Christian Focus BookNotes March Book Giveaway

The kind folks over at christianfocus.com  are hosting a book giveaway on the Christian Focus BookNotes blog. The first place prizes are 3 books:

Systematic Theology Volume One by Douglas F. Kelly

The Priesthood of Christ by John Owen

Ezra & Nehemiah: A Mentor Commentary by Tiberius Rata

And second place gets 2 books:
The Gospel of God: Romans by R.C. Sproul

From the Finger of God by Philip S. Ross

John 3:16 and the Super Bowl

I've read a little bit of discussion about the super bowl ad that got rejected. Here are my 2 cents that I posted over at scientia et sapientia

As much as I would love to see scripture openly promoted in advertising. I can’t help but feel a small bit of relief that this super bowl ad didn’t make it. In my paranoid imagination, if the ad would have run, I can see Bubba turn to Skeeter and ask, “Hey whatever happened to that clown wig guy?” To which Skeeter replies, “Yeah, Rainbow Man, I remember him. Wonder where he is now?”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollen_Stewart

Not exactly the best effect, IMHO. I salute the creativeness of the ad but I would suggest that the message of the text is what should be displayed not merely a pointer or reference to it. I believe our culture has lost the ability to put the two together.

Strength Speaks to a Broken Mind

Let Eagles bid the Tortoise sunward soar --
As vainly Strength speaks to a broken mind.
                            Samuel Taylor Coleridge

This fragment of Coleridge is perhaps an allusion to Aesop's fable of the Tortoise and the Eagle.

A TORTOISE, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air. "I will give you," she said, "all the riches of the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the earth?'

Moral: If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.

I have spent many a day wishing I was something or someone else. Dissatisfied with my lot and discouraged with myself I longed to be something more or at least something else.  To be sure Coleridge did as well. He suffered from divorce, depression and drug addiction.

His epitaph reads:

"Beneath this sod
A Poet lies; or that which once was he.
O lift one thought in prayer for S.T.C.
That he, who many a year with toil of breath,
Found Death in Life, may here find Life in Death."

Let Eagles bid the Tortoise sunward soar... Have you ever heard them bidding? Calling you up? Wooing you to a place you wish you could go. I believe this is a common human experience. No matter who or what we are we all have at times wished we were someone or something else.

As vainly... Coleridge seems to believe that it is an impossible thing for people to change. Not an uncommon belief when trapped in drug addiction or some form of mental affliction.

Strength speaks to a broken mind. If the mind is broken how then can Strength supply any help or remedy?

There is a part of every human that is broken. The Bible calls it the "inner man" or "inner being". It is that part of us that resonates with justice, love, truth, and beauty. Eternal qualities that we admire but are just out of our grasp. And like Coleridge we despair of ever soaring higher. But the truth and strength of the Bible doesn't just speak to the mind. The mind is where we think we should start. The apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians that we need to start deeper. No one can understand with the mind the love of Jesus unless God has strengthened their inner being by the Holy Spirit. Pray this prayer with Paul.

Eph 3:16-21; that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

The truth of the gospel is not a creed or doctrine to be only apprehended with the mind. It is a person with whom we will become utterly captivated; Jesus Christ, God's son. The strength of our relationship is not and never will be dependent on my ability to understand, reason, think, or comprehend. My transformational life in Christ takes place because of what Jesus did and does. It's as if I am looking at snap shots of my life, baby pictures, toddler-hood, school days, teenager, adult. What did I do to get from one stage to the next? Nothing much, just eat, sleep and live. So it is in Christ, I simply follow Him. No incantations, no magic formula. Just a love that bids me to love Him in return.

Lessons from the Book of Job

Job 1:1

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job;

The meaning of his name is “hated” this could be because of Satan who came before God wanting to do Job harm. The children of God are hated by Satan and his followers. Jesus tells us that we too will be hated by all because of His name. Mark 13:13.

and that man was blameless,

Job was one who was complete, morally innocent, and having integrity. So he was considered blameless, Christians are blameless before God. God does not see our sin since we are “in Christ” He sees instead the blamelessness of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:8.

upright,

Job was righteous, so too is the Christian in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:30 &31 say, But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

fearing God

Not the kind of fear that makes one afraid but the type that fills one with reverence and awe. As Jesus tells us in Luke 12:32 “Do no be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” This was surely a true sign that Job was grateful to God and full of appreciation for all that he had.

and turning away from evil.

Job moved away from evil and moved towards God. The book of Hebrews encourages us to “draw near” to God through Jesus (Heb 7:25) and James 4:8 promises us that if we “draw near to God He will draw near to us” It is a hard thing to fight against sin. We try to resist our bad habits and sins only to discover we are powerless to overcome them. Turning away from evil is not the same as fighting sin. When we turn away from anything we are turning towards something else. That something else that has power over sin and evil is Jesus Christ. We must not get caught in Satan's trap of trying to purge ourselves of our sin. We can only repent, turn away, turn toward the One who has the power to forgive and to cleanse and take them away from us. Jesus gives us victory over evil.

These four characteristics are traits that God will boast of in His servants...

Job 1:8

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

God boasts in his servant Job. One who is “hated” as his name means. As a servant of God I am blessed to hear God boast in this way since I too am His servant. To see God's love for Job as He brags about him to Satan encourages me because if He boasts of Job He will also boast of me. Jesus is not ashamed to call me His “brother” and God is not ashamed to be called my God. (Heb 2:11 & 11:16) Oh the comfort and joy of my soul to know that my God delights in me because of my glorious savior Jesus Christ.

For there is no one like him on the earth,

These words hold more meaning than just a story of Job. For the prophet Isaiah foretold of another who was also hated, and to be sure “there was no one on earth like Him”. Isa 52:3&4, “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.”

Jesus the Messiah is unique. There is no one exactly like Him on earth. He was born of a virgin. Lived a life without committing a sin against man or God. Allowed Himself to become the focus of God's “hatred” for sin on the cross. In Matthew 26:39, He prays, “if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." The cup of God's anger against sin was what Jesus drank on the cross. God “hates” sin. So Job (hated) is a picture of the One who was to come later to take away sin. To make a way for everyone who comes to Him to become “like”Him, blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. Giving to all who would believe in Him, His nature so that we may become the children of God. 2 Peter 1:4, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

How Much Should I Give?

The thought occurred to me that folks are always asking “Give me a number” “How much should I give” from their pastors or spiritual leaders. When answered with a number, 10%, $50 per week, or whatever, it then becomes a contract or pledge with that person or group. It should be in my opinion a point of contact with my living Lord. An act of worship that is guided by Him and the resources He has given me. If I make a pledge with you then I am happy when I fulfill my pledge. If I give to God out of a heart of love I am never satisfied with my amount as I learn more of His gift to me.

John Piper has a sermon where he mentions three cases when the NT speaks about money. The rich young ruler, sell everything and give. Sell a field and give. Sell your possessions and give. Piper's sermon, magnifying-god-with-money

John Wesley is often quoted as saying “Earn as much as you can, save as much as you can, give as much as you can.” If it truly is more blessed to give than receive then we have to challenge our tendency to horde possessions and money. If love is the mark of a Christian it follows so must be generosity.

Metitation on James 1:21

don't be 

one of those

who look down their nose

at those 

who look down their nose

at others.

Top Ten Unanserable Questions from Ask Jeeves

Search engine Ask Jeeves reports that these are the top 10 unanswerable questions from the past decade:

JEEVES' UNANSWERABLES
1. What is the meaning of life?
2. Is there a God?
3. Do blondes have more fun?
4. What is the best diet?
5. Is there anybody out there?
6. Who is the most famous person in the world?
7. What is love?
8. What is the secret to happiness?
9. Did Tony Soprano die?
10. How long will I live?

I suppose this is the obvious difference between humans and computers, humans have self awareness and that gives us an advantage over "Ask Jeeves".  Because of our self awareness it also leads us to become aware of our creator. So with my tongue firmly in my cheek I'll submit my answers to the "Unanswerables".

1. What is the meaning of life?
Everyone who has ever read a Douglas Adams novel knows it's "42". Or to put it into catechism format:
 Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

2. Is there a God?
Of course silly. Look in the bible and then in the mirror and you will see you are made in His image.

3. Do blonds have more fun?
Duh, NO.

4. What is the best diet?
I'd recommend a diet of moderation of all the good food God has provided. Then there is always:
The Diet of Worms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_of_Worms

5. Is there anybody out there?
Duh, YES. See the answer to question #2.

6. Who is the most famous person in the world?
Uh, go back to question #2 and look in the bible again, find the stories about Jesus Christ. Oh and he is famous for more than just everybody saying his name while they're mad.

7. What is love?
Ah. Yet another question #2 answer. See you've got to be human to pick this stuff out. Jeeves just doesn't get it. So back in the bible we read:

• Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

• In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

• This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

8.  What is the secret to happiness?
 Easy answer is that God created you to enjoy pleasure and that the best pleasure in the universe is God, but most of the time we settle for lesser pleasures and remain unsatisfied. Or to put it into catechism format:
 Q. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

9.  Did Tony Soprano die?
Uh, a simple google brought up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Soprano where we are told that Tony Soprano is a fictional character. Fiction sometimes leaves us in the dark. It's called an "open ending".

10. How long will I live?
Well that depends. How well have you treated your parents? How well have you treated yourself? How well have you treated others. Or to go back to the bible in question #2 again:
The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. "Long upon the land" I take to be at least the average years of lifespan of my grandparents, but that is only taking genetic disposition into account.  The flip side of that is what kind of person I am. My morality can influence my physical disposition and short circuit my genetics.

Let me call you Sweetheart . . .

I always seem to think that I've been married a long time until I am in the presence of my elders. I have a friend who has been married now for almost 6 decades. He tells me that he has been with his wife (who he always refers to as sweetheart) for longer than he's been away from her. I think I can say the same thing. . . but they've been married longer than I've been alive.

Anyway my friend was sick in the hospital, really sick. He has had several serious conditions any one of which would make me cry with despair. Any one of which could kill him. As he laid there he had to tell me what was really bothering him. "Do you want to know what is the worst thing about all this," he said. I expected to hear him tell me how bad the hospital food was. Instead he grabbed my hand and said "The worst thing about all of this is I can't be with my sweetheart. There were tears in his eyes.

His habit you see was to go to the nursing home where his wife lived and feed her, since she couldn't feed herself. Alzheimer's had taken her mind some time ago. As I stood there looking at my friend I felt an awe, a reverence. Something that is more reserved for things that are holy.

My mind raced. I thought what a perfect thing. At his time of life to be so lost in love for his sweetheart that his physical condition was only a mild distraction compared to the pain of being away from his sweetheart.

My dear friend, I want you to know how much you taught me that day. You have encouraged my resolve so that when I get to the bend in the road where you are now I too will care for naught but my sweetheart. Thank you for taking the time to shake my hand. It was an honor indeed.

I am an outstanding sinner

I am an outstanding sinner

Like a scarecrow outstanding in a field

A lifeless corpse of straw

Hanging dead upon the cross


I am an outstanding sinner

Outstanding in a field the birds don't fear me

Hardly noticing I exist

Why do I feel so alive?


I am an outstanding sinner

Where sin is increasing grace is increasing more

I am no longer a slave to sin

Dead in His death yet alive in His life to God

Which would you prefer, persecution or thorns?

“If it became illegal to be a Christian would there be enough evidence against you to get a conviction?”

This question has been around for a while. I can't remember when I first heard it but, it is one of those phrases that you hear in Christian circles that seems almost ubiquitous. I've heard it on the lips of the study group leader, the Sunday school teacher, the Minister and piously among believers having casual conversation. It's intended purpose I suppose is to encourage holy living. But it has never done that for me. The best that it has done is point out my weaknesses and faults. Not much motivation there. Unlike in the early church.

In the first few centuries of the church it really was illegal to be a Christian. But the law was not always enforced. Sort of like some of our current laws i.e. spitting on the sidewalk but with a much harsher penalty; death. In fact many early Christians lived out their lives in harmony without persecution amidst societies that understood they were illegal. What kept them from being brought up on charges? It seems that the Roman government had made being Christian a capital offense but felt it was too trivial to enforce on a regular basis. I suppose even Rome had budget problems. This law provided much motivation for holy living because Rome would only act on the law if a Roman citizen filed a complaint against someone for being Christian. This built in tension for the early Christians provided an impetus to love their neighbors, because if their neighbors became displeased with them they could call them to the courts. (I am not saying that this is the only reason early Christians lived holy lives, just that it added motivation to their existing desire to please God)

Do today's Christians have any similar “tension” built into modern society? I know that in parts of the world there are Christians being persecuted but I am thinking mostly about my society, American society. Do we have any impetus in our culture or government that turns us toward holy living like the threat of persecution for early Christians? I don't see any. I could be missing some and I would welcome comments on this.

What I do see is the exact opposite. An impetus to live for one's self.

In the parable of the sower Jesus explains the problem I have with holy living:

Matthew 13:18-23 (New Living Translation)
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Although many would point to the government as silencing Christians with laws about public prayer, the current battle over homeschooling in some communities, or to the media and academia with their bias against the Christian world view. I think the bigger danger is in the thorny lifestyle I have come to love more than my neighbors. I will not be pulled into the courts for my faith in Jesus but I have been pulled into the marketplace, the bazaar, the torrent of bigger, better, newer, faster, cheaper, latest technology, consumerism. This is where my challenge lies. My holy living is drowning in an ocean of stuff. I am not being asked to acknowledge Cesar as god and offer worship to him but I am being asked to worship achievements and possessions.

1 John 2 (New Living Translation)
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

I took the "Which Church Father are You?" quiz

I took the "Which Church Father are You?" quiz over at http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/ and here are the results. I am St. Justin Martyr. ;)

You’re St. Justin Martyr! You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find “seeds of the Word” in unexpected places. You’re patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers. Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

Kingdom People Christmas Giveaway

Trevin Wax has just taken his "My Ten Favorite Reads of 2008" (see my last post) to the next level.
In his latest post over at Kingdom People he is offering to give away his 10 favorite books plus an ESV study bible to a lucky reader. Go check it out. If you're a blogger he tells you how to get your name in the hat two extra times. Good luck to you, and wish me luck. ;)

Recommended Reading in no particular order.

Recommended Reading in no particular order.

I follow a lot of blogs with Google Reader. I get ideas about what I would like to read by reading what others have recommended. Here are the authors of some of the blogs I follow and the lists of reading they have recommended. You should notice that there are titles and authors that all recommended. Whenever that happens I tend to add those titles to http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3BK9I3ENSBL9O/ref=wl_web" my wishlist at Amazon.com. Then I can go to my wishlist when I need to get something to read or study.

Some of my favorites that are on these lists are John Piper, CS Lewis, Malcom Gladwell, Wayne Grudem, & Gordon Fee. New names I will be adding to my wishlist are Tim Keller, Sam Storms, DA Carson, & Bob Kauflin.

Tony Reinke author of Miscellanies http://spurgeon.wordpress.com/ offers this list:
2008 Books of the Year
1.ESV Study Bible by various authors and edited by Wayne Grudem and J.I. Packer (Crossway).
2.Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck (Baker Academic).
3.Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck (Moody).
4.Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World by Carolyn McCulley (Moody).
5.The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller (Dutton).
6.The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World by David Wells (Eerdmans).
7.Complete Works of Thomas Manton in 22 volumes (Solid Ground).
8.Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd and Margy Tripp (Shepherd Press).
9.Pocket Puritans by various authors (Banner of Truth). Titles include Impure Lust by Flavel, Living Faith by Ward (personal favorite), Heaven, A World of Love by Edwards, Anger Management by Baxter, Repent and Believe by Brooks, and Binge Drinking by Flavel.
10.A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards by George Marsden (Eerdmans).
11.Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God by Bob Kauflin (Crossway).
12.Concise Reformed Dogmatics by J. van Genderen and W. H. Velema (P&R).
13.Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey With the New Calvinists by Colin Hansen (Crossway).
14.The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam (Portfolio).
15.Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell (Little, Brown and Company).

Andreas Köstenberger author of Biblical Foundations http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/ blogs
the best books in biblical and theological studies that appeared in 2008
1.The ESV Study Bible (Crossway)
2.Eckhard Schnabel, Paul the Missionary (InterVarsity Press)
3.D. A. Carson, Christ & Culture Revisited (Eerdmans)
4.Robert Stein, Mark (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament; Baker)
5.David Chapman, Ancient Jewish and Christian Perceptions of Crucifixion (Mohr-Siebeck)
6.Margaret Elizabeth Köstenberger, Jesus and the Feminists (Crossway)
7.Cosmology of New Testament Theology (ed. Jonathan Pennington and Sean McDonough; T & T Clark)
8.Craig Blomberg and Mariam Kamell, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: James (Zondervan)
9.Suffering and the Goodness of God (ed. Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson; Theology in Community series; Crossway)
10.Clyde Fant and Mitchell Reddish, Lost Treasures of the Bible: Understanding the Bible through Archaeological Artifacts in World Museums (Eerdmans)


Justin Buzzard is author of Buzzard Blog http://www.buzzardblog.com/buzzard_blog/ maintains a list of 20 books to read in your 20's

1. Living the Cross-Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney
2. Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges
3. Step By Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians, James Petty
4. The Fight, John White
5. Relationships: A Mess Worth Making, Tim S. Lane and Paul D. Tripp
6. Finding A Job You Can Love, Ralph T. Mattson and Arthur F. Miller
7. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible, Vaughan Roberts
8. Disciplines of a Godly Man/Disciplines of a Godly Woman, Kent and Barbara Hughes
9. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Tim Keller
10. Desiring God, John Piper
11. Stop Dating the Church, Josh Harris
12. Feel, Matthew Elliott
13. The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
14. Engaging God’s World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living, Cornelius Plantinga
15. Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper
16. Bible Doctrine, Wayne Grudem
17. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer
18. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart
19. The Reason for God, Tim Keller
20.Biography (various authors). Nothing can replace reading biographies of great men and women of the faith. Find a godly personality from church history who intrigues you and begin reading about him or her. Consider starting with Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper, or Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Howard and Geraldine Taylor. .

Tim Challies of Challies Dot Com http://www.challies.com/ writes My Top 8 Books of 2008.
1.Don’t Stop Believing by Michael Wittmer
2.Crazy Love by Francis Chan
3.The Reason for God by Tim Keller
4.Christless Christianity by Michael Horton
5.Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns
6.Love or Die by Alexander Strauch
7.Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson
8.Honorable mentions: The Courage To Be Protestant, Do Hard Things, A Tale of Two Sons, Why We’re Not Emergent, He Is Not Silent, and Touching History. I want to make special mention of the ESV Study Bible. The more I use it, the more I come to love it.

Trevin Wax author of Kingdom People http://trevinwax.com/ posts My Ten Favorite Reads of 2008.
1.THE REASON FOR GOD - Tim Keller
2.CULTURE MAKING - Andy Crouch
3.SURPRISED BY HOPE - N.T. Wright
4.WHY WE’RE NOT EMERGENT - Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
5.HOW PEOPLE CHANGE - Timothy Lane & Paul David Tripp
6.THE BIG PICTURE STORY BIBLE -David Helm & Gail Schoonmaker
7.JESUS MADE IN AMERICA - Stephen Nichols
8.RESIDENT ALIENS - Stanley Hauerwas & Will Willimon
9.WORSHIP MATTERS - Bob Kauflin
10.The Sermon on the Mount through the Centuries - Jeffrey Greenman, Timothy Larsen, and Stephen Spencer

Tim Challies and Trevin Wax also blog at Discerning Reader http://www.discerningreader.com/ and Tim offers some reviews on these titles:
Outliers
The Story of Success
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2008)
Category: New York Times Bestsellers

Signs of the Spirit
An Interpretation of Jonathan Edwards's "Religious Affections"
Author: Sam Storms
Publisher: Crossway (2008)
Category: Theology

HIPPA Dilemma

1) As a nursing student I signed an agreement with Griffin Memorial Hospital that once my time there as a student was over, I would not contact any patient there that I had contact with.

2) While there I learned of several patients who have never had any visitation from friends or family during their stay there which has been longer than a year.

3) It would be a violation of federal law (HIPPA) for me to give their names to a compassionate third party willing to visit. Even though I know they are desirous of visitation.

4) My attempts to meet and discuss this with the Executive Director of Griffin have been met with lip service but my phone calls are not being returned.

5) How can it be therapeutic for someone to pass a significant anniversary such as birthdays and holidays without contact from someone significant? Especially when you watch others have visitation.

My suggestion is simple.

Match volunteers from the community who are willing to visit with the mentally ill at Griffin Memorial Hospital.

All that is needed is a couple of forms, a little training, and a heart of compassion.

Form number 1, for the patient.

I would like to be placed on the list for visitation from Oklahoman's With Heart
Name:

A Poem, A Psalm, A Prayer

I want to be taught by the Rabbis
The ones who were taught by Moses

I want to learn from the Apostles
The ones who learned from Jesus

I want to be a pearl of great price
In the treasure house of the Lord Almighty.

Teach me the difference between persistence and presumption
Let my faith be always in Your goodness, affections focused on You
Walking in the light as He is in the light, guided by Your eye.

Thank you for the gift of your breath
Thank you for the gift of your blood

Thank you for the gift of your body
Thank you for your answered prayers.

The maxim for eternal life.

What's the difference between a theorem and a maxim? In geometry a theorem is a rule that states the obvious in a logical way that helps you to discover the not so obvious. A maxim is similar but is usually used in connection with general truth or rules of conduct. Jesus posed problems that I think qualify as theorems, pointing out to us the not so obvious.

One day a question was put to Jesus. Luke 10:25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Is there a maxim for eternal life? A general principle or rule that if followed will give eternal life to the obedient? Jesus must have thought so, He referred the lawyer (an expert in Jewish Law) to the Torah. Luke 10:26 He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

Now here comes the maxim; Luke 10:27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." This is taken right out of Torah; chapter 19 of Leviticus and chapter 6 of Deuteronomy.

Next Jesus confirms the answer given by the lawyer. Luke 10:28 And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." It should be obvious to anyone who says they love God that loving God and others is the maxim for life. But what about what is not so obvious. What about the practical application of this maxim? Are there loopholes?

Loving God I understand but loving others is more difficult. If a person is on the other side of the planet are they still my neighbor? What about all the hateful people I have encountered in this life? The lawyer had a similar question. Luke 10:29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" I suppose the question could be restated like this, “Jesus, could you please define for me the size of my neighborhood? I want to love my neighbor but I don't know how far to carry it.”

Jesus then teaches the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus is giving us His theorem on the matter. It should make the application of the maxim obvious. Luke 10:30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" Like a geometry theorem Jesus laid down a set of circumstances. One injured man, two kinds of reactions, and three different passersby, now solve; who acted neighborly?

Obviously the one who helped the injured man. Luke 10:37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." We should also be able to see the not so obvious. While we are focused on the breadth of our neighborhood, who is my neighbor? We miss the “maxima” of the maxim, the greatest point is not who is my neighbor but rather what should I be doing for my neighbor. Three men passed by but only one had compassion. The command (maxim) was to love my neighbor as myself, not to wonder if we had a neighbor relationship or not.

The not so obvious is our inclination to justify ourselves (see Luke 10:29) for withholding from our neighbor the love and compassion we are commanded by the maxim to give them. Because I can distance myself from my neighbor by geography, ideology, economy, or culture I feel secure in my behavior or lack thereof towards them. Although I may tell myself that I live by the “golden rule” the reality is I am false if I am withholding compassion from my neighbor (my fellow humans on planet earth).

Lets take a moment and break down the golden rule. It is basically a restatement of the second half of the maxim given in Luke 10:27 and Leviticus 19:18 (see also Mathew 7:12). The common version goes something like this, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, or the even more common humorous commentary version, “do unto others before they do unto you”. The emphasis is on doing something. Compassion is expressed through actions. The maxim for eternal life (Love God and love your neighbor as yourself) requires compassion toward my neighbor, if I am truly living by the golden rule I will be taking actions that express that.

We live in a big neighborhood with lots and lots of neighbors. So many ideas about the what ifs and the what about this or the what about that seek to refute the maxim for eternal life. Debates are held, seminars given, committees formed, and governments reinvented all with the promise of making a better world for everybody.

So how is Christianity any different? Well for starters the golden rule taught by Torah and by Jesus is one that must be embraced and acted on individually. I can't join a club, a government or a religion and say that my joining satisfies the maxim. My club or government can't love God or my neighbor for me I must do those things myself. But where will I get this compassion for my neighbors? The neighborhood is so big how can I really love everyone? True Christianity is an individual personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God will hold communities accountable but ultimately He holds individuals accountable. Why? Because within the relationship between God and us is the power for us to have the compassion for our neighbors and to act towards them accordingly. 1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. Here we find another maxim: loving one another is knowing God. Test it and see.

I once saw a children's book in the library called What if Everybody Did That? It was illustrated with pictures that showed the consequences of actions if everybody did them. I particularly remember the picture of the cat if everybody squeezed it. It was funny. The point of the book was to show small children what they should not do based on what if everybody did it. The message of Jesus is similar. What if everybody loved God? What if everybody loved their neighbor? The difference is the theorems of Jesus are giving us things to embrace; love God, love others, peace, joy. The things to avoid become obvious and we don't need theorems not to do them.

I'll leave you with this idea. What if we all started doing everything we do in such a way that it would help as many people as possible? How would things in our neighborhood be different?

Why Are We Resistant to Prayer?

People put their time, money, and hope in winning the Lotto believing that they don't have a chance of winning unless they play. Why do we want to win the Lotto anyway? I'm told (by those who never have won big) that it will make all my troubles go away. I am counseled to think about all the good that I could do in this world when I become a big winner. I am asked, "What would you do if you win?" as a way of engaging my imagination in the possibility. I hear that some folks even pray over their Lotto purchase, telling God how much they pledge to share with Him if He allows them to win.

Has buying a Lottery ticket become more characteristic of us than praying? I think so. We live in a society that has removed prayer from public schools and now looks to the Lotto as the funding panacea for those very schools. Am I opposed to playing the Lotto? Not really. What I do repudiate is misplaced faith! Simply playing the lottery is not harmful but hoping in the lottery is, it damages the soul and it doesn't really fund public education. I find that I am willing to do small things when I believe there is a chance of reaping great rewards. For me, greater treasure has come by placing my hope in prayer then I ever could "win" from the Lotto.

Jesus, in the gospel of John chapter 16 verses 23 and 24, gives some instructions on prayer specifically prayer in His Name. Prayer is a simple thing that has the potential for reaping great rewards. Why don't we pursue prayer with the same enthusiasm as the Lotto? I think the answer is twofold.

1. We place our faith in other things.
2. We misunderstand prayer.

The objects of our hope and faith is determined by our affections. Jesus taught us in Matt 6:21 that what we set our heart upon, what we love, what we desire, is what we truly consider our treasure. So when I buy a Lotto ticket I am saying that I desire, have affection for, love, the opportunity of winning big. Therefore I hope for it. Our affections drive our faith! I believe in what I love.

Prayer will not make all my troubles go away. Prayer will not grant me three wishes. So why should I pray? What if you lived next door to someone who was an attorney, an accountant, a doctor, a personal coach, and counselor. What if this neighbor was the special adviser to the President of the United States. Would you ever, from time to time, be tempted to ask for advice or a favor as you were both out back trimming the hedges or washing the car? Of course we would, it is a small thing that we're able to do. Now what if this neighbor then told you that the very reason he was living next door to you was because he was most interested in your struggles and challenges and those of your fellow neighbors? Do you think you would want to get to know this neighbor better? Of course we would, our admiration for him would increase and our trust in him would increase. Now what if this neighbor gave you a special phone number that went directly to the White House and he told you that when the President answered just tell him what you need and that you are calling on his behalf? Would you make a call? Of course we would, it is a small thing that we are able to do.

Do you want to follow Jesus? If you do you have such a neighbor in the heavenly realm. Do you understand that His mission is to bring you and me to God? That to accomplish that mission He had to allow Himself to be killed on our behalf? He tells us in John 16:23 & 24 to ask of God the Father on His behalf. Just as our good neighbor gave us access to the President, Jesus gives us access to God. To put John 16:23 in modern vernacular we could say, Jesus said, "take your requests to God and tell Him I sent you". The perfect man, Jesus, is giving us His perfection to wear when we talk to God in prayer.

There is a lot of hype today on religious TV about faith and how important it is. It is important but it is not the first step to God. Jesus taught that humble repentance is more important than confident self-righteousness, Luke 18 verses 9-14. That those who are forgiven of much are those who love much, Luke 7:39-50. So from these passages we should see that faith includes repentance and love. If we repent of our sins and receive the forgiveness of God we will love Him. If we love Him we will trust Him. So it should follow that if we repent more we will appreciate Jesus' sacrifice more and love Him more. As our love for Him grows our faith in Him also grows. How can we repent more? It begins by seeing our sins not a acts that are offensive to God, although they are, but seeing them as a lack of affection and love for the one to whom all our love and affection is due. Mark 12:30 says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

If the Lord doesn’t provide it, I don’t want it.

How should a Christian use credit? How much debt can we really afford? One of the subtle things about credit is that it gives us power. The power to use other peoples money for our own purposes. The power to get things we need to improve our situation. That gives us a false sense of control because ultimately tied to that power is bondage and thorns. Jesus told us in Matthew 13:22 that riches (or other peoples money) are deceitful and has the ability to choke the fruitfulness of His word out of our lives. That verse should be digitally MP3 encoded on the magnetic strip of our credit cards so we have to hear them each time we swipe our cards. We must treat credit very soberly and not allow the power of it to intoxicate us.

What would Jesus do? In Matthew 4:1-11 we have the account of his temptation. One of the things I have always wondered about his temptation is what was the big deal about turning stones into bread? I mean how is that wrong? Jesus is the Son of God. He was hungry. Those rocks don’t belong to anyone, say the word and eat. What’s the problem? Who would it have hurt? Asking these questions illustrates a point. What is my sense of righteousness grounded in? Is it about being right or wrong or is it about depending on my relationship with my heavenly Father? It would not have been "wrong" in the right or wrong sense for Jesus to use his heavenly powers to feed himself. There is no prohibition in the Bible about turning stones into bread. The Pharisees knew all about right and wrong and were always quick to point it out to others. Jesus told us that our righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees (Matt 5:20). Jesus is calling his followers to a higher standard of righteousness. A standard based not on Law but on Grace, not on rules but on relationship. Jesus valued his dependence upon God more than saving his starving body.

The suggestion to use his heavenly powers to feed himself did not come from his Father but from the devil. As we work, live, and witness in this world we too need to be aware of the source of suggestions to use our credit that come to us. Since credit is so common in our society and almost needful on a daily basis we must only make use of it when it is provided by our heavenly Father. Credit is just a tool, used correctly it is a source of provision. Used incorrectly it is a source of bondage. How much do you value your dependence on God? How badly do you want Jesus’ dependence in you life? How badly do you want God’s fruitfulness? Jesus rebuked the devil with the word of God. That same word is ours for the taking, (Psalm 119:127) so much better than a good credit rating is your word O Lord!

2 Peter 1:3-8 says, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Thing About Birthdays

The thing about birthdays is we get to a place where we really don't want them anymore. Why is that? I suppose it's because we don't like to be reminded of our mortality. That's the standard answer. For me it's a little bit different.

I can remember loving birthdays when I was a little boy, especially my own. Like a small lap dog running in circles so excited I'd wet my pants telling everybody who would listen in my childish sing song, "Tomorrow's my birthday, tomorrow's my birthday. Parties and presents and games. My birthday is November 2nd, just two days after Halloween". I loved Halloween. That is when I officially started celebrating my birthday. I got as much mileage as I could out of that. I would have Halloween/Birthday Parties. All my little friends would come in their costumes and we would have such fun.

When I turned seven or eight I'm not sure now which it was. I was Johnnie Reb for Halloween. I was fascinated with the Civil War and I like to root for the underdogs. My mother I suppose considered it healthy self-expression. I had a cap with the stars and bars on top, gray trousers with a holster and six shooter, and gray shirt with gold fringe and buttons that said CSA. I wore the southern gray proudly after all I did live in Southern California. My Dad told me he was going to take my brother and me to Disneyland for my birthday. I was so excited. We didn't live with our Dad.

The Disneyland day arrived. Technically my birthday was over. I mean it was like November 3rd, 4th, or 5th. But I still was wearing my Johnnie Reb costume. After all we were still celebrating my birthday right? I ran downstairs ahead of my older brother and piled into my Dad's car. The shock and embarrassment of my stepmother ground me to a halt. "Go back upstairs and change your clothes or you're not going with us, we're not taking you anywhere dressed like that". "But it's my birthday", I protested. "You said you were taking me to Disneyland". "Change your clothes or stay here", she demanded, with some expletive words about my Mother and me. It hit me in the heart like a poison dart frog dart. I don't know which was worse her words or my Dad's silence. I felt like I was just pushed down onto the pavement where little pieces of gravel embedded themselves into my boyish knees. "But it's my birthday", I sobbed and ran upstairs and stayed home with the comfort of my Mother.

Birthdays were never the same after that. Something inside me died. If I try hard I can still imagine the feeling of despair when the promises of a father turn to silent smoke.

But another Father responded to my deep hurt. He whispered life and love to my soul again. I was born again and set upright. He tells me that I am going to live with Him forever so that thing about my mortality and birthdays doesn't work with me. I love birthdays! You see I believe I am going to live with Him forever. Since He can get so deep inside me and heal my pain and despair I know I can trust Him. Besides, everyday now is my birthday! Each new day is a gift from God; a present I receive with joy and unwrap with excitement. Everyday brings me a new adventure with Him, my Father, my God. I don't want Disneyland anymore. I just want God.

Psalm 68: 4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Psalm 23: 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Judging by Appearances

Have you ever made a purchase at a grocery store and received a handful of change? When you looked at the change in your hand you saw a coin that was unrecognizable. You didn’t really want it but because of the people in line you slipped it into your pocket anyway. It might be foreign or domestic a penny or a dime. You just couldn’t tell at the time.

This happened to me too. When I saw the coin I said to myself “I don’t want this it’s good for nothing”. I could barely make out the image of President Roosevelt, ok, so it’s a dime. All scuffed up and gouged like it had lain on the highway for years until perhaps a little child found it and spent it with joy on a piece of candy. The edges were nicked and bent. Couldn’t even be used in a vending machine. “Worthless”, I pronounced. Truth is it was still worth ten cents.

We are so quick to pronounce judgment on the things we don’t like that we completely overlook their intrinsic value. We do this to people. We do this to ourselves.

As I stood there looking at that boogered up coin, God spoke to me with that still small voice. Reminding me that I am made in His image and have value to Him, great value. Reminding me that those around me, each and every person, is made in the image of God and has great intrinsic value. Who am I to judge others or myself?

I don’t like the scuffmarks and scars this world has eroded upon me. I can definitely see this erosion in others as well and I pass judgment. I say to myself “Worthless, good for nothing, scum, jerk, @$$hole”.

Verses to meditate on:

• Joh 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.
• Luk 18:17 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn't receive the kingdom of God as a little child receives it will never enter it.
• Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus tells us to receive the kingdom like a little child, looking past the dings and dents to see the image of God in others. Jesus endured the cross with joy! Why could He suffer so and still have joy? Because He knew that His sacrifice would bring an innumerable fortune of boogered up coins into His treasury. Truth is we are of great value to Him.