Monday, August 31, 2009

Powerful

This video is powerful.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Blog of the Week - Let the Nations Be Glad

I read this blog post and watched the video embedded in it last week. After watching it and watching the entertainment focused musical act that was at my own church this last Sunday*, I could not help but think that God's ears were more pleased by the autistic boy and his simple act of worship (and the worship that he caused to flow out of my heart watching it) than by the show we put on. Let the Nations Be Glad is a wonderful blog that often highlights gospel efforts to the physically and mentally disabled all over the world. How precious they are in His sight!

* Chad, you will have to forgive me for the comparison, but as I sat in church Sunday, I was really wishing I had not watched the video and thought about expressions of worship all last week. Or maybe it was a good thing that I did because it kept me from being entertained and made me more appreciative of purer forms of worship. I am not sure! I was lacking in humility and sufficiently convicted of that on Sunday :).

Friday, August 14, 2009

Whale Wars

One of the most awesome shows I have watched on TV recently is Whale Wars. Although the show is probably intended to make people want to go stop the whalers, it has the exact opposite effect on me - I cheer the whalers on. Those trying to "save" the whales do stupid things like throw acid on the already dead whale so the meat cannot be sold. Isn't that counterproductive? Taking actions such as that one results in the whalers being able to justify more whales being killed. Tonight's episode showed the butchering of a whale which I found fascinating and the hunting down and killing of a whale. I was impressed with the harpoon shot that sealed the fate of the whale. It was one of the most incredible things I have seen in TV. It was like a combination of fishing and hunting. The people against whaling were crying like they watched a human get killed which made them look like idiots while the Japanese looked impressive.

I do not know the rules of whaling. I do not know what is and is not against the law. I think the whalers should play by the rules, and if they are breaking them, there should be consequences. If they are playing by the rules, go for it! I find the show more entertaining when a whale is killed than when there is not a kill. I guess that means I am cheering for the bad guys, but using the whales as food and income instead of making the dead whales unusable seems to make more sense and be more honorable ... So long as laws are not being broken.

My Grandfather's Son

My Grandfather's Son is the memoir of Clarence Thomas, who had one of the most infamous confirmation hearings, and is a quiet conservative on the Supreme Court. This book is an excellent read for many reasons.

First, it highlights racism without being too political about racism. Racial issues are presented in a matter of fact way. For Thomas growing up in the South, racism was of course present. Going to school in the North, a different type of racism existed. First hand experience with affirmative action gives Thomas a perspective that he is brave enough to talk about. Breaking away from the Democratic party to become a Republican gives him the ability to discuss how difficult it is to go against the expectations of his race. Thomas deals with racism without being anti-white, or anti-anyone else for that matter.

Second, the book gives a personal glimpse of Thomas without invading too much of his privacy. I know that may sound like a strange way to describe a memoir, but he gives just enough detail for the reader to know the facts, but he does not get too personal in the details. He does not go through every dating relationship that he had, but gives just a few details of the relationship with the women he married. He does not go through every friendship or employer-employee relationship that caused him trouble, but does mention those that assisted with his rise to the Court, and, of course, the infamous Anita Hill.

This book is the story of a man who has risen out of poverty to the high Court, but resents that part of the reason has been because of his race. Thomas has a writing style that keeps you interested, and a way of telling stories that make what may just be normal, everyday life, interesting. His style made the memoir a quick read. You can see the bitterness and hurt when reading about the confirmation hearings, but it helps explain why he is one of the members of the Court that seems to lack a public personality. The book is worth reading and would be a great gift for anyone who likes to read biographies.

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God

I am a Calvinist. I think that most people who read this blog know that I am. I do not act like it is a dirty word and I do not shy away from human terms meant to try to explain theological ideas. It is just easier to admit what I am. Most people do not even know what that means or what I believe as a result of it because there are so many misunderstandings concerning what Calvinists believe. Having said all of that, the question I get most about my beliefs is "Why witness to people if you believe that those that God has chosen are going to come to know Christ no matter what - since they are predestined?" My typical response is "because God told us in Romans 8 that they will not know God without hearing the gospel and because God commanded it (not suggested it) in Matthew 28: 19-20 and Acts 1." Simple enough, right? Yet people do not seem satisfied with that answer. The God commanded it part should be reason enough. As J.I. Packer says in Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, "We are to order our lives by the light of his law, not by our guesses about his plan." Now I am going to suggest that people read the book, and perhaps purchase copies to give to them.

J.I. Packer does not set out to convert people to Calvinism in this book. He just lays out a case for why the Calvinists' (although I am not sure that he uses that term - I am just using it because it is easy) view of the sovereignty of God is not inconsistent, and is instead a motivation for evangelism. Packer addresses some of the most common misconceptions that people have or overstatements that people make in response to a view that declares God is sovereign in salvation. Packer then points out what should be contained in a presentation of the Gospel. Finally, Packer ends with what should motivate persons to engage in evangelism.

In the presentation of the gospel portion, Packer does an excellent job of providing a framework for evangelism. Too often in our churches we use terms like "repent and give your heart to Jesus" or "accept that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died for your sins, and confess your sins (ABC)." However, this language is not presenting the gospel. The gospel has to start with God. Without a realization of the One who has a right to demand holiness and sinlessness, why would we even need to believe we sin? The gospel then moves to man who is a hopeless sinner, and the sin is against a holy God. Not just hurting others or hurting yourself, because even people who are atheist would admit those "sins", but a realization that it is God man is sinning against, and man is hopelessly dying in his sin. Next, people often say "Jesus died for sin" - all about the work of Christ. Packer points out that this is only half of it. The person of Christ, who He is, is why He was able to carry out the work. The person of Christ should be emphasized over the work because it is motivation behind the work. Finally, there is a need to call the sinner to repent and believe, to encourage an act of faith.

Packer ends the book by pointing out that the view of God as sovereign is a motivation to evangelism instead of a hinderance. Obviously God commanded us to share the gospel and has ordained that it is by hearing God's word that sinners come to repentance. A belief in the sovereignty of God motivates one to know the gospel because it is the sharing of the gospel that God uses. It also motivates because the presenter knows that God is behind the effectiveness, not the presenter. The burden is lifted for me to convince someone, and possibly fall into the trap of being persuasive to the point of false conversions. It is impossible for me to use the excuse that I just cannot effectively present the gospel or that I am a failure because my presentations are not resulting in immediate conversions. I do not feel pressure to learn the best method because I just need to know God's word and use His words to share the gospel. It is a liberating view of evangelism, not a hinderance.

If anyone, whether they are a Calvinist or non-Calvinist, does not share the gospel with people, it is a sin whatever the person's reason for not sharing. Packer makes it clear that those Calvinists who believe that God will take care of saving all the elect without following God's command to share are sinners, just as those who feel like they do not have the gift of evangelism and cannot present the gospel effectively are sinners. We all have sinned by failing to present the gospel at some point. No theological or soteriological belief system should be used to justify failure to follow God's command to share the gospel. A love for people, especially lost and dying people, should motivate the Christian to share his or her faith.

I highly recommend this book to non-Calvinists and those Calvinist that are not practicing evangelists. To the non-Calvinist, it is a non-threatening look at what Calvinists believe about salvation and the command to evangelize, and why Calvinists are motivated to evangelism. To the Calvinist, it is a reminder of why evangelism is necessary and can provide a framework that may make it easier to answer the big question so often encountered. Of the books I have read about evangelism or methods I have been taught, I think that this is probably the most helpful because of its emphasis on communication of the gospel and the motivation behind the gospel. Get Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, read it, and become a practicing evangelist!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Project No More Pink, phase 1

The worst things about my house when I bought it were the Pepto Bismol pink bedroom and the Pepto Bismal pink bathtub in the bathroom that has a brick red/orange vinyl floor. What were the previous owners thinking?




Last night one of those things went. My house is continually a work in progress (what house isn't?), and I have been cleaning up and cleaning out, and the bathtub was causing me to shudder anytime I opened the door to the guest bathroom. I decided yesterday that it had to change. For less than $10, I purchased the materials I needed and went to work.



As you can see, I began with the pink flowers somehow adhered/painted to the pink tub. Whatever they were, they must have come in a package because the other tub in my house once displayed the same pink flowers. Since my house is not well-ventilated, I limited my spraying sessions to the length of a commercial break and wore a mask and goggles.



Like a good girl I primed before painting. I think I could have left it the color of the primer and called it a serious improvement. However, I wanted I a more complete look. The first coat:



The final product:



It is a little darker than I wanted (although some of the darkness is because of a lack of flash on the iPhone), but I spent less than $10, it took less than 2 hours, and at least it is not PINK!!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Don't Waste Your Life

I have been finishing the pile of books that I have started reading. As I have said before, I have a habit of starting another book even though I have a stack of books that I have not finished yet. Don't Waste Your Life is a book that I had started at the beginning of summer and added to my rotation of books. I have a fiction, nonfiction and two or three theology books going at all times, although I think that a week or two ago I was up to eight books I was reading on at once. Yet I know where I am at in each book. My mind is weird that way. I have finished four of the eight books in the past week, so I have some reviews to do!

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper was the book chosen by our church staff as the summer reading book. I have been wanting to read the book for a while, but had refrained from buying it until this summer. One thing that I like about John Piper is that you can feel his passion for the glory of God and his love for the church. The book is challenging and encouraging at the same time, as are all of the books that I have read by him. One of the stories that he tells is about a couple in their 50s who have retired and are spending their time playing golf and sailing and doing other recreational things with their time. Although so many in our culture would consider that the ideal life, he calls it out for what it is - a wasted life. Throughout the book, he is encouraging his readers to begin to evaluate their lives and make sure that it is not wasted but glorifying God.

There is a strong emphasis on missions (as their should be), but I think that Piper does a good job of pointing out that not everyone is called to vocational missions, but if we are working in secular jobs, we are called to support those who are working for God's kingdom vocationally. Sometimes it is hard to see how secular work can glorify God, but Piper encourages the church to have a different perspective of work - providing the means to fund God's kingdom work as well as the discipline and witness that you can be while working. If we looked at our money as an opportunity to fund missions (year round and not just at the special emphasis times), it makes our work even more meaningful.

I highly recommend this book for young and old. It encourages the young to adopt this perspective early in life. It encourages the older persons to adopt this perspective before a whole life is wasted or the latter years are wasted. Too many times I think that even those in the church think it is their time to rest but we are called to work for God's kingdom until we die. In some ways this book is the positive point of view whereas Solomon in Ecclesiastes contains the negative point of view by painting the picture of a wasted life. Don't Waste Your Life is a good read, and more importantly, not a waste of time.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

iPhone

Well yesterday I went to buy a different kind of phone but came out with an iPhone instead. The salesman was good! I am typing this now from my iPhone because my typing still needs quite a bit of practice. I am starting to get the hang of it though! If you get weird messages with weird words, this is my excuse. I got rid of my home phone so that this doesn't ruin my budget. Is this thing even for talking? So far I have communicated with several people but have yet to make a phone call. Hopefully it doesn't become too much of a time waster! I think I am going to like things like blogging from the phone though!