Suicide of Evil

Just received a copy of John Piper's "Spectacular Sins - and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ." Short, small-sized book.

Struck by this in the introduction: "At the all-important pivot of human history, the worst sin ever committed served to show the greatest glory of Christ and obtain the sin-conquering gift of God's grace. God did not just overcome evil at the cross. He made evil serve the overcoming of evil. Me made evil commit suicide in doing its worst evil."

Reread that.

Ah, for lack of a proofreader

Had to chuckle late last night. A friend asked me to look at a website for a new multilevel marketing scam, oops, I mean "opportunity."

It was flashy, well-written, and kept my interest even at the midnight hour.

Until I got near to the end, where the guy is telling me that he used to be broke (like me) but "discovered" this great concept "and my life took a 360-degree turn!"

Oh? That's exciting.

Perhaps he meant something like a 180?

And I wonder if I've ever said something like, "My life took a three-hundred-sixty degree turn after I met Jesus"?

Of course that leads to thoughts of repentance...

An Obscenity Too Often Heard in Church

Fingernails across a blackboard, or worse. That's the feeling I get when I hear some well meaning but dumb person say, "Oh how I love the youth of our church. They are the church of tomorrow!"

Yeah, right. So what are they today? It's obscene to say they, by inference, that they are not the church of today!

It's a great saying to keep students uninvolved, uncommitted, and unchallenged. And, of course, that's the way they will be as they get older, because "what you will be, you are now becoming."

They are the church of today, and they are capable of great things.

A French artillery officer came up with "night writing," raised dots on a page of orders that a soldier could "read" without the danger of lighting a lantern.

A 13-year old blind teen heard about it, and begged the officer to transfer the concept to the blind. The officer didn't see the value.

The teen kept working on it, and simplified the process himself.

You've probable guessed the name - Louis Braille.

Don't let students off the hook by telling them (or treating them as if) they are the church of tomorrow.

They are today's church; and there is a job for them to do in the church.

Put 'em to work!

The Attraction of the Cross

“The curious paradox of the atoning death of a bloody Jesus rising above the plane of human history with a mocking crown of thorns is that he is offensive in an attractive way.

It is the utter horror of the cross that cuts through the chatter, noise, and nonsense of our day to rivet our attention, shut our mouths, and compel us to listen to an impassioned dying man who is crying out for the forgiveness of our sins and to ask why he suffered.

Tragically, if we lose the offense of the cross, we also lose the attraction of the cross so that no one is compelled to look at Jesus. Therefore, Jesus does not need a marketing firm or a makeover as much as a prophet to preach the horror of the cross unashamedly.”

—Mark Driscoll, Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007)

God Bless Everybody - gag

When my six-year-old Jacob prays something like, "Dear God, please bless Mommy and Janelle and everybody" I think God grins. But when an older child or adult prays in a similar pattern, methinks God yawns.

I think David Jeremiah would agree. Read what he offers, "How often have we prayed something like, 'O Lord, be with cousin Billy now in a special way.' Have we stopped to consider what it is we're requesting?

"Imagine that you are a parent who is preparing to leave your children with a babysitter. Would you dream of saying, 'O Betsy, I ask you now that you would be with my children in a special way?" No way. You would say, 'Betsy, the kids need to be in bed by 9pm. They can have one snack before their baths, and please make sure they finish their homework. You can reach us at this number if there's any problem. Any questions before we go?'

"We are very specific with our requests and instructions for our babysitters. We want them to know specifics. It should be no different with prayer."

No, You are NOT Loveable...but you ARE loved

“If we are to change we must be regularly preaching the gospel to ourselves and believing it. We must be continually showing ourselves, and those we counsel, the depths and greatness of God’s love for them. We must stop wasting our time trying to convince ourselves that we are lovable, and instead rest in the glorious fact that we are loved. It is this message which God uses to change us at the motivational level.”

—Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Group Handbook, 9

Evangelism Linebacker

Okay, if this doesn't draw a laugh or two you need to lighten up a bit...

What Happened on the Cross? This is Worth a Careful Reading

Reading "Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears.

The introduction addresses "Substitutionary Atonement," which is, to some, controversial. To many, it is a pair of undefined words.

Let me try to whet your appetite for the book by the following excerpt:

What does 'substitution' mean?
"Substitution" refers to a person or thing acting or serving in place of another. Biblically, the concept of substitution was first practiced not by God, but by human beings. When our first parents chose to disobey God and believe the lies of our Enemy, they chose to substitute themselves for God in an effort to become their own gods. Subsequently, to save sinners God had to reverse that tragic substitution and did so by becoming a human being and dying in our place to atone for our sins.

In his marvelous book The Cross of Christ John Stott insightfully explains this fact:

The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices Himself for man and puts Himself where only man deserves to be. May claims prerogatives which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man alone."

In a time when many are denying the fact that Jesus took the hit for us, this deserves a careful re-reading.

I heartily recommend the book (as well as Stott's book!)

YIPPEE!

Most who stop by here are aware that after 21 years serving with Family Life Network in New York we've accepted a position with Midland Ministries in Saint Joseph, Mo. I "officially" changed positions July 1, but we are still in New York as the housing market is not exactly booming; but after almost ten months a buyer has been provided.

We received the purchase offer last week, and the house inspection took place this Wednesday morning and it looks like all is a "go." Our realtor put up the "Sale Pending" sign after the inspection. A very welcome sight! Appraisal probably next week, and since this is NY the wheels of the system don't exactly zoom; but the buyer would like to be in soon, we'd like to be in Missouri soon...so we shall see.

Appreciate those of you who have prayed; and ask continued prayer for this sale to go smoothly, and for us to find a house-to-make-a-home in a timely fashion!

Who Has Time To Look at Others?

"The eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts." Jonathan Edwards, cited by Ray Ortland