Wednesday, September 27, 2006

The Bible According to Kids

The quotes below are said to be written by actual students and are genuine, authentic, and unedited.

In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so he took the Sabbath off.

Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.

Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark. Noah built an ark, which the animals come on to in pears.


Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night.


The Jews were a proud people and throughout history they had trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals.

Samson was a strongman who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah.

Samson slayed the Philistines with the axe of the Apostles.

Moses led the Hebrews to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread without any ingredients.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten ammendments.

The first commandement was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple. The fifth commandment is to humor thy father and mother. The seventh commandment is thou shalt not admit adultery.

Moses died before he ever reached Canada. Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol. The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.

David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. he fought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.

Solomon, one of David’s sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines.

When Mary heard that she was the mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta.

When the three wise guys from the east side arrived, they found Jesus in the manager.

Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption. St. John, the blacksmith, dumped water on his head.

Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says to do one to others before they do one to you. He also explained, ‘a man doth not live by sweat alone.’

It was a miracle when Jesus rose from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance.

The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew who was also a taximan.

St. Paul cavorted to Christianity. He preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.

A Christian should have only one spouse. This is called monotony

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Truths We Confess - New commentary of WCF by RC Sproul

Truths We Confess, Volume 1: A Triune God (A Layman's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith) (Hardcover)


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Publisher Description: Timeless truths—viewed in their enduring relevance. In his three-volume exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, R.C. Sproul writes with both insight into current issues and clarity for lay readers. The resulting commentary will long serve the church as an invaluable aid for digesting and teaching the eternal truths of Scripture.

Why teach biblical truth from a confession of faith? Sproul explains: “Though human confessions and creeds are penned by fallible people without the benefit of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I stand in awe at the profound level of theological and biblical precision manifest in the Westminster Confession of Faith. I would argue that the Westminster Standards are the most precise and accurate summaries of the content of biblical Christianity ever set forth in a creedal form. . . . in my judgment, no historic confession surpasses in eloquence, grandeur, and theological accuracy the Westminster Confession of Faith.”

This first volume (of three), covering chapters 1–8 of the confession, explains what we need to understand about Holy Scripture, God and the Trinity, his decree, creation, providence, the fall into sin, God’s covenant, and Christ the Mediator. Every discussion is geared toward bringing us to a deeper knowledge of and greater love for the doctrines of grace set forth in God’s Word.

View the Table of Contents

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Christianity Today Cover Story on Calvinism

Christianity Today has an interesting cover story in the latest issue, which is being shipped this week. The title is: "Young, Restless, and Reformed: Calvinism is making a comeback--and shaking up the church."

Written by Collin Hansen, it's an excellent piece that profiles the Reformed resurgence in the twenty-something crowd. John Piper, Al Mohler, Joshua Harris, Kent Hughes, C.J. Mahaney, and Together for the Gospel are all mentioned.

I'd encourage you to pick up a copy of the magazine at your local bookstore. (I have a hunch it may be their bestselling issue of the year!)

I'll also link to the story when it appears online next week.

Taken form Between Two Worlds Blog

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Southern Baptist Mistake

August 15, 2006
Southern Baptist Mistake

by Mark Dever

After 2 months reflection by many pastors, it is increasingly clear that the Southern Baptist Convention has made a serious mistake at its convention in Greensboro.

This has nothing to do with elections of officers, mission board controversy or alcohol. This has to do with what it means to be a church, what it means to be a Christian and the accountability that pastors will give to God.

When a question was raised about the propriety of allowing those who are able to attend church, but who never do to remain members of our churches, the answer was given that this was in order to keep the names as "prospects". Presumably, the intention is that our prior contact with them gives us an excuse for contacting them personally. More

ESV Electronic Editions

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Daily Text for August 3rd

Thursday, August 3
Psalm 91:9-16
Joshua 10:1-28; Luke 13:1-17

Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. Psalm 40:11

Jesus said, "The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me." John 16:27

Father of Creation, how great is your love, so freely given to all who will but claim it. You have chosen your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the expression of that love; what a most wonderful example! Ours is the privilege to serve him! Amen.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

The Moravian Daily Text

My wife and I have been reading this daily devotional for over 20 years. It has a reading from the Old and New Testaments plus two versers from hymns and a prayer. This is the oldest devotionals in the world. Here is today's two scriptiure readings. Note: The American edition has traditionally added an appropriate hymn verse after each Scripture passage, but these have been omitted here due to copyright considerations:

Watchwords for Wednesday, August 2, 2006

My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings.

Isaiah 32:18

The one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat.

Revelation 7:15-16

History of the Moravian Text or Loungen

Imagine sharing the same devotional with more than 1.5 million believers — in over 50 languages and dialects around the world! Sound impossible? Not at all. The Daily Texts have been living this ecumenical dream for more than 250 years.

First published in 1731 in Saxony, this little book grew out of a spiritual renewal of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) that dates back to August 13, 1727. In those days, Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf handed out a Losung, or "watchword," for the next day to each member of the Moravian congregation at Herrnhut, Saxony (now Germany). Thereafter one or more persons in the congregation went daily to each of the thirty-two houses in Herrnhut to bring them the watchword for the day.

Today the biblical texts for each day continue the tradition, being chosen in Herrnhut, Germany, and then sent around the world to those who prepare the different language editions. In this edition, hymns are chosen and prayers written by Moravian clergy and laypersons from the United States and Canada. Each month is prepared by a different person or couple so that the prayers reflect the great diversity of devotion in the Moravian Church.

Membership of the worldwide Moravian Church is over 750,000 in 19 provinces. The Daily Texts has a press run of over 1,000,000 copies in the German language alone, which far surpasses the 30,000 members of the Moravian Church in all of Europe. Other language editions bring the total circulation of this devotional to over 1.5 million copies.


Friday, July 21, 2006

Reformation T-Shirt from Monergism.com


With the recent resurgence of Reformation theology, many adhering to the Doctrines of Grace search for ways to expose the world to their beliefs. This shirt peaks the interest of onlookers and provides an excellent bridge for introducing the Biblical beliefs recovered and heralded during the the Reformation.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Our Children God's Children - Rev C. Bouwman


"Very much of our time as parents is taken up by our children; they have a central, very central place in our daily lives. We tie their shoelaces, dry up their tears, sit with them at the table, read them stories. We send them off to school, fix their torn clothes, help with their homework, listen to their stories, kiss them goodnight. We coach them so they can get their licence, rejoice with them when they make profession of faith, clutch our hearts as they make their first forays into the work force, put together again the heart broken by the failed romance. And once they're married, the involvement remains (be it on a different level), and the fun starts with the next generation. Children take up so much of our time.

With this article, I want to draw out that the children entrusted into our care are heirs of God's kingdom; God has claimed these children for Himself in His covenant of grace, so that all His promises in Jesus Christ are for them. This royal identity implies that each of our children are exceedingly special to God. This identity in turn affects 'even dictates' the way we treat our offspring." Read More

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

HISTORY: unwrapped, A Radio Ministry of American Vision

Bones that Started a Reformation

England had a head start on the Reformation because of the work of John Wycliffe (c. 1324–1384). It was Wycliffe who held that the Bible alone (sola Scriptura) set forth the definition of true Christianity. Wycliffe’s efforts to translate the Bible into the language of the people prepared the way for a reform movement that would take England and the New World by storm. His hand written translations were based on Jerome’s Latin Vulgate, the only source text available to Wycliffe. Like Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Tyndale, Wycliffe’s reform efforts did not go unopposed. Thirty-one years after his death, the Council of Constance condemned Wycliffe on 260 different counts, ordered his writings to be burned, and directed that his bones be exhumed and buried in unconsecrated ground. In 1428, on orders from the Pope, Wycliffe's remains were dug up and burned. His ashes were thrown in a nearby river. Wycliffe's followers, called Lollards,* carried on his work under severe persecution from Henry V (1413–1422). Because of continued opposition from the Crown and the outlawing of Bible reading in the English language, the Lollards worked in secret. But by the late fifteenth century, the activity of the Lollards began to grow more bold and effective. They brought the discussion of theological issues to the masses which in turn led some people to question certain aspects of Roman Catholic doctrine. In the end, Wycliffe’s views won out. His ashes became seed for a Reformation that transformed the world. “The sacred Scriptures,” Wycliffe wrote, “be the property of the people, and one which no party should be allowed to wrest from them.”

* The Lollards derived their name from the medieval Dutch word meaning “to mutter” (lollaerd), possibly a reference to their style of worship, which was based on reading the scriptures. The derivation may be of Latin origin, from lollen, “to sing softly” (cf. Eng. lull).

Monday, July 10, 2006

John Calvin's Birthday - July 10th, 1509


Born July 10, 1509 in Noyon, France, Jean Calvin was raised in a staunch Roman Catholic family. The local bishop employed Calvin's father as an administrator in the town's cathedral. The father, in turn, wanted John to become a priest. Because of close ties with the bishop and his noble family, John's playmates and classmates in Noyon (and later in Paris) were aristocratic and culturally influential in his early life. continue

Thursday, July 06, 2006

A Baptist Stuck in a Presbyterian “Body”?

I’m a baptist stuck in a presbyterian (church) body, and that’s okay. God put me here.

I’ve been doing some thinking about the fact that my family and I will soon be joining a Presbyterian church, and how that fits in with my self-identification as a “reformed baptist” (and if it even matters). Through high school and especially in college, I was one of those adamant “just a Christian”-type Christians, valiantly refusing to be shackled to a denominational label. Why, then, did being a “baptist” suddenly matter so much to me? Do I really care that much about congregational governance? How much study have I really put into baptism? Continue

Monday, June 26, 2006

Riddleblog - The Latest Post - On Baptists and Booze

Riddleblog - The Latest Post - On Baptists and Booze

At the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists, the following resolution was approved. The spirit of prohibition lives on!

Resolution No. 5


ON ALCOHOL USE IN AMERICA

WHEREAS, Years of research confirm biblical warnings that alcohol use leads to physical, mental, and emotional damage (e.g., Proverbs 23:29-35); and

WHEREAS, Alcohol use has led to countless injuries and deaths on our nation's highways; and

WHEREAS, The breakup of families and homes can be directly and indirectly attributed to alcohol use by one or more members of a family; and

WHEREAS, The use of alcohol as a recreational beverage has been shown to lead individuals down a path of addiction to alcohol and toward the use of other kinds of drugs, both legal and illegal; and

WHEREAS, There are some religious leaders who are now advocating the consumption of alcoholic beverages based on a misinterpretation of the doctrine of "our freedom in Christ"; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2006, express our total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing, and consuming of alcoholic beverages; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge that no one be elected to serve as a trustee or member of any entity or committee of the Southern Baptist Convention that is a user of alcoholic beverages.

RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to take an active role in supporting legislation that is intended to curb alcohol use in our communities and nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to be actively involved in educating students and adults concerning the destructive nature of alcoholic beverages; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we commend organizations and ministries that treat alcohol-related problems from a biblical perspective and promote abstinence and encourage local churches to begin and/or support such biblically-based ministries.


For a thoughtful and pastoral response from Justin Taylor, Click here: Between Two Worlds: The SBC Resolution on Alcohol

Thursday, June 22, 2006

A Missional Church - By Ed Stetzer, Special to the Christian Index

Thanks so much to The Christian Index for the Sept. 29 article on the missional church. For many evangelicals, the terminology is new, but the actual practice is as old as the church and her sacred effort. Now that the word "missional" is on the front page of The Christian Index, Lifeway's Facts & Trends, and throughout Baptist Press, it is good to be clear what the word means and why it matters so much.

As the Index correctly pointed out, "missional" is not the same as "mission-minded," though they are both important and related. The term "missional" is simply the noun "missionary" adapted into an adjective. For example, an "adversary" is your enemy. Someone who is "adversarial" is acting like your enemy. Thus, a "missionary" is someone who acts like a missionary (for example, understands a culture, proclaims the faithful Gospel in a way that people in culture can understand, and uses parts of that culture to glorify God). A "missional church" is a church that acts like a missionary in its community.

If we are going to reach a changing Georgia (and North America), we have to contend for the unchanging faith (Jude 3) but to do so using forms that are relevant to all kinds of people (1 Cor. 9:22-23). That's a missional church - a church acting like a missionary to the community around it while partnering with others to be missionary around the world.

Some will say, "The culture does not matter, just preach the Word!"

You may hear much of this in the letters to the editor over the next few weeks. However, we really don't believe that culture is irrelevant. Why? Because we send missionaries to foreign lands and, like Lottie Moon, expect them to don the clothes, live the customs, and be part of the community while proclaiming a faithful Gospel. We should not forbid North American missional pastors from doing the very thing we train international missionaries to do. Entire Article

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The Pursuit of Hospitality - Doug Wilson

Hospitality, where it is still practiced in the church, is largely an unstudied virtue. The demands of modernity and the frenetic pace of life around us dictate that we neglect our responsibility to have our brothers and sisters into our homes. Nevertheless, the Bible is very plain in requiring us to be disciplined in our pursuit of "company," and includes a requirement of hospitality in the leaders of the church (1 Tim. 3:2). This is not because it is their task alone, but rather because a pattern or example should be set by them for the whole church.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality (Rom. 12:9-13).

But we must begin with a caution. Before addressing the duties related to hospitality, just a few words are necessary to that group which always finds time to lament the unfriendliness and lack of hospitality in others. This duty is one where we may trust the Lord to convict us of our own failings. But with regard to their purported failings, take care not to draw any conclusions about the hospitality of others. First, you are in no position to make a right judgment. It is very easy to make judgments without all the facts (a practice that some seem to feel is their spiritual gift). And secondly, those who show great interest in the failings of others in this regard are usually a central part of the problem.

This said, nevertheless, in Romans 12:13, the saints are told to pursue hospitality, to chase down potential guests in the parking lot after church. Far more is involved than a simple willingness to have company over—Paul... Continue Reading

Thursday, June 15, 2006

The Reformed Faith as the Most Consistent Form of Christianity

The Reformed faith is the Christian religion in its most consistent expression. This is not to claim that others, who do not hold to the Reformed confessions, are not Christians. It is simply to insist that there is only one true religion and that the most consistent expression of it is the Reformed faith. Jesus himself said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt. 7:13–14). No doubt some see this way more clearly than others. And Jesus does not say that none but the consistent will be able to enter in. But how clear it is that there is only one way!

Furthermore, Jesus plainly insisted that this one way of salvation be taught consistently: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ ” (Matt. 28:18–20).

Consistent and faithful maintenance of the entire content of the true religion is a matter of no little importance. We are not to judge just how much a particular sinner must know in order to be saved. But there is no doubt as to the church’s task in this world: to uphold the whole of Christ’s word in faithful and consistent teaching.

From 'What is the Reformed Faith? High Points of Calvinism'. The entire booklet can be found here.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

HISTORY: unwrapped – June 13, 2006


June 13, 2006 – The Second Josiah

During the reign of Henry III’s young son, Edward VI (1547–1553), England made long strides toward Protestantism. Protestant tutors were put in charge of Edward’s education, and at an early age Edward became familiar with the works of John Calvin and those of the Strasbourg Reformer Martin Bucer. At Edward’s coronation, Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) referred to him as the second Josiah, as a king who would restore England to the true religion. (It was under Josiah’s reign in Judah that the “book of the law” was found in the temple—2 Kings 22). Under Edward’s leadership, a number of important changes took place: religious services were conducted in English; the Catholic Mass was abolished; clergy were permitted to marry; and English Bibles were freely printed. Not everyone was happy with these changes, however. Henry’s brand of Catholicism was still very popular, as future Reformers soon discovered. Edward, sickly and frail from birth with chronic tuberculosis, reigned for only six years. On July 6, 1553, the young king died, praying, “My Lord and God, save this realm from popery, and maintain it in true religion.” He was sixteen.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Who Really Stands with Israel?

Who Really Stands with Israel?
by Gary DeMar


David Brog has written Standing with Israel: Why Christians Support the Jewish State. The ten reviews I read on Amazon were quite favorable, and it us being advertised on WorldNetDaily. The fact that... READ FULL ARTICLE


Radio Apologia Audio

Radio Apologia Audio

The anti-theist lives as if this were God's world, with abstract norms, regularities, standards, etc; but pouts that "he just cannot know" whether the God on whom he is utterly dependent exists or not. Nowhere to go; it's just baffling that someone would choose beliefs that *if true* (which they're fortunately not) would *undermine the possibility* of logic, science, and ethics. And it's baffling that someone would so choose, all the while living as if the world were a world of meaning, standards, consciousness, and value -- rather than of matter clunking chemically against impersonal matter.

We have audio you probably won't find elsewhere.

To find the audio - sign up on the discussion board and then click on the 'access the audio here' forum for the link.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Why 6-6-6 Doesn't Matter - Gary DeMar


Today’s beastly date—6–6–6—really isn’t. Our calendar is based on when Jesus was born. Most scholars believe our dating system is off by approximately five years because of certain miscalculations in determining the precise year Jesus was born. This means that the real June 6, 2006 happened about five years ago. Of course, there was a bigger 666 date: June 6, 666. Or was it really June 6, 661? All the talk about today being 6–6–06 is little more than hype to sell books. Even Tim LaHaye has gotten into the act. The third volume in the Left Behind prequel—The Rapture—debuts today, and earlier paperback editions of Left Behind are selling for $6.66. Read entire article