Awestruck by the Sovereign LORD

…that is the question. Andreas Kostengerger and David Croteau search the Scriptures to answer it. You may find their answer provocative. You can find links to their study (in two parts) below: “Will a Man Rob God?” (Malachi 3:8): A Study of Tithing in the Old and New Testaments Reconstructing a Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of Relevant Systematic Issues and New Testament Principles Thanks go out to a wiser brother for pointing this study out to me.

From Organic Church (p 211-212) by Neil Cole . While doing some teaching in Japan, I had a dream that Heather, my daughter, started a church. In the dream, a room was full of young people who were all seriously worshiping God. When I returned from the trip, I mentioned it to her just to let her know that she was on my mind and in my dreams while I was away. The next day she said, 'Dad, my friends all want to do it!' 'Do what?' I asked. 'Start a church.' I told her that she would have to do most of the work, and I would coach and lead only a little. She said that was fine. The next day she arranged a house to meet in, picked a night of the week, and found a worship leader; flyers were soon being passed out to friends on campus. After the church had been meeting for several months, I met with these students and we all sang praises to the Lord. I felt the Lord's pleasure. I asked the students what was the biggest church they had ever been to. L

Here is a good article by Bill Mounce on 1 Corinthians 13.  In the season of weddings, the question of reading 1 Cor. 13 may come up.  What do you think?

Here is a good post on why we should seek to be hospitable rather than just falling into it.

D.A. Carson, in his remarkable commentary on the Gospel according to John, shares a poem of his on “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 I am the way to God: I did not come To light a path, to blaze a trail, that you May simply follow in my tracks, pursue My shadow like a prize that's cheaply won. My life reveals the life of God, the sum Of all he is and does.  So how can you, The sons of night, look on me and construe My way as just the road for you to run?      My path takes in Gethsemane, the Cross,      And stark rejection draped in agony.      My way to God embraces utmost loss:      Your way to God is not my way, but me. Each other path is dismal swamp, or fraud. I stand alone: I am the way to God. I am the truth of God: I do not claim I merely speak the truth, as though I were A prophet (but no more),

There had never been a display like that before, and there never will be again.  The whole of life is to be spent in understanding the truth displayed that day.  The unparalleled mixture of grace and justice resonates throughout all eternity.  It is the echoes of this divine display that is to  fill the words and lives of Christians centuries later. Here are resources that I have used to help me to dwell on what occurred on that Good Friday.  I suggest that they be watched in this order.   The Other Cup – an excellent sermon by Ray Dillard A shocking video of a sacrifice with this commentary on it. “ Well, I Wonder If You Know Him ” ‘And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."  Then I lo

“Late medieval Roman Catholicism left the future verdict at the final judgment the ever anxious and uncertain outcome of the Christian life.  In contrast, the Reformers grasped that the verdict, belonging at the end of history, has been brought forward and already pronounced on believers in history, and so, constituting the certain stable basis for the Christian life, provides unshakeable confidence in the face of the final judgment.” - Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. from “Justification and Eschatology” in Justified in Christ:  God’s Plan for Us in Justification

Recently, Time’s David Van Biema wrote an article highlighting the things we should be watching for in 2009. Many have already noted that it is quite interesting that the third item on this list is The New Calvinism . I am not sure why the author decided to dub this resurgence as “the new Calvinism.” I do not believe it to be anything different than has been taught before. Rather than critique the article’s portrayal of this resurgence, it would be of greater importance to highlight one sentence: It will be interesting to see whether Calvin's latest legacy will be classic Protestant backbiting or whether, during these hard times, more Christians searching for security will submit their wills to the austerely demanding God of their country's infancy. It is astonishing that there are some in the secular world watching us. What will they see? It is of paramount importance to heed the words of Christ: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just a

Many young people are searching frantically for dates and romance.  In the process, they rarely guard their hearts and are devastated.  God is not central to their search for their latest love interest, i.e. their crush .  Of course, we don’t use the term “crush” once we leave junior high because it sounds childish.  Well, “a rose by any other name…”. There is a way to approach these things maturely, but it is counter-cultural. Requesting permission from the father to pursue a young woman is rarely admired.  It is perceived as antediluvian .  Even some Christian brothers scoffed at me when I pursued my wife this way.  Notwithstanding, God blessed the pursuit, and I am still baffled at how he brought everything together. My wife is my sister and my bride (cf. 1 Tim 5:1).  She doesn’t have the same earthly parents.  She has been adopted by God into the covenant family.  God has done the same for me.  Therefore, she is my sister.  She was my sister before my wife.  I had to account f