Ted Bundy Interview on Pornography

Child Prostitution – South Africa

Tragic.

Wow.

Some of the math is over my head, but wow!

Bill Maher: Strawmanulous

Bill Maher has made a movie called “Religulous,” juxtaposing the beginning of the word “religion” with the end of the word “ridiculous.”  This juxtaposition sums up his thoughts on religion, as does his comment in an interview, in which he says that he preaches, “the gospel of ‘I don’t know.’”

My question is this.  Why does he not really want to know?  If he really wanted to know, then he would not interview his mother, his sister, a crazy guy in Florida who claims to be the second coming of Jesus, and the guy who plays a dancing Jesus at a theme park in Florida, as if these people are experts in religion. 

Why doesn’t he go to Minnesota and interview John Piper?  Why doesn’t he go to Kentucky and interview Albert Mohler?  Why doesn’t he go to California and interview John MacArthur?  Why doesn’t he go to Florida and interview R.C. Sproul?

The answer?  He doesn’t want to know the truth.  He is dead in his trespasses and sins.  He is hostile to God.  He suppresses the truth.  His deeds are evil and therefore he loves the darkness more than Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world.

He has legitimate questions, but he counters any attempt at an answer to his questions with an unrelated question.  If he really wanted answers, then he would not make a movie out of his straw man understanding of Christianity.  He would take one issue, find what an expert on that issue has to say and study both sides.

As it is, his beliefs and his movie are nothing but a straw man.

Simplicity.

I think that if we can grasp these simple things, then we can make some ginormous strides toward living “our best life now.”  Ultimately, our best life will be after death.  But, Jesus came that we may live, and live abundantly.  By the grace of God, I think these simple concepts can help us draw nearer to that abundant life.

1. Love

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. -1 Corinthians 13:1-3

2. Bear One Another’s Burdens

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. -Galatians 6:2

3. Make Disciples Who Make Disciples

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20

Why the Struggles and Suffering Remain

What do Christian struggles and suffering have to do with what Jesus called the greatest commandment, and the one that He said was like it?

I think that Christian struggles, including but not limited to the struggle with indwelling sin that continues after conversion, and Christian suffering are realities so that God is our greatest need, and so that the greatest commandment perfectly matches our greatest need.  Our struggles and our suffering should lead us to draw nearer to God.  And drawing nearer to God is where we will find our most joy.  And drawing near to God, by loving Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, according to Jesus, is the greatest commandment.

Also, Christian struggles and suffering should also lead us to obey the commandment Jesus said was like the first.  Because we struggle and suffer, we need God.  And because we struggle and suffer, we need our neighbor.  Therefore, our struggles and suffering enhance our need for God and our neighbors.  There is no moment when we will not need God and our neighbor.

Crazy how God works like that, all matchin’ our needs and His commandments so harmoniously!

In the Heart of an Adopting Father-To-Be

Wow.  Read This.  Really.  Amazing perspective on adoption, from a man who, along with his wife, will soon become the parent of a baby girl who was born last night.

“Learning to Love Her” by Ross King

“Come and Make Known Your Name!” (Poetry, Repost)

Oh come, Lord Jesus, and make known Your name!
May it be in heaven and earth the same!
When Your name is proclaimed on earth I pray,
Every knee would bow, every mouth would say:

“Come, Lord Jesus, take Your power and reign,
Because worthy is the Lamb who was slain!
By Your sinless blood You purchased Your throne,
And became a curse to call us Your own.”

May men, like the heavens and earth, obey.
Your will be done instead of ours, we pray.
May men, like angels, bow down before You.
May kings and princes praise and adore You.

Give us today Your bread of life, oh King,
And of Your grace, love, and power we’ll sing.
Lead us not into temptation, our Lord,
Keep us from evil by Your Word, our sword.

Forgive us of our many sins and debts,
For we’ve all fallen short and have regrets.
We will forgive those who have wronged us, too,
And mirror Your mercy out of love for You.

For kingdom, power, and glory are Yours,
Although this truth our sinful flesh abhors.
Spirit come upon us and do Your will,
For by Your power we can climb the hill.

Let us go to our King, outside the camp,
On Golgotha’s hill we’ll shine like a lamp.
Beside Him we’ll stand, despising the scorn.
Give us all a cross and a crown of thorns!

“The American Dream” (Repost)

Dr. Russell Moore just gave an amazing sermon in chapel here at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and it reminded me of this poem that I wrote a few months ago.  So, I thought that I would repost it.  You can also listen to Dr. Moore’s sermon as soon as they get it uploaded here.  (Until they post it, you can listen to Johnny Hunt’s sermon from yesterday on Psalm 119:33-40 here, which was also outstanding!)

“The American Dream”
Pharaoh and Herod blew their battle horns,
Not against men, but against the newborns.
Tragedy, yes, but today we would say:
“Pharaoh, Herod, you guys waited too late!”

For if you kill newborn babies, you’re jerks.
But us, we’ve evolved, just look at the perks.
We kill our babies before they can scream,
So we can live the American dream.

“Ma’am, your boss gripes ’bout maternity leave?
Well ‘it’s’ just an ‘it,’ no reason to grieve.
You’ll go under the knife one afternoon,
Then back to your life, ‘it’s’ over so soon.”

I have a thought I’d like to consider:
Moses put his staff in the Nile river,
And the water turned to blood all around.
Could it be that the blood rose from the ground?

Could this be the same blood from years before,
When upon male babies Pharaoh made war?
If that is the case, what about us then?
For we have killed more than fifty million!

What if the blood of those babies would rise,
And red cover earth like blue covers skies?
Or must we have hard hearts like the Pharaoh,
Until God releases His due arrow?

For the bow is ready and the string is taut,
And the Hunter is just to shoot or not.
The blood of those babies is on our hands,
And in His eyes their blood covers our lands.

“The Prohibition” by John Donne

Take heed of loving me,
At least remember, I forbade it thee;
Not that I shall repair my unthrifty waste
Of breath and blood, upon thy sighs, and tears,
By being to thee then what to me thou wast;
But, so great joy, our life at once outwears,
Then, lest thy love, by my death, frustrate be,
If thou love me, take heed of loving me.

Take heed of hating me,
Or too much triumph in the victory.
Not that I shall be mine own officer,
And hate with hate again retaliate;
But thou wilt lose the style of conqueror,
If I, thy conquest, perish by thy hate.
Then, lest my being nothing lessen thee,
If thou hate me, take heed of hating me.

Yet, love and hate me too,
So, these extremes shall neither’s office do;
Love me, that I may die the gentler way;
Hate me, because thy love’s too great for me;
Or let these two, themselves, not me decay;
So shall I live thy stage, not triumph be;
Lest thou thy love and hate and me undo,
To let me live, Oh love and hate me too.