The Office

I didn't get to see last week's show, but I did find this clip. Stinkin' hilarious.

Robinsone Crusoe

Tuesday marked the 288th anniversary of the first English novel, Robinson Crusoe to be published. I was able to read it a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoyed it. Even though I haven't been stranded on a desert island recently, I do feel like I identify with Mr. Crusoe sometimes.

He begins his time on the island without much hope and in much distress. The major theme of the book, though, is how he wrestles with God. He begins his time on the island wondering why God would have put him there. It's a very hard struggle and he basically rejects all thoughts of God. At one point he says this:

God had appointed all this to befall me...[and] I was brought to this miserable circumstance by His direction, He having the sole power, not of me only, but of everything that happened in the world.

Over time he continues to survive and have all of his basic needs met. Toward the end of the book, after 15 years or so on the island, he is praising God for His sovereignty and supplying for His needs.

God...comfortably provided for me in my desolate condition. I learned here again to observe that it is very rare that the providence of God casts us into any condition of life so low, or any misery so great, but we may see something or other to by thankful for; and may see others in worse circumstances than our own.

Also, throughout all this, he ends up befriending a native of the island, who he names Friday. In reflecting on this situation, he speaks quite well to those who wonder about others in remote parts of the world, who have never heard the gospel. He says:

Why has it pleased God to hide the like saving knowledge from so many millions of souls, who would make better use of it than we did?

From hence I sometimes was led too far to invade the sovereignty of Providence and, as it were, arraign the justice of so arbitrary a disposition of things that should hide that light from some and reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from both. But I shut it up an checked my thoughts with this conclusion, first, that we did not know by what light and law these should be condemned; but that, as God was necessarily, and by the nature of His being, infinitely holy and just, so it could not be but that if these creatures were all sentenced to absence from Himself, it was on account of sinning against that light which, as the Scripture says, was a law to themselves, and by such rules as their consciences would acknowledge to be just, thought the foundation was not discovered to us. And secondly, that still, as we are all the clay in the hand of the Potter, no vessel could say to Him, 'Why hast Thou formed me thus?

In conclusion, I'm challenged by his reverence for God in the hard circumstances as well as his determination to let the Word speak truth to him, despite what his emotions might lead him to believe. It's a good one, I recommend it.

Naples

I'm digging work right now. The bank sent me down to Naples, Florida for the week to help out a bank going through a conversion. Since the branch I am at is so slow, I've spent a lot of time on the internet. Mainly looking up random info on Wikipedia, as well as putting thoughts on Arnold's blog. It's a pretty interesting conversation about perseverance of the saints. So, I've really wrestled with thinking biblically there, because the guy I am conversing with is a pretty smart guy, and is Catholic. Through it all, I've also come to remember, though we differ in many doctrinal issues, we are still brothers in Christ. And that's comforting knowing that we don't have to have it ALL right. Of course, that begs the question, "What DO you have to have right?" Any thoughts?

I'll leave you with a picture from a couple of hours ago.

Impacting Today's Culture

I recently relistened to a sermon I heard at last year's DG conference. The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in the Postmodern World was given by Tim Keller. It's probably one of the best sermons I've heard on how the church is to interact with today's postmodern culture. I highly recommend it. Here's a summary paragraph from the talk provided by Tim Challies.

"The postmodern world presents a crisis to us. The Western world is now a mission field, but a post-Christian mission field. In some ways our culture is inoculated against Christianity just as the body becomes inoculated against disease so that we can say Western culture has a distorted memory of Christianity. What won't work anymore, by and large, is a campaign, a program, or a gospel presentation. Before now, people knew about Jesus but needed to be told they needed a personal Savior. They were told that they needed to be told to do what they already knew. They had, in many ways, Christians minds but not Christian hearts."

On my knees

My friend Matt spoke this morning at the gathering. One of the things he talked about was our Friday nights. We all pencil in our plans waiting for something "better." And we do that with God.

Tonight, I had many plans to do my Sabbath thing: read, pray, etc. But, I often got distracted with random other things. Going up the stairs several minutes ago, my foot caught the last step and I tripped. I ended up on my knees, and I realized I hadn't been there all day. So, I paused...and met God there. It was good.

After whispering queitly for a while, He might just physically get our attention. I'm glad He's powerful enough to do it.

80s party

Friday night we had a rad 80s theme birthday party for a friend named Kara. Here's a few pics

I thought Dan (far left) had the best costume of the night. He carried that fake cigarette and guitar with him everywhere

The Lescher's (middle) provided the house. And Kara (right) was the BD girl herself with some great hair crimps.

Here's a great shot of the 'Members only' crew. I seriously had about five different people offer me money for this jacket throughout the night. Sorry guys, you're just not cool enough to be a part of the crew.



Here's a great pic of my sister and I. She of course is sporting the heavy eye makeup and side ponytail. And on top of the 'Members only' jacket,' I've got a pair of jean shorts on that are illegal in most states (except of course Florida).




Tennis anyone?

It is Finished

Hark, the voice of love and mercy,
Sound aloud from Calvary!
See, it rends the rocks asunder,
Shakes the earth and veils the sky!
"It is finished, It is finished,"
Hear the dying Savior cry.

"It is finished," O what pleasure,
So these charming words afford.
Heavenly blessings, without measure,
Flow to us from Christ the Lord.
"It is finished, it is finished,"
Saints the dying words record.

Finished all the types and shadows,
Of the ceremonial law;
Finished all that God had promised;
Death and hell no more shall awe.
"It is finished, it is finished,"
Saints from hence your comfort draw.

Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs;
join to sing the pleasing theme;
Saints on earth and all in heaven,
Join to praise Immanuel's name.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory to the bleeding lamb!

Red Mountain Music - It is Finished