Tablet of the Heart

Thanks to Christianity Today for putting together this side-by-side comparison of two views on justification.  John Piper's view (which is closest to the historic view of the church as contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith which contains our system of doctrine) against NT Wright's New Perspectives view.  There is a follow up article on how pastors are utilizing both views in their pastoring.

I won't be going to this conference, but to hear John Piper talk about John Calvin on the eve of Calvin's 500th anniversary is INSPIRING!  Wow!




  


 

I am shamelessly copying this from Justin Taylor's blog because it is full of so many good links and it is so important that we become readers:

1. On Disciplined Reading
2. What Should I Read? Choosing from a Vast Array of Options
3. How Should I Read? Tips on Getting the Most from Your Reading
4. Why Should I Read? Other Advantages of Reading
5. Questions, Answers, and Concluding Thoughts

1. Guard your time in the Scriptures.
2. Avoid limiting yourself by era, tribe, or category.
   
3. Reading the great authors is more helpful than reading a great number of books.
   
4. Make a list of categories and read a selected number of books each year, in each category.
   
5. Read a few select journals and magazines

1. If you would like to become a disciplined reader, you probably need to make a plan.
2. Figure out your “reading style.”
3. Always carry a book.
4. If possible, drink and read at the same time.

1. sharpens the mind
2. exercises the mind
   
3. gives one something about which to converse
   
4. allows one to “travel” to other times and places
   
5. reduces stress
6. provides an inexpensive and low maintenance form of entertainment

1. How to find books to read
2. How to find time to read
3. How to choose between print and electronic media
4. How to keep discipline from being drudgery
5. How to retain and organize what is learned from a book

Joel Belz (PCA Ruling Elder and Editor of World Magazine) wrote a good reflection article on the 37th General Assembly.  If you want to know some of the things going on in the denomination, this is a good place to look.

Leanne Williams sent me a song she wrote about the Tabernacle.  I recently did some Sunday school lessons on the tabernacle (one of the most rewarding things I have done) and she sent me this song she wrote a number of years ago.  It's a good memory tool!

THE TABERNACLE OF OUR GOD
Words and music
by Lee Ann Williams

CHORUS:   
The Tabernacle of our God
He dwells within this place.
It provides us with examples
of His judgment and His grace.
The Tabernacle of our God
He dwells with His chosen ones.
He gives a detailed picture
of Christ His Only Son.

1.  On the Brazen Altar,
the Sacrificial Lamb,
It points to a better sacrifice,
to Christ, the Great, I AM.
The Laver is for cleansing,
it cleanses us from sin.
It represents the Living Word
and our need to wash within.

2.  The Table and the Lampstand,
            they  give us life and light.
     Christ is the Bread that gives us strength,
            He shines through us so bright.
      The Altar of Incense,
            shows us our need to pray.
      He listens and He waits for us,
            to talk with Him each day.

3.  The Ark of the Covenant,
            angels watch the mercy seat.
     Through Christ, we’re in God’s Presence,
            our salvation is complete.
     The veil of separation,
            has now been torn in two.
     Christ stated, “It is finished.”
            He died for me and you.

Repeat CHORUS:

This article shows some very interesting developments in the pattern of education in America.  Since 1999 the number of homeschoolers has doubled.  As part of Christ Covenant School at New Life in Christ Church, our kids meet two days a week in the classroom, giving the core curriculum for our kids, and then we homeschool three days a week.  I am able to help with the educating of our children.  Though it comes with some cost to my time (exercising has to go), it is the most worthwhile thing I do.  It gives me my best time with the kids through the week.  I have three hours of face-to-face influence with my kids and I wouldn't trade it away for more free time or more time to exercise.  I know other dads who are doing the same thing and I know their lives and families are richer for it.

Al Mohler's Blog:  A Major Force in Education -- Homeschooling in America

2,272 messages are sent by the average teenager per month. Wow!  The New York Times says that this may be taking a big toll on our children.  Al Mohler gives a Christian perspective on text messaging.

“He knows not how to rule a kingdom, that cannot manage a province; nor can he wield a province, that cannot order a city; nor he order a city, that knows not how to regulate a village; nor he a village, that cannot guide a family; nor can that man govern well a family that knows not how to govern himself; neither can any govern himself unless his reason be Lord, will and appetite her vassals: nor can reason rule unless herself be ruled by God and (wholly) be obedient to Him.” – Hugo Grotius, 1654

"The ultimate proof of the sinner, is that he doesn't know his own sin.  Our job is to make him see it." - Martin Luther

“A Christian must be a sign of contradiction in the world.” - Father Jerzy Popieluszko, the Polish priest martyred by the Communists

Blog: Brave New World vs. Nineteen Eighty-Four

I head about an experiment like this a while ago and thought it was a good example of learning self-control and teaching it to our kids.  Watch it below.  As Christians, we are waiting for a reward from God, which helps us say no to things in this world that don't help us in that goal.  So, eat the marshmallow now, enjoy the marshmallow.  But save it, and you shall have reward in heaven.

Say no and teach your kids the same.

 


"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:11-14, NIV)

"“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." - Exodus 25:8

 

I remember the day I met my best childhood friend.  I was playing in my driveway and Tim walked by on the way to school.  We struck up a conversation that continued for the next twelve years of my life.  What was it that made us friends?  Chief among all things, I suspect that it was the fact that we lived four houses apart.

 

The relationship God seeks with His people means He lives where they live.  We see this in the Garden of Eden when He walked with Adam.  We see it again when God ordained the building of a tabernacle.  The tabernacle was a tent that was set up in the middle of Israel’s traveling city to represent God’s dwelling among His people. 

 

God wanted a tabernacle, but how were his people supposed to build it?  They would build it by the personal donations of “gold, silver, and bronze” as well as many other expensive materials (see Exodus 25:1-9 for a list of the materials).  Where did a band of recently freed slaves get such expensive building materials?  These valuable materials were “gifts” from the Egyptians, gifts given at the end of the Ten Plagues to get Israel out as quickly as possible before more catastrophic events took place (Exodus 12:35-36).  Egypt’s first born sons had just died and they wanted these slaves out, whatever the financial cost.

 

Though they were gifts from the Egyptians, from another perspective, each of these gifts was purchased.  When the angel of death came, he came for every sinful family living in Egypt.  He did not only come for the Egyptians, but all the Israelites in the land were also included.  The only way they could survive was by sacrificing a Passover Lamb and painting the blood of the lamb on the doorframes of their homes.  Though the Israelite people inside the homes were sinners like the Egyptians, they were spared judgment because the lamb had died in their place.

 

The only reason Israel received valuable treasure from the Egyptians rather than the death of their firstborn at God’s hands was because the Passover lamb was killed in their place.  Because the lamb was killed, they lived, and were able to leave Egypt and plunder the Egyptian people. 

 

So the lamb purchased all the materials for the tabernacle.  God had Israel build a sanctuary with the materials he provided for them.  The tabernacle was a gift of grace.

 

And, just as he promised, when the tabernacle was completed, God came to dwell in the new sanctuary.  God’s glory filled the tent and everyone who saw it was amazed (Exodus 40:34-38).

 

God has not stopped working on a home for himself with His people.  After the tabernacle came the temple.  And after the temple came the church.

 

The Bible says that every true Christian is a "living stone” and together we are all “being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5).  Just as the Old Testament people of God enjoyed God’s presence in the tabernacle, so now God’s people look for His presence in our lives together as the church.

 

This building is similar to the original tabernacle in so many ways.  First, it was ordained by God.  “For God so loved the world that He send His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

 

Second, every part of this building was purchased by a lamb.  Instead of gold, silver and bronze, this sanctuary is made up of human souls, which are “more precious than gold which is perishable” (1 Peter 1:7).  Each one of these souls was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God" (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT).

 

Third, God’s glory dwells in that building.  The Bible says that both the church (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) and the body of the individual believer (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) are a “temple of the Holy Spirit”. 

 

The implications of this are huge!  Let me just address just a few.

 

1.       We see all the persons of the trinity working together to accomplish our salvation.  Salvation is Trinitarian.  One God has accomplished salvation working as three persons.  It was not just accomplished by one person, but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved together as they fulfill different aspects of our salvation.  That is why we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

2.      God has planned to save you for a specific purpose, that He can dwell with you in a personal relationship and be present with you every day of your life.

3.      Your soul has been purchased through the death of the Lamb of God; God has valued your soul highly and paid the highest price to enter a relationship with God.  Have you thought recently about just how much God loves you?

4.      Because the Holy Spirit lives in you, God’s glory can be seen through you.  As you walk in faith and holiness, the people around you will catch a glimpse of just how good God is. 

 

Are you living as the temple of God?  We need to be careful about the way that we live, that our actions would show the true wonder of God’s presence and activity in our lives.

I just calculated that the five SAW movies made $667 million around the world including $341 million in America.  This does not included DVD sales or internet downloads.  If you don't know about these movies they are absolutely horrible and vivid in their depiction of torture.  The content of the movies is unspeakable except in the most crass of places.  It is part of a new genre of popular film called "torture porn".  Just the name itself should tip us off to the issues in these films.  Obviously by the box office numbers, people who would never watch a skin flick will watch torture porn.

As human beings, we should be concerned that so many people can spend money willingly to see people tortured, even if it is "just a movie".  It is shock to human dignity.  As Christians, we should recognize fundamental truths about people created in the image of God, than they should never even be shown to be treated or killed for the sake of personal entertainment.  We live in a world so twisted by sin so that we tolerate and even enjoy such evil.  The beauty is gone and man is left as a machine who must make choices purely for survival.  The questions of torture genre is how low will man sink to preserve his own life.  Only through Jesus Christ will we hope to restore beauty to a fallen world as life and eternal truth come together under God. 

Media discernment for ourselves is vital.  I think we often just think about it for our kids, but as believers in Jesus Christ we must keep our minds focused on what is true, beautiful, and good (Phil. 4:8).  It isn't just about bad words and nudity, but we need to understand the worldview that is communicated.  What statement of absolute reality is the movie making?  I mainly use two resources to answer important questions.  First, I use Focus on the Family's PluggedIn Online.  The second source I use is www.kids-in-mind.com. 

I hope these resources are helpful to you.

Blog from Justin Taylor, "Why Memorial Day is Worth Remembering"

Blog: Justin Taylor on "How Do You Break Free from an Addiction to Entertainment?"

Alistair Begg's ministry, Truth for Life, has made their entire archive of downloadable MP3 messages available for free.  I have found Begg's sermons to be very helpful in understanding the Bible and thinking my life through.

Someone showed me these videos which had some good Christian counsel in the midst of domestic abuse:

When Abuse is Worse than Divorce, Part I

When Submission is Misused, Part II

When Apologies are Dangerous, Part III

When the Church is Needed Most, Part IV

From Derek Thomas:

  
HT: Mockingbird

“You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read.” - Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

Liam wants to participate in the national Bible Bee on September 12, 2009.  The closest church in in Dumfries, just 40 minutes away.  Registration is open until May 15.  Want to go with us?

This video highlights a great concern for the church - both the declining population of Western nations and the rise in Islamic populations.  It brings two prayers to my mind - that the Lord would free these historically Christian nations from their hopelessness, self-focus and lack of vision for the future and bringing children in to God's world.   Secondly, a prayer for the Muslim world, that the church would provide a witness to the Muslim world that bring many Muslims to faith in Jesus Christ.

 

“If you want to reform a man, you must begin with his grandmother.” - Victor Hugo