Don't Waste Your Cancer

John Piper has written a powerful article on the eve of his surgery; read it here.

Don't Waste Your Cancer

Praise God for John Piper's cancer! Pray for his recovery but even more pray for his strength in Christ Jesus to continue glorifying God in his health and sickness. The most powerful prayer is "Your (God's) will be done!"; especially if you really mean it.

Tag(s): cancer

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His Grace is New Every Morning

²¹ But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: ²² The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³ they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴ "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
Lamentations 3:21-24 ESV

As I woke up this morning, it came to mind that I did not do my job "as unto the Lord" yesterday. I took a shortcut, that leaves open the possibility that some equipment might become damaged. Worse, when confronted on it, I made excuses and attempted to pass the blame. When called on that I lamely changed the subject by agreeing that I might be mistaken, but someone else was wrong too.

I'm so thankful that the Lord's love and mercies "never come to an end; they are new every morning". Now, having been reminded of my failure of yesterday, I can make apologies and correct the issues. And perhaps even share what my change of heart is about! Praise God!
Tag(s): Grace

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Walking the Walk by Faith: Being Mocked: The Essence of Christ’s Work, Not Muhammad’s

In his blog, Walking the Walk by Faith, Mike Ratliff reprints an excellent John Piper article that helps us understand the Muslim cartoon riots. It also points out one of the fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity. The story is here; Being Mocked: The Essence of Christ’s Work, Not Muhammad’s
Tag(s): Islam, Christianity

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Two Songs, Three Movies and Some TV

The flight from Atlanta to Honolulu is fairly long. In fact there is time to watch three movies and a couple of hours of TV.

I had just a few days before, turned off the radio. We (I and two co-workers) were sitting in our rental car, waiting for a time. The radio was tuned to a local "classic rock" station. First, there was a song about a man trying to convince a woman that their adulterous affair was okay, and that they should continue without regard to the consequences. Next there came a song about the remembered joys of teenage fornication. I wasn't able to make it through the second song. My heart broke. I'd lived enough of those things and I don't want them anymore. Sure, there were times of fun and joy, but there were times of deep misery (which the songs refuse to mention) as well. I have too many of these songs in my head, I want to replace them with music about my new life.

Anyway, normally, while on a flight I like to take the opportunity to read the Bible and pray. (I've got nothing but positive comments from people who see me read the Bible!) Of course, this being most likely the longest flight I will take this year... except that I forgot my Bible (sort of). I was pretty down on "secular" entertainment, but now, stuck on the plane without my Bible, I decided to give the movies a try.

The first movie was "Walk the Line". This is the story of Johnny Cash. And while the writers seemed to want to minimize the role Christianity played, it seemed to me that they just couldn't do it. Johnny Cash went from being a social Christian, through his greatest worldly success (which ultimately cost him everything worth having and brought him nothing but pain) to a true relationship with God. Even in the movie, though they try to gloss it over, the change is abrupt and obvious. Praise God! I'm glad I saw this movie.

The second movie was "Cinderella Man". In this, the most touching part to me, is the love he shows his family by sacrificing himself for them. He had promised that he wouldn't send away his children, but when he couldn't keep the electricity on, his wife finally did. The only way he could keep his family together was to sell his pride. He chose to go on "public assistance" and even visited the rich people he knew (the same ones who had taken his career) and begged them for help. This self-sacrifice due to love is just a hollow picture of what Jesus Christ has done for us! And oh, how convicting when I dare not open my mouth for fear of what people might think! How can I claim to love God, yet not stand up for him when someone uses His name to curse? Or worse, not tell them about the wonderful gift of salvation? Father forgive me! Help me really know, understand, and express your love!

The final movie was "Wallace and Grommet: Curse of the Wererabbit". This was simply mindless entertainment. I'm sure I could find some way to "moralize" it, but I didn't really get anything useful out of it, other than a few chuckles. On the plus side, it was also relatively benign. It didn't seem to "teach" the twisted morals that is so pervasive in "entertainment".

After the movies, the recorded TV programming began. There was some "news magazine" thing that I barely paid attention too. That was followed by a current sitcom. The second word out of the mouth of the lead character was a swear word. Where, if I remember correctly, he was cursing his own daughter. I pulled the sound at that point, but still it was on the screen. I noticed how the teenaged daughter was dressed. There certainly was no one on the plane that was dressed in a similar manner. Then followed a science show about origins. A topic I enjoy. It was entertaining.

When I got to the hotel, I found my Bible. It was where I could have dug it out on the plane, if I had realized it. Ah well, I guess I needed to find some balance concerning modern media. Certainly I am glad that I got to watch "Walk the Line" and "Cinderella Man". Praise God!

Tag(s): entertainment, movies, music, TV

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On the Road Again

For some reason, flying really brings to mind, that I'm putting myself into God's hands. But, you know, we are in God's hands every moment of every day. The God who created the world (including the principles of aerodynamics) is the same God who designed our bodies to function in ways that doctors can begin to learn and understand. Yet, the very "breath" of life remains beyond the purely naturalistic scientist's grasp.

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
(Proverbs 3:19-20 KJV)

Praise God that He built the universe to function according to laws and principles so that we could find them out. If "random chance" (i.e. evolution) was the father of the universe, then why shouldn't the universe prove to be set up on random chance?

Tag(s): reason

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How Have You Received the Good News of the Kingdom of God?

What is the Good News of the Kingdom of God?

Well, it starts out with the bad news.

We are all rebels against God. God said if we keep His Commandments perfectly then we will live; fail this and the price is death. Quite simply, we have all failed to keep His Commandments. Therefore, we are all living under a death sentence.

Now, that we know that we are in trouble, we can understand the need for the Good News.

Even while we were rebels, lost in our sins, Christ died for us. Jesus, the Anointed One of God, lived a perfect life, and then willfully offered up his perfect life in payment for our sins! He did this because He saw you (from before the world was formed!) and loved you and wants to draw you to Him. All that's needed is for you to believe in your heart that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and confess that Jesus is Lord you will be saved, granted eternal life in the kingdom of God.

What you do with this message, depends on the condition of your heart.

³ And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; ⁴ And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: ⁵ Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: ⁶ And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: ⁸ But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. ⁹ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.(Matthew 13:3-9 KJV)

³ Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: ⁴ And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. ⁵ And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: ⁶ But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸ And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. ⁹ And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Mark 4:3-9 KJV)

⁴ And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: ⁵ A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. ⁶ And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. ⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. ⁸ And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 8:4-8 KJV)

The Lord explains this parable to His disciples.

¹⁸ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ²⁰ But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹ Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. ²² He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²³ But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23 KJV)

¹⁴ The sower soweth the word. ¹⁵ And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. ¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, ¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. ²⁰ And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. (Mark 4:14-20 KJV)

¹¹ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. ¹⁵ But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:11-15 KJV)

When you hear the Word of God, one of four things happens, depending on the state that your heart is in. The sower of the seed (the person that communicates) doesn't make a difference.

The seed that falls by the way side is not understood at all by the hearer and is removed by Satan. The effect on them is as if they never heard the word at all. I was there for a time. The word was spoken all around me, but it didn't have any real impact on me. It was "trodden down" by my worries that I would have to give up all of the fun in life that I had (as little as that was), I strangely feared that God would make me do things that were uncomfortable like missions or embarrassing, like preaching, or teaching. Many times, while sitting through yet another interminable seeming altar call, I'd feel an emotional tugging on my heart...… I even got to the point that I was oddly comforted by the fact that I felt that "tugging". It meant to me that God hadn't given up on me yet. That is a dangerously hardened heart! It leads to yet more hardening, finally I was sitting through altar calls without any prompting, at first I was afraid and then I accepted the "fact" that I was not one of God's elect. God simply didn't choose me to be on his team.

I did not personally experience hearing with a heart of rocky soil, but I believe it to be a widespread, fairly common experience in the current day. Sometimes, people hear the word of God and they have a strong emotional reaction. They immediately begin to do "all the right things". They may work hard at being a Christian. But they don't have a depth of understanding in their heart. Perhaps they think of Christianity as only a way to have good things in this world, a way to make this life easier. So, when hard times come, or a strong temptation arrives, they fall. Oftentimes they become even worse off than they were before, because they had tried the whole "Jesus thing" and it simply didn't work for them.

When the word falls among the thorns, or the cares of this life, the hearer becomes unfruitful, or doesn't grow. The desires for things in this world, the lies of money (that "if I only had more, then I could...… serve God better or fix all my problems, etc"), pursuing "the good things" of life (at the expense of the "God things"), any or all of this can choke out our Christian walk. When Jesus says to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" he is telling us to weed the garden of our hearts. When we go after all the things in this world, we are making a liar out of God!

²⁵ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶ Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they? ²⁷ Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ²⁸ And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ²⁹ And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? ³¹ Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ³² (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. ³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴ Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25-34 KJV)

Only when our hearts are "good ground" will they begin to show an abundance of good "fruit". Our hearts get to be good ground by the working of the farmer. The ground by the wayside, may eventually be included in the field. The rocky ground in the field begins to be worked by the plow, and the stones begin to be removed. The weeds in the field begin to be pulled. This is all God's work. He supplies the seed (His Word). We get to sow the Word in the hearts around us. We get to water the hearts around us with His Spirit. But He provides the growth!

⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. ⁹ For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 ESV)

Tag(s): Gospel

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Review: New Living Translation, Second Edition

An easy to read, modern (American) English translation. The footnotes were more often distracting than helpful; to me at least. The most useful footnotes were for units of measure; the text includes conversion to American standard measurements with footnotes listing the original measurements and metric equivalents. It is unfortunate that the translators chose, for instance, to alter the original uses of the names Jacob and Israel and then add footnotes correcting themselves.

Anyway, this Bible was definitely a blessing to me over the past year as God allowed me to read through it. I know that God has allowed this translation to help me grow in His Word. And even though I find in inadequate for detailed study, I do highly recommend it for reading. As always, pray for God's wisdom and discernment when reading! And if the footnotes actually cause you to do some research, that can't really be a bad thing after all, can it?

Tag(s): Bible, New Living Translation

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