MA party

We had our work Christmas party two nights ago. It was a ton of fun.

A great Huckabee response

I think this is a little old, but I thought he was right on.

Burned by the church

Lately, I've been hit a lot by the truth that many have been burned by "the church." I met someone last night at dinner who had been. I met someone else today who had a rough experience. And I read about it on a blog today. It's everywhere. It's a very sad reality. But the reason I put the term in quotes is because there are so many people who are masquerading as the real thing and there is no transformation going on in their lives. Some people blatantly don't care, and some really have good intentions of following after God, but are misinformed about what that looks like.

At first, I become prideful that I know the real thing. I consider myself a thoughtful Christian, one who has wrestled through different truth claims and have come to understand that the message Jesus Christ is Truth. But when I reflect on the grace imparted to me when I was God's enemy, I begin to be humbled. And I begin to really hurt for people who think they've seen people who have met Christ, and have nothing to do with the claims of Christianity today because they don't want to associate themselves with those "self-righteous jerks."

My heart aches. And I long for the day when the true church of America will shine more brightly and the dividing line between Christian and non-Christian will be much more distinct (more like the other countries of the world). When it isn't easy to associate yourself with the church, because of the persecution that could come from it. I long for that day because then people can take a more honest look at the church and see the people of God for who they really are (and hopefully be attracted to it instead of repulsed). We're normal, screwed people, but who have been transformed by the gospel of Christ. And then conversations can be had about Truth, because no one feels the guilt anymore that comes from the hypocrisy of been associated with the church while at the same time not knowing God at all.

I don't really know how to end this. So, I'll just say my desire is to love people well. I want to be up front with everyone about my short-comings and how I haven't done anything to earn the wonderful gift of salvation.

Unchristian

Gabe Lyons, co-author to the book Unchristian, speaks on CNN about his book. I've heard good things about the book, and after watching this video, I was a little more intrigued. I think he has some good things to say.

Thanks Steve.

Bert's Bacholer Celebration

Bert's getting married next weekend. It was fun to celebrate his life at little bit last night. Old college friends (and some new) hanging around playing poker, recalling crazy stories, playing Halo till 3:30 in the morning, praying over Bert, and sleeping 12 to a two bedroom place. There's nothing like that kind of community.

Also, who knew jumping in Lake Hartwell at 1 am in 40 degree weather would be refreshing? Pics here

UGA's bowl game

Though the opportunity to play an undefeated Hawaii in a BCS bowl is exciting, most UGA fans are disapointed we didn't get a shot at the title. Here's an article I found from Bert's blog that does a good job of showing some of the inconsistencies of keeping the Bulldogs out of the title game. And even though I grew up a loyal LSU fan being from Louisiana, my alma mater ties still leave my somewhat disappointed.

Here's a teaser:

Georgia got jumped without losing a game or even playing one. LSU was hoisted above the Bulldogs on the dubious strength of a seven-point victory in a game it was favored to win by 7 1/2 points. Georgia was No. 4 in the BCS standings last week — LSU was No. 7 — and two of the top three teams lost. Simple math should have put the Bulldogs in the title game. Turns out the BCS flunked math as well as logic.

Phil Wickham

I've been listening to Phil Wickham's new CD "Cannons" recently, and have enjoyed a lot of it. There are two ballads new the end that are incredible. Check out "Beautiful" and "True Love" if you can. Here's a couple lines from "True Love"

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heavens eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died

Faith and Reason

I was perusing Arnold's blog yesterday and I ran across this speech delivered by the Pope, a little over a year ago. Arnold's post on the juxtaposition of religion in and of itself was intriguing, but I would just like to further point out a section of the Pope's speech that I enjoyed.

The scientific ethos, moreover, is - as you yourself mentioned, Magnificent Rector - the will to be obedient to the truth, and, as such, it embodies an attitude which belongs to the essential decisions of the Christian spirit. The intention here is not one of retrenchment or negative criticism, but of broadening
our concept of reason and its application. While we rejoice in the new possibilities open to humanity, we also see the dangers arising from these possibilities and we must ask ourselves how we can overcome them. We will succeed in doing so only if reason and faith come together in a new way, if we overcome the self-imposed limitation of reason to the empirically falsifiable, and if we once more disclose its vast horizons. In this sense theology rightly belongs in the university and within the wide-ranging dialogue of sciences, not merely as a historical discipline and one of the human sciences, but precisely as theology, as inquiry into the rationality of faith.

Only thus do we become capable of that genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today. In the Western world it is widely held that only positivistic reason and the forms of philosophy based on it are universally valid. Yet the world's profoundly religious cultures see this exclusion of the divine from the universality of reason as an attack on their most profound convictions. A reason which is deaf to the divine and which relegates religion into the realm of subcultures is incapable of entering into the dialogue of cultures. At the same time, as I have attempted to show, modern scientific reason with its intrinsically Platonic element bears within itself a question which points beyond itself and beyond the possibilities of its methodology. Modern scientific reason quite simply has to accept the rational structure of matter and the correspondence between our spirit and the prevailing rational structures of nature as a given, on which its methodology has to be based.

The courage to engage the whole breadth of reason, and not the denial of its grandeur - this is the programme with which a theology grounded in Biblical faith enters into the debates of our time. "Not to act reasonably, not to act with logos, is contrary to the nature of God", said Manuel II, according to his Christian understanding of God, in response to his Persian interlocutor. It is to this great logos, to this breadth of reason, that we invite our partners in the dialogue of cultures. To rediscover it constantly is the great task of the university.

Bitter Providences

I was reminded by Caroline's latest blog entry that is not always easy to feel thankful for things during Thanksgiving, or any time for that matter. Sometimes, life seems to be dealing you a bad hand, directly, or maybe indirectly through family and friends. Because of this, it's hard to recognize any good in your life. And all this reminds me of a guy named William Cowper.

William lived in the mid to late 1700s. He was a Christian, but one who battled with depression all his life. He was a poet who also ended up writing many hymns, including his most famous, "There is a fountain." He lived with his good friend John Newton most of his life who loved him well during his dark days.

He wrote a hymn called "God moves in a mysterious way" the day before he fell into his greatest depression that lasted until he died. It is a hymn that has greatly comforted me during my darker days over the last several years. It is reminiscent of Jeremiah's Lamentations, when, after he groans over his life devoid of happiness, he says this:

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

So let this hymn remind you, Christian, that now matter how hard things seem to be in your life, God is always sovereign and working all things out for your greater good, your richer joy, and for His greater glory.

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill.
He treasures up His bright designs and works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.

Here's Piper's bio of WIlliam.

John Piper and Thanksgiving

For those of you who don't know that I'm a big fan of John Piper...you're a little out of the loop. For about 5 years now I've been blessed to be able to learn from him and his teaching, delivered to me via DG's website. I've listened to most every one of his sermons from the last 10 years, including a 8 year trek through the book of Romans. This has happened mostly via my Ipod to and from work.

The above picture encapsulates well why I very much appreciate him and his teaching. It has been through his teaching that I have been helped to look to Christ and to know His great love for me. John explains the Word with such passion and insight, through such great humility. He continues to help me see God more clearly and vividly. He excites within me the desire to know God more fully. His love for the Word, God's sovereignty, reformed doctrine, and most especially the gospel has radically shaped me in who I am, and what I believe, today. Most of what God has done in my life spiritually in the last several years, he has used him.

Please don't misunderstand me. I don't worship him. Instead, God has used him to help me worship Christ more fully and deeply. And as Thanksgiving is coming up, I'll leave with you two of his best sermons surrounding Thanksgiving. Enjoy. And let your heart rejoice this week as you consider all that God in Christ has done for you.

Thankful for the Love of God. Why?.

Thank God for the Mercies of Christ.

Turner's Creed

The following quote (somewhat edited) is taken out of Ravi's book "Can man live without God?" It basically sums up, in satire, the creed of the modern (postmodern) man. And if you get A.D.D. and can't read all of it, at least read the last paragraph.

Creed
by Steve Turner

We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don't hurt anyone
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge.

We believe in sex before, during, and after marriage.
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.

We believe that everything's getting better
despite evidence to the contrary.
The evidence must be investigated
And you can prove anything with evidence.

We believe there's something in horoscopes
UFO's and bent spoons.
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha,
Mohammed, and ourselves.
He was a good moral teacher though we think
His good morals were bad.

We believe that all religions are basically the same-
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only differ on matters of creation,
sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.

We believe that after death comes the Nothing
Because when you ask the dead what happens
they say nothing.

If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then its
compulsory heaven for all excepting perhaps
Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Kahn

We believe that man is essentially good.
It's only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of society.

We believe that each man must find the truth that
is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly. The universe will readjust.
History will alter.

We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth
that there is no absolute truth.

We believe in the rejection of creeds,
And the flowering of individual thought.
If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky

and when you hear:
State of Emergency! Sniper Kills Ten! Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting! Bomb Blasts School!
It is but the sound of man worshipping his maker.

Garrett at Smith's this Friday

If your in the Atlanta area Friday night, make sure you come and see Garrett Moore. He's playing at Smith's Olde Bar in the Brookwood area. The show starts at 8. See you then. Directions here.

Global Warming

The founder of the Weather Channel has recently commented on the Global Warming issue. He says:

"It is the greatest scam in history. I am amazed, appalled and highly offended by it. Global Warming; It is a SCAM."

Does this mean that all the politicians and actors are wrong about the issue? Couldn't be. Surely they know more about the weather than this guy. (To be read with sarcastic tone) Read more here.

Via Tim.

Strange way of getting people to church

Here's their website.

And thanks to Hemant for the link.

Irony in Modern Intellectual Progress

I've been reading a book called The Passion of the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas. It was Arnold's idea, and a good idea at that. It's just been slow moving.

Anyway, the subtitle is "Understanding the Ideas that have shaped our Worldview." It particularly focuses on the worldview that us "Westerners" operate in. I read this quote tonight:

"...it was the irony of modern intellectual progress that man's genius discovered successive principles of determinism...that steadily attenuated belief in his own rational and volitional freedom, while eliminating his sense of being anything more than a peripheral and transient accident of material evolution."

Now you know why it has been taking me so long to get through it. Good quote though. It points to the fallacy of naturalism and such a high regard for the intellect.

Paste Magazine

For those of you who don't have a subscription yet, Paste Magazine just made it so you can name your own price for a year subscription. And if you don't know, it's a music magazine that is excellent at introducing new, up and coming artists, as well as talking about bands that have been around for a while. Their tagline, "signs of life in music, film, and culture," pretty much sums up how they differentiate from other magazines (thanks MV).   They seek to give great insight into what really inspires the music that is created.  This is a great time to check it out.  

Saint Augustine

I was flipping through one of my favorite books today. It's called Confessions by St. Augustine. It was written over 1600 years ago, and still has some incredible thoughts for us today. I encourage you to read it if you haven't yet. Here's a good thought:

“It is not for nothing, not mere chance, that the towering authority of the Christian faith has spread throughout the world. God would never have done so much, such wonderful things for us if the life of the soul came to an end with the death of the body. Why then do I delay? Why do I not abandon my worldly hopes and give myself up entirely to the search for God and the life of true happiness.?”

He was writing these words as a non-Christian. But, they hit me today because although I am a Christian, I seem to forget a lot that true happiness is found in Christ. I often turn to cisterns that can hold no water, desperately searching out that which can give me life. And I forget that God Himself is the true source of my everlasting joy.

"Thou has formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee."

- Augustine

Very Nice...I like

UGA 42 - Florida 30
What a great celebration















I want to hug Knowshon too.










I'm a happy guy

Mike Huckabee

The presidential race is well underway. And though I am not fully convinced of the candidate for me, I have been impressed with what I've seen about Mike Huckabee. Here's a pretty good blog post that sums up what he's all about. And here's the intro from Justin, Joe, and Matthew:

"When it comes to politics, we three are pragmatic idealists. We are dedicated to the pursuit of noble principles and goals while never forgetting that politics is the "art of the possible." Because we are idealists we are choosing to endorse a candidate who most aligns with our principles and values and is most worthy of our sacred trust. Because we are pragmatists we are choosing to endorse the one candidate who we believe is most capable of defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton."

Rosie Thomas...and loneliness

I went to Eddie's Attic last night, along with Bailey and Evan, and saw a pretty incredible show. I went for the amazing voice and songwriting ability of the opener, Rosie Thomas, and was quite thrilled to be able to experience her musical talent. However, Bailey assured me that I would not be disappointed with the main act, Over the Rhine. And I definitely was not. You should check them both out.

Moving back to Rosie, she has a song called "Say Hello" that I'm quite fond of. She didn't play it last night, but I just wanted to point some lyrics within the song. She says:

"Loneliness is just a crime, look each other in the eye...and say hello."

I like that line. It's very true. Eye contact is such a simple way to care for someone who you might not even know.