Book Review - Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart

Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
Chuck Black
Multnomah Books (May 5, 2009)

In short: A simple story serving as a reminder that without diligent biblical teaching our kids have no foundation to stand against the shadows of doubt.

Sir Dalton, a knight in training, is surprised and disappointed as he begins to experience seeds of doubt in himself, and others, regarding the truth, and importance, of their allegiance and service to the King.

Their new trainer doesn’t help much as he downplays the significance, and re-orders the priority, of certain aspects of their training.

“He would lecture briefly on knighthood and then engage the trainees in dialogue on a variety of topics. Often the discourse would center upon an ethically challenging situation, with each trainee invited to voice an opinion…Afterward, he would lead the trainees in a few skill exercises…and the sessions always ended with food, drink, and song. But of the sword there was little training.”

How descriptive is that of the modern church today? How many are comfortable listening to those who give them what they want to hear. We don’t need more training in finances or dating, or whatever the topic of the month is – we need the Sword, the Word!

“This is why you are here – to learn the art of the sword and to become trained Knights of the Prince…But you must first understand the kingdom and its people to be effective as a knight. There are many peoples, many cultures, many viewpoints, and we must adapt if we are to reach them and bring them freedom…We must be creative in how we present the Prince and adjust our methods to accommodate…And as for the Code, it is clearly a guide, not a mandate…it is an antiquated document by now.”

The allegorical symbolism is unmistakable as it puts flesh on many aspects of our Christian walk. Seeing things in a different setting often helps to solidify concepts, or beliefs, we often take for granted.

As Dalton trains he is presented with questions, and situations, that he doesn’t have an answer for. His preparation, and thus his faith, are lacking so he begins to doubt and drift.

“If the King and this Prince truly exist, why do they leave the kingdom in such a mess?...If the King is so powerful, so wealthy, so good, then why has He let it go on for this long?”

“What do you see?... An accident or a plan?...If you don’t believe in the beginning, you can’t believe in the Prince…”

He soon comes perilously close to death and is captured by the enemy and held in a prison without doors.

“It is our fear of Drox that imprisons us, not the iron bar….invisible chains of bondage.”

Although obviously not high literature this simple story was a reminder to me that without diligent biblical teaching and true relationship with Jesus there is no foundation to stand against the shadows of doubt for our kids. We strengthen our faith through scripture, and without it, doubt can become a stronghold of the heart.

“It is the Code, Dalton…To live for any other reason is vanity.”

Rating: Paperback

We surf…so you don’t have to – Sep. 29

The Cooking Creature — A Call for Recovered Wisdom

"Who is going to teach the next generation to cook?"

Four Things You Cannot Recover...

A good thought.

A Lifesaver's Legacy

"Window to the womb" founder and the lives he saved.

Quote - A Holy God

"'Why doesn't God smite this dictator dead?' is a question a little remote from us. Why, madam, did he not strike you dumb and imbecile before you uttered that baseless and unkind slander the day before yesterday? Or me, before I behaved with such a cruel lack of consideration to that well-meaning friend? And why sir, did he not cause your hand to rot off at the wrist before you signed your name to that dirty bit of financial rickery? You did not quite mean that? But why not? Your misdeeds and mine are none the less repellent because our opportunities for doing damage are less spectacular than those of some other people. Do you suggest that your doings and mine are too trivial for God to bother about? That cuts both ways; for in that case, it would make precious little difference to his creation if he wiped us both out tomorrow."

Dorothy Sayers

Sermon Notes – Thriving In the Valley of Reality

Thriving In the Valley of Reality, Mark 9:14-29
J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended September 27, 2009

Christian, from The Pilgrim’s Progress, only spent a little time on the roof of House Beautiful looking at the mountains. His journey required heading into the Valley of Humiliation. He could not stay long on that “mountain top” experience.

Jesus took His disciples to the Mount of Transfiguration for the same reason as Christian went to the roof, to give them a “foretaste of glory divine.” The mountain is not reality however. They had to come down to the valley – the valley of reality.

We live in the valley of reality. It is hard. It hurts. There a lot of tears, pain and disappointments. This passage reminds us of where we live. It tells us not just to exist there, but to thrive.

1. The reality of the valley – Mark 9:14-18

The reality of conflict – Mark 9:14-16

They come down to a tense situation. There is arguing. There is a crowd who doesn’t want to solve, or be involved in, the conflict. They just want to know of the conflict going on.

Note that Jesus has been gone and the conflict remains. The remaining disciples were preaching the message. As long as the message is preached conflict remains. We can not tell them of Jesus and keep things calm, or tell them and deal with the conflict.

We should not be surprised there is conflict. (James 4:1-2 and Philippians 1:29-30) There will be conflict in our relationships.

The reality of combat – Mark 9:17, 20, 22, 26

This is not a combat against flesh and blood, but a life of unending, unyielding spiritual combat. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, Ephesians 6:12) Look at the combat in your heart to sin, to go back to the old man. The deeper you go with Christ, the harder the combat gets. This shouldn’t surprise us.

The reality of incompetence – Mark 9:18

“…and they were not able.” They could not do it. They were unable to do it. It is almost crushing sometimes to realize our inability to do it on our own. We need God to do anything. We need Him to tell us how to lead our family, to help us be a husband…the list is endless.

1 Peter 4:12 emphasizes this. It is almost as if he is saying, “Who gave you the misconception that you are supposed to get heaven here?” Our time here is not meant to be heaven.

2. The response of Jesus – Mark 9:19-24

He confronts the faithless – Mark 9:19

I hope He puts up with us longer! They depended on their own ability. They don’t believe in His ability to do what they need.

He confronts the situation – Mark 9:19-22

“Bring him to me!” If you can? Do anything? This is Jesus! Maybe he thought it was too big for Jesus since His disciples couldn’t fix it.

He calls the man to faith – Mark 9:23-24

Do you have the faith to access my ability? The man admits his own inability and sees his lack of faith. He doesn’t want to do miracles without us; He wants to do them through us. Engage your faith with His ability. The valley is not a problem with Jesus! Jesus thrives in the valley!

3. The reason for their failure – Mark 9:28-29. “Why could we not do it?” They ask a negative question but Jesus gives a positive answer. We would almost rather have Jesus give us the list on why it wouldn’t happen than why it would.

Failure of faith – He rebukes them for their faithlessness. They didn’t trust His ability.

Failure of dependence – They thought they could do it without Jesus. They thought they had the ability. Their state of rebellion led to humiliation.

Failure of prayerlessness – His answer that it requires prayer, means that they didn’t pray. They didn’t ask Jesus to help.

How do we thrive in the valley of reality?

Recognize your inability – Where are you on the incompetence scale? An 8? Whatever you think you are it isn’t enough. You are a 75. They couldn’t do it and neither can you. Must admit to Him that you are incapable of doing what you called me to do. Realize it now. The disciples didn’t know they couldn’t do it until Jesus told them.

Recognize God’s ability – On the competence scale God is about a 75 million! He has all the ability. He is able to accomplish what concerns you. He wants your recognition of your inability to free you and thus glorify Him.

Access to God’s ability comes through prayer – Get His “can” to our “can’t” by praying so His “can” gets the glory. Prayer is not your means to escape your reality but your means to thrive in reality. Don’t pray to escape! Do not live to survive; live to thrive. We aren’t here just to exist. He has us here to display to others His sufficiency and power in the valley. God doesn’t want to defeat you in your inability but to free you to access His power.

Something Light - Which Way Now?

Book Review - If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil

If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil
Randy Alcorn
Multnomah Books (September 15, 2009)

In short: Pastoral in tone, this comprehensive treatment of the problem of evil and suffering will strengthen your faith and deepen your theology.

Suffering is inevitable. In some form or fashion everyone will experience some form of suffering in their life. Whether it is physical, mental or emotional suffering, none of us will escape it. As I’ve mentioned before, having your theology straight before it happens is important – because it will happen. A shallow or superficial faith will leave you unprepared for that eventuality.

“A faith that leaves us unprepared for suffering is a false faith that deserves to be lost.”

“Suffering will come; we owe it to God, ourselves, and those around us to prepare for it.”

This book will strengthen your faith and help you in getting your theology in order. Reminiscent, to me, of the old Puritan books in its structure, Randy Alcorn gives us an outline of how to think about the problem of evil and suffering. While orderly in its structure it is pastoral in its tone. Full of stories and illustrations, yet with ample scriptural support, it feels like you are sitting down with a trusted pastor to discuss and work through the problem.

“We cannot see the end God has in mind. If we could, we would likely see that the hardships God allows [now] prevent even more debilitating hardships [later]…His acts of good may seem cruel [to us].”

He then provides an illustration of a three year old that accidentally swallows poison. The hospital tells the father that he must get him there as quickly as possible and, more importantly, if he falls asleep, he’ll die.

“The boys head starts to drop. His father slaps him in the face. The boy cries. His head starts to nod again. The father slaps him again and again, all the way to the hospital…The child doesn’t understand but his father loves the child by acting in his own best interests.”

So it is with us and God.

He tells of Howard Hendricks visiting a leprosy center and of a woman;

“…raising both of her nearly fingerless hands toward Heaven, [saying] ‘I want to praise God that I am a leper because it was through my leprosy that I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior. And I would rather be a leper who knows Christ than be completely whole and a stranger to His grace.”

Shocking at times, but never depressing, the cumulative effect of scripture, reason, and experience for the philosophical and logical problem of evil is staggering. He also provides plenty of counsel and help for the emotional problem. All of this requires a robust theology of the character of God, Heaven, Hell, free will and divine sovereignty, all of which he covers appropriately to help us come to terms with a biblical understanding of suffering. In the end, we know, however, that only God knows the ultimate reasons for what we experience.

“Insisting on knowing the unknowable dooms us to frustration and resentment toward God…If we insist we have the right, or even assume we have the capacity, to understand the hidden purposes of God, we forfeit the comfort and perspective we could have had in kneeling before his vastly superior wisdom. He is infinite; we are finite. He is the Creator; we’re the creatures. Shouldn’t that say it all?”

This is a book to read again and again and I highly recommend it for all.

“My prayer is that [readers] will see the spiritual power and reason of Scripture, learn sound theology, and develop a truly Christian worldview to replace their superficial one that will never survive either the arguments or the tests that await them.”

To learn more about the book or pick up a copy visit here.

Rating: Hardback

Book Brief - What I Saw And How I Lied

What I Saw And How I Lied
Judy Blundell
Scholastic Press (November 1, 2008)

This is a tragic read, and review, on many levels. The book alone is one thing, more on that shortly. That it won a major award is another thing. What does it say about our standards for children, and for literature, that this book wins the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature? This book is not for young people. This is adult fiction. One could argue, I suppose, that it is for those on the cusp of adulthood, but that line keeps skewing younger. On another level it stirs thoughts of how fast we have lost the innocence of our youth. They are dealing with issues that could not have been imagined even twenty years ago, and this book doesn’t help them. Tragic.

Evie’s stepfather Joe, recently home from fighting WWII in Europe, decides it is time for a family vacation in Florida. While there, coincidentally, they meet someone Joe knew in the war. As this coming-of-age novel unfolds, complications arise as Evie learns things about herself, her relationships and her family that destroy her innocence.

This novel has a rich sense of place and time. As I’ve mentioned before, this is one of my favorite time periods, and this novel brings that era to life. Reminiscent of a film-noir movie, the characterizations are colorful and strong, and the mystery is convincing. Like film-noir, the immorality and questionable ethics are an integral part of the story – but for adults only. How can a book marketed to teenagers, in all good conscience, include discussions and explicit physical descriptions of a “romance” between an adult and a child?

Along with the completely inappropriate relationship between an adult and minor is a graphic account of attempted sex between two minors. With the titular lying, ubiquitous cheating, and getting away with murder this novel hits all the low points. As I said, tragic on many levels.

Rating: Avoid

Go Ask Your Daddy - I Can't Write About That, Can I?

I can’t write about that can I? Isn’t that against the law in school?

What are they teaching in schools nowadays? We are in America! The land of the free and the home of the brave! Remember the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? Remember freedom of speech?

Of course you can write and talk about your Christianity. The First Amendment does not prohibit religious speech by students. Students therefore have the same right to engage in individual or group prayer and religious discussion during the school day as they do to engage in any other activity. (adapted from the American Center for Law and Justice which summarizes the law here.)

The Department of Education guidelines below should clear up some of the confusion.

Students have the right to pray or have religious discussions during the school day-provided that students do so in a nondisruptive manner. These rights include the right to speak to, and attempt to persuade, their peers about religious topics just as they do with regard to political topics.

Students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray before tests to the same extent they may engage in comparable nondisruptive activities. Local school authorities ... may not structure or administer such rules to discriminate against religious activity or speech.

Students have a right to distribute religious literature to their schoolmates on the same terms as they are permitted to distribute other literature that is unrelated to school curriculum or activities. Schools may impose the same reasonable time, place, and manner or other constitutional restrictions on distribution of religious literature as they do on nonschool literature generally, but they may not single out religious literature for special regulation.

Students may display religious messages on items of clothing to the same extent that they are permitted to display other comparable messages.

Students may express their beliefs about religion in the form of homework, artwork and other written and oral assignments free of discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions.

If anyone tells you otherwise, not only are they wrong, but they are committing a violation of the law. One other thing to keep in mind is that sharing our faith is a command from our Savior. It is something we must do - even if they take away our right to do it.

We surf…so you don’t have to – Sep. 22

The Man Who Saved a Billion Lives

…of whom you’ve never heard.

Storm Chaser Jim Reed

Some incredible pictures of God’s weather.

Wise vs. Wild Contrast #2: Counsel

Where do you spend your time?

Quote - Which Jesus Do They See?

"I heard the fictitious story of a woman who was told in a dream that she would meet Christ at a specific time that afternoon. Sure enough, in her dream the doorbell rang at the precise time anticipated. But on the other side of the threshold stood a man of such frightening ugliness that she could hardly look at him."You're not Jesus," she exclaimed. "No," he said, "but I'm the Jesus other people see in you."

Jim Elliff

Sermon Notes - A Little Suburb of Heaven

A Little Suburb of Heaven, Mark 9:2-13
J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended September 20, 2009

Christian, the pilgrim of The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, is always provided just enough of a glimpse of his goal to motivate him to continue on his hard journey. On the top of House of Beautiful, through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, he sees the mountains ahead. On top of the mountains he sees Celestial City, his ultimate destination. The glimpse, the foretaste, keeps him pressing on through the persecution and the trials of his journey.

Coming out of the previous chapter we probably have some confused and discouraged disciples. They now see that Jesus is not the Messiah they envisioned. He then gives them a “foretaste of glory divine” and the Mount of Transfiguration becomes “a little suburb of Heaven.”

We need to focus here on what Mark says and not what he doesn’t say regarding this mysterious and often misunderstood event.

1. Jesus wanted to give the disciples a revelation of His divinity – He wanted to remind them He was God. He wanted to remind them who He is.

Transfiguration – There may be some typology here with Moses but there are major differences also. Moses did not manifest what was inside him as Jesus did. Moses was changed by something on the outside.

A voice from a cloud – This was a reminder from God the Father that Jesus was divine. This was an encouragement, and reminder, to them that no matter what others might say you are following the right one.

2. Jesus wanted to give them a clarification of His mission – A reminder that there is an inseparable connection between His suffering and His glory. The disciples were struggling with how God could allow Jesus to suffer. He is teaching them that in the kingdom of God suffering and glory always go together.

The “voice from the cloud” tells the disciple’s to “listen to Him”. He said He will suffer and He will. The promises of God are for those who “listen to Him.” Those who ignore Him and choose to live outside of His rule in their lives miss out on the promises of God. Do not hold on to the promises of God unless you are submitting to the authority of Christ in your life.

Note the contrast between His glory and His suffering. Here He is with saints; there He is between two criminals. Here His clothes radiant brightness; there His clothes are ripped off Him. Here He hears a voice from above; there He hears voices from below telling Him to save himself. Glory and suffering go together. Suffering is the way to glory. (Philippians 2:8-11)

Ministers, or others, who preach prosperity, or the pain free life of following Christ are not preaching the truth of the Bible. Those who say they just want to give their congregants good news are not preaching the full truth. We are not called to give good news but true news.

3. Jesus showed them the centrality of His glory – There is probably some correlation between Moses being the law and Elijah being the prophets. These were two heroes of the Jewish faith. Everything they did was to point to Jesus. He is central. He is left alone, Moses and Elijah are gone, the focus is on Him. (Mark 9:8) All that Moses and Elijah represent in the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus.

This is encouraging because it shows it is not all about them – or us. Just as He would manifest Himself in suffering, we are to manifest Him in our suffering. Our suffering is about Jesus, not us. We are to manifest Jesus in our suffering. He has us in the middle of our suffering to glorify Him. Do we?

4. Jesus shows them the certainty of His vindication – The divine confirmation of His ultimate vindication is the transfiguration. Most people will think of His life as a failure at His crucifixion. He gives the disciples a picture of what is coming, the resurrection. He wants them to understand He will return for everyone to see Him.

We have that certainty also. (1 John 3:1-3) We will be hated and mocked, but we will be glorified with Him. He points to Elijah as John the Baptist, who lost his head. He was also a bit sarcastic in that He asked them why they didn’t see the suffering of Christ in the prophecies.

Peter wanted to stay on the mountain. Not quite knowing what to say he suggested setting up tents. We can’t stay on the mountain. Verse 9 starts with, “And as they were coming down the mountain…” He gives us glimpses, foretastes, of His glory, but we always come down from the mountain because we live in the valley. He is gracious to remove us for moments to see His glory and to motivate us to hold on. The weeping lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning! Be faithful – you are following the right guy!

Go Ask Your Daddy - Interesting Events in History?

What are some interesting events of history that I can do my Language Arts project on?

Interesting is an …interesting…choice of words. Arguably you could say that any event from history is interesting. Some more so than others.

The invasion of Normandy (D-Day) in World War II was interesting. The sinking of the Titanic was interesting, from a historical perspective. How about the Civil War, the development of the printing press, the manhunt for Lincoln’s assassin, the discovery of penicillin, the moon landing, or the Napoleonic wars? All, no doubt, mighty interesting.

It seems to me, however, a more appropriate term might be – important. What are the most important events in the history of the world?

I suppose there will be some subjectivity depending on your perspective. To Americans, perhaps, the adoption of the Declaration of Independence might be most important. To those who were enslaved maybe it was Wilberforce’s drive to abolish slavery.

There will come a time though when everyone’s perspective will be the same and all will see that the most important events in human history involved the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

The Incarnation. God taking on human form. God in human flesh. God with us. The creator of the universe stepping down from His throne to humbly walk with His creation. The significance of this is unparalleled in human history. The calendar of history has immortalized the importance of this historical event.

Everything else pales in comparison to this miraculous birth, except for one thing. The Atonement. God incarnate, walking among us, was crucified. Put to death by His creation. This perfect soul was beaten, tortured and nailed to a Roman cross to die. History’s worst event happened to history’s best person.

However, it didn’t end there. God was not done. Within three days something happened that had never happened before in the history of the world, nor has it happened since, nor will it happen again. This man, Jesus the Christ, disfigured beyond recognition, dead and buried – rose from the dead! He physically, not spiritually or metaphorically, but physically, so that you could touch him, walked the earth again.

All will eventually see that there are no more important, or interesting, events in history save for one – when He returns to finalize history as we know it with His triumphant reign.

Something Light - Talking Animals (with an accent)

Book Review - North! Or Be Eaten

North! Or Be Eaten

Andrew Peterson

WaterBrook Press (August 18, 2009)

In short: An exciting tale of monsters, tunnels, dragons, treehouses, pirates, betrayal and bravery with an underlying theme of providence that is hard to put down.

The Igiby children are headed north out of necessity. The dreaded Fangs of Dang are closing in but they can’t survive the cold of the frigid north. There is peril along the way however, from snickbuzzards to bomnubbles and more.

“From a space between two dead limbs on the gully floor – which Janner now realized wasn’t a floor at all – a milky-eyed head emerged. Its nose was moist and wide, its snout long like a horse’s but stouter, and two yellowed fangs jutted down from a mouth full of crooked, sharp teeth: a toothy cow, trapped below them in a gargan rockroach den.”

This epic tale of another world, with a mythic history of its own as, once again, evidenced by footnotes, continues the unique and clever writing of the first book in the Wingfeather saga. This, the second book, advances the story with much more peril and with serious themes including the depravity of man.

“I don’t know what old Gnag has planned for you, but you just trust the Maker and…do like your father would have you do. Do like me and yer ma would have you do. Don’t just follow your heart. Your heart will betray you.”

Andrew Peterson, the author, also slips in thoughts on the holiness and loving-kindness of God.

“That kiss last night was the closest me withered heart will find to goodness before I meet the Maker and all his wrath, I fear.”

“In the words of the great warrior Triloban Plubius the Bruised, ‘Whether crushed or sheltered by the Maker’s hand, ‘tis beneath it we go, from breath to death.’”

A scene of regeneration is particularly poetic as one of our young heroes is locked inside a coffin.

“He was trapped in a place where all he had was himself, and though he’d never thought of himself as a bad person, every motive, thought, and action that paraded through the blackness told him otherwise. Even his alliance with Sara Cobbler was driven by selfishness.”

With an underlying feeling of providential care and redemption this clever, and exciting, tale of monsters, tunnels, dragons, treehouses, pirates, betrayal and bravery has action to satisfy the reluctant reader and is thoughtful enough to satisfy the bibliophile with its creative use of language and structure.

“He wondered what book he might be reading when he finally breathed his last, and determined to grab a good one as soon as he sensed the end coming so that whoever discovered him would know he had good taste in literature.”

This is not a bad book to have around for just such an occasion!

Rating: Hardback

Book Brief - On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Andrew Peterson

WaterBrook Press (March 18, 2008)

The footnote (at the bottom of page 52, referring to a word used in a song on the same page) in this new novel reads:

“Though it is impossible to be sure, most scholars agree that this is likely the song that Leeli Igiby sang at the cliffs that evening. Holoré is an ancient word with several meanings. Its most common definition is “the feeling of forgetting to do something without knowing what that thing is.” For example: Foom was overcome with holoré for the whole journey, but when he returned home to find his wife still waiting on the front steps, he realized what he had forgotten. The word holoré is also used to describe the scent of burned cookies…”

A footnote… in a novel? This fanciful novel from Andrew Peterson is full of them. From endearing features like footnotes to fantastical creatures like thwaps, rat badgers, flabbits, horned hounds, quill diggles, digtoads, and, yes, toothy cows, this first novel of the Wingfeather saga will make you smile.

“A middle-aged man named Robesbus Nicefellow, who had spent his life balancing records for the famed button merchant Osbeck Osbeckson of Torrboro, decided he wouldn’t spend one more day working behind a desk; he had always wanted to sail…Mayor Blaggus silently swore he’d never again pick his nose. “ (from the footnote - Mayor Blaggus broke his vow on the walk back to town.)

Reminiscent of our world, yet fantastically it’s own, this fantasy has appeal for both adult and young adult readers. The Igiby children live with their widowed mother and peg-legged grandfather in Glipwood in the once peaceful land of Skree. The evil, lizard like creatures, the Fangs of Dang, have invaded the land however, and tension is always present. The Igiby’s are soon at odds with the invaders and before long are on a discovery of the wild countryside and of their past.

The, often, utterly ridiculous is balanced with the frighteningly real to produce a creative and quirky novel that you will not want to end.

Rating: Hardback

Book Review - Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream

Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream

Adam W. Shepard

Harper (October 14, 2008)

In short: Great concept, good execution and a fascinating tale of poverty among the homeless, while working hard for something better.

“And that was the name of the game. Delaying gratification. In my mind, I had to be prepared to put my wants aside indefinitely as I fought to attain basic needs. I didn’t yet have the means to provide my own food, shelter, clothing, or an automobile. Nothing. So the more money I spent on booze or cigarettes or snacks or the latest pair of shoes that nobody else on the block had yet, the farther I would be from accomplishing my initial goals.”

Adam Shepard is annoyed by the whining and complaining. A recent graduate of a private college he has an idea that he hopes will change some attitudes. With $25 in his pocket, the clothes on his back and a city chosen at random, his goal is to have $2,500 in the bank, a working automobile, and a full-time job (without using his college resume) within the year.

His education on the streets begins quickly in Charleston, South Carolina, at Crisis Ministries, a homeless shelter in a rough part of town. Every step is fraught with temptation and low-level corruption.

“The shelter was supposed to be repulsive. That’s the only way it could be. It couldn’t be comfortable or clean…There was a reason Ann and the other employees were stern in their approach to us. There was a reason we didn’t have cable TV, and there was a reason that many of our rights and freedoms were checked at the door: they didn’t want us there. For our own good, they wanted us out.”

There are some great characters in this story and some great stories in the characters. Adam tells of his first real job interview where he offered to work for free, “I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I’m no fun, actually. None of your guys, as great as they may be, have the work ethic that I do.” He tells of the sympathetic and “average” bus driver who was, “getting the same pay check regardless of what attitude you bring to work”, but made a difference in Adam’s day. Adam also reveals his character when he breaks his toe on the job:

“I could complain about my situation and feel sorry for myself or I could get back on the horse. If nothing else, I was discovering that life just simply isn’t fair, but the difference emerges among the people that accept that ideal, embrace it even, and bask in the unsung glory of knowing that each obstacle overcome along the way only adds to the satisfaction in the end. Nothing great, after all, was ever accomplished by anyone sulking in his or her misery.”

There are lessons here for all. Most interesting for followers of Christ is his description of a Baptist church outdoor mass baptism he attended.

“One guy, Joseph, who had been living on the streets since his time had run out at the shelter, was given a bag full of clothes, food vouchers, and the invitation to come live in a vacant room at one of the churchgoer’s houses…You can call it God’s will or whatever you want, but I saw it as the most noble act of selflessness I had ever witnessed…But did the men I met take advantage of the services that were offered to them by the church?...most of the guys were back to their normal selves before we even left the parking lot of the church…They needed repetition to get off the streets. While some were self-motivated and had merely stumbled through a tough time in their lives, most of them needed someone constantly in their ear…”

In the end Adam discovers that the homeless problem, in some ways, is much more complex than we think. He witnessed many of his newfound friends who didn’t seem to even want the help. They seemed to be content with their station in life or the release their drugs and alcohol provided. It was just too difficult for them to work through the rigorous rehab program or discipline themselves to work. As Adam notes, are we not the same on a smaller scale? How often do we find ourselves content with status quo and don’t do the hard work of “owning” our lives?

With a great concept followed up with action, this is a fascinating tale of poverty among the homeless and of working hard to make more of a life.

As an aside, Adam makes good use of his local library to aid his job search. With access to the internet, computers, books and research assistance the local public library is a forgotten treasure. I am quite sure that Caesar, even with his ancient library of Alexandria would be awestruck at the wealth of books, information and knowledge available to the average citizen today. I have no doubt he would also be appalled at the apathy and lack of use of such a treasure.

Rating: Paperback

We surf...so you don't have to - Sep. 15

The Obama School Speech Controversy — What to Think?

"Christians must be the first to pray for this president and to model respect for the presidency..."

Thank you, Scotland Yard

Ever wonder why they check your liquid containers at the airport now?

St. Louis Cardinals fan feels uplifted after fall

A good story about a dad, son and their favorite player.

Quote - Our Most Important Priority

"We have been brought to the point where we both can and must get our life’s priorities straight. From current Christian publications you might think that the most vital issue for any real or would-be Christian in the world today is church union, or social witness, or dialogue with other Christians and other faiths, or refuting this or that -ism, or developing a Christian philosophy and culture, or what have you. But our line of study makes the present day concentration on these things look like a gigantic conspiracy of misdirection. Of course, it is not that; the issues themselves are real and must be dealt with in their place. But it is tragic that, in paying attention to them, so many in our day seem to have been distracted from what was, and is, and always will be, the true priority for every human being. That is, learning to know God in Christ."

J. I. Packer

HT: Scriptorium Daily

Sermon Notes - A Strange Invitation

A Strange Invitation, Mark 8:31 – 9:1
J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended September 13, 2009

After hearing this invitation you may wonder why anyone would ever agree. This is an invitation to release control, to come and die, to be a slave and a servant. Those who hold tightly to their lives will ultimately lose it.

1. Explanation – Mark 8:31 – 33

This is the foundation of the next verses. Jesus tells us how He is called to live. “Must” is the key word. He must suffer and be persecuted. This is a statement of fact, His purpose. He doesn’t, and we can’t, substitute the word “willing” for “must”.

2. Invitation – Mark 8:34

He is inviting us to come and follow Him and live the life He lives.

Mark specifically notes that He summoned the crowd. In the previous verses, He was talking to the disciples only. This is important it that it shows the invitation is to all, not just the disciples. This gives no one the opportunity to say that this invitation is for the spiritual “green berets”, it is for all who are in the crowd, including believers, unbelievers, and the marginal believers.

Once again, “must” doesn’t mean “willing”. We can’t substitute the two.

Three imperatives for a follower of Christ:

Deny himself – This is radical in what must be denied. He isn’t asking to just deny something but to deny your very self. You must deny your plans, hopes, and ambitions. Must die to that man and live for Christ.

What specifically does this mean? Eight of the eleven times this word is used is in reference to one story. That story is in Matthew 26: 69 – 75 where Peter denies Christ three times. He denied any association or knowledge of Christ whatsoever. Jesus uses the same word to tell us what we must do. We must deny every association and knowledge of the old man. We no longer have the right to determine what to do with our money for example. We go to what Christ says first.

Take up your cross – We use this term all the time but to the crowd it was probably confusing. A brutal death was what came to their mind. The cross was what a criminal, as defined by the Romans, had to carry through town on their back. They knew that whoever carried this cross was going to die. So what did Jesus mean?

He did not mean you must be willing to die. Nor did he mean you should be willing to die if need be. None of this was about willingness. It is easy to say I’m willing to die for Christ. He died to His rights and privileges as the Son of God, and so we should die to our rights. It is an ongoing death as well as an initial moment. The first moment we realize there is nothing we can do to save ourselves is the first of a million deaths. We have to die daily to the sinful man.

Follow me – This is perhaps the strangest of all imperatives. “If anyone wants to follow me he must follow me”, is a sense of the wording. Embrace me as well as my life. People want to follow Jesus but not really follow Him. This isn’t just a philosophy but a life. Don’t say you are going to follow Jesus and then not follow Him. Mortify the old man. You cannot follow Him apart from self denial and self sacrifice. Are you functioning as the king of your own life or is He?

3. Argumentation – Mark 8:35-38

He knows we are scared. This invitation is almost like saying I’m paying for you to visit Hawaii but you have to swim there. We like our life we aren’t willing to just lose it. He gives us two reasons to receive His invitation:

Our refusal to receive it results in the loss of our life – Our very attempt to save our life will cost us our life both here and in eternity in Hell. When you lose it you actually get it. Our soul is more important than our life on earth.

Our refusal to receive it results in loss of reception – He will deny us if we deny Him. He will say, just like Peter, “I don’t even know that man.” This is more than just a verbal denial. Many accept Him with their words but deny Him with their lives. (Titus 1:16) On the flip side, are you living like Him yet afraid to speak for Him? That is also unacceptable in the eyes of Jesus.

4. Exhortation – Mark 8:39-9:1

Jesus says we may not see His glory now but just wait. He is referring to the resurrection. His power comes by death – just like ours does.

Following Him does not just mean embracing an idea or a belief. It is embracing a life. The question is, are you following Jesus, not just did you pray a prayer. It may be the start of a life but it isn’t the prayer that is important. Your perseverance in the life is indication of the prayer.

Something Light - The laugh that can't be stifled

Have you ever experienced this?

“Well, I saw that and wanted to laugh. Not just wanted to – I tell you that laugh was down in my stomach, like bad beef; it meant to come out. Desperately it strove for placid thoughts; which meant, of course, not looking at Mr. Holgen’s hat. Not thinking those words. And yet they called, like a summons, like a hissed invitation, SHOOT ME!, calling to the laugh inside my belly.

You want torture? A giggle crept up the old esophagus; I swallowed it down. My eyeballs watered. The worst of it was I seemed to be the only kid who’d noticed. Either that or everyone else had iron control, a terrible thought. I looked around; glazed faces everywhere. No one else had seen!

Oh, but that moment was a lonesome place. Mr. Holgren talked on; I molared the inside of my cheek; the laugh stayed put but I felt it down there, accruing strength. Goodness, it made me nervous…I swallowed about twelve times. Then Peter Emerson leaned over to my ear. “Bang”, he whispered. I knew defeat. Through mouth plastered hands the laugh ripped forth – hoo-hoo-ha-ha-wha-wha-wha – a ruddy bray that condemned me to the stares of aghast pilgrims and who knew what violent repercussions at the hands of Mr. Holgren. I laughed so hard my sight went dark.”

From Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

Go Ask Your Daddy - Zoroastrianism?

Hopefully, a semi-regular feature here. Questions from my daughters that require a little bit more explanation and thought.

It’s just a title. There is no implication here that “Mommy” couldn’t answer the questions just as well, in fact, more often than not, better. I just liked the way it sounded and my wife does use that question. It is usually in the context of asking permission rather than asking for knowledge. Hmm, wonder if that means anything?

Who is Zoroaster? My AP World History book says that he was born before Christ and it implied that Christianity really came from Zoroastrianism. Is there any truth to that at all?

Are we sure that these AP classes are what we need to be in? Wow. I didn’t have to think about Zoroaster until after college, and even then there was no connection with Christianity at all. It was just another false religion. So maybe these AP classes are good. At least we can talk about it now before they head off to college on their own.

If anything came from one it would be the other way around. Zoroastrianism undoubtedly borrowed from Christianity. Let me state it plainly: Jesus is not a recycled version of any religion, nor did the writers of the New Testament plagiarize.

The Gospels are accounts of actual historical events and of real, flesh-and-blood human beings. They cite actual historical evidence with precise topographical locations. As one example, read the following and ask yourself if it sounds like Luke was writing a fairy tale that couldn’t be proved or disproved.

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. In the days of Herod, king of Judea…” (Luke 1:1-5)

There have been, and will continue to be, many claims that the story of Jesus was “borrowed” from other sources. These claims include Horus, Mithras, and Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra), just to name a few. The popular book, "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown, even makes the absurd statement that, “Nothing in Christianity is original.”

There are a couple of things we need to keep in mind as we deal with these types of issues.

First, the “facts” stated generally aren’t factual. Specifically, Zoroaster’s “miraculous” birth, according to some scholars, dates to the ninth century A.D., i.e. 800 years after Christ was born and resurrected. If that were the case, all of the New Testament had been written. Yet other scholars say that Zoroaster lived around 600-500 BC. If that were the case, portions of the Old Testament would have already been written. This disagreement among scholars highlights the fact that we don’t know when Zoroaster lived so this claim is skeptical at best.

Even if we grant that Zoroaster was born before Christ that doesn’t negate the clear Messianic prophecies of resurrection and virgin birth in the Old Testament. Zoroaster could have as easily borrowed from the Old Testament as the claim that the New Testament borrowed from Zoroaster.

Once again, let’s grant his birth. What about Zoroastrianism’s ancient text, the Avesta? The Avesta would show us what Zoroaster actually taught, as opposed to what modern Zoroastrianism says he taught. Stated simply, the Avesta was not complete until possibly as late as a thousand years after his birth, whenever that might be.

“The oldest known manuscript of the Avesta stems from the 1200’s A.D., a fairly long time since its [supposed] composition, and it has been estimated that approximately 75 percent of the original Avesta has been lost. Furthermore, because Avestan is such a difficult language, many sentences in it seem to make no sense…There is no question that the majority of the Avesta, though claiming to stem from Zoroaster, was produced much later.” (Why I Am a Christian: Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe, Norman Geisler and Paul Hoffman)

As an aside, how completely ingenious of our God that He would provide his special revelation to us in the original languages of Hebrew and Greek that are clear to understand and still in use today.

“The origins of the Avesta are, for the most part, shrouded in mystery. Any information containing Zoroaster’s revelations is so deeply rooted in late mythology that it cannot constitute compelling evidence that the Avesta is inspired.” (Why I Am a Christian: Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe, Norman Geisler and Paul Hoffman)

The basis then for some of our information about Zoroaster is questionable.

Secondly, even if the “facts” were true it still proves nothing. As C.S. Lewis said, “You must show that a man is wrong before you start explaining why he is wrong.” In other words they have to show that Jesus is a fiction before they start explaining how the fiction came to be. They just make the assumption He is not who He says He is, without any historical evidence to back up their claim. They assume what they are trying to prove.

We do not believe in myths, we base our faith on eyewitnesses to history. (2 Peter 1:16) The writers of the New Testament knew that these questions would always be asked and they addressed it many times in the New Testament. They actually heard, saw and touched the Savior, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3) If Jesus Christ is a myth then they, and we, are truly to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19), especially since we see most of the disciples dying for their faith.

The evidence for Zoroaster being a Savior is lacking. The evidence for Jesus is overwhelming and objectively true.

(I encourage you to read the September/October 2009 edition of Solid Ground by Greg Koukl found at http://www.str.org/, from which the structure of this answer is based.)

Book Review - Stray Affections

Stray Affections
Charlene Baumbich
WaterBrook Press (September 15, 2009)

In short: Filled with emotion, this character driven novel will be welcomed by the right audience looking for an inspirational “shoulder to cry on”.

I do not think I am the target audience for this book.

However, I volunteered to review the book and thus I will. I really don’t know what came over me but I have made a commitment – and I will follow through.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying this is a bad book, I’m just saying it obviously isn’t for me. There are some concerns for anyone, which I will note, but for the right audience I can see where this would be an inspirational and uplifting read. I need a little bit more…shall we say…action? No, that isn’t exactly it because I like a lot of books that aren’t driven by their plot. Maybe it is a gender thing, but this novel was just too…”soft”? There were a lot of emotions flying around here. Examining your feelings was an important part of the character development. A lot of those feelings were “hurt feelings”. I felt like I had landed in the middle of a therapy session. Come on ladies, get over it! (Sorry, it just came out.)

Cassandra, a mother of four young boys, is mesmerized by a snowglobe that she finds at a collectors convention. The object, mystically, prompts a novel length exploration of the relationship with her deceased grandfather, a stray dog she cared for as a child and, most importantly, the strained relationship with her mother, Betty.

Cassandra’s small town life adds a little excitement, and complications, to these explorations of her psyche.

“The downside to living in a small town was there was no such thing as anonymity or hidden error.”

A key part of Cassandra’s emotional healing involves her mother’s widowed friend, Burt Burt. Yes, same first name as last name. Burt Burt is a rock in a sea of sensitivity – although he does have his moments too.

“Eventually, he realized that sometimes a person had to come to grips with his own loneliness – to make peace with it – before he could try to pawn it off or fill it up with someone else. In the last year, there’d been a couple of widows who frequented the shop, putting a few moves on him, but he’d not been inclined to reciprocate.”

Near the end of the book my concerns hit their tipping point as one of the main characters explained her growth with God over the past few chapters. She describes a loving God,

“…not just a judgmental God who thundered around waiting to damn a person to eternal hell.”

This clarified the whole novel to me. God is not waiting to damn a person to eternal Hell. An overemphasis on one characteristic of God leads to a mischaracterization of the whole of God, which can lead to a focus on the emotional, and the mystical. I think it can also lead to a focus on signs, dreams, fleeces and “hearing the voice of God”, which are all prominent in this novel. Please don’t misunderstand me again. The God of the Bible is loving. He cares about our relationships. He is also just and Holy however, and characterizing Him as loving without an equal emphasis on his other characteristics actually diminishes the true character of His loving-kindness.

To learn more about the book or pick up a copy visit here.

Rating: Avoid

Book Brief - Shakespeare's Secret

Shakespeare's Secret

Elise Broach

Square Fish (August 21, 2007)

Hero and Beatrice’s father loves everything Shakespeare. The kids at school are not so interested in the fact that Hero’s name was taken from Much Ado About Nothing – and Hero herself is not really that interested either. Moving to a new town doesn’t help her attitude, nor does the fact that Beatrice is more socially adept than she is.

“My dad always says, some people will treat you badly and you can’t help that. But how you handle it, and how it makes you feel, that’s up to you.”

Hero soon befriends her elderly next door neighbor and, surprisingly, Danny, a popular boy at school two years older than her. Danny and Hero soon become involved in an old mystery involving a diamond and the new house of Hero’s family. With apparent connections between Anne Boleyn, Shakespeare’s plays and Queen Elizabeth I the reader gets a little history lesson without even noticing.

This novel strikes a good balance between history, coming-of-age and mystery that will appeal to all. The only minor objection regards Hero and her parents. Hero is not completely honest with her parents about some of her actions but does eventually learn her lesson and reconcile her behavior with her parents.

“Being popular is hard?”

“Yes, it’s hard. Everybody’s watching you all the time, and you don’t feel like yourself anymore…I couldn’t raise my hand. [to answer a question she knew about Shakespeare]…I’m not the smart one who knows Shakespeare. Or if I am, I can’t be friends with Kelly…You would hate it. You….have to change too much about yourself.

Rating: Borrow

We surf...so you don't have to - Sep. 8

How Do You Treat the Deli Guy?

Adorn the Gospel.

Public versus private

Iftar but not the National Day of Prayer?

Oblivious to Grandeur

Do you stop to listen?

Quote - Knowledge of the Bible

“Learn to know what you mean when you talk of believing the doctrines of Christianity. Be able to give a reason of your hope. Be able to say what you think true, and what you think false in religion. And never, never forget that the only foundation of soundness of faith, is a thorough textual knowledge of the Bible.”

J.C. Ryle

Sermon Notes - Dragnet: The Final Episode

Dragnet: The Final Episode, Matthew 13:47-51
Dr. Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Dallas, attended September 6, 2009

If we refuse to talk of Hell to unbelievers then we are neither faithful nor loving. We are like a fireman who stands by watching a house burn down with people inside.

At first glance, this parable seems to duplicate the truth found in the parable about the wheat and tares. It is similar but He does leave out details here. He was repeating the truth for emphasis. Repetition is the key to learning. It is as if He is saying I’m giving you a final warning – the time is coming.

1. The separation of unbelievers (Matthew 13:47-49)

God’s judgment is certain – In our present age there is no separation of believers and unbelievers so it is often hard to see this coming. We go about our daily lives thinking everything will continue as they are and never thinking of the judgment to come. Like ants under the boot of a child, oblivious to their impending doom.

God’s judgment is impartial – The farmer and the fisherman had an objective standard they used to separate the wheat and tares and the good fish and the bad fish. Our “plumb line” is the law, fulfilled in Jesus. All humans are measured against His perfect standard. Therefore, none of us measure up and we need a Savior to cover us in righteousness. We are ignorant of God’s holiness when we deny Hell or a God who judges. The question we should be asking ourselves is, “How could God ever allow sinners like us into Heaven?”

God’s judgment is final – Irretrievable and irreversible.

2. The suffering of unbelievers (Matthew 13:50) – The theory of annihilationism, unbelievers just cease to exist, is popular today, even in Christian circles, i.e. surely a loving God would not let unbelievers suffer eternally. At first glance this verse might seem to promote that view, were it not for “the final disturbing phrase Jesus utters.”

Hell is a place of eternal torment (Luke 16:19-31) – Is this passage literal? Hard to say definitively as we know that Hell is also a place of darkness so how can they two co-exist? We should take no comfort however if He is talking symbolically as He is saying it is worse than a literal fire.

Hell is a place of eternal regrets – We carry our memories of this life into the next. In verses 24 and 25 of Luke 16 Abraham says “remember”, so we can. This has got to be one of the most horrific aspects of Hell.

Hell is a place of eternal remorse – Verses 27 and 28 of Luke 16 show that he feels guilt. He wants them to be warned. How much attention do we, as parents, give to spiritual matters of our children? We focus on lot on academics, athletics and social aspects. How much worse will eternity be knowing that our children, the ones we love the most, are suffering in Hell with us knowing we helped bring them there?

3. The application (Matthew 13:51) – To hear and understand means doing and applying. It doesn’t just mean a cognitive understanding.

To unbelievers – Know there is a day coming.

To believers – This is a motivation for ministry and mission. The purpose of the church is to warn people and point them to the only way of escape. Strengthening relationships, strengthening our understanding of the Word or providing answers are all secondary to the real mission of the church.

“Some talk about it as an unreasonable thing to fright persons to Heaven, but I think it is a reasonable thing to endeavor to fright persons away from Hell. They stand upon its brink, and are just ready to fall into it, and are senseless of their danger. Is it not a reasonable thing to fright a person out of a house on fire?” Jonathan Edwards