is my friend Stan at just after sunrise. And it looks like One Monk’s Journey Through Faith will switch too.

Two others on my wish list:

• Derek at THEOparadox
• Eric Carpenter at A Pilgrim’s Progress

A rare off-topic post here.

There are some people I really love that have a blog on Blogspot or whatever it’s called. I’m tired of having to log in to wordpress.com only for it to show my old blog and not this one, or using a Google account that’s different than the one I’m logged into for mail, or having to manually write in my username and URL, even though I have macros for those words.

I’m sorry. I’d urge you to switch to WordPress. I know there are many many people who feel the same way. I know you may have your reasons for Blogspot. I transferred my Suffering Christians blog from Blogspot to WordPress without a problem except for a few longer subject lines being truncated but I think that has as much to do with the theme as anything else.

I wasn’t sure what the subject of this post should be so I just made one that would get some Google hits.

I was looking at Suzanne’s Bookshelf to see what she’s been writing lately. (This post isn’t about her.) In a post called Jana Chapman Gates on Complementarianism she quotes Thomas Schreiner:

because of the different inclinations present in Adam and Eve. Generally speaking, women are more relational and nurturing and men are more given to rational analysis and objectivity.

– “An interpretation of 1 Timothy 2: 9-15: A dialogue with scholarship” in Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2: 9-15 Eds. Andreas Kostenberger, Thomas R Schreiner and H. Scott Baldwin (Grand Rapids: Baker Book Houser, 1995) 145-6.

I like Thomas Schreiner a lot. I’m disappointed in this. It’s as bad as psycho-babble. I very much believe that any counseling done in a Christian setting should be based on the Bible, not the Bible plus… If we, especially Reformed people like Schreiner and myself, believe in Sola scriptura and that “God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him” (2 Peter 1.3), then we shouldn’t need to rely on spurious descriptions like this or if we do use arguments like this, they should always be backed up by Scripture, not just human logic. (Sorry for the long sentence.) Maybe in the larger context it is, but I doubt it. If anyone has it handy let me know.

Some may say it’s obvious, but I don’t think so. Some people could see the terms used and think that men get the smart ones and women are just good with the children and being sympathetic.

What are some things that are in the Bible that show intrinsic differences between men and women other than any kind of roles which I don’t want to get into here? The only verse or passage I can think of is the “weaker vessel/nature/partner” (1 Peter 3.7) which I believe refers to physically, and being sexually and generally vulnerable to being dominated.

I like this video. I’m surprised at some of the things Christians use to entertain themselves. One example is Christians who play games like Grand Theft Auto. Do you know how absolutely mindbogglingly shocking this would have been 50 years ago? But for some reason, for some people it’s OK today. I have a story at the end if you want to read it.

This clip is of Driscoll talking about books for teenagers but I think some of the things he says, especially at the beginning, can be applied to just about everything.

I’ve been wanting to write about this type of thing and personal holiness, but I just can’t figure out a way of doing it. Maybe I just don’t have the authority to be writing things like this. So I’ll just show a video that’s close. Someday I’ll find something better. If you know of anything, let me know because I’d like to have something to point people to.

Quite a few years ago I took a self portrait of me and my wife at her parents house. We were under the shade of a tree with some sun coming behind us. I was for some strange reason wearing dress pants and a tie (I don’t know what was going on) and my wife was wearing a dress. The picture ended up looking very nice.

So we go to my grandparents house and show them our album with this picture in it. My grandma is like, Oh my, the sun is going through there. I didn’t know what she meant. She said the sun was shining through my wife’s dress and you could see her legs. That hadn’t even occurred to us. In my grandma’s day and age, that would have been immodest. Modesty is a very Biblical subject. I really don’t know if showing some leg in shadow is bad or not, but it just shows how we can not even be aware of things that people used to be shocked by. I wonder how many things I do or watch on TV that God isn’t happy with. I don’t wrangle over it, we just try to limit what we watch and live as holy of a life as we can.

For a long time I’ve been praying that I would love what God loves and hate what God hates, always seeking His will (Psalm 97:10; Matt. 6:33; Col. 1:9; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Exodus 20:26
And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.

I have a new photography blog that’s languishing. I asked about advice on promoting it. Our blogging friend Nathan suggested combining blogs which he does for all of his interests.

I know I don’t want to combine photography and Scripture because my objective with this blog has always been to stick to Bible and Christian related stuff. I don’t want to write about what I had for dinner and I don’t think others are interested in that either. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just want to write about, collect links and quotes and learn about Bible related things from commenters.

But it did cause me to think about combining Suffering Christians, where I mainly share information about things related to chronic suffering and Scripture Zealot 2 which is mainly just for myself for keeping track of what I’m reading and studying.

The topic has changed from promotion to saving time, making these other things visible here and organization.

Some of the suffering stuff might be a little much for some people but then again we all need to be prepared as well as we can and need to learn how to deal with people who are suffering (although all of you who comment here are so great you seem to know that already). And I don’t want to bore people with my personal stuff about what I’m reading.

I’m not sure if it would really save time. I would either write stuff here or somewhere else. But more people may see it here. Let me know what you think.

Some people have been writing eclectic stream of thought posts and I thought I would give it a try. It’s much easier than trying to write a real and intelligent post anyway.

I had lower back surgery three weeks ago. A double fusion of S4 – S1, laminectomy/decompression and removal of scar tissue from a previous surgery. The doctor said the surgery was textbook. The post op was not. For at least half a day, probably more, my morphine was unknowingly dripping on the floor instead of going into me. So I had no pain medication for quite a while. I’ve never felt so much pain in my life. They also kept getting my other psych meds wrong. I had an anxiety attack and was sweating so much for two days the bed was soaked. I couldn’t sleep much because of pain and people parading through my room at all hours of the day and night. I’m still traumatized by the whole experience.

Since then my mobility has steadily increased, my exercises are improving and the pain has gone down somewhat. I won’t know if the bone is starting to fuse well until three weeks from now when I get the first x-ray.

For the first time in a long time my faith is really being tested. I’m having a hard time trusting God for anything. I’m doing all my devotional stuff and have started doing my ‘extra’ reading again as I become more coherent after surgery but it’s been tough. I’m scared the bone won’t fuse and I’ll have to go back for more surgery. Seems like I’m just scared of everything. I’m praying constantly but not getting much help yet. It’s very inconsistent from day to day.

Friends on Facebook gave me:
“…if we are faithless, he remains faithful– for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

In distress you called, and I delivered you; (Psalm 81:7a ESV)

2 Corinthians 12:9
9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Robert Jimenez is starting a series called: Has inerrancy outlived it’s usefulness? Part One. Many people are excited about this one. Tune in if you’re interested.

I believe the Bible is inerrant. Meaning I believe all of it is true. I’m thankful that the majority of people on the major Bible translation committees feel the same. It seems that there are many different definitions and modernistic baggage so that it’s not helpful anymore. I’m not always up to speed on how these terms morph, but I’m not really concerned so much. If it’s a dirty word then I’ll just say that I believe all of the Bible is true. It’s not high on my priority list of things to read right now but I did read an article I liked for the most part:
IS THE BIBLE INERRANT?

A verse about me:

For the first time in a year and a half I’ve slacked off on learning Greek. It’s hard to concentrate on anything when in pain and on pain meds (and sleeping a lot) but I think it’s about time I got back to it.

Right now in addition to reading the OT I’m still reading Ryken’s Bible Handbook and Unburdened, which is about worry and is very timely, at the same time. I will eventually be reviewing both of them.

I would really like to be blogging more, especially about what I’m reading in the OT, but it’s difficult right now. I remember “The August Experiment” last year when I posted at least once, usually multiple times a day and the stats went way up. I really don’t care about stats though.

I better stop there or I’ll run way beyond most people’s internet attention span. Thanks for reading.

Just passing it along
I Love Jesus & I Accept Evolution
which is the name of a book he reviews.

I have begun to make another pass through the entire ISV New Testament in preparation for the publication of the entire Bible next year. I welcome your comments and suggestions. One passage that will require a great deal of thought is Heb. 13:17. How should it be rendered? In other words, do elders rule? The Greek here is most revealing. Any thoughts?

Dave Black Online
Contact Dave
isv.org

Amos 4:13
For the LORD is the one who shaped the mountains, (NLT)

Could it be that God created the mountains right from the beginning? And trees with rings that we use to age them, and layers of rock and soil, and coral reefs? And animals with characteristics built-in so they can survive and thrive in their environment in a general sense. Adam and Eve as people like we are with food and animals that reproduce their own kind? Getting light from the stars to the earth at the time of creation? Is it not possible? Is that so far fetched for the Sovereign Lord who did all of the mighty deeds written down as history?

When this scenario is talked about, many people say that if that is so, God tricked us. I don’t get that at all. If that’s tricking us what about Job? That was the ultimate trickery.

BTW, NLT and NET use shaped or formed–past tense and most of the rest use ‘forms’. I’m reading the NLT at this time and didn’t pick a translation just to suit my argument which is that I don’t understand how some Christians believe the theory of evolutionism is iron clad and there can’t be other possibilities with a miracle working God.

I’m writing about evolution a little too much. Part of it is because in reading the OT I keep coming across things that make me think about it but also because I just haven’t taken the time to write much lately.

Amos 5:8
It is the LORD who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The LORD is his name!

I’m in a dark mood. I saw a silly, trite poem and put a different, half joking ending on it:

To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the most unimaginably bad things could happen to you at any time. Remember, things can always get worse.

Where will you get help? Thank God his children can take refuge in him.

I’ve been posting about Genesis, evolution, Adam and Eve being real, individual people, etc. lately. Some say that people like me think that’s the only important part of the Bible. (Nobody has accused me personally of this.) I’ve only posted on it a few times in the last few months. Others are more adamant about it.

While I don’t use it as a litmus test–I respect those who see Genesis 1 as some sort of poetry or allegory with much thought and respect and are true brothers and sisters, then there are those who just plain don’t believe what the Bible says.

If God just created some stuff with a bang and then let things evolve from there, that doesn’t give me much hope. All the other parts of the Bible that speak of creation as literal and Adam and Eve as individuals (like Jesus) are suspect. Psalm 139:13ff doesn’t really mean much. God may not have really known how I’d turn out. He’ll just deal with things the best he can and make them good afterward (mangling Romans 8:28).

I praise God for creating people, animals and plants that reproduce their own kind. I praise God for knowing exactly how I would turn out and the problems I would face. I praise God for also holding human beings responsible for their actions so that evil will be punished in the end and God will be glorified and suffering people will be repaid so many times over it can’t be counted (Romans 8:18).

That’s my ramble for the night. Hopefully I won’t be too embarrassed when I read it later in the week.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

McHugh identifies three primary characteristics of introverts. First, he says, introverts are energized by solitude and drained by social interaction. (Extroverts, on the other hand, derive energy from external sources and find both inactivity and too much solitude draining.) Second, introverts tend to filter information and experiences internally; thinking generally precedes speaking. Third, introverts prefer depth over breadth in both relationships and interests. They may look calm on the surface, but their brains are “bubbling with activity”; thus, they require less external stimulation than their extroverted neighbors.

–Adam S. McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture as quoted in an article on Christianity Today titled Introverts for Jesus, Unite!

Being an introvert and having chronic fatigue, social occasions are especially draining. Sometimes I want to plug my ears because of the cacophony of sound. For some reason it takes energy to speak and think when in a group of people. Most don’t understand except those who are introverts. But I know it’s good for me in small doses.

I have yet another injection tomorrow. This will be a cortisone injection for a moderately herniated disc in the lower thoracic area. This isn’t nearly as bad as the lumbar stuff but it’s uncomfortable so I’m going to see if this helps.

I’ve had so many injections of different types in my back and upper rear I feel like a human pin cushion. The multiple trips are more annoying than the injections themselves. Thank God I’m not overly afraid of needles. I can’t imagine the terror for those who are and would have to go through it this many times.

Colossians 1:11-12 NRSV
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

I’ve probably focused on those two verses more than any others in the last couple of years. I love the NRSV rendition.

I’m very humbled to say that as of today, approximately 6,799,500,000 people haven’t seen this blog.

Here is a post by Shaun Tabatt on libraries of some notable people. I like Albert Mohler’s and Mark Dever’s the best as far as the libraries go. Pretty incredible.

Here is a video of a library that made the rounds at least a couple of times in the past that I like a lot.

I can’t figure out why the Church Connection blog by Louis McBride isn’t more popular. He regularly post about good books and subjects of interest. He’s very well read and is a mature Christian that I always learn from.

Fighter Verses is a blog I found related to Scripture memory. I can’t tell you how valuable Scripture memory has been for me.

Coming up will be reviews of The Prayer of the Lord and How to Enjoy Your Bible.

I may write general thoughts on Genesis as I read through it recently but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. Unfortunately some parts of the Bible can’t be written about without rancor ensuing.

T.C. wondered why I removed my Blogroll without saying anything. I in fact did say something buried in this post.

I’ve eliminated my Blogroll because I’m going to be reading less blogs and I don’t want to feel like I’m an Endorser of blogs or anything. This also takes stress off of deciding what to add or remove.

Read the rest of the post for more perspective.

I’m only writing this to be polite and offer an explanation. I didn’t do it spur of the moment, out of frustration or anything else like that. I certainly didn’t do it for drama or attention–I hate that. T.C. mentioned me with that Dr. guy which was strange for me we’re cool now. I know it was light hearted anyway.

If I had to offer more explanation it’s because while I love all the people in my Blogroll, I didn’t agree with all of them on basic doctrine and don’t feel some are models of what I would want newbies to see.

I realize the advantages of a Blogroll:

• Others finding good blogs
• Others knowing what kind of blogs I like, getting a feel for what my theology is (part of the problem)
• Providing a link to other people’s blog which is helpful for them because Google likes that
• Reciprocity for those who link to mine

I apologize for taking away some of those benefits.

I saved the links in case the widget got erased and I change my mind in the future.

I could offer a page of all the links I know of whether I agree or not but that’s too much work. I’m trying to spend less time on the internet and that’s part of the reason I originally was going to reduce the Blogroll because I’m not reading all of them (but still the vast majority).

I could offer my top five or ten but that would cause the stress again.

So that’s the explanation. Sorry for the off topic post. I could have offered more drama but that’s what I’m avoiding. That previous post is about as far as I’ll go for now.

Hopefully there is something for everyone and you haven’t already seen all of them.

Dave Black tells us of some Greek resources for his students. Since I’m studying his book I’m one of his students, right?

Ben Witherington has some fantastic photos he took of an archaeological find of Ephesian houses.

Ten Technologies That Will Rock 2010
I apologize for the use of the word ‘rock’ in this way. Hopefully by the end of the decade it will have fallen out of use. We’ll see which of these technologies rock our world and which ones are whack.

In case you’re wondering, Tim Tebow chose Ephesians 2:8-10 as a Bible passage reference to wear on his eye black for the Sugar Bowl.

This post was written partly to bring in search engine traffic. If you’re visiting, please take a look around.

Also see:
Ephesians 2:8-10: Tebow’s Chosen Bible Passage for Sugar Bowl

I’m looking for Christian related documentaries that are pro-Christian and not the PBS/Discovery Channel stuff that denies God created stuff. Things like archeology, culture, Dead Sea Scrolls, anything about the Bible etc.

I pray that everyone who reads this post will have a good time celebrating Christmas and be safe and know that you’re in God’s care whatever may happen. I hope we can all ponder Jesus during this busy time.

For those who are lonely or suffering I pray that God’s grace will be sufficient and that you will in some way grow closer to God.

I got an e-mail message from TBN. At first I wondered why they were writing to me. Then I realized they aren’t the TBN I thought they were. That second link is pretty scary. I notice they have A Tribute To Reggie White so they can’t be all that bad. Except that picture isn’t him.

That’s not Laura Bartlett.

Jason has tagged me with another evil meme. The other is one I still owe him related to grammar.

I’m not real into Christmas movies so this will be a boring post.

I like Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and it’s partly because of the music. That baritone/bass voice who sings the main song is great.

I also like Elf which we’ve seen twice. My favorite line is soon after he (Buddy) reached New York after living with Santa’s elves all of his life:

[reacting to sign saying "World's Best Cup of Coffee"]
Buddy: You did it! Congratulations! World’s best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! It’s great to be here.