A Boomer in the Pew

Tim Challies: Guides to Sexual Detoxification

2009-11-07T14:04:23-07:00

Tim Challies has become a light-bearer for many over the past years. His blog, simply titled challies.com, has many thousands of followers.

Today, while scanning through my Google Reader, I noticed that he has made his recent series called Sexual Detox available for free download.

Here they are for you:

These are short 30 page reads, and I am confident that you, or someone in your life will find value in them.

Please stop by Tim's blog, and thank him for this generous free gift.

Sedona, Arizona in the Fall

2009-11-07T10:58:21-07:00

As the cooler temps of fall have worked their way into the Valley of the Sun, I find myself longing for the adventure of a road trip. I fondly remember this father/son trip, with my son Joshua, to explore the back roads of Arizona. I hope you enjoy this little slide show that I put together, from high atop a mountain looking down on Sedona.

Li Yang: A Personal Look into the Underground Church in China

2009-11-07T08:34:49-07:00

Last Sunday, in our Sunday school class, we were introduced to 11 Chinese attorneys who were here in the United States to share the story of their persecutions in China. Please pray for China, and consider following, and giving a little financial support to ChinaAid.

The Prophet Elisha, Chariots of Fire, and Angels all Around Us

2009-11-06T15:10:55-07:00

2 Kings 6:14-17 - So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Somehow in my 53 years, Elisha has never made it to my learning. The only memory I have of Elisha is from the lips of my grandmother. But, I can only recall her saying his name.

In this woodcut, we see Elijah leaving for heaven in a chariot of fire, leaving Elisha behind to take his place.

And later, in the verses above, we again are introduced to chariots of fire as one of Elisha's young servants is wetting his pants because of the massive army of chariots from Samaria that have them surrounded.

Interestingly, Elisha does not panic, but asks God to open the eyes of the young man, and behold a significantly larger army of fiery chariots, bearing angels, awaits the command of God to strike.

It isn't time to strike, so we don't see a large battle, but wait...let's consider this large army of angels sitting there!

Have you ever given consideration to such a thing? I mean, is it possible that while I am typing these very words an angel is sitting in the recliner across from my desk? Don't think me too crazy, but I just peeked around my 27' monitor to see.

No one there. As least as far as I can see.

Just because we can't see them, does that make it not so? Can a deaf man hear a Beethoven symphony? Can a blind man enjoy a beautiful sunset? Are we perhaps, in the same way, blind to these angels around us?

Some believe that we each have guardian angels. I haven't taken time to study the veracity of that claim, but God tells us that we live amongst unseen angels. If we believed that, if we awoke each day with that belief, would be behave differently, knowing that we are in their presence, and being watched?

Christian evangelicals believe that every single word in the Bible is actual narrative, and not merely nice stories. Are you in this camp?

I am, at least I say it with my lips. But my daily behavior doesn't consistently display that. I going to continue working on that.

Stop the Abortion Mandate - Today is THE Critical Day!

2009-11-06T08:00:40-07:00

Today is the day! Without a loud, and sustained scream from the electorate, we are going to get government funded abortions. You MUST call your congressperson now! Clink this link to act: http://tinyurl.com/yg6jot5

Then Shall all the Saguaro of the Desert Sing for Joy

2009-11-05T06:04:00-07:00

Psalm 96:12b - ...then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

As we began hiking around the desert, I found myself continually under the sneaking suspicion that the Saguaro were trapped in their prickly confinement, and were longing for the day when they might be released to become the Lord's herald. We know that creation groans for that day.

As I was reading Psalm 96 this morning, I thought of my Saguaro friends.

I remember one day hiking through what could only be referred to a Saguaro forest, and I can imagine them all singing for joy, with their arms already raised, on that day.

Note: click the photograph for artist information.

Why Should I the Burden Bear?

2009-11-03T06:55:34-07:00

I don't know about you, but I love to learn, and in particular, I love to swim in the minds of greatness.

One such beach that regularly grants me bathe is Google Books. This morning, I found Our Favorites from the Elder Poets with a few Newer Friends; A Selection, by Matilda Sharpe, 1881.

I found this elder text as I was doing a Google Search for John Newton, and happened upon this hymn.

The greatest of all sin, born from the lying Serpent of Eden, is pride. One of the significant byproducts of pride is fear.

In our longings to become god-like, we found ourselves cast out of Eden, alone, and great with fear.

Now, as alien sojourners, we must daily fight for what once was ours.

John Newton, in this simple prayer, reminds us that we must not bear the burden of tomorrow, but as children, learn now to rely on the grace, and care of Abba.

"Let me thus with Thee abide as my Father, Guard, and Guide."

Our fat, post-modern culture knows little of the wisdom that lies in this little prayer.

What is the One Thing That we are to Learn from Elijah?

2009-11-02T08:01:36-07:00

It was just a few days ago that I was introduced to Elijah, as I continue my journey through my ESV Study Bible.

I find myself with two frustrations, and a question:

frustration #1 - reading the Bible in a year puts you on a track whereby you are running so fast that you pass by events very quickly.
frustration #2 - I am not as amazed, as I should be, at Elijah's final scene. Somewhere, in my mind, this narrative gets lost in folklore, a child's story, and fact. I believe it to be fact, but then where is the wonder?
Question: what is the one overarching thing that we should know of Elijah and his life?

I was listening to Dr. John Piper, in a biographical sketch of George Mueller, while I was working out last week. Piper mentioned that Mueller had read the whole of the Bible 200 times, and the he (Piper) was also in the habit of reading the Bible each year.

I suspect this is good discipline. Perhaps I will have to learn some patience as I daily dive into these depths. I must admit, I wish God would just download all the knowledge I could have gleaned had I been a better student over the past 53 years.

Dr. Wayne Grudem - Christianity, Politics, and China's Persecution of Christians

2009-11-01T14:43:44-07:00

Dr. Wayne Grudem was back in our Sunday school class today. But, he was back with a surprise.

With him were 11 Christian Chinese Lawyers to share with us the persecution they are facing in China, and their struggles to combat it.

As I was listening to Bob Fu translate the testimony of these most humble men, I was completely awash with tears.

I have never been persecuted by a communist regime for simply going to church.

As these men shared their faith, their authenticity was immediately evident, we all felt a heart of compassion for them, and a recognition that these are our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted.

They shared stories of government sponsored police forcibly living in the homes of some of the Chinese Christians, and told how they were all individually constantly followed by Chinese officials. Each of them has at least one communist tail on them at all times. They live in constant fear of perhaps being kidnapped, having their law licenses stripped from them (which prevents them from feeding their families, or living under the constant relentless haranguing of their government.

Please pray for our Chinese brothers and sisters. Please pray for the safety of these 11 courageous men. It is very likely, when they return to China, that life will be difficult for them because of their witness of persecution.

You can follow their paths at ChinaAid.org.

Note: Wayne didn't get a chance to mention it, but I think we will be back into our Christians and Politics course next week.

Resisting Balconeer Theology

2009-11-01T07:40:34-07:00

Babelsberg Tower, creative commons photograph by gari.baldi, on Flickr.

My wife and I have just started reading J.I. Packer's Knowing God. I can tell from the very first paragraph that we are going to enjoy swimming in the mind of Packer, and gleaning from his view of God.

In the preface of his treatise, Packer contrasts the theological "balconeer" with the theological traveler.

The balconeer might sit in this tower, read theological musings, observe God and his workings, but have no active participation. The balconeer knows of God, but likely doesn't know God.

The traveler, on the other hand, is down on the road. The traveler is familiar with the same theological insights. However, he/she is actually interacting with the learned theology in their daily lives.

As you can imagine, the balconeer is likely to become "high and mighty", and legalistic, where the traveler, through the bumps of life, is likely to have the more genuine relationship with God, as he/she is actually on the road traveling with their faith.

This book has long been on my reading list, and I am most pleased to see it bubbled to the top.

Have you read Packer's Knowing God? How has it helped you in your travels?