Who's on First?

This is a classic. Enjoy!

Five Things I'm Thankful For

Every year on Thanksgiving, my dad always has our family go around the table and name off some things we are thankful in order to produce gratitude in our hearts. Here are five of mine.

1. My wife: Not only does she care for me by cooking meals for me, doing our laundry, praying for my soul, and caring for our unborn baby boy, but she also deeply loves and respects me. I am most recently reminded of this from a brief note that she left on my desk at home for me to find after I got home from work. It said very simply, "I love you, Hubby." I love you too, Wifey. Thank you, Lord, for my bride.
2. My unborn son: If you have not heard yet, my wife is almost 30 weeks pregnant and is due to give birth to our son on February 8, 2009. I haven't even seen him yet, but he is already loved. I can now say that I somewhat understand God the Father's love for me. He does not love me because of anything I have done or will do. No, God loves me because he loves me (Deu 7:7-8). In the same way, I love my son no matter what he will do. I love him because I just do. Thanks, Lord, for my son.
3. My family: God, in his kind providence, gave me a family that couldn't be any better. Thankfully, Misha and I were able to come down to Evansville over Thanksgiving break in order to celebrate the holiday with them. What a joy it has been! I know I won't want to leave when Sunday comes around. Lord, thank you for my family.
4. My church: I have been blessed with an amazing church. I could not have imagined a better one. It's not just that Sovereign Grace Church is biblically solid and doctrinally sound. It's the pastors who attends who genuinely care for my soul by always pointing me to the cross of Christ where my Savior died for me. It's my Care Group who cares enough for me to draw me out in areas of sin and push me onward toward holiness. And it's the rest of the church who gather together with us every Sunday to corporately worship our God. Thank you, Lord, for my church.
5. My Savior: But most of all on this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven to take the form of man and drink the cup of God's wrath that was meant for me by dying on the cross for my sins. Though I am so thankful for my wife, my son, my family, and my church, they can never accomplish what my God has done for me. It is with this fact in mind that I can write the follow poem.

"Thank you, Lord, for my son and wife.
They are huge blessings in my life.
Thank you, Lord, for my family.
I love them all so tenderly.
Thank you, Lord, for the body of Christ.
They care for soul and pray for my life.
But, whatever I've gained, I count as loss,
if only I may know Christ and his cross."

Prayer Requests for My Wife, Our Baby Boy, and I

My wife just recently posted some of our prayer requests on her blog. so I thought I would take the time to repost them below. Please, if you have just a few minutes, pray for us. We covet your prayers in this area of our lives.

• Labor: Misha is excited & equally as nervous about it. She's not sure what to expect and would love the Lord's relaxing touch as she endures. In addition, she would like to take this opportunity of childbirth to reflect on how weighty her sin is since childbirth is one of the effects of the fall (our sin). Yet not only that, but having felt the weight of her sin, she then wants to experience the representation of God's amazing, saving, and sustaining grace!
• That the Lord would comfort, protect, and sustain Misha during labor and give Jonathan wisdom on how to help, comfort, and encourage Misha through it.
  
• That our baby would be kept healthy during the remaining pregnancy and safe during labor/delivery. Misha's pretty sure it will be intense being squeezed through such a small space... Welcome to the world little fella!
  
• That God would set His love on our little one and save him
• That our little boy would grow to be a man of the Word!
  
• That as parents, God would give us the grace to bring him up in the ways of the Lord - and learn from examples set around us.
  
• As parents, that we would be sensitive to God's will for our little boy's life and parent him according to it.

We are so excited to meet our little man... Please pray for him (and us)!

Soldiers' Touching Reunions with Their Children

This was particularly touching.

The Journey from Planned Parenthood Director to Pro-Life Advocate

This is a video of Mike Huckabee talking to Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood director who is now a pro-life advocate. She switched sides immediately after seeing an abortion on an ultrasound monitor.



Thanks to: Justin Taylor

In Praise of the Local Church

This is a testimony of Allison Morgan who attends Mark Dever's church in Washington D.C. I've reposted most of it below. As you read through it, know that this is one of the many reasons why being a part of the local church is so important.

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it’s easy, in life, to take a survey of your present condition and ask, ‘why?’
why am i permitted to suffer?
why am i permitted to prosper?
why am i left wanting?
why am i left with excess?

…why?

i am not going to sit here and tell you my life has been a struggle,
though certain aspects have been very trying at times. i have had a
good life…a wonderful, loving family…a fine education and i have
moved on and started a family of my own.

but i have private (or so i think) moments of turmoil.

i can say with confidence that much of my turmoil in life has occurred
over the last 4 years, since marriage, frankly. i smile when i write that,
because zero of it has to do with marriage! my husband is the greatest
on earth, a loving and faithful leader in this partnership. but it does
seem as though we have collided with hardship quite often since
becoming married and moving to DC.

i have no idea why.
and truthfully, i’ve never thought much about the divine timing of it
all.

i would say i went through some of the darkest days of my life, while
we waded through infertility. i am not proud to admit that i asked God
questions i would never publicly repeat. i accused God of things i
would never verbally express. i am ashamed of the person i warped
into during those excruciating 12 months. those months were hard. so.
very. hard.

and then a few months after isaac’s birth, i spiraled into physical agony
that i never really expected could be possible. and it’s funny because
many people see the side of my life that i make public. i wear a smile
and i do all i can to disguise the pain, but facts are …i suffer from a
rather rare nerve condition in my jaw that can easily level my life,
completely. one day i’m fine…the next day i am dragged in to a
surgeons office in 2 seconds flat. and then another surgeon. and then
another. i actually meet with the HEAD of the trigeminal neuraglia
team at Johns Hopkins next month to clarify some things. the #1
hospital in the country for 18 years straight. what i have is called “the
suicide disease.” and yes, i understand why. you can pray for me.

yes, i have a good life.
but it does carry some scars.
i have wrestled with sovereignty.
with God’s ultimate purposes, which seem strange…but holy.
there are dark moments…
i cry and have cried my fair share of tears.

let’s get to the point.

chad and i were taking a walk the other night, with isaac, in the
stroller.
he was laughing about how “i thought i married Toyota, but facts are, i
married GM.”
admit it, it’s funny. :)
he’s very good natured, but i have all but bankrupted this family with
medical bills!

and i caught myself saying, “Thank God i married you when i was
25…had we met a few years later, you never would have married me!
all my health problems started when i was 27!”

and in my heart, i’ve always thought that it was God’s blessing to
preserve my health until i was married. until i had a teammate to help
me through it. until somebody could rub my back late at night and tell
me i was still going to be ok. to push me through one. more. day…
and all these years i attributed God’s timing to the blessing of Chad. “i
was sustained, because God know i would never have survived all this
on my own….”

and then tonight happened.

i was actually 27 years old when i became a member of Capitol Hill
Baptist Church.
i can’t even write that sentence without my screen getting blurry as the
tears cloud my vision.
while chad is wonderful and the best husband i could ever ask
for…that’s not what kept me going. it was my church.

and there is no coincidence that we joined CHBC in March a few years
back…and got our first fertility diagnosis that May.
there is no coincidence that i received that sad news with the incident
of sitting under the best Biblical teaching i could have ever received.
that coupling was purposed for me.
it was no coincidence that my most CHALLENGING times, physically,
occurred on fridays or mondays at the doctors office…either of which
are the closest business days to SUNDAYS, when i was fed Truth, to
recharge my heart.

it dawned on me, in God’s loving providence, that God reserved my
life’s MOST challenging experiences for when i would be sitting in a
church that has continued to sustain me. i wish there were words for
all that i feel for this body of Christ. for these friends. for this
unbelievable example of Love and Unity i share with these 600 people.
i had no idea church could be like this…

this church isn’t a club…or a place where we gather to hang out with
people who are JUST like us. where we can find a common bond…or
build relationships on human, earthly commonalities.
this isn’t a shopping center where we can go and pick up something
that serves our purpose.
and this certainly isn’t a place where we all gather for an emotional
experience that provides warm fuzzies for our egos.
conversely, church for me can be painful at times…and that’s ok. it’s
refining. it’s clear. it’s sharp. and it takes me from a place of comfort,
into a place where i recognize i need something infinitely bigger than
myself, or all this world can provide.

i say all of this, because our dear shepherd and tireless pastor, Mark
Dever, has been leading our congregation for 15 years! and tonight we
held a TOP SECRET surprise celebration for him, which was more
meaningful than i even expected.

i’ll post a video of it — which will probably seem boring and pointless –
but i wanted to post it for myself. just because i never want to forget
God’s provision to me, through this church, and in particular, this
man — our pastor.

Mark is, admittedly, larger than life for chad and me.
i first visited this church back in 2001, and for various reasons,
decided not to commit to it, though i’ll never forget the mark this man
left on my life. his words resounded in my heart and there was
something undeniable in his messages. i came to my senses years
later…and regret not softening my heart to this church, MUCH MUCH
sooner…

he came to our church in 1994 and this week, celebrates 15 years with
us.
within the last 15 years, he kick-started an intern program that has
discipled men and sent them off to start their own churches across the
four corners of our world.
and tonight, MANY of them flew back in as a surprise for mark — and
to say it was moving, is an understatement.

mark has sent men out from our church over the last 15 years….6 of
which have started churches in foreign countries…and TWENTY of
which have started churches in the united states. his legacy is
astounding and His love for people is awe-inspiring…
our building may be 200 years old, and our church may seem to
function under a rather archaic set of guidelines (from your
perspective!), what actually transpires inside the four walls of this
church is astounding. our church operates as a very well-oiled
machine: a factory for God-honoring and Spirit-led pastors who desire
to take the Word around the world.

rather than clinging to the people he’s invested the most time into,
and rather than transitioning us to multiple services and multiple
locations…mark is most pleased to send those people out and have
them reproduce healthy churches for the Kingdom. his vision is
biblical and his example is so challenging.

and so tonight, we honored mark and his wife, connie.
the six minute video starts off with us waiting for him….SHH!
and then his arrival…!
then …one by one….the pastors of those 26 churches from all over our
globe walked out from behind the stage….(not a dry eye in the house!)
then mark was presented with a book of letters that each intern, and
each pastor has written just for him….
and THEN! his wife, connie had re-composed the music for mark’s all-
time favorite hymn, and had the congregation sing it to him as a
surprise….
and finally, a group shot of all the pastors that can trace their origins
(and some, even, their salvation!) to mark’s ministry to them as their
pastor/mentor….

i was literally walking on air, back to my car tonight.

yes, my life can be hard. and yes, we all have our challenges…
but God’s timing can never ben questioned and His Word can be
trusted.
His mercies are new…every day.
and this church body, along with my pastor, are a perfect example of
His mercies exemplified.

i mean this: i am, without question, blessed beyond all measure…
i am utterly humbled that i am among the few throughout all of
history, who can call this church my home….

Is Polygamy Biblical?

Mark Driscoll recently wrote an article answering the question, "Is polygamy biblical?" It is thoroughly biblical and persuasive. His main point is that "just because something is in the bible does not mean that God approves of it. Here are his seven reasons why polygamy is sinful and harmful.

1. The first man to take more than one wife was the godless man Lamech (Genesis 4:19–24).
2. Some of the Old Testament patriarchs did practice polygamy, and it never honored God. For example, Abram married Hagar in addition to Sarai. The results of this polygamy are truly tragic, as is the case with other instances of adultery and polygamy in Scripture. Abram slept with Hagar and she bore him a son. God promised that Hagar’s son would become the father of a great nation because he was a son of Abram, though not the son of the promise (which would eventually be Isaac). God promised that Ishmael would be a “wild donkey of a man” and that he would be a warrior in hostility with his brothers who would descend from Abram. Ishmael was born to a Hebrew father and Egyptian mother and became the father of the Arab nations that to this day are in hostility with Jews and Christians alike, as promised.
3. The disaster of polygamy is illustrated by Lamech and Adah and Zillah in Genesis 4:19–24, Esau and Mahalath and other wives in Genesis 28:6–9, and Jacob and Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29:15–30. None of these occurrences was godly or good.
4. The Bible repeatedly shows that polygamy is wrought with favoritism, fighting, jealousy, and mistreatment (e.g., Genesis 35:22; 38:18–28; 2 Samuel 3:2–5; 13:1–29; 15–18; 1 Kings 11:1–4).
5. The New Testament church elders who serve as the pattern for Christian families are to be one-woman men and not polygamists (1 Timothy 3:2, 12).
6. God’s intention is that each man would have one wife (Genesis 2:18; Matthew 19:4–6).
7. Marriage is ultimately a picture of Jesus’ loving relationship with the church (Ephesians 5:22–33; Revelation 19:6–9). Jesus is faithful to one bride, the church, as the pattern for all marriages.

Some of You Will Be Devoured by Lions

Matt Chandler preaches a sermon from Hebrews 11:29-40 at Southern Seminary's chapel. Take the time to watch it. I've heard it's outstanding.

Funniest Thing I Have Read in 3 Years

This short interaction between a Nigerian online scammer and a clever private car salesman is probably the funniest thing I have read in 3 years. Maybe 4... If someone from Nigeria ever tries to scam me online, I'm pretty sure I'll try to do something like this.

Free eBook: Sexual Detox

Tim Challies has just finished a blog series entitled Sexual Detox. Due to the popularity of this series, he has created an eBook of the entire series online for free. I haven't finished reading through it all yet, but so far, it's outstanding. He slowly tears down the culture's image of sex and how pornography has caused young men to "pornify the marriage bed." Then, he rebuilds marriage with the care of the gospel. He has two versions of the eBook - one for single men and one for married men.

Click here to download Sexual Detox: A Guide for the Single Guy
Click here to download Sexual Detox: A Guide for the Married Guy

What's the Purpose of the Parables?

Recently, D.A. Carson preached a message entitled, "The Purpose of the Parables" from Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35. Andy Naselli has published some of the notes from the message.

Thanks to: Andy Naselli

The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Eternity

Definition of God's Eternity: God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being, and he sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time.

Also known as the doctrine of God's infinity with respect to time.

Basically, time has no hold on God. It does not affect him and it does not bind him. He is outside of time. Somehow, all existence is present to God. This is difficult for us to understand because it is a different state of existence than humans experience.

• Verses that Affirm God's Timelessness: Psalm 90:2, Revelation 1:8, John 8:58, Exodus 3:14

In addition, God is able to stand outside of time and view all time as present in his being. This includes the past, present, and future.

• Verses that Affirm God's Ability to See All Time Equally Vividly: Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8, Isaiah 45:21, Isaiah 46:9-10

However, we must remember that God does see events in time and acts in time. This can be seen in numerous biblical events, most pointedly in the person and work of His Son. It is God who created time, and he is the one who rules over it, not vice versa. When we remember this, it helps orient our mind to be able to wrap around the concept of God's timelessness.

• Verses that Affirm God Sees Events in Time & Acts in Time: Galatians 4:4-5, Acts 17:30-31
  

Lastly, it is also important to know that we, as humans, will always exist in time, even in heaven. In heaven, we will still experience a succession of moments like we do on earth. However, those moments will never end, rendering us to live eternally with our Creator. Oh how glorious that will be!

Other Posts in this Series:

1. The Incommunicable Attributes of God: God's Independence
   
2. The Incommunicable Attributes of God: God's Unchangeableness
   

The Existence of God, Suffering & Evil, and Hell

These are 3 excellent videos of D.A. Carson answering some of the most popular (and hard) questions of the Christian faith. Here are the 3 questions he answers:

1. How do I know God exists?
2. How can God allow suffering and evil in the world?
3. How can God be loving and yet send people to Hell?

How do I know God exists? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

How can God allow suffering and evil in the world? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

How can God be loving yet send people to hell? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

Paul Washer Mocks the Modern "Gospel"

My good buddy, Stephen Willcox (who blogs at Proclaiming the Unfathomable Riches of Jesus!), posted this video of Paul Washer on his Facebook page. In it, Pastor Washer addresses the problems with the popular "gospel" that is so often preached today - "Believe in God and you can have your best life now!"

Stephen, thanks for posting this.

The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Unchangeableness

Definition of God's Unchangeableness: "God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations."

God's unchangeableness is also known as his immutability.

• Verses that Affirm Unchangeableness in God's Being & Perfections: Psalms 102:25-27; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17

• Verses that Affirm Unchangeableness in God's Purposes: Psalms 33:11; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:4, 11; Ephesians 3:9, 11; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8; Isaiah 46:9-11

• Verses that Affirm Unchangeableness in God's Promises: Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29

Does God sometimes change His mind?

• Though the answer to this question requires much explanation, it can be summed up in the following sentence: The instances in Scripture that talk about God "repenting" or "changing his mind" must be understood as true expressions of God's present attitude or intention with respect to the situation as it exists at that moment.

Is God impassible (without passions or emotions)?

• No. It is clearly against the testimony of Scripture to say that God does not have emotions. God rejoices (Isaiah 62:5), God is grieved (Psalm 78:40), and God has wrath & pity & love.

What about Process Theology (or Open Theism)?

• Process Theology says that process and change are essential aspects of genuine existence, and that therefore God must be changing over time also, just like everything that exists.
• However, Scripture states that God is infinite (God is not subject to any of the limitations of humanity or creation) and personal (God interacts with us as a person, and we can relate to him as persons including praying to him, worshipping him, obeying him, and loving him).

Why is God's unchangeableness important?

• This is my favorite section of the chapter and worth restating below.

"If God could change, then any change would be either for the better or for the worse. But if God changed for the better, then he was not the best possible being when we first trusted him. And how could we be sure that he is the best possible now? But if God could change for the worse (in his very being), then what kind of God might he become? Might he become, for instance, a little bit evil rather than wholly good? And if he could become a little bit evil, then how do we know he could not change to become largely evil - or wholly evil? And there would be not one thing we could do about it, for he is so much more powerful than we are. Thus, the idea that God could change leads to the horrible possibility that thousands of years from now, we might come to live forever in a universe dominated by a wholly evil, omnipotent God. It is hard to imagine any thought more terrifying. How could we ever trust such a God who could change? How could we ever commit our lives to him?

Moreover, if God could change with regard to his purposes, than even though when the Bible was written he promised that Jesus would come back to rule over a new heaven and a new earth, he has perhaps abandoned that plan now, and thus our hope in Jesus' return is in vain. Or, if God could change in regard to his promises, then how could we trust him completely for eternal life? Or anything else the bible says?"

Other posts in this series:

• The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Independence
  

The Incommunicable Attributes of God: Independence

As a part of Invest Group at my church, we are reading through most of Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem. This book is an abridged version of his Systematic Theology. Therefore, when I first discovered that I was going to be taking part in this group, I thought that it would be good for me to read through Systematic Theology. So, as I am reading through the book, I will be posting short outlines of many of the chapters as I learn in order to benefit you as well as myself.

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God's Independence

What are "incommunicable attrbutes?": Incommunicable attributes are those attributes that God doesn't share (or "communicate") to his people.

Definition of God's Independence: "God doesn't need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy."

God has always existed. He was not created by anything, and there is nothing that he needs to continue existing. He is completely self-sufficient and self-sustaining. Furthermore, God did not create man because He was lonely. God has always existed in perfect community within the Trinity. However, he has created man to bring glory to himself. ("The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.")

God's independence is sometimes referred to as his self-existence or his aseity.

Verses that Affirm God's Independence: Acts 17:24-25, Job 41:11, Psalms 50:10-12, John 17:5, Psalms 90:2 (God always was), Exodus 3:14

If God doesn't need us for anything, then are we important at all?

• Yes, simply because God decided that He would create us to glorify him. This alone gives us our ultimate significance.
• Isaiah 43:7, Ephesians 1:11-12, Revelation 4:11, Zephaniah 3:17-18, Isaiah 62:3-5

The Prosperity Gospel

Recently, there have been a few videos flying around the blogosphere about the dangers of the prosperity gospel. I thought I would collect them all and post them on here.

Free DWYL & Resurgence Wallpaper

Desiring God Ministries has made available 8 different Don't Waste Your Life desktop wallpapers for free.

Also, check out The Resurgence desktop wallpapers, which are free as well.

Too Much Sleep = Tired

According to CNN Health, too much sleep can make you tired throughout the day. I believe it. I just slept about 10 hours, and I can't seem to wake up!!

God's Omniscience & Man's Free Will

Kevin DeYoung answers the controversial question, "Can God know everything and still give us free will?" He also posts a follow-up response to this post.

2009 World Series Champs: New York Yankees

There have been 105 World Series' played in the history of baseball. The New York Yankees have now won 25.7% of them. You can't tell me God doesn't have a favorite baseball team.

What Was Calvary?

I missed this quote the first time I read through In My Place Condemned He Stood, by J.I. Packer & Mark Dever. Thankfully, Pastor Ray Ortlund pointed me back to it a few days ago.

"And the legendary 'Rabbi' Duncan concentrated it all into a single unforgettable sentence, in a famous outburst to one of his classes: 'D'ye know what Calvary was? what? what? what?' Then, with tears on his face -- 'It was damnation; and he took it lovingly.'"

Thanks to: Ray Ortlund

Free Audio Book: Desiring God

Desiring God Ministries and Christian Audio have partnered together to offer a free audiobook of John Piper's classic book, Desiring God. Download it here.

Be sure to download it before the end of the month because this offer only lasts through November.

Update: If you are having trouble downloading the audio book, it is because Christian Audio's servers are overwhelmed. Try the download again in a few days, and you should be fine.

Mark Driscoll on Idols

Check out Mark Driscoll as he discerns the idols of our modern-day, American culture on Nightline.

Book Review: Fool Moon Rising

If you didn't already know, my wife is 26 weeks pregnant, and, Lord willing, our family will be expanding from 2 to 3 with the addition of a little baby boy. I couldn't be more thrilled! One of the things I have taken upon myself to do in preparation to raise a son is begin building a library of books to read to him. One of the first books I will read to him will be Fool Moon Rising by Kristi & Tom Fluharty.

Published by Crossway, Fool Moon Rising is unlike any other children's book I have ever read. Not only are the illustrations lively, colorful, and exhilarating, but this book is packed with the biblical principles that I want to teach my son. This is in stark contrast to many other kid's books in circulation today. Where other books aim at just keeping junior entertained for the duration of the reading with colorful pictures and pop-up tabs, Fool Moon Rising seeks to teach children (and their parents!) a lesson about pride and humility.

The entire book is an extended metaphor of the moon and the sun. In the story, the moon boasts in himself, bragging that it is he who lights up the night sky and controls the ocean's tide. He has become a proud moon. That all changes when the sun emits a piercing ray that opens the eyes of the moon to see that "his light comes from the sun."

Fool Moon Rising is not just a book for kids. There is a deep truth emitted through this book, namely that we as human beings have no grounding for pride, since all that we are has been given to us by God. This biblical truth of humility is one that my son and I both need to fully grasp, and Fool Moon Rising will hopefully aid us in that process.

I would highly recommend this book to all. Though it is written with 3 to 7 year-old children in mind, anyone would benefit from reading it. Be sure to check out the book's website to learn more about the book and see many of the beautiful illustrations.

Buy it here.