All I can say is: I'm still hot for Hillary, 'coz this Palin broad is a neo-conservative creationist, short: neo-con!, inexperienced, vicious witch from the right wing. And not the West Wing. Why not elect Ann Coulter, that would've been more honest than this racist with a wig. Send her back to fuckin' freezin' Alaska, will'ya! EIGHT YEARS IS ENOUGH!!!

JP: I hope that all will register to vote and vote in this year's election. I voted the first time in 1972 (for one of the candidates represented below). You had to be 21 to vote back then (before the Twenty-sixth Amendment (I was born in '49). Skip to bottom for my first involvement in politics ('m not proud of it!). Comment. The above buttons do not constitute an endorsement!

A Different Kind of Power

Excerpt:

Our calling to preach and teach the Gospel of the kingdom from the whole counsel of God to a complex and broken world, especially to the world of politics, involves living and ministering in the tension of a difficult and delicate balance. We must teach and preach that we live in two kingdoms. Augustine described it as living in two cities — the city of God and the city of man. As Christians we are citizens of the kingdom of God (Phil. 3:20) but are also called to be responsible citizens in our native countries (Rom. 13:1–7). Accordingly, we live in the often painful reality of the imperfect and broken present world, while longing for and looking forward to the perfect and blessed future world of the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21: 1–5). This balanced tension of two-kingdom living should make Christians both passionately hopeful for their certain future and practically helpful in their present context. One day there will be “heaven on earth” but not now — not yet.

So, in the meantime, we must faithfully teach Christians to be helpfully involved in the public square without becoming over-involved and intoxicated with the political power. There is no question but that our Savior expects us to be “the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matt 5:13–14). Thus, it would be unfaithful and disastrous for Christians to be absent from the public square. But on the other hand, we must resist the temptation to become obsessed with the power of politics and begin to think that we can usher in the king’s kingdom. Though politics is a worthy pursuit, Christ’s kingdom is not dependent upon who’s elected and/or which laws are passed or repealed. In Washington D.C. it’s easy to catch “Potomac Fever,” and Christians are not immune to such a distorted view of power. The power of the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven, though weak in this world’s eyes (Matt 13:31–32; 1 Cor. 1:27) is more powerful than the power of any nation. It’s a different kind of power — the power of the Spirit of God through the Word of God in the people of God. As a pastor in D.C. over the years I have been “lobbied” by Christian interest groups to support their worthy causes. But often I have concluded, that though I may personally share their convictions, it would be imprudent and unbiblical for us as a church to join their cause. Sadly, I’ve gotten an “earful” from very disappointed Christians who even questioned my commitment and faithfulness to Christ.

I worked for the Jerry Springer for Congress campaign back in 1970. More information here. More on the 1972 Presidential election here. The button above shows McGovern-Eagleton. Read about that here. Thomas Eagleton is famous for the quote: "The people don’t know McGovern is for amnesty, abortion and legalization of pot" ... later morphed into "Amnesty, abortion and acid". Sargent Shriver replaced Eagleton on the ticket (but not because of the Eagleton quote!). Sargent Shriver "remains to date the most recent pro-life supporter to have been in a Democratic Party presidential ticket" (Wiki article).

Five reasons why Chrome will take over the world

Five reasons why Chrome will crash and burn

JP: Interesting read about the dangers of bringing our own agenda to the Word of God. Definition of Pareidolia: "The term pareidolia (pronounced /pæraɪˈdoʊliə/), referenced in 1994 by Steven Goldstein, [1] describes a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant. Common examples include images of animals or faces in clouds, the man in the moon, and hidden messages on records played in reverse. The word comes from the Greek para- —"beside", "with" or "alongside"—and eidolon—"image" (the diminutive of eidos—"image", "form", "shape"). "

One can also do this with one's prayer life.

Depending on the Spirit

Excerpt:

Some time ago I read an article (which, alas, I can no longer find) that described a time that a crew from the BBC went in search of the Loch Ness Monster. I thought of this yesterday while watching the movie The Water Horse with the kids. The corporation hired a team of experts to sweep Loch Ness from end to end, back and forth for several days using some of the world's most sophisticated sonar equipment. After a complete, thorough search they concluded that there is no evidence to indicate that a monster lives in the Loch. I doubt any of them were surprised.

Being thorough folks, the crew decided to push a little further and to try to describe how it is that the myth of the Loch Ness Monster persists despite a complete lack of hard evidence to support her (his?) existence. To do this, they performed a devious little experiment. They rigged up a system which allowed them to raise an object from under the water far out into the Loch. They would then interview the inevitable crowd of tourists standing by the shore to ask them what they had seen. They elected to use a section of fencing as the decoy, deliberately choosing an object that looks absolutely nothing like an ancient aquatic creature. They waited until a busload of tourists had arrived on the shores of the Loch; once the bus was unloaded they raised the fence a few feet out of the water. There was great excitement on the shore and sure enough, when they interviewed people after the fact, the majority of them described seeing something that looked just like the traditional depiction of the Loch Ness Monster--long neck, rounded head, and so on.

The people who led this study concluded that this was a type of pareidolia. According to the Skeptics Dictionary, pareidolia is "a type of illusion or misperception involving a vague or obscure stimulus being perceived as something clear and distinct." Other examples of this phenomenon are the stuff of the "weird news" pages--seeing the face of Mother Teresa in a cinnamon bun, the face of a man on the moon or the shape of an animal in the clouds. In the case of the people gathered at Loch Ness, they saw something vague and yet were able to describe it in detail. The detail was fabricated by their minds based on what they already imagined the Loch Ness Monster to look like. They were fooled by their own minds which superimposed what they wanted to see over what they truly did see.

....
This story, silly though it may be, made me ask myself how often I approach the Bible with the wrong attitude. How often do I approach it with my own agenda in mind? Homosexuals approach the Bible determined to find proof that their lifestyle is not only acceptable but condoned by Scripture. So when they read that John was the apostle that Jesus loved, they see support for their lifestyle. When they read about the deep love between Jonathan and David they project their own homosexuality on these men and allow this to give license to their own immorality. Often people on both sides of various debates misuse Scripture in this way. When it comes to the issue of women in positions of leadership within the local church, proponents of both sides have been known to eschew objectivity, approaching the Scriptures determined to prove their point. When we approach the Bible determined to prove what we already believe we will more often than not find enough proof to satisfy ourselves, even if we are taking passages far beyond their real meaning. We'll see that section of fencing and know that it's Nessie.

The lesson to me is that I need to approach the Bible humbly, as objectively as I can, always asking God to reveal His truth to me through His Word. I need to lay aside my presuppositions and biases so, if necessary, I can allow God to change and shape and mold me. I have to be utterly dependent on Him. I need to allow the Spirit to show me what a given passage really means, not merely force it into saying what I want it to say. Yes, the story of Elijah and the "still small voice" has much to teach me, but I cannot use it as proof that God will speak to me in silent prayer. Sure, God has a place for visionaries in the church, but I can't use Proverbs 29:18 to prove this. And yes, Jesus Christ is present where two or more are gathered in His name, but I have no right to tear this from its context and its grounding in the local assembly. There are so many ways in which Christians push their own agenda on Scripture.

Is Divine Election Unfair?

Conclusion:

To say that election is unfair is not only inaccurate, it fails to recognize the very essence of true fairness. That which is fair, and right, and just is that which God wills to do. Thus, if God wills to choose those whom He would save, it is inherently fair for Him to do so. We cannot impose our own ideas of fairness onto our understanding of God’s working. Instead, we must go to the Scriptures to see how God Himself, in His perfect righteousness, decides to act.

Does God answer the prayers of unbelievers?

So, does God answer the prayers of unbelievers? A strict yes or no answer is difficult without qualifying the answer in various ways. However, it is noteworthy that the [below] mentioned principles represent some of the key characteristics of an unbeliever. Thus we can safely say that, in general, God does not answer the prayers of an unbeliever.

God does not answer the prayer of those:

1. Who have personal and selfish motives.
2. Who regard iniquity in their hearts.
3. Who remain in sin.
4. Who offer unworthy service to God.
5. Who forsake God.
6. Who reject God’s call.
7. Who will not heed God’s law.
8. Who turn a deaf ear to the cry of the poor.
9. Who are violent.
10. Who worship idols.
11. Who have no faith.
12. Who are living in hypocrisy.
13. Who are proud of heart.
14. Who are self-righteous.
15. Who mistreat God’s people.

JP: I'm one who needs God's grace and God's help! I'm sure you are too! James 5:16, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much".

JP: Terry Lange addresses balancing family, study, church, and work. Terry and his wife Heidi are faithful members here at Fourth Baptist.

The Delicate Balancing Act - Family, Ministry, Work & Seminary

Excerpt:

Trying to strike a balance is always difficult when you have many things competing for your time (family, ministry, work, seminary) All of these are important, it is just how you manage them. I am no expert by any means and what I do now, may not work next week or next year, but it is an attempt.

JP: Read full blog entry as he discusses each area of his life.

Scripture: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33)

Intro:

Over Easy: “Life is More Than Laundry”

One Saturday a couple weeks ago, my husband was having a particularly trying morning. His conclusion was that the only sensible thing to do was pack everyone in the car and go fishing…have a picnic too.

I was not so sensible that morning. Had you been in the kitchen while I was attempting to wrangle a picnic lunch without any heads-up, you would have heard (out of ear-shot of the kids, of course):

“Doesn’t he realize I have three lessons to finalize today for church tomorrow?”…”How can I get a lunch together for the whole family? It would have been helpful to be able to plan for this!”…”And what about the laundry??? I’m up to my eyeballs in it!” “The baby is due for her nap in about 30 minutes, too!”

I had had the day perfectly planned in my mind. I knew exactly how each of the little colored containers of leftovers in the fridge would be employed that day. I was going to work on my lessons while Katie napped. My laundry would be happily humming away while all of this was transpiring…blissful multi-tasking. I would get so much accomplished!

Now, to my mind, I would get nothing accomplished except watching poor little crickets meet their demise as fish fodder. ...

Full article

JP: Good article in three parts by John MacArthur. (There is a nice "roach" image with each article - ending with a dead one!)

His five points:

1. Recognize the Presence of Sin in Your Flesh.
2. A Heart Fixed on God.
3. Meditate on the Word.
4. Commune with God in Prayer.
5. Cultivate Obedience.

Killing the Sin in Your Life (Part 1)

Do you know why most Christians are most commonly defeated by sin? I believe it is because their sin has so totally deceived them, that they never really get to the point where they honestly evaluate its reality. They are not dealing with the issue.

They spend so much of their lives justifying their sin as a personality quirk or a product of their environment. They sugar-coat their habitual sins as simply idiosyncrasies of individuality, or some prenatal predilection that their mother had, or whatever. People can become so good at denying the reality of sin that they don’t see it. As a result, they don’t deal with it because they don’t even recognize it for what it is.

Any kind of spiritual victory begins by identifying the enemy. It is the same old story, “If you don’t know what you are shooting at, how are you going to hit it?” How am I going to eliminate from my life what I don’t even identify as needing to be eliminated?

Killing the Sin in Your Life (Part 2)

The Psalmist said in Psalm 57:7, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.” What did he mean by that? He was speaking of undivided devotion to God! He was referring to a wholeness in spiritual life where he was given wholly to God. This attitude must be true in your heart if you are to conquer sin. You must be wholly devoted to God in every area of life. You cannot tolerate sin in any one area, even if it seems like a relatively small area. You must eradicate sin everywhere.

You can’t starve it out and kill it in one spot, but then allow it to remain somewhere else. If sin lives anywhere it will crawl all over everywhere. It is the most noxious, fastest growing weed in existence. It will not confine itself to one flower bed. Left unchecked, even for a short time, it will soon take over everywhere.

Killing the Sin in Your Life (Part 3)

How’s my zeal toward God? Is my heart cold towards God? Has sin made me indifferent to times of communion with Him? Do I have little or no interest in His presence? In the glory of His name? Do I earnestly contend for the faith? Do I live to uphold truth? To live it? To proclaim it? What level is my zeal at?

Do I love His Word? Do I find myself drawn to the Word? Do I find myself indulging in the deep things of the Word? Do you love the time of prayer? Do you love the place of confession? Do you eagerly rush into the place where you can confess your sin and ask God to do the self-examining process by the light of the Holy Spirit, so that every dirty thing can be brought to light? Do you seek that? Do you delight in worship? Is it precious to you to spend the Lord’s Day in the church? Is it your soul’s highest delight to sing His praise and know Him better, that you might offer Him honor?” Or do you say with the Jews of Malachi’s day, “What a weariness worship is!”

JP: Good A.W. Tozer quote on evangelism.

Biblical Evangelism

Evangelism: At Ease While the World Burns
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. –2 Corinthians 5:20

The fall of man has created a perpetual crisis. It will last until sin has been put down and Christ reigns over a redeemed and restored world.

Until that time the earth remains a disaster area and its inhabitants live in a state of extraordinary emergency….

To me, it has always been difficult to understand those evangelical Christians who insist upon living in the crisis as if no crisis existed. They say they serve the Lord, but they divide their days so as to leave plenty of time to play and loaf and enjoy the pleasures of the world as well. They are at ease while the world burns….

I wonder whether such Christians actually believe in the Fall of man!

Comment: Image from How to Share Christ's Love Conversationally & Visually

A nice graphical Gospel presentation is available here

Albert Mohler, Jr: New God or No God? The Peril of Making God Plausible

Excerpts:

What kind of god would be plausible in this postmodern age? Taken by itself, that question represents the great divide between those who believe in the God of the Bible and those who see the need to reinvent a deity more acceptable to the modern mind.

After all, the answer to that question would reveal a great deal about the postmodern mind, and nothing about God himself. Unless, that is, you believe that God is merely a philosophical concept, and not the self-existent, self-defining God of the Bible.

...
the "God" of much popular belief is hardly more theistic. "With all the particulars left unspecified," Silver asserts, "our public theism is probably a riot of equivocations in which there are many new-God beliefs among the rioters."

God is reduced to "deep feelings, fundamental values, basic attitudes, and humane hopes." Many modern people, including both Jews and many who identify as Christians, have, as Rabbi Jonathan Gerard related, "merely lost faith in an older and unacceptable notion of God."

The new God is a philosophical concept that its proponents use to ground a potential for goodness in the world. When believers in the new God speak of God in personal terms, they do so metaphorically. One key insight in Silver's book is his argument that even secular people need to express gratitude in personal terms. As he explains, "God-talk may be the only language adequate for the expression of certain emotions." Speaking of a personal God in this sense is a "trope" or "just a manner of speaking."

The new God becomes "whatever there is in nature that makes good things possible." But, lest we over-read this statement, Silver adds: "God has no will, intentions, or desires." In no sense is the new God a personal God. This God is a principle, a concept; not a person.

The God of the Bible is dismissed as a rational impossibility. Supernaturalism is itself ruled out of bounds within the closed box of the materialist worldview. Many would go further and argue that the God of the Bible is immoral -- ethnocentric, violent, and oppressive. But all this goes away with the new God, who is not a person, does not need to "exist," has no will or intentions, does not intervene in history, and is thus not morally accountable at all. The new God is not an agent who acts, and thus cannot be an immoral agent.

The old God, the God of the Bible, the God described by Silver as the "God of our fathers," is simply not plausible. Thus, as Silver eloquently suggests, modern secular people turn "from the God of our fathers to the God of our friends."

The Bus System
Excerpt:

When we first got to Uruguay we were overwhelmed figuring out what bus went where. This overwhelming sense has since subsided thanks to a few different methods of figuring out the bus routes. First, some of the bus websites list the routes. Second, you can purchase a bus book at some of the downtown street stands. Third, you may be able purchase the Guia Digital de Montevideo on www.MercadoLibre.com.uy This is probably the easiest way to find directions from point A to point B. However, it is no longer being sold in stores, and is slightly out of date with some bus routes. Fourth, many bus stops list the routes on signs. Those that do not, simply ask the guard or bus driver where he is going when you flag the bus down. Generally speaking, the bus drivers are polite and helpful. This is no small thing when many drivers must collect the fare, shift the manual transmission, and drive the bus on busy roads all at the same time. If you want to be a bus driver in Montevideo, you must be a multitasker.

Strike!

Excerpt:

Today, a general strike is in effect for Montevideo. Around 30,000 workers walked off their jobs to protest low wages.

Some of these 30,000 workers include government employees, teachers, garbage men, bus drivers, bankers, and hospital employees.

Although some buses are running occasionally, you never know when and how far they will take you. This is a hindrance to our family as we rely on the bus to get to language classes and church. Fortunately, my language teachers were able to switch their schedules to keep my classes going. I am not sure what we will do for church this evening.

My Brother Goes Home

In July of 1994, my brother, Jeremy Janz, was hit by a truck while riding his bike. For the last fourteen years, he has lived in a persistent vegetative state. On July 10th, he went home to be with the Lord. His memorial service was held this past week at Providence. I have included what I read at the memorial service as a record of what God has taught me through this.

After Jeremy's accident, I wrote a Gospel tract entitled "Why?" that answered tJay and Jerhe basic questions that the average person has when they undergo trials. Now, fourteen years later, I find myself asking the same question, but in a different way. I was satisfied with the answers from God fourteen years ago, but why did God keep him around for fourteen years? Some people would say he was a drain on society and had a terrible quality of life. And at weary times, you are susceptible to all such temptations. In fact, I can say for the family this morning that in a way, a weight has been lifted. A fourteen-year weight. However, if we don't answer that question, we are gathered here today as fools, trying to find meaning in a wasteland.

But God has the answer and we are pressed to find them today. Why did God keep him alive in that condition for fourteen years? When you have a friend on the verge of death for fourteen years, you think about this day a lot and what you would say. I would like to share with you fourteen reasons for fourteen years.

1. Fourteen years changes the contemporary idea of quality of life. The idea that quality of life is to be defined solely by the individual rather than the community is from the devil. American individualism has robbed this nation of many benefits. Countless stories could be told of the untold blessings of Down Syndrome, handicapped, special needs, and yes, PVS patients and the way they made people ponder what true quality of life is - a life that displays the wonders of God. And all life is valuable.
2. Fourteen years was the time needed to teach us the ways of God. The Psalmist said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statues." Some things are only learned in affliction. Visiting Jeremy was often like looking in a mirror. His life message was convicting. You were confronted with your life, your lack of love, your priorities, your dedication, your care for the hurting, and the nature of your service. I cannot explain it, but many of you know of what I speak. Many times, I left his bedside and followed Job's example in chapter 42 and repented of the idolatry in my life. One of his friends said, "There was a time when I struggled with what appeared to the senslessness of it all. But the reality of the goodness of God and then the experience of the work of God in lives through Jeremy's suffering has resonated with the truths of Scripture. It is real -- This is what the world needs to see -- a real God transforming real lives in the most intense of situations."
3. Fourteen years screams at the suffering of their need of patience. James admonishes us to let patience have its maturing work. Job was held up as an example of patience and saw at the end of his long journey, a merciful and compassionate God. When a trial grows in length, the value of it deepens like fine wine. Clichés no longer sustain you. Shoulders to cry on vanish. Christ demands that we do what is supernatural, to abide under the burden while he perfects us.
4. Fourteen years provoked thousands of Christians to improve their prayer lives. When the trial happened, thousands prayed. Over the years, thousands more have interceded. One note I received from a college classmate of his said that her mom prayed for him every day for fourteen years. That's fourteen years of communication with God. Fourteen years of pleading with him to work. Fourteen years of him saying "No." Fourteen years of Him increasing and his creatures decreasing. I observed this first-hand as my boys made him their prayer project from the time they learned to speak. Yesterday, as we closed the casket, they wept. Boys, thank you for praying for him all these years. Sometimes, God says no and we can know that this is best. I was reminded of David who prayed and fasted for his child to live. Perhaps God would show mercy. He didn't to David and he didn't to us. He had better plans.
5. Fourteen years uplifts the sovereignty of God. In our wisdom, we wonder "Why fourteen? Why not 4 or 24?" Yet, we can rest, not in our autonomy, but in God's great, ultimate plan. He tells us that Jer's days were numbered before he was born so he went home on the perfect day. So, if I asked God why not 4 or 24, he may respond the way he did to Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements-surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed'? "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?" God knows why it was fourteen years and that is enough. Sovereignty is a soft pillow.
6. Fourteen years prolonged his earthly ministry. Jeremy's legacy runs deep with many who remember his boundless energy, but he ministered to more through his tragedy than he ever did through his so-called "public" ministry. That was simply setting the stage for God to show something far deeper, far more marvelous. Over the past fourteen years, hundreds of people asked ultimate questions as they cared for him. Whether on his dozens of trips to ER, his transfer to multiple facilities, or his regular caregivers, he forced people to consider God's hand in the world. One of his college professors emailed me yesterday with apt words. "As I see it, Jeremy has been full time in the ministry for the last 14 years. It was not the ministry he would have chosen or any of us would have chosen for him. But he gave up the right to choose how God would use him sometime along the way and I know he wanted what God wanted for him. He is a great example for all of us."
7. Fourteen years has forced all involved to rely on divine strength. The physical demands of caring for Jeremy fell on his care-givers and primarily my parents. And I want to publicly thank them for tirelessly caring for him, fighting for him, and staying by his side until the end. In our weakness, we were forced to rely on a strength that was not our own. We can say that we were able to do this through Christ who strengthened us.
8. Fourteen years gave many people a new ministry of ministering the comfort of Christ. II Corinthians 1:3-5 tells us that we get to take the ministry of a comforting Christ to our own hearts and use that to minister Christ to other hurting hearts. Our phones ring when brain-injured people enter emergency rooms. And we go. It's a stewardship. It's a gift. It's a joy.
9. Fourteen years allowed him to preach the Gospel longer. From the beginning, a Gospel tract was written on his life that was used to give the Gospel to lost sinners. At the end, on the night before he saw Jesus, one of his care-givers knelt by his bedside and accepted the Lord into her life. Paul testified to this in Philippians when he said of his persecution, "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel."
10. Fourteen years gave us a glimpse of what it means to be part of the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. No human being suffered the way he did. John MacArthur says it well, "The deepest moments of spiritual fellowship with the living Christ are at times of intense suffering; suffering drives believers to Him. They find in Him a merciful High Priest, a faithful friend who feels their pain, and a sympathetic companion who faced all the trials and temptations that they face (Heb. 4:15). He is thus uniquely qualified to help them in their weaknesses and infirmities (Heb. 2:17)." I can say that I better understand Christ and his cross because of fourteen years of suffering.
11. Fourteen years allowed us to see the works of God. God used Jeremy's trial to transform lives. People were saved, lives were transformed, and believers were sanctified. Why was the man born blind? Because of sin? No, so that the works of God could be displayed in his life.
12. Fourteen years proved Satan wrong. I can visualize the day when Satan walked into God's throne room and said, "Do the Janz's fear God for nothing? Do those who know and love this boy simply believe in a feel-good God?" I can see God granting his permission. I fast-forward to sitting in the Salt Lake Hospital with family and friends who were reeling. But let fourteen years prove that this trial did not derail the saints of God. Let Satan be silent. Let it be known that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. So, fourteen years proved him wrong. For fourteen years.
13. Fourteen years made us long for heaven. Perhaps one of the more draining experiences of these years took me by surprise. It was the dreams. Nobody told me about the dreams. But more times than I could keep track of, I would walk into a hospital room to a coherent brother and I would catch him up on all that had taken place only to wake up and realize that it was a farce. The new grief got old fast. I began to long for heaven where we could converse about life during these fourteen years. I want him to know my children, my wife. God tells us that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glories of heaven. In a sermon by Jonathan Edwards in 1733 he said, "God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. - To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean. - Therefore it becomes us to spend this life only as a journey towards heaven, as it becomes us to make the seeking of our highest end and proper good, the whole work of our lives, to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for, or set our hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end, and true happiness?"
14. Fourteen years showed us that our satisfaction should be in Christ. "The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!" Psalm 21:26. God forbid if we ever lose sight of our true satisfaction. It is Jesus. Our Creator. Our Redeemer. Our Sustainer. Our Hope.

SharperIron posting

This time I’d like to share with you some facts and ideas about the blog. It has now more than 31000 hits since July, the 9th, with max 1733 hits per day. I receive a lot of comments, questions and hints from you by mail. I’d like to thank for your interest and support!

To make this blog visible, as you may have already noticed, I’ve added a few buttons as blog is now listed in Technorati, Blogged, Blog Catalog and Yahoo!’ MyBlogLog.

Moreover if you know (or have your own) blog or web page about similar topics, or just want to be a web partner please mail me. I’d like announce that our new partner is Australian page: www.mobiles.com.au

One more idea is collecting photos of Nokia E71, or sample photos taken with this device! For example some time ago I have received really cool photos of white steel E71 from Marul (check photo illustrating this post). What do you think about it?

Back to figuring out a way how to shove my ass into my deep freezer without looking stupid.

The end must be VERY near ...

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Mallorca ist nicht genug: Die Drews wollen in den Dschungel

Jürgen Drews, 63, will angeblich samt Angetrauter ins RTL-Dschungelcamp ziehen. Wie die "Bild"-Zeitung (Montagsausgabe) erfahren haben will, werde lediglich noch über die Gage verhandelt. Die nächste Staffel "Ich bin ein Star - Holt mich hier raus!" startet im Januar 2009. Auf die Frage, was die Zuschauer von Onkel Jürgen und Ehefrau Ramona (Foto), 36, alles zu sehen bekommen, erklärte der Schlagersänger, dass man zwar immer über die Kameras nachdenke, er aber "mit einem Nacktbad im Regenwald-Teich kein Problem" habe. "Und Ramona wird sich auch nicht hinter Steinen verstecken“, versprach Drews. Seitens RTL wurde der Einzug noch nicht bestätigt.

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JP: John MacArthur comments on my favorite hymn:

Style or Substance?

Excerpts:

It should be clear to anyone who examines the subject carefully that modern church music, as a rule, is vastly inferior to the classic hymns that were being written 200 years ago.

And incidentally, my own assessment is that the style in which music is written today isn’t really the biggest problem with contemporary music. Styles change. Bad church music isn’t bad just because it is “contemporary.” But the content of the lyrics is what reveals most graphically how low our standards have slipped.

This is not a problem that arose with the current generation. It dates back to an era whose musical style would seem quite old-fashioned by anyone’s standards today.

Before the middle part of the 19th century or so, hymns were wonderful didactic tools, filled with Scripture and sound doctrine, a medium for teaching and admonishing one another, as we are commanded in Colossians 3:16. Most hymns were written not by teenagers with guitars, but by pastors and theologians: Charles Wesley, Augustus Toplady, Isaac Watts.

...
Around the start of the twentieth century, however, church music took a different direction. Musicians and singers without formal pastoral or theological training (such as Ira Sankey and Philip Bliss) became the dominant songwriters in the church. Choruses with lighter, simpler subject matter proliferated. Popular Christian music became more subjective. Songs focused on personal experience and the feelings of the worshiper. The newer compositions were often called “gospel songs” to distinguish them from “hymns.”

...
Modern musicians have pushed this trend even further and often see music as little more than a device for stimulating intense emotion. The biblically-mandated didactic role of music is all but forgotten.

The effect is predictable. What we have sown for several generations we are now reaping in frightening abundance. The modern church, fed on choruses with insipid lyrics, has no appetite for her own great tradition of didactic hymnody.

We are in danger of losing a rich heritage as some of the best hymns of our faith fall into neglect and disuse, being replaced with banal lyrics set to catchy tunes. Thankfully, there are some wonderful exceptions to this trend — exceptions which we hope will soon turn the tide. In the meantime, our prayer is that both pastors and church musicians will come to realize the severity of the crisis and the vital importance of theologically-sound worship music.

Full article is here

Remodeling Hell -- Americans Redefine the Doctrine

Excerpt:

Reasoning from their own experience and emotions, rather than from the Bible, many who call themselves evangelicals are just deciding that a "good" God would not send persons to hell -- at least not anyone they know.

Undoubtedly, much of this can be traced to currents in the larger culture, where non-judgmentalism, a therapeutic view of life, and a thoroughly modern view of fairness lead many to reject hell as a place of everlasting torment and punishment for those who never come to faith in Christ.

As Professor Segal observed, "They believe everyone has an equal chance, at this life and the next." Thus, "hell is disappearing, absolutely."

That this is true within the culture at large is not surprising. But when those who claim identity as evangelical Christians begin to modify the doctrine, this should set off alarms.

No doctrine stands alone. There is no way to modify belief in hell without modifying the Gospel itself, for hell is an essential part of the framework of the Gospel and of the preaching of Jesus. Hell cannot be remodeled without reconstructing the Gospel message.

The Impeccability of Christ - Part 1

Excerpt:

“We are living in a world of sin, and the fearful havoc it has wrought is evident on every side. How refreshing, then, to fix our gaze upon One who is immaculately holy, and who passed through this scene unspoilt by its evil. Such was the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate. For thirty-three years He was in immediate contact with sin, yet He was never, to the slightest degree, contaminated. He touched the leper, yet was not defiled, even ceremonially. Just as the rays of the sun shine upon a stagnant pool without being sullied thereby, so Christ was unaffected by the iniquity which surrounded Him. He “did no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22), “in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5 and contrast 1:8), He “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21), He was “without sin” (Heb. 4:15). He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:26).

The Impeccability of Christ - Part 2

Excerpt:

It is objected to the truth of Christ’s impeccability that it is inconsistent with His temptability. A person who cannot sin, it is argued, cannot be tempted to sin. As well might one reason that because an army cannot be defeated, it cannot be attacked. “Temptability depends upon the constitutional susceptibility, while impeccability depends upon the will. So far as His natural susceptibility, both physical and mental, was concerned, Jesus Christ was open to all forms of human temptation, excepting those that spring out of lust, or corruption of nature. But His peccability, or the possibility of being overcome by these temptations, would depend upon the amount of voluntary resistance which He was able to bring to bear against them. Those temptations were very strong, but if the self-determination of His holy will was stronger than they, then they could not induce Him to sin, and He would be impeccable. And yet plainly He would be temptable” (W.G. Shedd, 1889).

He would leave YouTube. And that's what (s)he did. You can say whatever you want, bitchlings, but I can't help myself adoring this guy gay for his courage taking on the whole frickin' media world. And then, kazaaaaam, leaving the platform that made her famous because of web censorship issues. [Chinese dumplings, anyone? 100 % dog-free, I promise.] All I can say is: you go gurrl and pleaze keep it coming, coz cum is thicker than blood. Did I just say that aloud? Oopsie ..

Cheers to free speech [that's 'flee' in Chinese by the way ...]

P.S. Love your t-shirt creations, bitch ;-)

JP: Good read by Diane Heeney

Life’s Echo

Excerpt:

How will your life’s memory ring out to others when you are gone from this earth? Will it be in tangible deeds you performed (Acts 9:36-39)? Will someone strive to emulate what they recall of your godly example (I Tim 4:12) as you tried to be an “imitator of God” (Eph. 5:1)? Perhaps what you have done to train up your children will yield lasting fruit (Prov. 22:6).

Come next November 2nd, some folks might decide to plan their own epitaph; but by “apply[ing] our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12) living wisely (Col. 4:5) we can determine today what the tone and inflection of our eternal echo will be. By God’s grace, we can be worthy of emulation (Phil. 4:9; I Thess. 2:10-12), and the memory of our lives can be spiritually prolific!

Comment: Image is of Sinks Canyon Wyoming. The author lives near Sinks Canyon.