I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

I’ve always found this to be an interesting exhortation. Why not just say, “Always be ready to preach the word”? Why did he choose to be specific and refer to seasons? As I’ve thought about it, I think there’s probably a lot of reasons. But I think of two in particular.

1. Seasons of the soul. People ebb and flow and there’s no way around it. A lot can change from one emotional state to another, even the way we choose to interpret things. I think it’s possible that Paul was telling Timothy that regardless of what season he found himself in emotionally, or physically or socially or whatever, he should remember that his duty is to preach the word and he needs to be ready for it. And,

2. Seasons of ministry. I think that this one is probably a bit more likely since it seems to agree more with the context—particularly the statement immediately following it. There are times that are for ministry (missions trips, church, youth group, whatever) and there are times that are not for ministry (like going to the movies or out for dinner). But I think that Paul was telling Timothy that he needs to be prepared for ministry even in the times that are ‘not’ for ministry.

The Church could take a queue from Paul’s exhortation here. We’re in a time where almost no one is ready ‘out of season’. Especially not ministers, most of whom are too wrapped up in their gigantic labyrinth of a church system.

I think that’s pretty bad. Especially when most people in our culture don’t want anything to do with our ministers ‘seasons’.

Related posts:

1. Declare the Whole Counsel of God
2. More of the Elder Brother
3. Preacher’s Calling

You know how when you buy a new car it seems like all of a sudden you see them everywhere on the road? Well, I’ve experienced sort of the same thing with my MacBook, except on television, commercials, in movies, even video games (Metal Gear Solid 4).

For a little company that, comparatively, doesn’t hold much of the computer market you sure do see an awful lot of them. My guess is that this is partially because Apple does a good job positioning their products, but also probably because Apple has done a good job creating a persona for their products. When viewers see them, it communicates some standard that a non-branded machine couldn’t. Just look how often they show up in commercials for things completely unrelated to computers.

Of course, sometimes it’s also just to poke fun at the trend (South Park and the Simpsons, for example), but I don’t think that it still makes the point pretty clearly.

So, with the help of the people at the MacRumors forum, I’ve come up with a list of TV shows in which Mac has made cameos.

Here we go:

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1. Some Favorite TV Shows
2. A Professional Picks Apple
3. Watch television more efficiently with Hulu

I wouldn’t usually go out of my way to say something about a TV show with this kind of M.O., but this time I’m going to make a big exception.

Dexter is among the best televisions shows I have ever watched. Unfortunately, most people won’t see it because it airs on Showtime. As the poster to the left lets on, it’s about a serial killer that’s easy to love.

To give you a quick synopsis of the show, Dexter is a forensics investigator who specializes in blood splatter. He was adopted by a police officer who discovered early on that he had homicidal tendencies that he wasn’t going to be able to control. So, instead of attempting to fix him, Dexter’s adopted father taught him to channel his impulses toward murderers who managed to slip through the cracks of the justice system. But only provided he could prove to himself that they were most certainly guilty.

Think Batman, but he doesn’t wear a cape and instead of delivering the bad guys to the cops, he kills them.

The show, however, is a whole lot more than that. I’m finding as I watch it that it’s an incredible exploration of the human condition. The philosophy of how one person relates to another and why. And the incredible leaps we’ll go through for the sake of social tranquility. It’s uncanny how true much of it rings.

I often find myself identifying the most with Dexter (No, of course not homicidally speaking). I think most people will too, in one way or another. It’s even pressed some introspection on my part—which is extremely unlikely for a television show.

Of course, it’s also a riveting and suspenseful thriller. Can’t forget that.

If you think you might watch it, keep in mind this is a Showtime original, so don’t bring the kids along. There’s definitely some pretty course language and at least some nudity—although it’s infrequent. If you can handle all that, it’s worth your time.

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1. ‘Kings’ on NBC is the Biblical Story… sort of
2. The Election is Over. Now what?
3. The Soul of the Diligent

One of my family’s favorite dinners is orange chicken. It’s a recipe I discovered some time ago and now we get together to have it a few times a year.

As I was preparing it today, it got me thinking about my habit of procrastinating. Not on really big stuff, on trivial things that tend to add up and make for a real stressful time.

See, the trick to the orange chicken that everyone seems to love is getting everything prepped and ready to go before actually cooking anything. Get all the chopping and frying done, and the actual cooking portion of the meal only takes about 3-4 minutes.

I think this is kind of how life goes too. I guess if I could live my life like I cook my food, I could spend a lot less time stressed out.

Oh well, I guess not everything can turn out this awesome:

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Something has gone wrong.
Play me first as long as we open up our eyes.
Why do we justify these foolish who are burning?

If we don’t wake up soon this burden will be long
If we don’t wake up soon all we ever knew will be gone.

This comforts so deceiving all common sense aside. This world wonders grieving but from the depths we hide.
We question of this hatred as we sacrifice.
It’s comatose you see.
How much longer can we bleed before we come to our senses again?

If we don’t wake up soon this burden will be long.
If we don’t wake up soon all we ever knew will be gone

You can listen to the song on Imeem.com.

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1. Reflections on Sin, Guilt and Freedom
2. They’ll Know We’re Christians by What?
3. The War Criminal Rises and Speaks

Thanks Zach Braff for being so concise.

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3. I enjoy using swear words

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

“Always being prepared to make a defense”.

If you think about the nature of a “defense”, it requires objective reasoning. You would never hear a lawyer in a court argue that his client is innocent because of a good hunch he’s got. A defense would require objective evidence. The Greek word is “apologia”, which roughly defined means “a reasoned argument”.

We don’t have hope for no reason. If we have no reason for our hope, maybe we don’t really have the hope at all.

So, when Peter exhorts us to be prepared with a “defense” it can’t mean the ooey-gooey feeling inside. It must mean that we should seek to understand what we can of the scriptures to the best of our ability. Which, if you follow it to it’s logical conclusion, would mean: Get your theology straight.

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1. Which God is the God of Love?
2. Book Review: What is Reformed Theology
3. the Great Commandment, the Great Sin

You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

It is interesting how much time people will spend arguing with God’s justice over people lives, rather than attempting to come to terms with what it actually says.

Just reminded me of the Shai Linne song I posted about some months ago, In Adam All Die. There’s a verse that goes like this:

Adam’s guilt was imputed to his descendents
Global calamity
Major debt, pain, regret, the reign of death- total depravity
And yes, I’m aware that cats were not there
Which opens the door to charges of “that’s not fair”
But God is not subject to fallen notions of fairness
Besides, when it comes to God’s glory, most could care less
We can’t measure how we chase sand treasures
And banned pleasures- similar to our ancestors
So instead of saying if you were there what you would do
Seek your refuge in Adam number two

You can listen to the song here.

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1. In Adam All Die
2. Head in the Heavens
3. When They Get-What’s-Coming

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

I love the imagery. That the inheritance we’re promised is no fickle, unsure thing. It’s imperishable, undefiled and unfading. In three words, it is absolutely unlike anything we’ve experienced here in this lifetime. But not only that, God’s power guards them with our faith as a simple conduit.

Encouragement 101—brought to you by the Apostle Peter. Sweet.

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1. The Inheritance of a Priesthood
2. Old Testament Saints Were Encouraged by the Gospel
3. Grace Most Clearly (Remembering Scripture)

The DJBRP allocates 5 free days a month, in case you fall behind or so that you can use Sundays for other reading. I never got very good at taking the days off, so I finished in a little under 11 months.

I have every intention of beginning the same plan again starting next Monday. I’m going to use the next few days to go over some other reading that I’ve had my sights on also.

Use Discipleship Journal

If you’re interested in trying out the DJBRP, here are some of the resources I’ve compiled.

DJBRP is available in a several different ways making it very easy to keep track of where you are and where you’re supposed to be. Here are four.

PDF Format
Designed to be printed on two sides of one sheet of paper. Stick it in your notebook.

Online
Keep track of where you are on this website.

iCal File
Load your calendar into you iCal or Mozilla Thunderbird.

Public Google Calendar
This one here is my handy work. If you use Google calendar or Gmail, you can subscribe to the calendar and get daily notifications on what the daily reading is. It’s pretty sweet.

Tricks to making it easier

1. DJBRP is easy to keep track of. The PDF can be printed on two sides of a single sheet of paper and kept in your bible. Just check things off as you go.

2. Go at your own pace. The plan is set up to take you through in one year. But if it’s too much reading for you in one day, then split each day into two days or four days or whatever. It’s really up to you.

3. Keep the different passages bookmarked. Keep a bookmark in each of the four parts of scripture. I added extra ribbon bookmarks to my bible to make things easier, but you could also just use pieces of paper or whatever.

In Conclusion

The bible doesn’t need to be a big scary book. With the help of DJBRP, it’s a lot less daunting. So, if you don’t have another method that’s working well, give the DJBRP a shot. It might be perfect for you.

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1. A Good Bible Reading Plan to Plan on Reading
2. A new month in the Bible
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