The Antidote For Hazy Theology

As you read Ryle's description of the ailments of the church, it is hard to believe that he was writing in the 19th century and not the 21st century. He seems to be diagnosing contemporary evangelicalism especially the cultural Christianity of the southern variety. Read on and see.

I say, then, in the first place, that a scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology which is so painfully current in the present age. It is vain to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so-called Christianity nowadays which you cannot declare positively unsound, but which, nevertheless, is not full measure, good weight, and sixteen ounces to the pound. It is a Christianity in which there is undeniably “something about Christ, and something about grace, and something about faith, and something about repentance, and something about holiness”; but it is not the real “thing as it is” in the Bible. (Job 26.3.) Things are out of place, and out of proportion. As old Latimer would have said, it is a kind of “mingle-mangle,” and does no good. (Works, 1, p. 290.) It neither exercises influence on daily conduct, nor comforts in life, nor gives peace in death; and those who hold it, often awake too late to find that they have got nothing solid under their feet. Now I believe the likeliest way to cure and mend this defective kind of religion is to bring forward more prominently the old scriptural truth about the sinfulness of sin. People will never set their faces decidedly towards heaven, and live like pilgrims, until they really feel that they are in danger of hell. Let us all try to revive the old teaching about sin, in nurseries, in schools, in training colleges, in universities. Let us not forget that “the law is good if we use it lawfully,” and that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (1 Tim. 1.8; Rom. 3.20; 7.7.) Let us bring the law to the front and press it on men’s attention. Let us expound and beat out the Ten Commandments, and show the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of their requirements. This is the way of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot do better than follow His plan. We may depend upon it, men will never come to Jesus, and stay with Jesus, and live for Jesus, unless they really know why they are to come, and what is their need. Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world.

– J.C. Ryle, Holiness, p. 12

Christ Is The Measure

A man may take the measure of his growth and decay in grace according to his thoughts and meditations upon the person of Christ.

– John Owen

How To Give A Great Man Hug

VideoJug: How To Give A Great Man To Man Hug
There is a lot of confusion among men in the church about showing affection. The whole greeting one another with a holy kiss (Rom. 16:16; 1Cor. 16:20; 2Cor. 13:12; 1Th. 5:26) is just too weird. It may be OK for the Apostles, but this is the 21st century man! ;-) So what are we to do? Well...we have the man hug! We now have an option so that we can show we care and still be manly. If this social gesture is foreign to you, we have supplied an instructional video to help.

Your loving friend (said in a manly grunting voice),

John

The fine fellows at Team Pyro posted a wonderful section from Spurgeon about preaching. May the land be filled with Spirit-filled simple preaching...

Never was there a sermon more commonplace than that of Peter, and let me tell you that it is one of the blessed effects of the Holy Spirit to make ministers preach simply.

You do not want the Holy Spirit to make them ride the high horse and mount up on the wings of the spread-eagle to the stars; what is wanted is to keep them down, dealing with solemn subjects in an intelligible manner.

What was the theme of this sermon? Was it something so intellectual that nobody could comprehend it, or so grand that few could grasp it? No, Peter just rises up and delivers himself somewhat like this—"Jesus Christ of Nazareth lived among you; he was the Messias promised of old; you crucified him, but in his name there is salvation, and whosoever among you will repent and be baptized shall find mercy." That is all! I am sure Mr. Charles Simeon in his "Skeleton Sermons" would not have inserted it as a model, and I do not suppose that any college professor alive would ever say to his students—"If you want to preach, preach like Peter."

Why, I do not perceive firstly, secondly, thirdly, and fourthly, to which some of us feel compelled to bind ourselves. It is in fact a commonplace talking about sublime things—sublime things which in this age are thought to be foolishness and a stumbling-block. Well then, may the Spirit of God be poured out to teach our ministers to preach plainly, to set our young men talking about Jesus Christ, for this is absolutely necessary.

When the Spirit of God goes away from a Church it is a fine thing for oratory, because then it is much more assiduously cultivated. When the Spirit of God is gone, then all the ministers become exceedingly learned, for not having the Spirit they need to supply the emptiness his absence has made, and then the old-fashioned Bible is not quite good enough; they must touch it up a bit and improve upon it, and the old doctrines which used to rejoice their grandmothers at the fire-side are too stale for them; they must have an improved and a new theology, and young gentlemen now-a-days show their profound erudition by denying everything that is the ground, and prop, and pillar of our hope, and starting some new will-o'- the-wisp which they set their people staring at.

Ah! well, we want the Spirit of God to sweep all that away. Oh that my dear sister who conducts the female class, and all who are in the Sunday-school, may be helped just to talk to you about Christ. When you get the Spirit of God to come upon you like fire and like a rushing mighty wind it will not be to make you doctors of divinity, and scholars, and great elocutionists; it will only be just for this, to make you preach Christ, and preach him more simply than ever you did before.

Good to be back!

"Two Crazy Guys"

Soccer Star

THE world's most famous soccer club - Manchester United - has offered nine-year-old Brisbane whiz kid Rhain Davis a shot at stardom. Rhain has been invited to join Manchester United's famed academy, the breeding ground of current Red Devils' star Ryan Giggs and 1966 World Cup-winning England hero Bobby Charlton. Take a look!

Cartoon Christianity

Interesting...

Messy Room

Messy Room

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

--Shel Silverstein

Lostpedia

Some of my Lost predictions from last week were off. But that isn't deterring me. I correctly predicted Mr. Echo's death!

So - the guy with the eyepatch who appeared on the video. Think it has anything to do with this? And now I've gone and filled you afternoon with the wonder of the Lostpedia.

The Blur of Our Culture

In the book Gaily The Troubadour, published in 1936, Arthur Guiterman wrote the following poem. Reading his observations, you wouldn't guess it was written 60+ years ago.

First dentistry was painless;
Then bicycles were chainless
And carriages were horseless
And many laws, enforceless.
Next, cookery was fireless,
Telegraphy was wireless,
Cigars were nicotineless
And coffee, caffeinless.
Soon oranges were seedless,
The putting green was weedless,
The college boy hatless,
The proper diet, fatless,
Now motor roads are dustless,
The latest steel is rustless,
Our tennis courts are sodless,
Our new religions, godless.



Arthur Guiterman, Gaily The Troubadour.

Wednesday Morning Prayer

O Lord, may we serve you this day, which You have mercifully given us.

As You have guarded us during our sleep, guide us during our time of work so that all our tasks may be gladly and faithfully performed.

Let our burdens not be too heavy for us because Your aid and comfort are with us.

Grant that we do not displease You or injure one another in anything we do. If we do fail or come short through ignorance or weakness, O God –

let Your Fatherly wisdom correct us,

may Your infinite mercy forgive us,

and Your divine love correct our weaknesses through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Tuesday Morning Prayer

O You, who is the true Sun of the world, always rising and never going down. Your most wholesome appearing and light nourishes and makes joyful every thing in heaven and on earth:

We ask You to mercifully shine into our hearts so that the night of sin and the darkness of error will be driven away. Make your countenance beam on us so that we will not stumble in Your way or offend You. Let us walk as in the daytime.

Let us be pure and clean from the works of darkness.
Let us abound in all the good works that You have prepared for us to walk in through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Free Hugs

Monday Morning Prayer

O God, our Father, of whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named:

At the beginning of this day, give our household the grace that will keep us in true Christian fellowship.

Grant each of us Your guidance and influence in all of our labors, pleasures, and trials so that our hearts will be at peace with one another and with You.

Graciously help and prosper us in the doing of our daily duties with a willing and cheerful mind.

Defend us all by Your almighty power from inward evil and from outward harm.

Father may all of this be granted so that at the end of the day we will not be left in sorrow, trouble, or shame. Instead let us have true unity and thankful rest through Your merciful favor and Your forgiving love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Sunday Morning Prayer

O Lord, our Heavenly Father, at the beginning of another week we come to You for help and light.

Grant, we ask You, that we make this a sacred day of rest to Your service. May we consecrate this day to find all peace and strength in You.

Make our hearts beat with devotion so that we may serve You in spirit and in truth. May we live this day laying a good foundation for our coming work.

Be with us in the worship services of Your day so that your saints may join in heart and soul. Be with us so that we may receive the blessing promised to all who sincerely pray to You and faithfully hear Your Word.

This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday Morning Prayer

Almighty God, our Father and Preserver:

We give You thanks that by Your goodness You have watched over us during the night and brought us to a new day.

We ask You to strengthen and guard us by Your Spirit so that we may spend this day in Your service and glorify You. May we cause all Your blessings to prove fruitful, and may we only seek the things that are pleasing in Your sight.

Enable us, O Lord, while we labor in this life to always look forward to that heavenly life, which You have promised Your children.

Defend us in soul and body from all harm.

Show Your steadfast love to all men and women and little children according to their need and especially to those whom we love and are in any kind of trouble or distress. We now remember them before You...

Protect our country.
Protect Your Church.
Bless all who do good in the world.
Restrain and convert all who do evil.

And finally – be pleased to cast out of Your remembrance all our past offenses, forgiving them in Your boundless mercy. Purify our hearts so that we may lead a better life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Potential Theories

I do not remember most of my Lost theories, but I still don't think we've gotten far enough to know which theories are right or wrong (including the writers).

However, here are a few more ideas (none of which are my own) that are worth discussing:

1. The guy with the tumor on his backbone - could it be Locke? And would removing the tumor put him back in a wheelchair?
2. Are The Others sterile? Is that why they steal children and need a fertility doctor? And if so, is the reason they separated Jack from Sawyer and Kate that they, not he, is their real interest? Did they put Kate in the cute dress opposite Sawyer so that the two of them would REALLY fall in love and get "at it"?
3. Does the fertility doctor on the island have any connection to Sun becoming pregnant when she was previously unable too?

Friday Morning Prayer

We praise You, O God, with the morning light, and in the brightness of a new day we bless Your holy name.

For all You have given us –

the gift of life,
making us in Your own image,
allowing us to share as children in Your knowledge and love and in Your work and joy,
we thank you, Heavenly Father.

For all good things in the world,
for food and clothing,
for home and friendship,
for useful tasks and good pleasures,
we thank You, Heavenly Father.

For all spiritual blessings,
for the good example and blessed memory of Your saints,
for the secret influence of Your Spirit,
we thank You, Heavenly Father.

And above all we bless You for the redeeming life and death of Your dear Son, our Savior – Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jumprope

-- By Shel Silverstein