John Piper: 15 Things I Have Learned from My Father

John Piper @ http://www.desiringgod.org tells of a recent find:

Since my father died, I have been looking through his papers. I found a small sheet with the following fifteen counsels, titled "Things I Have Learned." He didn't make most of these up. Some of them go back to his college days when he was absorbing the pithy wisdom of Bob Jones Senior. They have again confirmed the obvious: I owe my father more than I can ever remember.

Things I Have Learned

1. The right road always leads to the right place; therefore, get on the right road and go as far as you can on it.

2. There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do right.

3. Happiness is not found by looking for it. You stumble over happiness on the road to duty.

4. The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition.

5. God in the right place in my life fixes every other relationship of life (Matthew 6:33).

6. It is never right to get the right thing in the wrong way -- like good grades, wealth, power, position. Don't sacrifice your principles.

7. It is a sin to do less than your best. It is wrong to do [merely] well.

8. It is wrong to be yoked to one who refuses the yoke of Christ.

9. The part of your character that is deficient is the part that needs attention.

10. Don't quit. Finish the job. God can't use a quitter.

11. Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong.

12. Beware of any society in which you feel compelled to put a bushel over your testimony.

13. It isn't enough to be good. Be good for something. The essence of Christianity is not a passionless purity.

14. Positive living produces negative effect[merely].

15. Learn to be sweetly firm.

Performing Chalk Artist

The Feasts of the Lord - God's Daytimer

Reforming Baptist @ http://reformingbaptist.blogspot.com has an interesting post on the Feasts. Although I disagree with his summation of the debate between Israel & the Church, he makes some interesting observations including:

You can find the ceremonial laws in Leviticus 23-25. But first, it is important to note an often overlooked verse in Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons (moed), and for days, and years.

He covers:

The Spring Feasts

A.. Feast of Passover
Leviticus 23:1-22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts (moed) of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover.

i. Jesus Cleanses the Temple of Leaven
Exodus 12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

Matthew 21:12-13 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

ii. Jesus sings a hymn of his own crucifixion
Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Psalm 118:21-27 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

iii. Jesus died on the Passover
John 18:39-40 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

b. Feast of Unleavened Bread
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Acts 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

c. Feast of First fruits
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (barley harvest) 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. 13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. 14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre….Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

d. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost -Harvest of Grain aka Shavuot)

15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

i. The First Pentecost – the giving of the law (Israel is born)
Exodus 32:15-16 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Three Thousand were killed
Exodus 32:26-28 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

The Last Pentecost
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Three Thousand are Saved (a great harvest)
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

The Fall Feasts – (Harvest of Grapes and other fruits)
Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Revelation 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Joel 3:12-13 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

e. The Feast of Trumpets -
Leviticus 23:23-25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Numbers 29:1And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing (yom) the trumpets (toruah) unto you.

Psalm 47:5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. (Shofar)
Psalm 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound (shofar): they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

Zephaniah 1:14-16 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of the trumpet (shofar) and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

Daniel 12:1-2 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

f. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
i. The First Atonement
Exodus 34:29 29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

ii. The Annual Celebration
Leviticus 23:26-32 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Leviticus 25:8-9 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

iii. Day of Atonement involves Removal of Sin

Daniel 9:24 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

iv. Robes of White represent Atonement
Revelation 19:13-15 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

g. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) – rejoicing
Exodus 35:21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

Leviticus 23:33-44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. .....I am the LORD your God. 44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 31:10-12 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

Micah 4:1-2 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Zechariah 14:17-21 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts:

_______________________________

See also:

Koinonia House Online

El Shaddai Ministries

Jason Hommel

The Echo and the Insufficiency of Hell

You can now listen to John Piper's first message at Resolved.

He spoke about hell, beginning with 5 things we need to believe about it:

1. It is eternal
2. It involves the suffering of those who are there.
3. It is conscious suffering.
4. God inflicts this suffering.
5. It is righteous.

Then he explained how hell is an echo of God's glory. And finally he made clear that no one can be saved simply by not wanting to go to hell.

There's no manuscript for this message, but you can read the sermon series that this message was based on. It includes much of the same content, including most of the quotes he used.

If a modern day preacher were Moses

Why ‘The Shack’ Is So Deceptive

Stephen Altrogge @ http://www.theblazingcenter.com gives an overview of The Shack:

If you haven’t yet heard about the book The Shack, you will. Written by a man named William Young, the book is making all sorts of waves, both in Christian and non-Christian circles. For the last several months it’s been hanging around the best seller charts, and it has people talking about how it has transformed their relationship with God. This weekend I decided to grab a copy of The Shack and see what all the hype was about. After reading the book I came away with two conclusions. I believe that William Young was a well intentioned guy who was trying to help people understand God better, and I don’t doubt that some people have been affected by the book. However, the book is full of blatant heresy and really does misrepresent the God of the Bible.

In the review he covers:

Intimacy vs. Holiness

I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It’s not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it.

Rules vs. Relationship

The Bible doesn’t teach you to follow rules. It is a picture of Jesus.

Compare this with: 1 John 5:2-3 says:

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

From the summary:

The Bible never drives a wedge between obedience to Jesus and a relationship with Jesus. Psalm 119 is a beautiful testimony to the freedom that comes from obeying the laws of God. Yet the theme of freedom versus rules is repeated over and over again in The Shack.

-----------------

For an indept review see: Tim Challies.

How Important Is Church Membership?

John Piper @ http://www.desiringgod.org reviews the elements of his sermon: "How Important Is Church Membership?"which is the first of 3 sermons on baptism and church membership.

He notes:

Church membership is a blood-bought gift of God's grace. So it is no small thing for a Christian to stiff arm church membership—or for a church to stiff arm a born-again believer from membership. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a local body, because God intends the local church to be an expression of his universal church.

He outlines how the New Testament gives at least five strands of evidence that a definable, local-church membership is necessary:

1. The church is to discipline its members.
2. The reality of excommunication exists.
3. Christians are required to submit to their leaders.
4. Leaders are required to care for their people.
5. The prominent metaphor of the body implies membership.

Bob Kauflin - The Importance of Singing Truth

2008 Desiring God National Conference Speaker Interview: Bob Kauflin

Sermon Outline: “God is Omnipresent” Psalm 139:7-12

God is always with us.

1) In heaven (139:7–8a).

Psalm 51:11

Jeremiah 23:23-24

2) In the place of the dead (139:8).

Amos 9:2

Psalm 23:4

Revelation 14:9-10

3) By the farthest oceans (139:9–10):

1 Kings 8:27

Isaiah 41:10

4) Shining forth in the darkness (139:11–12):

Isaiah 50:10

Christ’s Resurrection Predicted on Ancient Tablet

C Michael Patton @ http://www.reclaimingthemind.org reports that in Jerusalem, a three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days.

The controversial part is that if such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time.

The tablet, probably found near the Dead Sea in Jordan according to some scholars who have studied it, is a rare example of a stone with ink writings from that era — in essence, a Dead Sea Scroll on stone.

It is written, not engraved, across two neat columns, similar to columns in a Torah. But the stone is broken, and some of the text is faded, meaning that much of what it says is open to debate.

Still, its authenticity has so far faced no challenge, so its role in helping to understand the roots of Christianity in the devastating political crisis faced by the Jews of the time seems likely to increase.

C Michael Patton further notes that Daniel Boyarin, a professor of Talmudic culture at the University of California at Berkeley, said that the stone was part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that Jesus could be best understood through a close reading of the Jewish history of his day.

“Some Christians will find it shocking — a challenge to the uniqueness of their theology — while others will be comforted by the idea of it being a traditional part of Judaism,” Mr. Boyarin said.

The Easiest Way To Glorify God

Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 hymns, including “Praise Him, Praise Him” and “To God be the Glory”.

Before he was 20, Charles Spurgeon had preached over 600 times. He read 6 books per week and could recall what he had read and locate it, even years later. He started a pastors’ college that trained nearly 900 students during his lifetime. He’s estimated to have preached to 10,000,000 people (The Reformed Reader). He answered 500 letters a week.

John Wesley rose at 4 a.m., traveled constantly, usually on horseback, formed societies, commissioned preachers, oversaw charities, and even wrote hymns, including O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing.

In light of what seems like impossible service, Mark Altrogge offers this observation:

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me (PS 50.23).

He then notes hoe gratefulness honors the Lord:

• Thankfulness shows we appreciate God’s costly mercy in saving us.

• Thankfulness shows we appreciate God’s abundant goodness and generosity.

• Thankfulness shows what a wonderful Master we serve.

Honoring God in Gray Areas

John MacArthur @ http://www.sfpulpit.com presents a helpful post in regards to 1 Corinthians to help you in deciding what to do. He notes that asking these questions (and others like them) will help you make a wise decision based on sound biblical principles.

1. Will it benefit me spiritually? First Corinthians 10:23

2. Will it put me in bondage? First Corinthians 6:12 says,

3. Will it defile God’s temple? First Corinthians 6:19-20

4. Will it cause others to stumble? First Corinthians 8:8‑9

5. Will it help the cause of evangelism? First Corinthians 10:32-33

6. Will it violate my conscience? First Corinthians 10:25‑29

7. Will it bring glory to God? First Corinthians 10:31

Five Stages of Dealing With Failure

Perhaps you've heard of the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). Tim Stevens @ http://www.leadingsmart.com shares some observations in regards to dealing with failure.

• Justify.

Sometimes there are rational reasons for failure, but if you continue to explain it away over time, it begins to look like an excuse rather than a reason. You can justify a week or even an entire season...but it's difficult to justify trends that are happening over time.

• Question.

When we don't like what the data says, it is so easy to question its' validity. We look deep for one anomaly. We find the one piece where we can cast doubt on the data...thus causing a large shadow over all the findings. Then it makes it easier to say everything is okay. The problem isn't the church, it's the data.

• Blame.

In our frustration, we blame the people. We might even design messages with a prophetic tone to get them to be better, stronger and more committed. Rather than lead them through the difficulty, we preach them through it.

• Redefine.

Instead of figuring out why we keep missing the target, we just move the target to the location where our arrows are landing.

• Lead. At some point, we decide to lead. We stop blaming, questioning, justifying or redefining--and we hunker down and lead through the crisis. We figure out what is wrong and we get on our faces before God, and we begin to fix it. We face the really tough data and talk about the facts of our situation which might be embarrasing or self-condemning. We acknowledge where we are wrong and we get risky and determine to try some stuff to get back on track. We stick our necks out and cancel some stuff that has perceived success, and add some stuff that has no historical track record. We work through the feeling of failure, the muddy conversations and awkward staff meetings. We don't jump ship because the waters are suddenly rocky. No, instead we rally the troops, and we do what leaders do in times of crisis...we lead.

C. Michael Patton Explains Sola Scriptura

C. Michael Patton from The Theology Program and Reclaiming the Mind Ministries has a wonderful series going at Parchment and Pen defending the Protestant stand on Sola Scriptura.

Michael Spencer notes that today’s episode deals with the basis for claiming the canon of scripture- your Bible’s table of contents- is inspired, even though that list is not part of scripture itself.

He does a wonderful job. Read and add this to your resources for understanding this basic issue of separation between Protestants and Roman Catholics/Orthodox.

Sola Scriptura Part One
Sola Scriptura Part Two
Sola Scriptura Part Three
Sola Scriptura Part Four
Sola Scriptura Part Five
Sola Scriptura Part Six

The Apathy Of The Modern Church - John MacArthur

Part 1 of 2 -10 min


Part 2 of 2 -9 min

The Death of John Marks Templeton

Sir John Templeton--the billionaire philathropist, PCUSA elder, and founder of the Templeton Prize to foster "progress in religion" and the discovery of "spiritual realities"--has died at 95. Here is the NYT eulogy.

John Marks Templeton had a number of beliefs, one he called the “humble approach”.

Ingrid Schlueter listed the report The Berean Call wrote about that approach:

According to Templeton, the world’s scriptures (including the Bible) “were written… [by] men whose minds were limited by cosmologies long since discredited” (H, 61). Nor does the Bible accurately record the words of Christ, because those who reported them “could write down only what they understood… [as] ignorant and primitive… Jews.” (H, 39-40). Berean Call, May, 96

For more information on his heretical views see this chapter from the online book, Reinventing Jesus Christ, which details Templeton’s “humility theology”.

U.N. scheme to make Christians criminals

Bob Unruh a news editor for WorldNetDaily.com is reporting that Sharia-following Islamic

From the article:

Dozens of nations dominated by Islam are pressing the United Nations to adopt an anti-"defamation" plan that would make Christians criminals under i

nternational law, according to a United States organization that has launched a campaign to defend freedom of religion worldwide. The discrimination is "wrapped in the guise of a U.N. resolution called 'Combating Defamation of Religions,'" the announcement said. "We must put an immediate end to this most recent, dangerous attack on faith that attempts to criminalize Christianity."

For example, just two months ago an Afghanistan court following Islam sentenced to death a 23-year-old apprentice journalist who had downloaded an article from an Iranian website and brought it to his class, the ECLJ said. Other instances include:

• Award-winning author Mark Steyn has been summoned to appear before two Canadian Human Rights Commissions of vague allegations of "subject[ing] Canadian Muslims to hatred and contempt" for comments in his book, "America Alone," the group said.
  
  
• In Pakistan, 15 people were accused of blasphemy against Islam during the first four months of 2008, the organization said.
  
  
• Another Pakistani man sentenced to life in prison for desecrating the Quran was jailed for six years before being acquitted of the charge.
  
  
• In Saudi Arabia a teacher was sentenced to three years in prison plus 300 lashes "for expressing his views in a classroom."
  
  
• In the United Kingdom, police announced plans to arrest a blogger for "anti-Muslim" statements.


• In the United States, a plaintiff sued his Internet service provider for refusing "to prevent participants in an online chat room from posting or submitting harassing comments that blasphemed and defamed plaintiff's Islamic religion."

This Is An Awareness Test

How many passes does the team in white make? Test you awareness and Do the Test!

Six Faces of New Paganism

Tim Challies @ http://www.challies.com is reviewing Bruce Waltke’s Old Testament Theology. He shows how culture’s refusal to acknowledge the creator necessarily leads to the anti-God worldview so apparent in society around us.
“Christians now live on a mission field with worldviews that besiege the message of ethical monotheism.” He says that this new paganism has six faces and one proceeds from the one before it.

1. The common worldview of the Western world since the time of the enlightenment has been materialism.

2. There is an implication to materialism.

3. Determinism, which understands reality as mechanical and without inherent value.

4. Secularism is a political or social philosophy that embraces each of these “-isms”—materialism, empiricism and determinism.

5. Secular humanism is a system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values and dignity are predominant.

6. Post-modernism or New Ageism marks what is really a return to old-fashioned paganism, though with a distinctly modern twist to it.

Visions of Hell

John Piper @ http://www.desiringgod.org reflected on the sobering theme of Heaven and Hell in relation to his talk at Resolved 08. He contrasted Clark Pinnock and Dorothy Sayers.

Clark Pinnock, a Canadian theologian who has moved far from his evangelical roots, wrote:

I was led to question the traditional belief in everlasting conscious torment because of moral revulsion and broader theological considerations, not first of all on scriptural grounds. It just does not make any sense to say that a God of love will torture people forever for sins done in the context of a finite life.... It’s time for evangelicals to come out and say that the biblical and morally appropriate doctrine of hell is annihilation, not everlasting torment. (Theological Crossfire: An Evangelical/Liberal Dialogue, 226-7)

Dorothy Sayers, who died in 1957, speaks a wise and faithful antidote to this kind of abandonment of truth.

There seems to be a kind of conspiracy, especially among middle-aged writers of vaguely liberal tendency, to forget, or to conceal, where the doctrine of Hell comes from. One finds frequent references to the “cruel and abominable mediaeval doctrine of hell,” or “the childish and grotesque mediaeval imagery of physical fire and worms.” ...

But the case is quite otherwise; let us face the facts. The doctrine of hell is not “mediaeval”: it is Christ’s. It is not a device of “mediaeval priestcraft” for frightening people into giving money to the church: it is Christ’s deliberate judgment on sin. The imagery of the undying worm and the unquenchable fire derives, not from “mediaeval superstition,” but originally from the Prophet Isaiah, and it was Christ who emphatically used it.... It confronts us in the oldest and least “edited” of the gospels: it is explicit in many of the most familiar parables and implicit in many more: it bulks far larger in the teaching than one realizes, until one reads the Evangelists through instead of picking out the most comfortable texts: one cannot get rid of it without tearing the New Testament to tatters. We cannot repudiate Hell without altogether repudiating Christ. (A Matter of Eternity, 86)