Tried With Fire

O SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN, Thou wast incarnate, didst suffer, rise, ascend for my sake; Thy departure was not a token of separation but a pledge of return; Thy Word, promises, sacraments, show thy death until thou come again. That day is no horror to me,    for thy death has redeemed me,        thy Spirit fills me,        thy love animates me,        thy Word governs me. I have trusted thee and thou hast not betrayed my trust;    waited for thee, and not waited in vain. Thou wilt come to raise my body from the dust, and re-unite it to my soul,    by a wonderful work of infinite power and love,    greater than that which bounds the oceans’ waters,                  ebbs and flows the tides,                  keeps the stars in their courses,         ...

What do school principals do on snow days?

It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary : Curmudgeon : a person (especially an old man) who is easily annoyed or angered and who often complains. If you are familiar with Twitter, one of my favorite accounts is the  Church Curmudgeon.   He is the quintessential grumpy old man, able to blend wit and complaint in 140 characters or less. As a parody, the Church Curmudgeon is very funny, but if this was real life? I think the humor would be quickly lost. As I contemplate growing older, I often wonder, what will I be like in 20 or 30 years should the Lord tarry and He allows me to live that long? How will I respond to changes down the road? When they come to take my car keys away? When I have to turn my checkbook over to my daughter because I forget to pay the bills? When I can no longer live on my own? These are ordinary activities that I've taken for granted for decades, but when they are gone, I suspect it will hit hard. "I used to be able to do XYZ, and now it seems ...

In Pride and Prejudice , Jane Austen has created a character who is both irritating and amusing - Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She is the epitome of the bossy and nosy neighbor, and her rank and wealth give her the right to be so. As the owner of a large estate, anyone who is economically dependent on her patronage needs to stay in her good graces because she holds the purse strings. Yet, Austen's dry wit makes it plain to the reader that Lady Catherine's omniscience exists only in her own mind. Here are a few examples of how she advises those who have the misfortune of not being as enlightened as herself: When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted. She inquired into Charlotte's domestic concerns familiarly and min...

My Father, In a world of created changeable things,    Christ and his Word alone remain unshaken. O to forsake all creatures,    to rest as a stone on him the foundation,    to abide in him, be borne up by him! For all my mercies come through Christ,   who has designed, purchased, promised, effected them. How sweet it is to be near him, the Lamb,    filled with holy affections! When I sin against thee I cross thy will, love, life,    and have no comforter, no creature, to go to. My sin is not so much this or that particular evil,    but my continual separation, disunion, distance from thee,    and having a loose spirit towards thee. But that hast given me a present, Jesus thy Son,    as Mediator between thyself and my soul,    as middle-man who in a pit       holds both him below and him above,    for only he can span the chasm breached by sin, ...

A very clever classical music mashup: ht: Nancy Pearcey on FB

Messier 94 galaxy Now that my daughter is at university, I've been able to vicariously enjoy tidbits from her classes. In her astronomy class, her professor said there are four fundamental forces in physics - strong nuclear, weak nuclear, electromagnetic, and gravity. Which one do scientists know the least about? The answer is gravity. I found this very interesting because gravity is so common that we take it for granted. Yet this force is still a mystery to the best brains in physics. But for those who believe in a Creator God, we may not be scientific geniuses, but we can acknowledge gravity as His handiwork. So for this thankful Thursday, I am thankful for the privilege of knowing God as Redeemer and Creator. I am thankful that I can see and experience the work of His hands, and this leads me to worship Him.

If you think science and religion are at odds, think again. The Creator/creature distinction of Christian orthodoxy had a direct effect on the development of the scientific method. This would have been impossible for animists, pantheists, and panentheists because the line between a Creator and His creation is blurred. This is yet another example of how one's worldview, which includes the doctrine of God, effects everything. God does not inhabit the world the way a dryad inhabits a tree; He is not the personalization of natural forces. He is not the world's "soul"; He is its Creator. It is the work of His hands, as a vase is the work of the potter. The opening lines of Genesis 1 stand in stark contrast to more ancient religions in rejecting any religious status to the sun, moon, and stars... Dutch historian of science R. Hooykaas describes this as the "de-deification of nature." Natural phenomena - sun, moon, forests, rivers - are no longer seen as the ...

My daughter recently transferred to a local university. As part of the process, the school invited her and any guests to attend an all-day orientation. The event was well planned and informative. I was impressed with the school and their no-nonsense attitude toward student responsibility and academic integrity. They also provide a myriad of resources to help kids make the transition to their institution. Most of the events were for both student and parent, but not all. After a surprisingly very good lunch in the cafeteria, the students were taken on a tour of the campus. The parents had the opportunity to meet and mingle with faculty members and administrators over dessert and coffee. Fun, fun, fun! (sarc.) Sort of like attending a wedding reception where you know the bride or groom and no one else. But I did go. I thanked the Dean of Academic Studies for her talk and chatted with the head of the English department. I also spoke to someone from the registrar's office, the tra...

O MY GOD, Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,    my heart admires, adores, loves thee,    for my little vessel is as full as it can be,    and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow. When I think upon and converse with thee    ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,    ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,    ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,    crowding into every moment of happiness. I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,           for adorning it, sanctifying it,              although it is fixed in barren soil;           for the body thou hast given me,           for preserving its strength and vigour,           for providing senses to enjoy delights,          ...

Don't mess with this grandma...

Very confused flowering quince I am thankful for: - Strength for a hectic week. My daughter started at university this week, so we've both been adjusting to her new and busy schedule. It's hard to believe it hasn't even been a week since her orientation. Thankfully, all has gone well so far. She likes her classes and her professors and is even more certain that she is in the right major. We're both amazed at God's providence in bringing her to this point. - My fellow bloggers at Out of the Ordinary . I am thankful for their friendship, their love of the Word, and their desire to be sound in the faith. - Discussions where science, theology, and philosophy intersect. - Recent sermon series by Pastor Ryan on the doctrine of God. These sermons have changed my awareness of how I speak and think about God. Who He is impacts everything. - God's creation. The doctrine of God has given me a greater appreciation for what He has made. I give you thanks, C...

I'm posting at Out of the Ordinary today: "I can't imaging going through [fill in the blank] if I wasn't a Christian." Your answer for the blank may have been different from mine, but I think we would agree that we would not want to face trials or even an ordinary day without Christ. But what does that really mean when push comes to shove? What difference does it make being a Christian? Does being a Christian mean I won't have any problems? Do I truly get my "best life now?" If being a Christian doesn't give me an automatic out from hardship, does God still love me? Is He with me? How do I know this? Is it a feeling of emotional well-being? But what if I feel nothing? You may be thinking, "Enough of the questions already." You may be answering my questions in your head. But what are your answers and, more importantly, what is the source of those answers? Read more of the post here.

Whether we like it or not and whether we realize it or not, we are the children of the philosophers who have gone before us. Our thinking is never done in a vacuum, but if you believe otherwise, read on. For Bacon, standing at the dawn of the scientific revolution, the main enemy had been Aristotelian philosophy. Thus he taught that science must start by clearing the decks - by liberating the mind from all metaphysical speculation, all received notions of truth, all the accumulated superstition of the ages... Applied to biblical interpretation, the Baconian method stipulated that the first step is to free our minds from all historical theological formulations (Calvinist, Lutheran, Anglican or whatever). With minds washed clean from merely human speculations, we confront the biblical text as a collection of facts that speak for themselves - and then compile individual verses inductively into a theological system... Perhaps most serious, however, was the Baconian hostility to h...

THOU INCOMPREHENSIBLE BUT PRAYER-HEARING GOD, Known, but beyond knowledge, revealed, but unrevealed,    my wants and welfare draw me to thee,    for thou hast never said, ‘Seek ye me in vain’. To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities, distresses; possess me with thyself,          with a spirit of grace and supplication,          with a prayerful attitude of mind,          with access into warmth of fellowship,    so that in the ordinary concerns of life       my thoughts and desires may rise to thee,    and in habitual devotion I may find a resource that will        soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes,       and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow men. I bless thee that thou hast made me capable    of knowing thee, the author of all being,   ...

I am thankful for: - Seasonable weather. After near 80 degrees on Christmas Eve, the crisp air is a welcome change. - Wildlife neighbors. Now that it is colder, I've been scattering sunflower seeds on the deck for the critters. It makes a mess, but I enjoy watching the squirrels and the songbirds. - Daily routine. Uneventful, boring days are rather nice. - My daughter starting at university next week. I am excited that she is excited about majoring in applied physics. As she put it, it's getting a glimpse at how the Son upholds all things by the word of His power. - Small group meeting last night. It was so nice to be together again after several weeks off for the holidays. We were able to catch up with one another, pray for each other, and discuss the sermon on the Trinity. - God's provision for unexpected turn of events. - This quote from Herman Bavinck: "According to Scripture, God is incomprehensible yet knowable,  absolute yet personal." ...

In the Biblical doctrine the sinner, being justified, receives the Spirit of holiness, through whose prevalent operations he perseveres to the end. According to Finney the justified person remains justified so long as he perseveres in the obedience which is the condition of his justification. In the Biblical view it is God, in Finney's it is man, who determines the issue: The whole standpoint assumed by Finney is that of a God responsive to human actions rather than that of a man operated upon by divine grace. Perfectionism , B.B. Warfield, The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1958, pg. 158. (italics mine)

This is my tentative reading list, which is subject to change. I am hoping to go for quality reading rather than quantity. I also want to read for the joy of learning without the pressure of completing a certain number of books in a year. I've given up on book-buying moratoriums, but I will try to read books I already own or buy used books rather than new. For daily reading: The Valley of Vision , Arthur Bennett, editor.  A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism , Benjamin Beddone.  On the doctrine of God: God Without Passions, A Reader, edited by Samuel Renihan. Historical sources supporting the doctrine of Divine Impassibility. God Without Parts: Divine Simplicity and the Metaphysics of God's Absoluteness , James Dolezal. A defense of the doctrine of Divine Simplicity and critique of modern detractors. The Doctrine of God, Herman Bavinck. This is taken from the 2nd volume of Reformed Dogmatics. I found a used copy at Alibris.com for a grea...

THREE IN ONE, ONE IN THREE, GOD OF MY SALVATION, Heavenly Father, blessed Son, eternal Spirit,   I adore thee as one Being, one Essence,         one God in three distinct Persons, for bringing sinners to thy knowledge and to thy kingdom. O Father, thou hast loved me and sent Jesus to redeem me; O Jesus, thou hast loved me and assumed my nature,       shed thine own blood to wash away my sins,       wrought righteousness to cover my unworthiness; O Holy Spirit, thou hast loved me and entered my heart,        implanted there eternal life,       revealed to me the glories of Jesus. Three Persons and one God, I bless and praise thee,   for love so unmerited, so unspeakable,        so wondrous, so mighty to save the lost and raise them to glory. O Father, I thank thee that in fullness of grace   thou hast given me to Jesus, to be his sheep...

New Year's Eve with Mr. Bean: