Book Review of Max Lucado’s “For These Tough Times”

I have never read a Max Lucado book before and must admit that I thought it would be a waste of time. I was pleasantly surprised  by most of what Lucado had to say.
For one, Lucado adresses the issue of tragedy and pain by beginning with God. He doesn’t even emphasize God’s imminence,nearness, or the [...]

The 2009 Oscars: the Everyman’s Award Show

The 2009 Academy Awards sought to reinvent the years most anticipated Hollywood event. Ratings have declined in the past couple years due to the Academy honoring high art films that didn’t get a wide release (and in some cases hadn’t been released at all!). How do you overcome ivory tower syndrome? You celebrate the entire [...]

Max Turner’s “The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts”

This isn’t a review per se, but rather some of my thoughts on a single citation from Turner’s volume.
Turner, M. (1998) The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts in the New Testament and Today. Hendrickson: Peabody, MA.
The nature of the gift of the Spirit which Peter promises to all who call on the name of the [...]

More Thoughts on Max Turner’s “Spirit of Prophecy”

Turner, Max. 1998. The ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ As the Power of Israel’s Restoration and Witness. In “Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts” edited by Marshall, I.H. & Peterson, D.
My first post can be read at http://endued.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/review-of-max-turner’s-“’the-spirit-of-prophecy’-as-the-power-of-israel’s-restoration-and-witness”/
The Pentecost account (2:1-13) quite deliberately echoes Jewish accounts of the Sinai theophany…Jesus is exalted to God’s right hand [...]

A Dying Age

As Americans, we’ve lived with the idea of our own permanence for so long that we can’t imagine a post-American world. I think that the entire 20th century was almost an American eschaton. Our way of life triumphed and seemed forever stable. How could we ever descend into anarchy when Leave it to Beaver re-runs [...]

ESV Study Bible Article on Christ’s Full Deity + Humanity, Council of Chalcedon

 
The following article is from the newly released ESV Study Bible. I highly commend this study Bible to your collection…its study notes are thorough and Evangelical, and its articles cover a suprinsingly vast number of topics from Theology to Ethics, and everything inbetween. Visit esvstudybible.org.
The Person of Christ
Four statements must be understood and affirmed in [...]

Interesting Stats on Darwin, Evolution, Creation, etc.

In my latest edition of the Church Leader’s Report (churchleaders.com) were included some interesting stats:

Only 39% of American adults say they “believe in the theory of evolution.”
25% say they don’t believe in evolution, and another 36% don’t have an opinion either way.
78% of likely voters believe biology teachers should teach students [...]

Wretched Radio: Brian McLaren and the Dangers of the Emergent Church

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 12 “Jacob Vs. Israel”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part12.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 11 “I am God and Not a Man”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part11.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 10 “Crying Over the Wrong Things”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part10.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 8

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part8.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 7 “To See or Not to See”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part7.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Semon, Hosea 6 “The Sin of Insincere Worship”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part6.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 5 “God Rests His Case”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part5.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 4 “My People Are Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part4.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 3, “Jesus Paid it All”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part3.mp3

Rick Hogaboam Audio Sermon, Hosea 2 “Call Me Husband”

http://www.sovereigngracefellowship.org/oldtest/hosea_part2.mp3

Obama: Most Ethical Administration Ever?

Obama has nominated David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General, a champion of the porn industry. Once again, I am baffled at the nominations of team Obama: 2 failed Commerce Secretary nominations (Richardson subject to Ethics probe, Judd withdrew in dismay of “Stimulus” bill), an Attorney General who helped pardon a fugitive in Marc Rich and [...]

Economics 101 by Dr. Ron Paul + My Loss of Faith in Our Civil Servants

I was delighted to see MSNBC bring Ron Paul on and genuinely show an interest in what he had to say. This video is a few weeks old, but ever relevant.
By the way, I was outraged last night at the passing of the “Stimulus Bill”. The Democrats lengthened it to over 1000 pages and many [...]

Gov’t Trying to Serve up Stimulus Bill Quicker than a Big Mac

The Democrats and President Barack Obama are trying to pass the stimulus bill very quickly, thus breaking many promises of transparency, a 5 day waiting period for public familiarity, etc (http://www.thenextright.com/rob-bluey/democrats-abandon-transparency-on-stimulus-vote).
This is not the new kind of politics that Obama promised. It’s the same ol stuff and I am tired of it. How can they [...]

Robert Strimple vs. Fred Malone Baptism Debate

http://inthylight.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/paedo-credo-baptism-debate-dr-robert-strimple-and-dr-fred-malone/
Another audio resource for you seekers on the issue of baptism. I must admit that I am partial to Dr. Malone’s understanding of credo (believer) baptism within a Covenantal Hermeneutic. Paul Jewett’s book, http://www.amazon.com/Infant-Baptism-Covenant-Grace-Circumcised/dp/0802817130, also contends for Believer’s baptism within a Covenantal framework.

Obama Booed at National Prayer Breakfast…not really

Great post from BaylyBlog http://www.baylyblog.com/2009/02/president-obamas-remarks-at-national-prayer-breakfast.html

James White vs. Bill Shishko Baptism Debate

For those of you who are working through the issue of baptism, whether it should be for believers only or for infants of believers, here is a link to a debate between James White and Bill Shishko: http://inthylight.wordpress.com/2006/12/08/james-white-and-bill-shishko-infant-baptism-debate-mp3s/

Ashley Judd, get a clue, and a “real heart”.

I have enjoyed Ashley Judds’ performances on film but sadly, her recent confrontation of Sarah Palin has tainted my image of her sweet face.   Are you kidding me?? Is she serious?? She’s going on about how “cruel and senseless” (“It’s time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless savagery,” said Judd [...]

Heeding the Call to Defend the “Mute” AND to Defend the Poor and Needy

Proverbs 31:8-9 (ESV) 8 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
As I was reading Scripture today, this passage really spoke to me. The people of God are told to defend the “mute”, those [...]

Planting Churches in Urban Soil

At the AMiA Winter Conference, a workshop was held on “Planting Churches in Urban Soil.” It was presented by the Reverends Tommy Hinson, Mark Booker, Dan Claire and Bishop Thad Barnum.
Dan Claire started the Church of the Resurrection about six years ago on Capitol Hill. In January of 08, Resurrection launched Church of [...]

Live Baby Thrown Away Like a Piece of Trash in Florida

Lawsuit: Florida Clinic Botched Abortion, Threw Out Live Baby
Thursday, February 05, 2009
TAMPA, Florida  —  Eighteen and pregnant, Sycloria Williams went to an abortion clinic outside Miami and paid $1,200 for Dr. Pierre Jean-Jacque Renelique to terminate her 23-week pregnancy.
Three days later, she sat in a reclining chair, medicated to dilate her cervix and otherwise get [...]

Great Post by C.J. Mahaney “Michael Phelps’ Bong”

Michael Phelps’s Bong
By C.J. Mahaney2/4/2009 1:38:00 PM

By now most of you have seen the photograph of Olympic superstar swimmer Michael Phelps filling his giant lungs from a bong of marijuana. When the picture appeared in a British tabloid, Phelps acknowledged it was “youthful and inappropriate.”
 
Now there is no debate over whether the 23-year-old is gifted with [...]

Review of Max Turner’s “’The Spirit of Prophecy’ As the Power of Israel’s Restoration and Witness”

Turner, Max. 1998. The ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ As the Power of Israel’s Restoration and Witness. In “Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts” edited by Marshall, I.H. & Peterson, D.

The essential background for Luke’s pneumatological material is Jewish and deeply rooted in the OT (Turner 1998:328).

Most folks tend to recognize the Gospel of Matthew [...]