"Over-against us"

Don Carson says "God stands over-against us in wrath"
I like that. I think I'll use it.

Reading biographies

I am really bad at reading biographies.
The majority of biographies I have read have been of musicians.
In fact, I haven't read a single biography of any of my favourite Christian authors, and just realised this was a poor oversight.

The other day, I heard an interview between Mark Driscoll and Don Carson, and hearing that really put Carson's writing into a much more illuminated context for me.

And I realised that where we as Christians need to be discerning of what we read, and testing it against the Bible, we can have a better understanding of authors and their motivations if we read their biographies.

So, I'm gonna get stuck into some soon.
Wish I had realised this earlier.

Reflections at Christmas time

Christmas is going to become more and more important as the years go by, as the Emerging church gets more popular (Or is it dead? Sorry, just touching some nerves :P), and similar liberal view of Christian spirituality permeate our culture.
As things like the virgin birth get called into question, the deity of Christ, the authority of the Bible, the historicity of the Bible, Christmas will become a time where the two views, that of Biblical Christianity and of extreme liberal christianity, will need to ask again and again these questions.

While the whole world looks on.

It will become a time where we can speak of Christ the way the Bible speaks of Christ, and where we can share with those who think they know the Gospel the real truth and weight of what it means to believe in a humble Saviour, divine yet human, took sin for us yet exalted, gave us the gift of new life by faith yet deserves all our praise by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Christ, born The King of our lives.

Some helpful things I just read:
C. J. Mahaney looks at the disturbing nature of the Birth of Christ, and why it's important to see it this way here

Albert Mohler revisits why the virgin birth is important to Christian belief here

"Here's a big idea: Everything belongs to God"

Mars Hill is currently doing a series on Generosity, in 4 parts from 2 sermons.

I've been finding it excellent, and really helpful to refocus my understanding of money and generosity.
And it's really encouraging to be reminded that I have the ability to be generous, and that I can be excited about it, rather than ticking the checkboxes and feeling like I've filled my moral responsibility.

I really liked how he described tithing.

You can find the video podcast Here

'Cultural relevance'.. or cultural snobbery?

Often this passage is used to justify a new expression of church, in the name of cultural relevance:

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

And it's a fair call, I myself subscribe to a modern church methodology. But are we at risk of becoming the new cultural snobs?
I can't help but think that hip music, no robes or rites, 'missional' language and preaching to the postmodern persuasion is alienating many from the Gospel.

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Are we possibly becoming too much of a Gentile to the Gentiles at the expense of becoming a Jew to the Jews?

A page a day..

I am about to embark on an adventure of writing to encourage me to look more deeply into the Scriptures.

To set aside some time in each day, maybe as little as 30 minutes, to reflect and write only a page on what I have read in God's Word, and how this can apply to my life.

I don't intend to blog these reflections, at least not in the interim, but to put pen to paper, engage the body in writing as well as the mind in thought and spirit in prayer.

The thoughts also won't be as well rounded as a blog post either, I've come to the conclusion that loose ends don't always need tying off, at least not when simply reflecting for personal reasons, as opposed to preaching or constructing a topical paper.
I'm hoping this might help me to allow scripture to speak more into those blank spots, and I get to make revisions of my writing.

In any case, I'm looking forward to it.
Any thoughts?

I'm back..

Well, it has been some time.
And at Pryderi's prompting (in the encouraging fashion) I am again writing blogs.
Please assist me in keeping it up, comments are kind of like the scriptures as described in 2 Timothy 3:16..

"..useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness"

and being the wretched sinner I am, I need all the help I can get!

Sadly, unless your comments are quoting the Bible, claiming 'God breathed' may not be what I'm encouraging here.. But don't be put off, comments are still welcome!

Glad to be back :-)