this week:
After listening to Hilary Clinton preach about how government will solve all of America's social and moral problems, I thought to myself, "Where is Vladamir Putin, prime minister of Russia, because it sounds exactly like something he would say?" Seriously, if Putin spoke about government's role to solve everything, none of the democrats would really object I'd imagine.

The former Soviet Union was officially a federal socialist republic and that's exactly what you heard last night. And sadly, much of the Republican party is a softer version of the same. Both parties need help.

And by the way, "shipping jobs oversees" is a misnomer. We loose more jobs to technology than we do international outsourcing. It's propaganda. Oh yeah, and the government guaranteeing that women get "equal pay for equal work." Ok, Hilary that will happen on two conditions: (1) if when stopped getting married and (2) if women stop getting pregnant. On average never-married women earn more than their male peers. Come on people, think!!

Dr. Bradley is a professor at Covenant Theological Seminary where I currently reside, the man is bold and wise and willing to say the things no one else is...

Click here to Check Out The Institute Anthony's Blog

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Evil: Defeat It, But What is It?

On Saturday I watched the presidential forum with Obama, McCain and Rick Warren on CNN. Let me start of by saying I am not super political and while I am registered I am not sure what party I belong to. With that said I realized that in Christian blog circles the topic that was most discussed was the candidates response to the "abortion question". I have found it funny though that we here in America have very easily passed over the "evil question".

Basically Warren asked each candidate, do you believe in evil, and how do you respond to it. McCain and Obama both were on the side to defeat it, although McCain was more right to the point.

The funny thing is, is that they both defined evil as either, the opression going on in 3rd world countries or terrorism (bin laden), while I would not disagree, I would say that is not the biggest "evil" we here in America face daily. Here is what I would have loved to see Warren, a servant of God say after both said to defeat evil. This is my mock manuscript I would have loved to hear:

Warren: "How do you handle evil?"

Obama/McCain: "Defeat it"

Warren: "Amen, so how do we stop the American Dream of consumerism, and materiel wealth?"

That's it. The biggest evil in America is the evil of self, of wanting to be famous, rich and do it at any price. This evil claims hundreds of million lives a year, as we give into the idea that we are defined by what we wear, drive, live in, look like. I realize that the only hope is for the church to be a light in the darkness, to be a light and stand out as a city on a hill that is not fascinated by the trinkets of this world. And the only hope for that is the Cross of Jesus Christ, where the sins of greed and lust of self are killed, and we are freed to live for God and love our neighbor with a risky, sacrificial type love that is willing to die so others will taste and see the beauty and joy found in the Lord.

So I guess when it all comes down to it, our next president will not defeat evil, only our reigning King Jesus will come and slay evil once and for all as He has already claimed victory, but not yet do we see it all, hmmm already and not yet....