Tried With Fire

Our worth is based on more than what we do. Respecting individuality is not the same thing as promoting individualism. Strengths are a double-edged sword. Competence can morph into pride. The pursuit of excellent can become perfectionism and judgmentalism. You don't have to be patient and kind if everyone gets it right all the time. So given how often the Word exhorts us to exhibit these traits, maybe we should stop expecting people to act as though they were untouched by the fall. Shame-based parenting stinks. It is never too late to say "I was wrong. Please forgive me." to your kids. The election cycle highlighted these issues - race, poverty/class, and immigration. How will the church respond? If Revelation 7 shows a picture of the body of Christ, shouldn't we expect people to be different? This is why I have a problem with application that promotes cultural norms and ignores these issues. I am not a fan of mysticism. Trusting in my perception of God ov...

There are many contrasts between our Lord’s first and second appearings, but the great contrast is, that, when He comes again, it will be “without a sin-offering unto salvation.” The end and object of His first coming was “to put away sin.” The modern babblers say that He appeared to reveal to us the goodness and love of God. This is true; but it is only the fringe of the whole truth. The all-important fact is, that He revealed God’s love in the provision of the only sacrifice which could put away sin. Then, they say that He appeared to exhibit perfect manhood, and to let us see what our nature ought to be. Here also is a truth; but it is only part of the sacred design of Christ’s coming to earth. He appeared, say they, to manifest self-sacrifice, and to set us an example, of love to others; by His self-denial, He trampled on the selfish passions of man. We deny none of these things; and yet we are indignant at the way in which the less is made to hide the greater. To put the secondary...

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These are not so much fixed goals but suggestions and reminders of the books that are still waiting on the shelf, the stack on the floor, and the pile on the kitchen table. I never thought I would be reading so much history and sociology. I used to think these subjects were dead bores with no practical application Not anymore. Listening: The New American Standard Bible Augustine's Confessions Finish listening to The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee Theological reading: On the Incarnation - Athanasius The Death of Death in the Death of Christ - John Owen (I've tried reading this so many times and gave up. Perhaps this year will be it.) Contemporary issues and the history behind them: The Souls of Black Folk  - W.E.B. Du Bois Heal Us, Emmanuel - various Disunity in Christ - Christena Cleveland The Search for Christian America - Mark Noll, Nathan Hatch, George Marsden (The dream team when it comes to American history from a Christian perspective...

Wars had raged unto the ends of the earth; men had slaughtered one another, heaps on heaps. There had been strife within as well as struggles without. Conscience had fought with man, and Satan had tormented him with sinful thoughts. There had been no peace on earth since Adam fell. But, now, when the newborn King made His appearance, the swaddling band with which He was wrapped up was the white flag of peace. That manger was the place where the treaty was signed, whereby warfare should be stopped between man’s conscience and himself, and between man’s conscience and his God. Then it was that the trumpet of the heavenly herald was blown aloud, and the royal proclamation was made, “Sheathe thy sword, O man, sheathe thy sword, O conscience, for God has provided a way by which He can be at peace with man, and by which man can be at peace with God, and with his own conscience, too!” The Gospel of the grace of God promises peace to every man who accepts it; where else can peace be found,...

Look inside, examine it against the Bible (just cited verses don't count), and then see whether it is worth reading or not. Many Christians do not distinguish between a likable personality and the content of that person's teaching... A vital skill for becoming a competent woman is learning how to read well.  We need to be alert and equipped, because Christian bookstores don't have genre labels like "fluff" and "I may look like I have my life together more than you, but I am about to wreck your theology." You would be troubled to hear that women in your congregation were uncritically going on dates with random guys they had met, wouldn't you? What would you do in that situation? You would want to spend some time helping them distinguish between attractive traits and harmful ones. This is what we want to do with the books they are reading as well. No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God , Aimee Byrd, P&R Publishing, ...

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It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary : During this time of year, it is more acceptable to bring up Jesus. I've seen plenty of nativity scenes in people's yards and even in front of businesses. (The fortune teller with the plastic creche out front broke the cognitive dissonance meter, though.) Even traditional Christian Christmas carols are being played on the airwaves. Many see the story of the baby in the manger as just that, a feel-good myth about love, joy, and peace on earth in sentimental but indistinct terms that don't offend anyone's sensibilities. But is that good enough? Many people say they believe in "Jesus," but sadly we live in a day when we need to press the issue and ask "Which Jesus?" Read the rest of the post here .

I am continuing to read The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind in bits and pieces when I get the chance. Every time I pick it up my assumptions are challenged. According to Mark Noll, the Enlightenment had a huge impact upon our country but not just in the secular sphere. American Christianity embraced it as well, which leads me to ask: - Is our propensity toward biblicism less biblical and more a product of the Enlightenment?  - Does biblicism afflict the American culture more than other countries because of our history? - Is our study of the Bible also influenced by this? Are we taking Enlightenment principles of studying the material world and applying it to the Word of God? Is this good or bad? What are the implications? This may not seem practical, but I want to know why I think the way I do and where it came from. Am I child of the Enlightenment (I think the answer is "yes") and to what degree? Just because I am a Christian does not automatically mean that my ...

Martin Luther   by   Simonetta Carr, illustrations by Troy Howell, Reformation Heritage Books, 2016, 32 pages. For ages 7-12. I was wondering if Simonetta Carr would write a children's biography on Martin Luther, and she has! And it's just in time for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation next year. This book traces Luther's life from his student days to becoming a monk, his pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation, and the subsequent years until his death. The author demonstrates her skill, once again, in being able to take a well-known figure in church history and condense his story so that it is appealing and understandable to the target audience. Beautiful illustrations and photographs augment the text and add visual interest. The book also includes a "Did You Know?" section containing interesting facts, a timeline of Luther's life, and excerpts from his small catechism. I've reviewed some of the biographies in the  Christian Bi...

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people.” Hebrews 8:10.  The human race in the order of history, as far as this world is concerned, first stood in subjection to God under the covenant of works. Adam was the representative man. A certain law was given him. If he kept it, he and all his posterity would be blessed as the result of obedience. If he broke it, he would incur the curse, himself, and entail it on all represented by him. That covenant our first father broke. He fell— he failed to fulfill his obligations—and in his fall he involved us all, for we were all in his loins and he represented us before God. Our ruin, then, was complete before we were born! We were ruined by him who stood as our first representative. To be saved by the works of the law is impossible, for under that covenant we...

More info on the nyckelharpa . And a folk encore: Vasen with Chris Thile:

Here is the list of my favorite books for 2016 in the order read/listened. Not quite half of my total "reads" were audiobooks. I am a fast reader and often skim past details, so listening helps me pay better attention. I used to play it safe in my choices, but I am branching out. I want to be a sound thinker, and that won't happen if my ideas are not challenged. Some books were unexpected delights like "A Man Called Ove," which I got from Audible on a whim. Others were convicting, took me out of my comfort zone, and made me stop and ponder. The last three are still in progress, but they merit inclusion on this list. A Belief in a Just World: A Fundamental Delusion - Melvin J. Lerner Neither Complementarian Nor Egalitarian: A Kingdom Corrective to the Gender Debate - Michelle Lee-Barnewall Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom from Shame - Heather Davis Nelson Left: The Struggle to Make Sense of Life When a Parent Leaves - Jonatha...

"The choice is clear. Either affirm the creedal and confessional heritage of the doctrine of the eternal processions or affirm ERAS (Eternal Relationship of Authority and Submission). To opt for ERAS, however, is to overhaul entirely the doctrine of the Trinity, both the unity and the distinction of the divine Persons. Tritheism in some form most be adopted, and coequality and consubstantiality must be rejected. This, however, is a rather grim prospect, one which has no biblical or historical or theological warrant."   Stefan Linblad Some Christians may be thinking enough of the Trinity debate already and that there are better things on which we could be spending our time. As far as the latter, there is no dichotomy between caring about a right doctrine of God and caring about people. You can't have one without the other, and the first should be the impetus for the second. As far as enough digital ink being spilled over the Trinity, how much leniency should be allo...

“They shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23 Again, as you gaze upon the mystery, consider what an ensign of good will this must be to the sons of men. When the Lord takes manhood into union with Himself in this matchless way, it must mean good to man. God cannot mean to destroy that race which He thus weds unto Himself. Such a marriage as this, between man and God, must mean peace. War and destruction are never thus predicted. God incarnate in Bethlehem, to be adored by shepherds, foretells nothing but “peace on earth and mercy mild.” O you sinners who tremble at the thought of the divine wrath, as well you may, lift up your heads with joyful hope of mercy and favor, for God must be full of grace and mercy to that race which He so distinguishes above all others by taking it into union with Himself. Be of good cheer, O men born of women, and expect untold blessings for “unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.” If you look at riv...

This has been parenting week at Out of the Ordinary . Not planned but rather providential. Diane posted earlier this week on cutting the proverbial apron strings. Now it's my turn to write about learning to let go. As a parent, I believe that my daughter's salvation was of the Lord. Not because of what I did or did not do as a parent, thank God! I also believe that her keeping and growth are in His hands as well. But what if the path He has placed her on includes suffering, struggles, and questions? This is where it gets hard and where it can be hard to let go. That maternal instinct in me wants to reach out and grab the wheel, as it were, and steer her toward what I think is the smoother road. But there comes a point when Mom can't make everything all better anymore. Read the post here.

This land is your land, this land is my land From the California to the New York Island From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me I grew up singing this song by Woody Guthrie. The fact that my dad, a naturalized citizen, could teach this to his students (he was a  music teacher) was a testimony to the great American melting pot. I took it for granted that I was an American by birth and that this was my land. But it wasn't always this way. If you don't dig into history, you can believe the myth that the United States opened her arms wide to receive immigrants from all nations and from all backgrounds. In reality, we have a history marked by xenophobia. When I listened/read about the events that led up to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 , I was shocked. This was my country , but my people were persecuted, driven from their homes, and even killed based on race. I am not placing blame on anyone today. Those responsible are ...