Unbreakable Joy

"Kiss Your Feet"

2011-03-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

A Day in the Life of a MSP Recruit

2011-02-18T21:55:00.001-05:00

This is a trailer for an upcoming documentary of the Michigan State Police Training Academy. This film crew has been filming the current MSP recruits since they began their five month training at the MSP Academy in December of 2010.

Christian Album of the Year, Maybe of the Decade

2010-09-20T08:00:00.004-04:00

John Mark McMillan's recently released album, The Medicine, has been a great medicine to my soul for the last month or so.

In my opinion, The Medicine is the album of the year, maybe even of the decade.

Check it out at Amazon.com.

In This World You Will Have Trouble

2010-09-19T09:32:00.004-04:00

Thoughts on Suffering

Thoughts on Job

A Powerfully Potent Paragraph

2010-08-30T10:29:00.003-04:00

The first paragraph of C.S. Lewis' excellent book, The Weight of Glory, is quite possibly one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful paragraph that I have ever read (apart from Scripture).

That said, I'm only going to post the first portion of that paragraph to highlight what I've been thinking about for a week or two now;

"If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you had asked almost any of the great Christians of old, he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. The negative idea of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point."

A few paraphrases from my recent meditations on this paragraph:

Love does not merely sacrifice self for the sake of an other, but love does so while sincerely pursuing the happiness of the other.

Love is not the delight one takes in an other, rather it is the delight one takes in delighting the other.

The happiness of an other is the end that love is the means to.

Seeing Eye Friends

2010-08-14T17:28:00.001-04:00

Ever appreciate the sight of a blind person being aided by a "seeing eye dog?" I have not seen this often, but just this last week I saw a man in our local court house, who seemed to be working as an aid or an intern. He appeared to be completely blind and clearly benefited from the eyes of his four legged friend.

Now for the punch-line, ever feel blind?

If so, have you ever benefitted from the vision of a friend who could see things more clearly than you?

I had just such an experience this week. A friend was sharing with me about the wisdom of Jesus' words regarding eyes with logs or specks jammed into them. As he spoke I felt quite like the man I had seen earlier in the week being led around by his seeing eye dog. The stunning thing to me is that despite being very familiar with the scripture my friend was referring to, and having read this text more times than I know, I found myself seeing this text for what seemed to be the very first time - and that through the eyes of my seeing eye friend.

I'll do my best to share/paraphrase what has so profoundly been shared with me:

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"

- Jesus, Matthew 7:3

If I view the objects lodged in my own eye (my sin issues) rather carefully and closely then they will appear quite a bit larger and nastier than I thought at first. For it is in our nature to give much grace to ourselves and to surround such blind spots with cushy excuses and vigilant nuancing.

Carefully considering this teaching regarding logs and specks and then applying it to my own life would actually result in a demonstration of obedience to some of Jesus' other massively important words, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." For if I love others as myself, then I would give them the same grace that I always give myself and minimize their blind-spots (sin issues). At the very same time I would make every effort to get to the E.R. and get the telephone poles removed from my eyes.

Many problems arise because our blind-spots appear rather small and insignificant to ourselves, but these are no doubt blatantly obvious to those around us. Yet if we would step into the shoes of the patient with eye issues, we may actually be able to see more clearly the seriousness of our own eye sight problems and look with grace upon those who share in our same ailment.

So this is a confession of sorts; I have some serious eye sight issues, and I am thankful for the additional vision of several seeing eye friends.

Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road

2010-08-01T21:25:00.001-04:00

FREE AUDIO BOOK!!!

During this August ChristianAudio.com is giving away the audio book Ministries of Mercy by Tim Keller.

Hiding In? Or Merely Dipping Toes?

2010-07-30T22:35:00.003-04:00

It seems that I have not been hiding in the Sovereignty of God as much as I had thought I was. It seems rather that I was just dipping my toes into the magnificent waterfall that is the inconceivable power and wisdom of God.

It is a terrifying thing, completely other-worldly and like nothing I've ever experienced. The fury of the falling water is so loud that it takes my breath away. It is overwhelmingly clear that these are dangerous waters, yet they are also strangely inviting. The message was delivered to my heart without language and it echoed through the corridors of my heart, "Come away with me." I tremble at the fury, yet at the very same time I long for more of it. Fear grips me so tightly that I cannot even speak and in the same moment I am drawn so sweetly that I cannot back away.

The beckoning resounds from deep within the heart of the raging waterfall. I cannot resist. Why remain content to have wet feet when my entire body and my very soul longs to be soaked in and surrounded by this majesty.

Years of walking in the sinking sand of the idea that I was in control have left me weary and almost completely unable to trust. Yet the feel of the quicksand beneath my feet deposited some deceitful comfort in the notion that I have at least some level of control.

The choice is so crystal clear as to make any deliberating completely foolish. Who would continue to dwell in the sinking sand of self-wrought control when there is a massive rock upon which to gain an unshakable hold. Yet this immovable foundation is only found deep behind the unending waterfall.

My thoughts are engaged in combat with each other. On the one hand I can remain here in the familiar, and on the other I could charge head long into the depths of the unknown. An illusion of security in this land where everything and everyone sinks into oblivion, or an unfathomed security in the midst of the everlasting explosion that is the absolute sovereignty of God?

Eventual oblivion in the land of the forgotten or eternal significance found only by beholding and ever enjoying He who alone is eternally significant? Is there really even a question?

How could it be that I would abide one more second without throwing myself into the waters? What is it that keeps me at bay?

It is decided; or rather it has been decided. May all the days perish when I imagined that my life would be best secured in my own hands. Having let go of everything, in order that I may truly grasp everything, I close my eyes, hold my breath, and charge violently into the furious downpour.

Potent Medicine

2010-07-26T08:13:00.004-04:00

____________________

No good thing does He withhold
from those who walk uprightly

- Psalm 84:11b

____________________

He does not hold back anything that will benefit His people. So also He does not permit anything which will not finally work out in the good of His people. If all Scripture is true (and we believe that it is) then this verse holds true even in the midst of the most severe storms of life. What a medicine to my soul, to consider that God has my good in mind even when He permits the winds of life to rage. For if such things were not to serve ultimately for my good then He would not permit it.

How strange this sounds in the ears of those who have imagined that God is good only when our circumstances are pleasant. Oh, but how potent is this medicine for those who will bow to receive it.

Death in His Grave

2010-07-17T09:06:00.001-04:00

Death In His Grave (Performance Video) from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

Lyrics:

Though the Earth cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all

HT:JT

Don't Waste Your Life Sentence

2010-07-16T21:31:00.002-04:00

How He Loves: The Story Behind The Song

2010-07-11T08:41:00.003-04:00

In case you didn't already know, John Mark McMillan wrote the song "How He Loves" which was made famous by the David Crowder Band. Here is the story behind that incredible song:

"Oblivious to Our Eventual Oblivion"

2010-07-11T08:03:00.001-04:00

Justin Taylor recently had a helpful blog post on Pascal and addictions to distraction. Taylor quotes from Douglas Groothuis:

"Diversion consoles us—in trivial ways—in the face of our miseries or perplexities; yet, paradoxically, it becomes the worst of our miseries because it hinders us from ruminating on and understanding our true condition. Thus, Pascal warns, it “leads us imperceptibly to destruction.” Why? If not for diversion, we would “be bored, and boredom would drive us to seek some more solid means of escape, but diversion passes our time and brings us imperceptibly to our death.” Through the course of protracted stupefaction, we learn to become oblivious to our eventual oblivion. In so doing, we choke off the possibility of seeking real freedom.

Diversion serves to distract humans from a plight too terrible to encounter directly—namely, our mortality, finitude, and failures."

"The compulsive search for diversion is often an attempt to escape the wretchedness of life. We have great difficulty being quiet in our rooms, when the television or computer screen offers a riot of possible stimulation. Postmodern people are perpetually restless; they frequently seek solace in diversion instead of satisfaction in truth. As Pascal said, “Our nature consists in movement; absolute rest is death.” The postmodern condition is one of oversaturation and over-stimulation, and this caters to our propensity to divert ourselves from pursuing higher realities."

- Douglas Groothuis

HT:JT

Bible Reading Plans

2010-07-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

I've just recently implemented a Bible reading plan which I stumbled upon at the ESV website. I'm using the M'Cheyne plan. There are also several others to choose from.

Do you use a Bible reading plan? If so, which one?

The fish that got away... twice

2010-07-03T17:38:00.002-04:00

Not being much of a fisherman, I must share my only fishing story:

My dad and I hit Harwood Lake bright and early this morning. Of the two of us, he's the fisherman. I'm only occasionally along for the ride and might catch a fish or two depending on the day's luck. After a period of no luck we moved around the lake trying to find a productive fishing hole. We finally stumbled upon one and each caught a few blue gills and perch. After just reeling one in and tossing it into the cooler I cast out to the same spot. My bobber was gone in an instant and it was clear that the fish on the end of the line was no blue gill or perch from the way my fishing pole had nearly bent in half. We both saw a quick glimmer of silver in the water and watched it disappear under the boat. Snap! My line broke and the bobber disappeared.

Dad quickly went to work on the line and hooked up a new sinker, bobber, and hook. We were back in business. About a half an hour later, while keeping a watchful eye on my bobber and glancing occasionally at dad's, another bobber came into view about twenty feet from our boat. I initially wondered if dad had tossed another line into the water, but then it became clear that this was my missing bobber. I told dad about it and then it disappeared under the water. I had flashbacks of the Jaws movie, where the huge shark announced it's presence with a reappearing buoy which had been hooked to it's mouth.

The bobber reappeared near the same position, well out of reach from our anchored boat. Dad suggested that he might be able to hook it with a treble hook. We both knew it was a long shot, yet after about a dozen casts he hooked the bobber. He quickly reeled the larceny suspect into the boat - hook, line, and sinker (bobber too). The suspect was a decent sized bass, who happened to be an inch or two shy of the keeper measurement of 15''. A mug shot was taken and the bobber thief was released with a verbal warning.

Thus the true story of two fisherman, two fishing poles, and the fish that got away twice.

ESV for BBTC

2010-07-02T06:56:00.006-04:00

Each of the 1st year students at BBTC recently received an ESV Study Bible. Last year all of the students at BBTC received an ESV Study Bible.

Every one of these Study Bibles were purchased by financial gifts from the Body of Christ in America. These Bibles were purchased through the Protestant Book Centre in Cape Town, South Africa (because it is simply too expensive to ship them from the States).

If you would like to support future BBTC students by giving toward the purchase of ESV Study Bibles for future 1st year students please contact either myself or Brian.

BBTC and DG International Outreach

2010-06-30T06:05:00.001-04:00

BBTC Students with their books

Donated by Desiring God International Outreach

1st Year Students (47) received:

Finally Alive

Dangerous Duty of Delight

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

For Your Joy

2nd Year Students (44) received:

Let the Nations be Glad

Don't Waste Your Life

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

For Your Joy

3rd Year Students (29) received:

Filling up the Afflictions of Christ

Don't Waste Your Life

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

For Your Joy

Staff (23) received:

Dangerous Duty of Delight

For Your Joy

Many thanks to Desiring God International Outreach for their generous support!

Back from BBTC

2010-06-30T05:26:00.002-04:00

Brian and I returned from Africa yesterday afternoon. Total travel time including drive time, flying, time change, and layovers was about 30 hours.

I have set up a blog for the Back to the Bible Training College in the hopes of generating additional support for them. Although the BBTC Blog is up and running, it is still in the construction phase. If you have any suggestions let me know.

"Make friends with your trials"

2010-06-14T08:44:00.003-04:00

____________________

Make friends with your trials, as though you were always to live together, and you will see that when you cease to take thought for your own deliverance, God will take thought of you.
- Francis de Sales
____________________

Bonhoeffer Poetry

2010-06-06T21:14:00.000-04:00

Discipline

If you set out to seek freedom, then learn above all things
to govern your soul and your senses, for fear that your passions
and longing may lead you away from the path you should follow.
Chaste be your mind and your body, and both in subjection,
obediently steadfastly seeking the aim set before them;
only through discipline may a man learn to be free.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Quote from Eric Metaxas' Bonhoeffer

Today's Bonhoefferism

2010-06-05T18:16:00.001-04:00

"The only fight which is lost is that which we give up."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This phase was often repeated by Bonhoeffer to another inmate & friend during his imprisonment.

Quote taken from Eric Metaxas' Bonhoeffer

Easy or Hard?

2010-06-04T09:02:00.001-04:00

Ever find that the narrow path is difficult? Ever tempted to chose the easy route?

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
- Jesus

Bonhoeffer on Sovereignty

2010-06-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

"Everything we cannot thank God for,
we reproach Him for."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Quote from Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxas

Free Audio Book

2010-06-01T08:40:00.002-04:00

ChristianAudio.com is offering the following book as a free audio download during the month of June:

Forgotten God:
Reversing our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit
By Francis Chan

Check it out!

Stunningly Worshipful

2010-05-25T07:43:00.003-04:00

The strong aroma of abundant perfume
Saturated the atmosphere of the room
Where He was seated, and worshiped
Tears and messy hair rolled over His feet

Questions permeated the minds of those who
Could not see, why this, why here and now
For blinded eyes see not the glory of the flesh covered
God. No, fleshy eyes cannot see such spiritual glory

Yet in great contrast evident even to the blind
In passionate adoration she was inclined to bow
Before the eternal and incarnate One
For her eyes had been opened, now she beheld the Son

Sometimes it is contagious
When the blind are made to see
And sometimes it is thought outrageous
When the blind observe those who can truly see

And had that worshipful scene
Been deeply understood and plainly seen
It would not have been only one
Bowed before Him in awful adoration

- A. B. Seal