Round Three – South Regionals Todd v. Shore

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 3:48 pm in

Time now for the 2009 preposterous statement tournament (not to be confused with the Common Man Dan Cole’s Preposterous Statement Tournament). You can follow the tournament by using the 20 Times Around the Block Preposterous Statement bracket. Make your pick for a winner! A complete list of the statements can be found here.

It’s the sweet sixteen, baby!

Which statement is more preposterous?

The Liberalism that controls the Democratic Party is more wicked than the world view that dominated the Nazis—Blue Collar Todd

I suggest, in the finest American tradition, we protest this absurd and deplorable act [arresting Roman Polanski] by smashing our cuckoo clocks, pawning our Swiss watches, and banning Swiss cheese and chocolate.–Joan Z. Shore

When extremes meet you will find Blue Collar Todd and Joan Z. Shore battling it out!

Round Three – South Regionals Weiss v. West

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 3:44 pm in

Time now for the 2009 preposterous statement tournament (not to be confused with the Common Man Dan Cole’s Preposterous Statement Tournament). You can follow the tournament by using the 20 Times Around the Block Preposterous Statement bracket. Make your pick for a winner! A complete list of the statements can be found here.

It’s the sweet sixteen, baby!

Which statement is more preposterous?

But we can only hope that fathers and spouses everywhere will be thinking “What Would Obama Do?” as they navigate through the murky waters of parenthood and family.–Jennifer Weiss

It’s almost like a crucifixion, in terms of the cross you have to bear. We reap the fruits of the resurrection, in terms of the power that emanates from [Michael Jackson's] sacrifice. He sacrificed his childhood because he loved us so. He didn’t just entertain us, he sustained us.–Cornel West

Who is the better savior? Michael Jackson or Barack Obama?

Seven of the most important questions you will ever ask…

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 3:10 pm in
1. How Do I know God exists?
It’s amazing how many people think that God’s existence is a matter of "faith." They think that we choose to accept that an invisible God exists, without any real evidence for His existence. We just "believe."

Could you believe that a soldier’s barracks had no builder? Obviously someone put it together, because buildings don’t happen by themselves. The fact that the building exists is positive proof that there was a builder. Who could believe that a building—with its doors, windows, heating, air conditioning, carpet, electricity, etc., happened by accident, made from nothing?

Its design adds to evidence of a designer. For example, the door is made for a man to walk though. It has a handle and hinges. Windows are made for him to see through. The air conditioning keeps him cool in summer, and the heating keeps him warm in winter. The lighting helps him see when it’s dark, and the carpet is for his added comfort. The building was intended specifically for his use.

In the same way, creation is proof that there was a Creator. Keep in mind that we can’t create anything from nothing. We don’t know how to begin. If you disagree, then make me a seed—-from nothing. Make it living, so that it grows into a plant that produces an edible fruit, and make it with the ability to create more seeds within the fruit, so that you can plant them and make more plants and more fruit. So if we can’t even make one seed, how intellectually deceitful is it for any rational human being to believe that nothing created everything?

But there is more. The evidence shows that this earth upon which we live was intended for our use. We have lighting during the day so that we can see what we are doing. The sea breeze keeps the air fresh and cool, and the warmth of a massive ball of fire in the sky keeps us warm and dry. Cows give us succulent meat to eat and leather to wear. They chew grass and give us milk, and from the milk we get cream, cheese, butter, yoghurt, and ice cream. Sheep give us mouth-watering meat to eat, and wool from their back gives us warm sweaters, and supplies carpet for our comfort. Chickens lay eggs for us to scramble, and sacrificially provide finger-lickin’ meat on our plates.

We have oceans that are rich with tasty fish for our dinner; the soil yields juicy fruits for the table and a huge variety of vegetables to keep us healthy. Trees breathe out oxygen for us to breathe in, and we breathe out carbon dioxide for them to breathe in.

We have eyes to enjoy the beauty of this amazing creation, ears to listen to melodious music, as well as hear the song of a myriad of beautiful birds that usher in the morning light. We have a mass of taste buds to relish mashed potatoes and gravy.

Add to this the wonder of man being made for woman and woman for man, and the fact that dogs give man enjoyment and keep him company. He has brilliant white snow upon which to ski, massive waves upon which to surf, the joys of blue skies, green grass, and white beaches with amazing and crystal-clear water.

On top of all this, gravity keeps his feet firmly grounded so that he doesn’t spin off into space, as this massive ball of dirt upon which he lives spins around at the breath-taking speed.

The amazing design all around us screams of the unspeakable genius of an incredible
designer.

No wonder the Bible calls the professing atheist a "fool."

So there is no question as to whether or not God exists; which brings us to the second question.

To be continued...

A comment on the above:

"Here we go with another verse of "Creation is proof of a Creator" the song that means nothing but never stops. Ray, if the earth was intended for our use, how come so much of it is unfit for human habitation?" MollyKnits

Good question. This is because it is under the Genesis curse. You are right--much of Africa and Australia are barren desert; Russia and other countries are continually covered with freezing ice and snow. The whole earth is filled with weeds, disease, pain, suffering and death:

"We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the firstfruits of the [Holy] Spirit [a foretaste of the blissful things to come] groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies [from sensuality and the grave, which will reveal] our adoption (our manifestation as God's sons)" (Romans 8:22-23--Amplified Bible).

Those who love God are waiting for a "new heavens and a new earth" where the curse is removed. We "inherit" this whole incredible earth. This is provable. Simply humble yourself, repent, and trust the Savior. He will reveal Himself to you (see John 14:21) and confirm the truth of His promises.
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

The Next Story: Being a Doer

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 2:03 pm in

I graduated from college in 1997 (Or so. To be honest, I don't even remember exactly what year it was and didn't bother attending the graduation ceremony or picking up my diploma which undoubtedly recorded the date). My history degree did not open up the world of possibilities I had obviously thought it might when I first chose history as my major three years before. With few options available to me, and suffering from a lack of motivation, I decided I had better find some kind of employment, even if it did not incorporate my training. I learned that a new Starbucks was opening nearby and quickly made my way through the interview process. The day the store opened I was there, and I stayed at that job, putting in my forty hours a week, for what must have been a year--possibly more.

I'm not sure if this is still the case, but back then every store was required to select one "Coffee Expert," the one person on staff who would receive a bit of extra training in the world of coffee and who was required to know more about the various flavors of coffee than anyone else. This person had to be able to identify the differences between the types and to teach others how to do the same. He was responsible for brewing different kinds of coffees in order to educate both the employees and the customers. Through some strange twist of fate I was appointed to this position by the manager.

There was just one small problem. I hated coffee. I still do. I am convinced that it is a vile, evil concoction and one that has cruelly enslaved much of the human race. I despise the stuff, even in what I am assured is its finest form by the hoards of brainwashed Starbucks robots. I can barely stand even the smallest taste of it. It curdles my tongue, makes my eyes water, and leaves me gagging. I find it utterly revolting.

And yet I was the coffee expert. When customers wanted to know about the different kinds of coffee we offered, it was my job to lead them through the various options available to them and to help them select the coffee that was suited to their tastes. A customer would choose a package from the counter and I would say, "Oh, now that's a great choice. It's a delicious, full-bodied roast that you can taste all over your tongue. Look for the flavors of oak and a subtle hint of the spring flowers that grow in the mountains of Peru." I had the routine down pat and helped sell a lot of coffee--more than anyone else in the store, I'm sure. The facts were all true; it's not like I was some kind of used car dealer covering up a vehicle's flaws and hoping to make a sell to some poor sap who would be stuck with a useless hulk. I simply relayed information I knew was true. But I hated the product. Had I been entirely forthcoming I would have said this: "It mostly tastes like cigarettes. When I drink it I detect mostly the flavor of charcoal mixed with dirt--and not the nice dirt I used to eat as a kid, either. It tastes like burned, charred, nasty, ugly hot dirt. It's loaded with caffeine and I'm sure it's going to shorten your life. If you enjoy the smell or taste of manure, I'm sure you'll love it. Would you like me to grind it for you?" It always struck me as just a little bit odd that I would champion something I disliked so much.

Since I wrote my first book I had quite a few people ask when I would begin a second one. My response was that I'd write another book when I had lived another book. When it comes to writing it is always a temptation to relay information I know is true, even if I have not incorporated it into my life. I've had to confess that I've done this in the past right here on this blog. I can sometimes content myself with knowing that something I am writing is true and biblical, even if it has little resonance in my life.

When I worked at Starbucks I had absolutely no passion for coffee. Though I could talk a good line, I always felt a bit like I was lying. Customers would ask, "What's your favorite?" and I would just blurt out a flavor based on my favorite packaging. I had no favorite coffee anymore than I had a favorite flavor of cough syrup or a favorite kind of kick in the teeth. I don't want my life to be like this. I want what I say and what I write to be a reflection of who I really am--or who I really want to be through the power of the Spirit.

I want to be a Christian who doesn't just do a smooth job of selling the Christian life. I could probably sit down and write a book that would say all the right things and make me feel very happy when I had typed out the last word. But it wouldn't satisfy because it wouldn't be genuine.

Recently I read through a part of Michael Emlet's book Cross Talk and came across these words. Though targeted specifically at ministers, I think they are applicable to any of us.

A temptation in ministry is to think that just because we prepared a Bible study, a sermon, or a discipleship appointment (or wrote a book like this!), we are deeply engaging with the God of the universe. But that's not necessarily true. It's easy in ministry to live more as a 'pipe' than a 'reservoir.' That is, it's easy to live merely as a conduit to others of the transforming truths of God's Word, rather than as a changed and transformed reservoir who overflows with lived-out gospel truth. You wouldn't imagine cooking meal after meal for your family without sitting down to enjoy that nourishment, would you? To paraphrase James 1:22, let's not merely be hearers or speakers or counselors of the Word, but doers, first and foremost.

I know that in writing a book I could easily be a hearer and speaker but not a doer. But that isn't who and what I want to be. As you know, I've begun work on The Next Story. And already I'm seeing how I have to make changes to my life based on what I am learning. Some of these will be experimental, trying to live out different ideas on a trial basis. Though totally unrelated to the book, I did this with vegetarianism recently, going two weeks without meat just to try it out and to see what life is like with a whole new set of tastes and flavors. There are things I will try out just for the sake of the book, with no intention of maintaining them long-term. But other changes are going to be permanent, coming on the heels of necessity or conviction. I will introduce you to a couple of these in the days to come. (Hint: you may have noticed I didn't post an A La Carte today...)


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InSite, Februrary 2010

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 12:10 pm in

Streaming answers to the world, AiG in syndication, intelligent blog design, an instant classic, and more—find out what’s new on AnswersInGenesis.org.

God can work on snowy Sundays

Posted on February 8, 2010 at 6:34 am in
Last Sunday’s service at Antioch brought out 60 brave souls. I came close to not going...

Wide Open Are Your Hands

Posted on February 7, 2010 at 8:57 pm in

Every now and again I like to post a song we've sung at church that may not be widely-known. Here is one we sing quite frequently. Titled "Wide Open Are Your Hands," it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux back in the 10th century and translated from Latin in the 1800's. The chorus was added by my friend Julian and the music (for which, unfortunately, I do not have a recording) was composed by the guys who lead us in worship.

*****

Wide open are your hands, paying with more than gold
The awful debt of guilty men, forever and of old.
Ah, let me grasp these hands, that we may never part,
And let the power of their blood sustain my fainting heart.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.

Wide open are your arms, you welcome all who come;
To take to love and endless rest each of your chosen ones.
Lord, I am sad and poor, but boundless is your grace;
Give me the soul-transforming joy for which I seek your face.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.

Draw all my mind and heart up to your throne on high,
And let your sacred cross exalt, my spirit to the sky.
To these, your mighty hands, my spirit I resign;
For me to love is Christ alone, to die is only gain.

To you I lift my hands in heartfelt song and praise
For steadfast love which won my heart, for never-ceasing grace.


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What Is “Presuppositional” Apologetics?

Posted on February 7, 2010 at 10:15 am in

When explaining their beliefs, Christians often feel they must first prove the Bible or the existence of God. This approach reveals that they do not yet understand the Bible’s approach.

This Week’s Bestsellers

Posted on February 6, 2010 at 7:28 pm in

Last week I wrote that the bestseller list had stabilized with an average of three new books added each week. Sure enough, this week saw exactly that new many new titles. I am finding that I can read three of these books per week without too much trouble; it is the fourth book that I just haven’t been able to get to without doing so at the expense of something else. And so I remain about one-and-a-half books behind. I still have yet to read Anticancer and am only halfway through Intellectuals and Society. Meanwhile, three new books have been added to my reading list.

Jumping straight to the #2 spot is Ozzy Osbourne’s I am Ozzy. This is (obviously) his memoir, telling the story of his life from childhood up to The Osbournes and beyond. I have no love for Osbourne or his music, so anticipate reading this book band-aid style–rip it off quickly and get it over with.

Starting at #3 on the list is Andrew Young’s tell-all The Politician. I have heard little about this book except that it utterly unmasks John Edwards. I am not a big fan of tell-alls, so am not entirely enthusiastic about reading this one. Nevertheless, I will prevail. Unfortunately it is not yet available in Kindle format, so I’ll have to read it in hardcover (which means paying hardcover prices).

And at #9 is Courting Disaster by Marc Thiessen. Here is the ultra-short description from the Times: “‘Enhanced interrogation’ saved American lives and Obama is risking them, a Bush speechwriter says.” Now that sounds more interesting. I bet the Times disagrees.

Rising fast just below the list is Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy by Joseph E. Stiglitz. That looks like quite an interesting title so I’m hoping it makes its way onto the list next week.

On Endorsements

Posted on February 6, 2010 at 7:15 pm in

One of the strange things that happens when you write a book is that other authors begin to ask you if you would endorse their own book. There is a strange little economy whereby people in a particular genre all endorse one another's books. This is true in the Christian world as it's true for books about history, politics, and the like. A relatively small group of people pass their books around with requests for endorsements.

I've written quite a few of these little blurbs lately. It is something I'm generally quite eager to do and even honored to do. There is a certain sense in which it is humbling to have someone ask if you'd put your name on their book, offering it a stamp of approval. Yet there is also a certain danger to it, knowing that if you do not read the book carefully, you may later be accused of endorsing a book with a potentially serious theological error in it. Stranger things have happened. What is more nerve-racking still is that you may well be endorsing a manuscript that will be edited after you've submitted your endorsement, meaning that the content going to print may be quite different from the content you've put your name to.

Different authors have different standards when it comes to writing endorsements. Some go sight-unseen, endorsing a friend's book without even really reading the content. He knows his friend, he knows his theological position, and on that basis he will write an endorsement even without looking through the manuscript. Other authors are exacting, reading very carefully to ensure that every statement is as precise as it ought to be and even pushing back a little bit, asking the author to make necessary changes before they will put their name to an endorsement. Still other authors may just skim through the manuscript, looking for potential problem areas and reading those quickly even while racing through the rest.

When I began to write endorsements, I was very much in the middle camp--I would read every word of every sentence and would do so carefully. This is what I was most comfortable with, both for sake of conscience and credibility. I wanted to endorse only really good books and ones that were free of any theological error or weakness. As time has gone on, though, I've found myself spanning the middle camp and the final one. I have found that not every book easily lends itself to a thorough reading (such as a book of written prayers) and not every book depends upon theological precision (such as a biography). And so my early idealism has been undone just a little bit. And yet strangely this occasionally nags at my conscience. Somehow I feel that I cannot rightly write a convicting endorsement without having read every word. And yet if I were to read every word, I could not write more than the very, very occasional endorsement due to the time it would take to read the manuscripts so carefully. I have no desire to be the guy whose name is on every book; at the same time, I do like to say "yes" to these requests when I feel it would be helpful to the author.

At this point I want to ask you, when you read an endorsement, do you suppose that the author has pored over every word? Do you read these blurbs as blanket endorsements of the content, or do you see them as something less significant than that. Realistically, if you were to write endorsements, what camp would you be in?


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For those of you who insist you don’t fear death…

Posted on February 6, 2010 at 3:47 pm in
"Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death--that is, the devil--And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives." Hebrews 2:14-15 (Amplified Bible)
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Super Bowl Homeboy

Posted on February 6, 2010 at 3:46 pm in

I am not very interested in watching this year’s Super Bowl, because I’m down on the Saints. Because my beloved Vikings choked in true fashion with some of the most egregious turnovers in the history of football I am given over to the pathetic reasoning that “the better team lost” that day, and “we oughta be there.”

And I am more annoyed by the silly and well-documented phenomenon of people believing that because their team is doing well they are doing well. This sociological fact is more evident in the psychology of Saints fans than any other fans of any other sport. It is as if the play of the Saints is rebuilding those levees and resurrecting New Orleans itself and not the thousands of volunteer workers who have sweated hours in the sun cleaning it up.

But this drinking game I found from the Common Man’s webpage might make it all the more fun—if you are into that sort of thing. You are going to want to use root beer as to avoid alcohol poisoning.

    1. Every time they mention hurricane Katrina, drink 1

    2. If they show pictures of the City of New Orleans right after Katrina, drink 1

    3. Every time they say how much the Saints mean to the City of New Orleans, drink 1

    4. Every time the words “tragedy”, “flood”, or “devastation” are used, drink 1

    5. Every time they talk about how good Reggie Bush was in college, drink 3

    6. If they show Kim Kardashian in the stands, drink 5

    7. Every time they show a picture of Reggie Bush with a bat or say “bringing the wood” drink for 5 seconds.

    8. Every time Reggie Bush gets negative yardage trying to run around in the backfield a bunch and outrun the defense, drink 1 and turn to the person next to you and say “I told you Vince Young should have won the Heisman”

    9. Every time Reggie Bush gets up and flexes his arms in that pose he likes to do, drink 1

    10. If they mention Tim Tebow for any reason, funnel a beer

    11. Every time they say that “it’s destiny for the Saints to win” drink 1

    12. If they show footage of Katrina survivors at the Superdome, take a shot of cheap liquor

    13. If they call Saints fans the most passionate fans in football, drink 1

    14. If they say that the Saints, Saints fans, or the City of New Orleans “deserve” a Super Bowl victory, drink 1

    15. Every time they say how good of a story the Saints are, drink 1

    16. If Jeremy Shockey pretends to be hurt after dropping a pass, drink 2

    17. If they mention the Saints beating the Falcons in 2006 in the first game after

    Katrina in the Superdome, drink 5 and remember that we are still a better football team with better fans.

    18. Every time they compare hurricane Katrina to the Haiti earthquake, funnel a beer and yell “bull****!”

    19. Every time they mention brew Brees as the Mardi Gras king, drink 1

    20. Every time they show Archie Manning, drink 1, and mention how bad he sucked. If they show old footage of him on the Saints, drink 5. If they mention how tough of a decision it was for him as for whom to cheer for, drink 10.

    21. Every time they show a saints fan yelling “Who dat!” or a sign/shirt saying the same, drink 1.

    22. If they show Chris Paul at the game, drink 1 and mention to someone how much better he is than Marvin Williams.

    23. If they show former Mayor Ray Nagin, drink 5 and then punch someone in the face

    Other Rules not involving the Saints:

    1. Every time they show Eli Manning in the press box, drink 1

    2. Every time Pierre Garcon is mentioned with Haiti, drink 1

    3. If Brett Favre is mentioned for any reason, drink 1

News to Note, February 6, 2010

Posted on February 6, 2010 at 8:00 am in

No soup for you, evolutionists; the dino-bird that wasn’t; salamander attack; and more in this week’s News to Note.

!

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 7:48 pm in
Back when I started this blog, I had only one real aim in mind: to cut down on the number of newsletters my mother would tell me I needed to write. I figured that if I wrote my stories here, people could just stop by and read them, and they'd know what was going on with me.

Along the way, it's evolved into something so much different. I find myself actually needing to write, regardless of whether or not anyone is reading. I process my days through my words, my sorrow and joy and frustration and exultation all draining through my fingertips as I type. It calms me, writing. Takes the pieces that didn't fit and slots them neatly into place. Smooths the rough edges and holds me tight while I cry.

And somewhere in the midst of all that, I realized that people were reading what I wrote. Not too many, and probably not many with any regularity, but somewhere out there, someone was taking the time invest in this work alongside me. I can't tell you how encouraging that has been. To know that there are people out there who, in some small way, care about me and what we're doing here. Care enough to leave a comment when they can relate to something I've said. Care enough to send me stickers from Singapore. Care enough to write me some of the most uplifting e-mails that land in my inbox.

Like the one I got from Dina just yesterday. The one that was full of joy! and! exclamation! points! The one that ended with the words ...got to get my kiddos to bed! but first bedtime prayers for ali and ani...

Now, maybe it makes me a big old baby, but I'll admit right now that I read that e-mail and burst into tears over here, somewhere on the Atlantic. The thought of those four little kids who I've never met taking time at the end of the day to pray for me completely floored me, and I guess I just wanted to say a public thank you, to whoever's out there.

Thank you for being a part of this. Thank you for caring about me and what we do here on the ship. Thank you for leaving comments and writing me encouraging e-mails. Thank you for sending stickers and baby clothes and craft supplies. Thank you for praying for us. We'll be in Togo in just a few days, going full-out to get everything set up for the new outreach. There will be new nurses to train, new translators to meet, new stories to learn.

And somewhere, on the far side of the ocean, there might just be a handful of kids sending prayers up to Abba for us. Which is why I'll keep writing, keep telling all those stories. Because they're not just praying for me; they're praying for the babies with the cleft lips, the ladies who have been wet for years, the old men blinded by cataracts.

The worship leader at our community meeting last night said it perfectly, I think.

We are going to Togo because God is already there.

We are going to meet God there, all of us, because we are all part of this work. You and me and the little girl who sent me the money from her piggy bank to help pay for a package she sent me. Whether you realize it or not, you are part of this work, part of this awesome privilege as we get a front row seat to the piecing-together of shattered lives.

And that, my friends, deserves an exclamation point!

Round Three – East Regionals Bachmann v. Thomas

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 7:34 pm in

Time now for the 2009 preposterous statement tournament (not to be confused with the Common Man Dan Cole’s Preposterous Statement Tournament). You can follow the tournament by using the 20 Times Around the Block Preposterous Statement bracket. Make your pick for a winner! A complete list of the statements can be found here.

It’s the sweet sixteen, baby!

Which statement is more preposterous?

I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under Democrat President Jimmy Carter. And I’m not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it is an interesting coincidence. –Michele Bachmann

In a way Obama is standing above the country, above the world. He’s sort of GOD. He’s going to bring all different sides together.–Evan Thomas

This one is gonna be a gooooood.

Round Three – East Regionals Clemens v. Wright

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 7:28 pm in

Time now for the 2009 preposterous statement tournament (not to be confused with the Common Man Dan Cole’s Preposterous Statement Tournament). You can follow the tournament by using the 20 Times Around the Block Preposterous Statement bracket. Make your pick for a winner! A complete list of the statements can be found here.

It’s the sweet sixteen, baby!

Which statement is more preposterous?

Our family has a history of heart conditions. My brother had a heart attack in his late 40’s, my step-dad died of a heart attack.—Roger Clemens

Asked if he has been able to speak to President Obama he said, “Them Jews ain’t going to let him talk to me.”–Jeremiah Wright

Jeremiah Wright is on a roll, but Clemens keeps squeaking by. Your vote counts!

Free Stuff Fridays

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 3:12 pm in

Dug Down DeepIt's Friday morning, which means that I've got some free stuff to give away. For this week's contest I cajoled my buddy Josh Harris into giving up ten copies of his new book Dug Down Deep. So there will be ten prizes, each of which will be an autographed copy of the book.

Here is a brief description of it:

In Dug Down Deep Joshua Harris shares how we can rediscover the relevance and power of Christian truth. This book shows a young man who rose quickly to success in the Christian evangelical world before he realized his spirituality lacked a foundation--it rested more on tradition and morality than on an informed knowledge of God.

For the indifferent or spiritually numb, Harris's humorous and engaging reflections on Christian beliefs show that orthodoxy isn't just for scholars--it is for anyone who longs to know to know the living Jesus Christ.

I recently wrote a review of Josh's book and concluded with these words: "Dug Down Deep is an excellent book and one I would be glad to recommend. I wouldn't hesitate to hand it to any Christian but would be particularly pleased to see it in the hands of young believers. In fact, if my own children were just a few years older, I would hand a copy to each of them. And I'm not sure that I can give a book higher praise than that." You can read the review here, if you'd like to learn more.

And now, go ahead and enter the draw.

Rules: You may only enter the draw once. Simply fill out your name and email address to enter the draw. As soon as the winners have been chosen, all names and addresses will be immediately and permanently erased. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway closes Saturday at noon.


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The seven most important questions…

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 3:04 pm in
I was going to die and there was nothing I could do about it. The only unanswered question was "When?" But I wasn’t the only one. Every human being had the same terminal prognosis. As far as I knew, the mortality rate among the world’s population was 100%. Death was a huge and unwanted elephant in the room that we were all supposed to quietly accept as a fact of life. No one was to question why death existed and or even ask how we could avoid it. It was bizarre.

I decided that I would at least visit my doctor to see what I could do to prolong my precious life. He was sitting behind a desk, gaunt, smoking a cigarette. He died a few years later. I wondered if science could help me. But it seemed that they were too busy trying to place a man onto the moon to worry about trifles like death.

So I was left with the inevitable. I was terminal and there was not a thing I could do about it.

Every year (in the United States alone) 562,340 people die of cancer (that’s 1500 every day)[1], 40,000 annually die through car accidents, and 100,000 are helped out of here through hospital-related infections[2] (dirty hospitals). If dirty hospitals don’t get you, incompetence may take you out--"between 40,000 and 100,000 people die every year because of doctors' mistakes, including surgical mishaps and drug mix-ups."[3] Starvation, murder, heart disease, hundreds of other diseases, suicides, earthquakes, drowning, etc., wipe out around 150,000 world-wide each day. That’s an astounding four and a half million human beings dying each month; human beings just like you and me, with the same fears and concerns. Despite these horrific odds of survival, most of us think that we will make it through this day and eventually die of old age, one day. So it’s not a pressing issue.

But perhaps you are reading this because your situation has the elephant weighing heavy on your mind. It is a pressing issue, so let me give you some relief, and then we will deal with the details. Way back on April 25th, 1972 at 1:30 in the morning, I found my answer. To my unspeakable relief I found out why we die, and what we can do about it. I can’t express to you how wonderful it is that (as a Christian) I know that I have everlasting life. Death has lost its sting. I am no longer terminal.

So now, you have to decide if I’m deluded, or if I’m speaking the truth. Let me present my case over the next week, and then you decide if it makes sense. We are going to look at what I believe are the seven most important questions you can ask.

To be continued.

NOTES:
[1] CBS News 1.28.2010--source: American Cancer Society.
[2] http://www.mccaffreyhealth.com/news/1-22.html
[3] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19292601
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Believers in Judgment

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 2:53 pm in

Recently a reader of this wrote me to ask if I had ever written anything dealing with believers and the final judgment. I quickly realized that I had not and thought that today would be a good opportunity to remedy that. So here is a brief look at what believers can expect in the final judgment.

There are several principles we need to keep in mind as we begin.

There will be a final judgment - At the end of days there will be a final judgment. We can offer no greater evidence than the words of Revelation 20:11-15 which vividly portrays this event.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

In some final day, firmly set in the mind of God but hidden from us, there will be a great event of judgment in which those who are living and those who are dead will be brought before the throne of judgment where they will be examined and judged.

Christ will be the judge - Christ will serve as judge. We know this from passages such as 2 Timothy 4:1 where Paul writes of "Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead" and 4:8 where he refers to "the Lord, the righteous judge." John also writes of Christ as judge saying in John 5:26-27, "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man."

All men are to be judged - All men, both Christians and unbelievers, will stand before God in judgment. Revelation 20, quoted above, makes it clear that none are excluded from appearing before God's throne. Similarly Matthew 25 speaks of the final judgment. While Jesus does differentiate between the sheep and the goats, he indicates that both will appear before his throne to be separated, the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

The ground of the judgment will be men's deeds - Men will be judged according to what they have done, what they have thought, what they have said. Even the secrets of the heart will be brought to light in that day. The true character of each man will be exposed in the sight of God, in the sight of that person and in the sight of all.

Men will be judged according to God's revelation - Christ will judge people on this basis of God's revelation of himself. Therefore there will be a greater degree of reward or punishment to those who have had access to a greater measure of God's revelation. To whom much is given, much shall be required.

With these principles in mind, we can now ask how believers will be judged.

In Romans 14 Paul says "we will all stand before the judgment seat of God" and "each of us will give an account of himself to God." Writing to the believers in Corinth he says, "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." It seems clear, then, that believers will need to appear before the Judge.

But this final judgment for believers will not be a judgment of life or death. There is no reason to think that as we approach God's throne we will have pounding hearts, hoping that we will pass the test and be put at his right hand (and similarly there is little reason to think that unbelievers will approach the throne wondering if they are saved; they will know that they approach the throne to hear of their punishment). It is not that kind of a judgment, for all who have put their faith in Christ have already been justified and declared righteous. Christ has already been judged on their behalf. Instead, this final judgment will be a time of the bestowing of reward. Here Christ will evaluate all we have done according to the light given us and bestow rewards accordingly.

Some Christians believe that in the judgment all of our evil deeds will be exposed--that before we receive our reward we will first have all we've said and done brought into the light (see 1 Corinthians 4:5). However, this must be balanced with passages such as Psalm 103:12 ("as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us") and Micah 7:19 ("You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea"). It is my understanding, then, that our sins will not be exposed before others and that Christ will not speak of them in that day, for those sins have already been dealt with and have already been removed. Though Christ will dispense reward or withhold reward on the basis of what we've done or haven't done, he will not bring those sinful deeds before all the world.

We may now ask the question if there will be discontent in heaven that some have received greater reward than others. So accustomed are we to finding joy and meaning in what we possess, and so accustomed are we to feeling that equality in possessions or wealth is a key to true happiness, that we have difficulty understanding how there can be inequality, and perhaps even radical inequality, even in perfect bliss. But if we understand that our true happiness is found not in what we own but in our delight in God, we must then see that all of us will be entirely, perfectly content after the judgment. Furthermore, we will know that God has judged rightly and given to each of us no more and no less than what we deserve. There will be no court of appeals for no one will want or need to appeal his reward.

How then do we live in light of this doctrine? We live righteous lives, storing up treasures in heaven. Somehow in my mind this seems like an ignoble motive--to obey God and to do good things as a means of storing up eternal reward. Yet Christ himself indicated that it is a good motive saying, "Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven." And so we can live here and now free from the need to find reward and satisfaction in this life, knowing that in eternity our reward shall be given in full.

If you would like to study this subject more, the best resources I was able to find were systematic theologies (Grudem, Culver and Hodge all proved helpful).


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Recovering the Axe Head

Posted on February 5, 2010 at 2:22 pm in

I thought this article by Lee Grady of Charisma magazine was worthy of note, especially considering many of the posts here at Cerulean Sanctum on charismania:

Recovering the Axe Head of Genuine Anointing

This feed is from Cerulean Sanctum (http://ceruleansanctum.com), a blog by Dan Edelen that covers issues facing the American Church.

Recovering the Axe Head

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