Calvin 500 is now taking registrations for those who wish to make their own arrangements but still attend Calvin500 in Geneva in July 2009. To register, go here.
Engagement Story
Posted: January 12, 2009 Filed under: Emily and I 3 Comments(Post by Emily Harlan)
To start the story out I have to share some background information. Mike Dewalt had come home to Ashland Ohio for over a month for seminary break. I had decided to come up for a week and see him and then head back to Michigan, while he finished up his stay in Ohio. Flash forward to….
Friday morning, January 9, 2009, I felt a nudge on my shoulder as I lay asleep in bed and awoke to Dewalt (Mike), who came in to my room holding a breakfast tray, and a dozen roses. He softly asked if I could wake up enough to enjoy some breakfast with him and as I lay there enjoying the croissant sandwich (thanks Jimmy Dean J) and the scrambled eggs and sausage with orange juice we chatted about nothing and just enjoyed the special treat he had prepared. The Roses were of course beautiful and along with that I later received a box of chocolates in the shape of Belle, from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (it’s a sentimental thing between us, he’s always called me Belle because he said I was a beauty and he was the beast..haha) so he was being sweet and memorable.
After breakfast he said to go on ahead and get ready for we had decided to go out to lunch together that day so he just randomly said to look nice and dress warm…odd but still I didn’t think ANYTHING!! So, we get ready (he looked quite handsome himself!! He didn’t even wear cowboy boots!) and start driving to the restaurant, so 30 minutes has gone by and I say to him, “where are we going?!”. He’s replies, “ohhh I thought we would head up to Sandusky and see the place and eat.” I was like wow! Cool (keep in mind Sandusky is 45 minutes north of his house, and right on Lake Eerie, PLUS it’s snowing like crazy). So we get to Damens Grill- but it wasn’t anything like the Damens sports grill and bar that are normally seen, it was a snazzy grill in a old marina so it out looked the frozen Lake Eerie, it was beautiful!!! We both ordered some reeeaaally good food and then enjoyed talking. Dewalt all of a sudden asked our waitress for directions to the nearest park. I AM THINKING “Park?! Its blizzarding outside! Oh well!” So we get them….and kind of get mixed up and stop for some directions from a toothless gas station attendant and finally make it to Osborn Park.
This place, we come to find out is more like a wildlife preserve with a park for dogs, and a ranger station. Nothing to do…just land! So he’s like “yeah let’s get out and see what’s here”- now I am a spontaneous and adventuresome person always loving a good random memory so I get out bundle up and walk into the ranger station to ask the lady at the desk what there isin this “park” of course this poor lady hasn’t seen any visitors or excitement for months as it’s the dead of winter and blizzarding so she enlightened me with all their summer options as a park…I listened but then excused myself outside to walk around with D. We walked around the parking lot and by this time I am numb with cold so I say “hey let’s take some pictures in the snow”, D obliges and then I ask to walk back to the car. D says “naaaww lets keep walking around”…(he says he was scouting the area for a good place to propose as there wasn’t any privacy or anything romantic around..just frozen tundra and a picnic pavilion.) So we start walking towards the picnic pavilion and we take some more pics, and then I sit down and he starts to chat about how he has talked to my mom the past week…”I was like OOOOHHHHHH how did THAT go?! “(My parents haven’t had a lot of opportunities to get to know mike so they are still new in talking to each other) He’s like, “interesting but it ended very well!” I was like ohhhh so tell me what you guys talked about, and he was said, “well actually I also talked to your dad”, I am like WOW, HOW DID THAT go? He-he and as he knelt down on his one knee he said “ well I actually asked him for your hand in marriage” I was speechless as he pulled out the black velvet box out of his pocket and opened it up as he said, “Emily I know I’m not very good at this stuff but I love you very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?” I just started to cry and said yes and gave him a huge hug. He was shaking a little bit of course and finally got the ring on my finger and just smiled as I was crying (he teared up too folks!) I declared about 10 times…”we are getting MARRIED!”
SIDENOTE**
This was a COMPLETE surprise, as most girls know that they will be proposed to within the year or even months that they have discussed with their boyfriend. THAT was not the case in this instance as many as you know! Dewalt was very adamant about waiting till the end of his schooling in 2 years to get married and I had decided that the best way to handle was to trust in his judgment and know that the Lord would sustain us through the long time. SO I was completely shocked for this to happen!!
Back to the story…..
So we take a picture of me in the spot I sat as he proposed and I dry off my frozen wet- icicle face! Hehe and declare we MUST go to the ranger station before we leave for me to tell the lady behind the counter! First off I felt this overwhelming desire to tell someone right away since I didn’t have my cell on me and we were out in the middle of no where. So we hiked back to the station and as we walked in 3 rangers were lounging by the receptionist’s empty desk. I asked for the lady behind the desk and they pointed to the corner as I walked over she came over and I announced that I had just been proposed to and she yelped for joy and gave me a hug saying congratulations! She smiled and said, “ and you just had to tell someone didn’t you!?” I laughed and said yes. The rangers made some funny snide remarks to Dewalt about are you sure you wanna do that? Or good luck with that.. So he was slightly embarrassed but he got over it as the lady, MJ I later found out was her name, took a picture of us in front of the ranger station and bid us congrats as we left for Ashland.
Our day consisted of us stopping by a jewelry store to get a ring sizer as the ring was too big and calling everyone we could think of at the time to tell them. So that is our story, unique and wonderful at the same time. WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!!!!!
Faith Sets the Bow
Posted: January 11, 2009 Filed under: Sundays with Spurgeon Leave a commentAnd it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the beau shall be seen in the cloud. (Genesis 9:14)
Just now clouds are plentiful enough, but we are not afraid that the world will be destroyed by a deluge. We see the rainbow often enough to pre-vent our having any such fears. The covenant which the Lord made with Noah stands fast, and we have no doubts about it. Why, then, should we think that the clouds of’ trouble, which now darken our sky, will end in our destruction? Let us dismiss such groundless and dishonoring fears.
Faith always sees the bow of covenant promise whenever sense sees the cloud of affliction. God has a bow with which He might shoot out His arrows of destruction. But see, it is turned upward! It is a bow without an arrow or a string; it is a bow hung out for show, no longer used for war. It is a bow of many colors, expressing joy and delight, and not a bow blood-red with slaughter or black with anger. Let us be of good courage. Never does God so darken our sky as to leave His covenant without a witness, and even if He did, we would trust Him since He cannot change or lie or in any other way fail to keep His covenant of peace. Until the waters go over the earth again, we shall have no reason for doubting our God.
John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God
Posted: January 10, 2009 Filed under: Crossway, John Calvin, John Piper Leave a comment
From DG Ministry: “John Piper focuses on the supremacy of God by unfolding Calvin’s zeal for the glory of God. God rests lightly on the church’s mind in our time. We are obsessed with ourselves and God takes second place, if that. The experience of his majesty sometimes seems to have disappeared from the modern evangelical world. John Calvin saw a similar thing in his day. His aim was to “set before [man], as the prime motive of his existence, zeal to illustrate the glory of God”—a fitting banner over all of his life and work. “The essential meaning of Calvin’s life and preaching,” writes John Piper, “is that he recovered and embodied a passion for the absolute reality and majesty of God. Such is the aim and burden of this book as well.”
From Me: This small, short little note that John Piper does here in near 60 pages would be a great gift for the great number of people in today’s world, namely America who has no idea of the beauty that is in John Calvin’s example for us in our faith, living for the glory of God. Having a passion for the glory of God in today postmodern culture I personally believe starts by having a passion for the Word of God. Today in the often times of America’s cesspool of sin, they see the Scriptures as a list of guidelines, or a manuel to having a successful life. I so often hear form my old friends, and unbelievers, “Yes! I believe in God” and “Yes, I believe in the Bible!” But as an absolute authority over their life, their life-style, their morals, their families, etc. NO! The importance of Piper’s book on Calvin for 2009, is seeing the majesty of God in the Word of God and how Calvin saw this as an importance over all the Christian life. If you want to tell someone about Calvin, and Calvinism that is short and to the point, then buy one to read, and a few to pass-out to your friends.
John Owen on Apostasy – Part Five
Posted: January 9, 2009 Filed under: John Owen on Apostasy Leave a commentIV. The reasons and causes of apostasy from the truth or doctrines of the gospel, and the inclination of all sorts of persons thereunto in all ages, inquired into and declared
Theses:
“The reasons and causes of apostasy from the truth or doctrine of the gospel, and the inclination of all sorts of persons thereunto in all ages, inquired into and declared — Uncured enmity in the minds of many against spiritual things, and the effects of it in a wicked conversation, the first cause of apostasy.”[1]
Summary:
Chapter four begins with Owen giving detailed reasoning that lies behind apostasy and how one leaves the gospel. This chapter reveals how one forsakes the gospel after having previously claimed to be a believer. Owen shows from Scripture a number of different areas in which man forsakes the gospel, brought about by reasoning in their own minds that leads them to work for themselves and not for the obedience of the gospel. In this, Owen looks at the fact that man’s nature falls in line with that which the natural revelation shows him… that man often doesn’t see the importance of special revelation, and because of this, they easily doubt the gospel which had once enlightened them. Here Owen gives examples of this from the Old Testament (with dealing with Israel), and from the Roman Catholic Church.
However, this area of sin that Owen talks about – that which causes apostasy – is not where he leaves the chapter. He then goes further and gives his opinion of how one can refrain from becoming an apostate. Owen explains how one is to place the gospel at the very center of the heart, keeping it always close to the mind, in order to keep from falling away into apostasy. Moving forward in this, Owen shows that when this is done, the heart will see the true knowledge of the gospel, which results in falling in love with the gospel truly, and not just momentarily or for an undetermined span of time.
Owen ends this chapter by pointing out a number of important things. First, he gives two areas in which the Church of Rome continues to make apostates: by their force and by their accommodation of religion to appeal to many. He then gives two examples of ways that apostates live: continuing to deny God and continuing to indulge in their own sinful lust.
Outline:
I. Why Apostasy Happens
A. Apostasy in the Old Testament
B. The Reasoning for Apostasy
C. The Truth Given to Men
1. Natural Revelation
2. Supernatural Revelation
D. Examples of Apostasy
1. The Example of the Jews
2. The Example of the Church
E. Preventing Apostasy
1. By the Truth of the Gospel
2. By the Gospel reaching the Heart
F. How Rome Continues to Press Forward
1. By Force
2. By Accommodation
1. Denying God
2. Denying Sin
Thine is My Heart: Devotional Readings from John Calvin
Posted: January 8, 2009 Filed under: Reformation Heritage Books 1 Comment
RHB Deal of the Week originally at $22.00, at 50% off today only for $11.00. If you are looking for books on and written by Calvin this year, be sure to check out the selection that RHB has placed together for this year!
Thine Is My Heart brings together a year’s worth of meditations from the writings of John Calvin, carefully selected to reveal his devotional side. Taken from his commentaries, correspondences, and sermons, these selections demonstrate that practical application of Christian truth was never far from his mind. Let these daily portions be an encouragement to you to offer your heart to the Lord, promptly and sincerely.
“Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God’s will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day.” — Dr. Joel R. Beeke
God Preordained
Posted: January 7, 2009 Filed under: Gospel Quote of the Week Leave a comment“God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation” – John Calvin
biblical theological method in Ruth
Posted: January 6, 2009 Filed under: Questions & Answers Leave a commentQuestion: Dewalt, how does the biblical theological method allow you to draw out both objective and subjective lines from the book of Ruth? How is this different from the moralizing or spiritualizing approach?
Answer:
Objectively– Looks at the Book of Ruth seeing what the goal of biblical theology is and the progression of the over arching premises of the Old Testament in revealing the one who was to come and fulfill the covenants, Jesus Christ. This then gives the historical overview of the Old Testament, which enlightens its real meaning. I think actually proper Objectivity can be and should be proper the Biblical Theological Method.
Subjectively– How this differs because it allows the one to pick and chose the exact matters in which they will look at, why they feel exactly what they want to look at and allowing themselves to deal with what they wish instead of looking at the text for its own value.
How is this different? – Oh, how often I wish I could beat this drum, but seem impossible at times among the conservative traditional reformers. This should be done differently then that of spiritualizing the text, however I think at times it is not at all. Spiritualizing the text is nothing more then the practice of objectively viewing the text. Often times those that spiritualize this text, is because of their experiences, reasoning, or what they have been taught for 40 years in their pews, so instead o valuing Scriptures and freedom in Christ, nothing occurs but one continuing to sit where one feels happy with, and take the scriptures further away from the original meaning then they should. Perfect example… The Puritans! The Puritans saw that in time, their communities, families, the Bible, law, etc was meant for everyone. (Now is the Gospel meant for all, and should we preach it to all? Yes! Are we to pound upon unsaved people the law of god and make sure they live by it? No!) Exactly, this is what happen, the Puritans saw that the Law was for unsaved and saved, and I personally believe close to thonomist, however when then reading the bible, they would often spiritualize the text in trying to crate a culture and society that brought to usher in the kingdom or God, bringing all to the gospel. This however was not right, nor did it work, but ended up in their death 150 years later.
KJV Baby!
Posted: January 5, 2009 Filed under: You Might be a Calvinist if..., You might be a Fundamentalist if, You might be a Presbyterian if 5 CommentsYou might be a Dutch Calvinist if… You still use a KJV.
You might be a Calvinist if… you use a Geneva Bible.
You might be a American Reformist (New Calvinist) if… you use a ESV.
You might be a Presbyterian if… you walk into church with your Hebrew and Greek.
You might be a Baptist if… you swear up and down by the 1977 NASB.
You might be a Fundamentalist if… you made the move to the NKJV.
You might be a Dispensationalist if… you swear by Ryrie Study Bible.
You might be Al Mohler if… you can actually understand all the notes in The Apologetics Study Bible .
You might be a Friendly Seeker if… you still use the 1980’s & 90’s NIV.
You might be a Catholic if… you use a priest… (ouch!)
You might be a Emergent if… you don’t need a Bible, just bring your thoughts or your copy of “The Voice”
Rest on a Promise
Posted: January 4, 2009 Filed under: Sundays with Spurgeon Leave a commentThe land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it. (Genesis 28:13)
No promise is of private interpretation: it belongs not to one saint but to all believers. If, my brother, thou canst in faith lie down upon a promise and take thy rest thereon, it is thine. Where Jacob “lighted” and tarried and rested, there he took possession. Stretching his weary length upon the ground, with the stones of that place for his pillows, he little fancied that he was thus entering into ownership of the land; yet so it was. He saw in his dream that wondrous ladder which for all true believers unites earth and heaven, and surely where the foot of the ladder stood he must have a right to the soil, for other wise he could not reach the divine stair-way. All the promises of God are “Yea” and “Amen” in Christ Jesus, and as He is ours, every promise is ours if we will but lie down upon it in restful faith.
Come, weary one, use thy Lord’s words as thy pillows, Lie down in peace. Dream only of Him. Jesus is thy ladder of light. See the angels coming and going upon Him between thy soul and thy God, and be sure that the promise is thine own God-given portion and that it will not be robbery for thee to take it to thyself, as spoken specially to thee.
ESV Bible Reading Plans
Posted: January 3, 2009 Filed under: Just for Fun Leave a commentLooking for an ideal way to read the Bible? Saw this on another blog and started using it two days ago through my RSS reader (NetNewsWire), and I absolutely love the idea and how it works. See here.
Dignity and Dust
Posted: January 2, 2009 Filed under: Devotional Leave a comment(Posted by Dr. Beeke)
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them…. The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” ―Genesis 1:27; 2:7
The two complementary accounts of man’s creation in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:7 are necessary for a biblical understanding of who man is. The first account tells us that we were made in the image of God. That is our uniqueness. The second tells us that we were made from the dust of the ground.
Thus, combined in us is the infinite lowliness of being made of the dust of the earth and the infinite dignity of being made in the image of God. We were created of both dust and glory. If we forget or ignore either aspect, we will fail to understand how God made us.
Man, as theologians often point out, has always been his own greatest problem. His first great cry, “Who am I?” is the search for identity. His second great cry, “What am I here for?” is his search for significance. The biblical answer is that man is both dust and glory.
Dust speaks of lowliness. In Psalm 103:14b we read, “He remembers that we are dust.” That should remind us of our lowly origins. God said after man’s fall in Eden, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen 3:19b). Dust speaks of our frailty and finiteness, and the fact that we are not like God, who is eternal, omniscient, and omnipotent. When Abraham came into the presence of God, he acknowledged his finiteness by saying, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27).
Dust and glory must be kept in balance. If we forget that we are dust, we will ignore or minimize our finiteness and our absolute dependence upon God, who personally breathed into our nostrils the very breath of life (Gen. 2:7). But if we forget the other truth, that we are made in the glorious image of God, we will be content to live as the animals, and we will miss our eternal destiny. If we believe that we are nothing but dust, we will lose the glory that distinguishes us as the crown of creation.
Twitter basics
Posted: January 1, 2009 Filed under: Just for Fun Leave a commentThis guy knows twittering.
Symbolic Speech
Posted: January 1, 2009 Filed under: Questions & Answers Leave a commentQuestion: What are the four kinds of symbolic speech and give me an example for each one. Is there ever any cross-over between any of these kinds within one passage?
Answer:
Mention of the 4 Symbols
1. People Types – examples like Adam, Moses, and David
2. Occasional Types – examples like the burning bush and the Aaron’s rod
3. Ceremonial Types – sabbaths, circumcision, offerings and festivals
4. Civil Types – The Law, judges and kings
Crossover, yes. Examples are the following:
Moses/Law/burning Bush
David/king
Abraham/circumcision
ANNOUNCING “Conference Only” registration for Calvin500
Posted: December 31, 2008 Filed under: Calvin 500 Leave a commentpre-diluvian & post-diluvian??
Posted: December 31, 2008 Filed under: Questions & Answers Leave a commentQuestion: Dewalt can you compare and contrast the pre-diluvian and post-diluvian periods from a biblical theological perspective?
Answer:
pre-diluvian – My terms and the way I may use are different accordingly to my theology then which you may be used to. However this time period before the flood, theology was like that of what was given to Adam, and the Lord’s people. However the traditional reformist believe that it was here in this period that worship, laws, sacrifices and redemption ordinances were brought about and carried out during this time. Also, church/The Lord’s people here held to the promise of God given to Adam amongst their believes and looked forward for who would save them. However whatever time frame that it may have been, it is easily seen by the fourth chapter of Gen. that sin and the fall had corrupted the world to the effects of killing and a numerous amount of sin in which sicken the Lord so much, that he then would destroy what he had made. This is the beginning process of the reveling of the grace in which is given to man after the fall and sin of Adam.
post-diluvian – This here is the time after the flood and how redemption is played out after Noah beginnings the process of carrying out that plan of redemption throughout time. Here is where the reformed place a large emphasis upon covenant in showing the progression on it and how God’s promises are held and kept throughout not only here but only a beginning of it for the next 38 books in the Old Testament. By this time the covenant is seen in how it is made with man, who God is, how it works, his promises made to man. Also, the covenant is showing fully (not like before) how man is viewed from creation and in government among living. Also, this then is showing man, how Sabbath worship, sacrifices, and family etc. all played out.
My Top 10 Books of 2008
Posted: December 30, 2008 Filed under: My Top 10 Titles of 2008 Leave a comment#1 Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community
As two pastors outline the biblical calling to make both the gospel and community central in the Christian life, they apply this dual focus to evangelism, social involvement, church planting, discipleship, youth ministry, and more, urging the body of Christ to rethink its perspective and way of life.
#2 Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)
Kevin and Ted are two guys who, demographically, should be all over this movement. But they’re not. And Why We’re Not Emergent gives you the solid reasons why. From both a theological and an on-the-street perspective, Kevin and Ted diagnose the emerging church. They pull apart interviews, articles, books, and blogs, helping you see for yourself what it’s all about.
#3 Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World
Life in this fallen world can draw our hearts far from God and from growth in godliness. Worldlinessequips you to search your heart for the presence of worldliness and gives practical help for resisting the world’s influence in the areas of media, modesty, music, and material possessions.
#4 Death by Love: Letters from the Cross
Real people. Real sin. Transformed lives. Deep theology meets gritty pastoral experiences as Death by Love explains the practical implications of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. This compilation of heartfelt letters written from a pastor to his people is for all those who have sinned and have been sinned against.
#5 Living For God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism
In this introduction to the doctrinal system known as Calvinism, Joel Beeke—with contributions from Sinclair Ferguson, Michael Haykin, Derek Thomas, Ray Pennings, and others—displays the biblical, God-centered, winsome, comprehensive, and practical nature of Calvinism. In this comprehensive survey of Reformed Christianity, Dr. Beeke and eight fellow contributors offer twenty–eight chapters that trace the history of Calvinism; explore its key doctrinal tenets, such as the so-called five points of Calvinisms and the solas of the Protestant Reformation; reveal how Calvinists have sought to live in devotion to God; and survey Calvinism’s influence in the church and in the world at large. In the end, the book asserts that the overriding goal of Calvinism is the glory of God. Saturated with Scripture citations and sprinkled with quotations from wise giants of church history, this book presents Calvinism in a winsome and wondrous fashion.
#6 John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology
John Calvin is often reviled as a humorless doctrinarian who preached an austere theology that twisted Scripture. In John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, Burk Parsons and a cadre of godly pastors and scholars seek to set the record straight in honor of the 500th observance of John Calvin’s birth in 1509. The book’s nineteen succinct chapters explore aspects of Calvin’s life, ministry, and teachings, and establish his importance even for the twenty-first-century church. Contributors, in addition to Parsons, include some of the most gifted and godly Reformed leaders alive today: Derek W. H. Thomas, Sinclair B. Ferguson, D. G. Hart, Harry L. Reeder, Steven J. Lawson, W. Robert Godfrey, Phillip R. Johnson, Eric J. Alexander, Thabiti Anyabwile, John MacArthur, Richard D. Phillips, Thomas K. Ascol, Keith A. Mathison, Jay E. Adams, Philip Graham Ryken, Michael Horton, Jerry Bridges, and Joel R. Beeke. The foreword is by Iain H. Murray.
#7 Reformed Dogmatics, The completion of the 4 volume-set
The Dutch Reformed Translation Society is proud to offer in English for the very first time all four volumes of Herman Bavinck’s complete Reformed Dogmatics. This masterwork will appeal not only to scholars, students, pastors, and laity interested in Reformed theology but also to research and theological libraries.
#8 Theological Guide to Calvin’s Institutes
Capturing both the best of elite scholarship, as well as exhibiting a firm understanding of and passion for Calvin’s own work, these essays by 20 elite Calvin scholars who appreciate the abiding value of Calvin’s Institutes provide definitive and section-by-section commentary on Calvin’s magnum opus.
#9 Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers to Timely Questions
This popular-level theology book introduces the person and work of Christ to those who are seeking answers to some of their most basic–and pivotal–questions.
#10 Introduction to Systematic Theology, 2nd Ed.
Van Til explores the implications of Christian theology, particularly for philosophy, as he discusses epistemology, general and special revelation, and the knowledge and attributes of God. Cornelius Van Til taught apologetics for more than forty-five years at Westminster Theological Seminary. This newly edited and typeset edition features an introduction and explanatory notes by William Edgar.
Honorable Mention: The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ, Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ, Reforming or Conforming?: Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church, Christ and Culture Revisited, Is Rome the True Church?: A Consideration of the Roman Catholic Claim, Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life, A Christian Manifesto, and Truth with Love: The Apologetics of Francis Schaeffer
You can compare them with others here, here and here.
i think my wife’s a calvinist
Posted: December 29, 2008 Filed under: Just for Fun, Video of the Week 6 CommentsFavorite line – “She has a tattoo that says, I heart John Piper in Greek.”
Books
Posted: December 29, 2008 Filed under: You Might be a Calvinist if... Leave a commentYou might be a Calvinist if… you passed out books for Christmas gifts.
Speaking about books and Calvinist, RHB’s deal of the week till 5PM today for 50% off!
Absolute Assurance
Posted: December 28, 2008 Filed under: Sundays with Spurgeon Leave a commentHe hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)
Several times in the Scriptures the Lord hath said this. He has often repeated it to make our assurance doubly sure. Let us never harbor a doubt about it. In itself the promise is specially emphatic. In the Greek it has five negatives, each one definitely shutting out the possibility of the Lord’s ever leaving one of His people so that he can justly feel forsaken of his God. This priceless Scripture does not promise us exemption from trouble, but it does secure us against desertion. We may be called to traverse strange ways, but we shall always have our Lord’s company, assistance, and provision. We need not covet money, for we shall always have our God, and God is better than gold; His favor is better than fortune.
We ought surely to be content with such things as we have, for he who has God has more than all the world besides. What can we have beyond the Infinite? What more can we desire than almighty Goodness.
Come, my heart; if God says He will never leave thee nor forsake thee, be thou much in prayer for grace that thou mayest never leave thy Lord, nor even for a moment forsake His ways.
10 Must-Haves for a Redneck Weddin
Posted: December 27, 2008 Filed under: Just for Fun Leave a comment1. Spittoon- With all the male bonding there will be a lot of chewing done, spitting too. So to keep the yard half way clean, have those spittoons strategist placed. Make sure you empty into the Hog pen often.
2. Charcoal Grille- What would a wedding be without a fine dinner. Have the grill hot and waiting for the next road kill to appear, or the bear you shot out back yesterday.
3. Pair of Tall Boots- You knows with all those rednecks around there will be a lot of bull to wade through. And they look perfect with the custom made grain sack you choose for your dress.
4. Fanny-pack- A great way to collect all the IOU’s you will receive from the guests. And the special gift for the bride and groom. A universal key to outhouses. You don’t want to leave home without it.
5. Bread Ties- Get the newest one and if you are lucky you might find another one for a matched set of rings.
6. Old Barrel- To keep in the creek with the “champagne “of beer, Budweiser. I’m sure someone will bring some “family recipe” to sample. Make sure you keep it cold in the creek.
7. Old Tires- You might have to borrow a few from the neighbors for the seating you will need. You might even put on the invitations BYOT (bring your own tire).
8. Goldenrod- Scour the fields for the weeds of your choice. Watch out for the cow pies. Tie the flowers together with a piece of horse hair from Mable, the family pet.
9. Chicken Feed- Make sure the wedding procession walks near the chicken pen, so two chores can be done at one time.
10. Shotgun- And finally a good quality shotgun. Loaded of course. This makes the whole ceremony legal and binding
Bad News: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Posted: December 27, 2008 Filed under: Video of the Week Leave a commentIf I Wrote a Biblical Theology Book?
Posted: December 26, 2008 Filed under: Questions & Answers Leave a commentQuestion: Dewalt, if I asked you to write a biblical theology (OT section). Give the basic chapter titles and explain how and why your method would be different than if you wrote a systematic theology.
Answer:
Book Title: The Gospel Given in Progession in the Old Testament
1. The Gospel in Creation
2. The Gospel of Redemption Given to Adam (Covenant)
3.The Gospel of Grace Given to Noah
4. The Gospel of Faith & Covenant Gievn to Abraham
5. The Gospel in the Law Given to Moses
6. The Gospel shown in Judgment given to Israel
7. The Gospel in the Kingdom of David
8. The Gospel Preached by the Prophets
Ready for a long sentence…As far as in how this would differ from that which is done in systematic theology, is instead of touching on doctrine(s), then showing the doctrines’ overview throughout all of the Scriptures, this here would be looking the progression of the doctrine (the plan of redemption) given to man in covenant throughout all of time, namely the Old Testament.
What I Got for Christmas
Posted: December 25, 2008 Filed under: Just for Fun Leave a commentSince today is Christmas I figured I’d jot down the number of items I received for gifts and from who. Throughout the rest of the day I’ll up-date them, that is if I receive anything more?
Emily (my girl-friend) – Levis Slim Straight 514 Jeans
My Mom – XBox 360 Live 3 Month Gold Card
Emily’s mom & dad – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
What is New about the New Covenant?
Posted: December 24, 2008 Filed under: New Covenant Leave a commentIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. His creative activity climaxed in the creation of man and woman—creatures made in his own image and given dominion over everything that God had made. Nevertheless humanity was beguiled by the serpent and rebelled against its maker. Death was the inevitable result. Yet, God continued to reveal himself to men and women. Rather than immediate and total destruction, human beings found themselves the recipients of grace and peace. As the centuries passed, God chose specific individuals and their offspring to be a blessing to the entire world. Though this chosen people were little more than a band of slaves, God rescued them from their oppressors in a massive exodus from the land of Egypt. They were given a land that had been promised centuries before to their forefathers—the promised land, Canaan. Though they were to be God’s messengers to the world, bringing news of mercy and forgiveness and a coming messiah, these chosen people were largely as rebellious as the original humans. For their continual adultery with other gods, the people were judged and punished by exile to a foreign land. Yet God’s grace was not entirely obscured by his judgments and they were promised a return to the promised land and a faithful, righteous king. In the fullness of time, this king came. He was the Son of God: Jesus, the Christ. Having accomplished all that was necessary for the redemption of his people, this Jesus reconstituted God’s people and sent them into the world to be a witness until he would return to judge the living and the dead.
The great, over-arching plan of redemption stretches across all the centuries of human existence and takes in an amazing array of characters and events. How can it be understood as a cohesive whole? What themes wind their way through its entire plot? What organizing principles help us understand God’s purpose in his interactions with this world? There are many answers that could be given. Themes and motifs abound throughout the Holy Scriptures. One such theme that is widely recognized as central through this history is covenant. Indeed, it is more than just a literary theme. It is the means by which God has chosen to administer nearly all of the epochs of his redemption. It is the unifying principle of God’s revelation and relations to and with mankind.
The exact nature of these covenants has been a matter of intense debate since the post-Reformation period when theologians began to really grapple with the significance of the covenant concept in Scripture. Is there a covenant of works? Is there a covenant of grace? Were the covenants bilateral or unilateral? Were they conditional or unconditional? These are some of the questions that continue to generate much study. In this particular paper, we wish to focus on one of the biblical covenants, the New Covenant. The exact nature of this particular covenant has far-reaching implications for the Church because it is this covenant under which the Church is constituted. It is the covenant that was instituted by Christ and the consummation of all previous covenants.
More specifically, we wish to inquire into what it is that makes this covenant “New.” What is new about the New Covenant? There are several angles from which this discussion can be approached. We are primarily interested in its implications for baptismal practice, however, and that concern will guide our approach to the newness of the New Covenant.
Gospel-Centered Musings 