Brief, but hopefully interesting.
Everyday Theology: God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle – also see Suffering, Prayer and “God Doesn’t Give Us More Than We Can Handle” on this blog, but the one first mentioned is a better writing of the subject.
The Call Is Not To Be Taken Lightly
Ghandi, the Great Soul HT: Baker Book House Church Connection
Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: April 2011
From the Twittersphere – Week Ending Apr 2
It’s been a popular idea to preach the gospel to yourself everyday. If you’re not familiar with what exactly to preach to yourself (or if you are), here is a good article by Tullian Tchividjian.
The hard work of Christian growth, therefore, is to think less of me and my performance and more of Jesus and his performance for me. Ironically, when we focus mostly on our need to get better we actually get worse. We become neurotic and self-absorbed. Preoccupation with my effort over God’s effort for me makes me increasingly self-centered and morbidly introspective.
…
Christian growth, in other words, does not happen first by behaving better, but believing better–believing in bigger, deeper, brighter ways what Christ has already secured for sinners.
Read the whole article.
Three eclectic items for you. I’m still not doing well, maybe worse. Please pray. I really don’t want to go to the hospital.
Proverbs 30:1-3 NLT
The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.
I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.
2 I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
3 I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
Job 25:4-6
How can a mortal be innocent before God?
Can anyone born of a woman be pure?
5 God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars.
6 In comparison, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms.”
Psalm 22:5-6
They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you and were never disgraced.
6 But I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all!
Clifford observes that these examples of “low anthropology,” of self-abasement, express reverence.
–Bruce Waltke, Proverbs, quoting Clifford, Proverbs, p. 26
This makes sense because even these examples don’t begin to measure the difference in knowledge and wisdom, between God and us. One of my favorite phrases lately, when I’m not at my worst, is “I’m too stupid to be human.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
The more we learn this, the more we realize what a wretch we are, as in the hymn Amazing Grace, or how Wretched, as in the radio show.
On another note:
Hope for Your Dark Night of the Soul
And:
Marks of maturity
This ‘walk’ is similar to mine. I’m not sure I’m at the second part yet, or at least some of them. It’s an interesting post in any case.
Book Review: Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith
I didn’t say which book in the subject line. Aren’t I provocative? We’ll see if there’s anything different in his new book.
The first two are blogs are new to me.
The Caffeinated Ramblings of Chris
From the Twittersphere – Week Ending Feb 19
Hope for Your Dark Night of the Soul
Why isn’t the American Church Growing?*
A strong tower is what a righteous man runs into and it doesn’t fall down. The righteous man is safe and unhurt.
Proverbs 18:10 ESV
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
This is my friend showing a proper pourover technique for brewing coffee (YouTube video). This is pretty much how connoisseurs have been doing it for decades except now the pour has been slowed down. Some of the media are making it sound like something completely new, “Japanese coffee” because they make one of the fine kettles over there, or whatever. Whatever. It really does make a difference if good, fresh coffee is used (not the burnt kind). Otherwise bad coffee will still tend to taste bad. Drinking bad beer in a good glass won’t help much either. I like to use a Swiss Gold filter because I don’t like paper between the water and my coffee.
*Also see: What Is Revival?
Every typographer will tell you that bold text is used for extreme emphasis and that when used for all of the text on a page it’s more difficult to read. Most books and other publications don’t even go so far as to use bold for emphasis and typically use italic text for that purpose. Bold is often used for comparative purposes, like showing differences in translation of a Bible passage.
I’ve hinted and then come out and plainly said that bold is bad, but I’m not much of an activist unless I get really mad, which I’m not really in this case, of course.
Why someone who set up this site (of whom I hope doesn’t take offense–if it’s his wife I’ll fall on my sword) would make all the text bold, I don’t know. So after switching to the Google Chrome web browser, installing Stylebot and having some knowledge of CSS, I’m finally able to read one of my favorite “blogs” bold free! It wasn’t easy, because somehow the main text is tied to the day of the week which is a brain twister. So now you too can banish the bold (and change some colors–blue is usually reserved for links) if you are like me–anal retentive, a perfectionist, old school and pseudo-OCD. Or you could just not waste an hour of your life and not let it bother you like most normal people and continue to enjoy one of the most humble, personable, transparent, passionate and intelligent blogs the Christian blogosphere has to offer.
Click for a larger one.
FAQ: Why DO bad things happen to “good” people? – amazing how much good information he gives in 2 1/2 minutes, with pointers to more
NETBibleTagger – Automatically Tag and Quote Scripture References on Your Site – This is similar to another very popular one we are used to, and uses the NET translation. Otherwise the main difference that I can see is that it will show a whole passage–even a chapter, in the pop-up window using scrollbars.
Challies.com has free desktop wallpaper
Snow storm HT: Challies
If you happen to like cats, here are some very high quality pictures. These are of all sorts breeds taken at shows. I said I wouldn’t post pictures of my cats on this blog and I’m sticking to it. However if for some reason you would want to see them, and some other stuff, there are plenty on my Flickr stream, also linked in the right column.
I’ve read people asking for “feed back” but they never gave me any feed. Feedback makes more sense on a blog.
I [then] discovered that Christians wrote books–lots of them. It was a little taste of heaven. It still is.
–Louis McBride at Baker Book House Church Connection blog, Coming Soon – “The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction”
So many great Christian books. So few people who read them. One could find an old iPod Touch for $60 on eBay and acquire tons of free books that are out of copyright and some contemporary ones that are offered for free and never have to buy any books. I guess TV and books like The Shack and on prophesy of the coming whatever are more appealing. For those who aren’t technically savvy I would do it for them!
I read that 17% of people ‘within the church’ read their Bible everyday. 30% read it once a week. Makes me wonder how many of those ‘in the church’ (not sure exactly what that means) are real Christians.
This is a friendly post on why I feel differently than Will does about blogging. I’m not sure why I’m posting this. Maybe to help solidify why I keep on blogging.
I will briefly list his six reasons why he is stopping, but you really need to read the whole post to know exactly why and not misunderstand my truncation here. (I didn’t think truncation was a real word.) I’m using TC’s shortened reasons. Go there to read his take on it.
1. People don’t think well. I have to admit that I’ve been shocked at times at people’s inability to follow an argument or make an argument. Don’t misunderstand me…
I find this to be the case sometimes but often it’s because it’s because I don’t explain myself well enough (that’s not a description of him, just me) or don’t write well enough. I also don’t write very many things that are of any complexity. And there will always be some people who just don’t read carefully, although I’ve had no trouble with my regular readers. I’ve been on some health related forums where people weren’t understanding me and it can be maddening. This isn’t a problem here.
2. There is a significant difference between blogging relationships and real relationships. I’ve gotten to know some of you on a certain level, and I’m glad for the new acquaintance. But let’s be honest, very few people establish real relationships via blogging. Just like Facebook helps you pretend you have lots of relationships, blogging can do the same thing. I’m afraid my blog has caused me to put too high a value on these “virtual relationships” at the expense of the relationships I have that really matter.
I agree with the first sentence. But I have gained blogging friends that I’ve learned so much from and who share similar interests that I can’t find very much of (not none) in the real world. Plus because of my back I don’t get out much.
3. Blogging is not the same thing as doing theology in community. I’m a big fan of doing theological work in community. In fact, I think the idea that someone can get alone with their Bible and come to good theological understandings is, for the most part, a sham. Christians were never meant to be Lone Rangers. We are not supposed to try to come up with answers on our own. Our theological work is meant to be done in the context of the church. And blogging is not the same thing…
I feel that this is the reason for my blogging friends and also–this will infuriate some–commentaries and books by scholars that I trust.
4. I don’t deal with criticism well. This is something I learned here on my blog as well as in the real world, and I have to admit, it’s kind of embarrassing. But it’s true…
Me either although I would call it confrontation. Although, if I dish it out, I make sure I can take it. When I dish back, or have to handle the rare heckler, I often answer in a sarcastic way that may not be necessary. I’m working on this.
I also don’t write about the ‘hot button’ type topics for this very reason. It becomes too stressful for me. Believe me, I could write about a lot of stuff that would create turmoil and possibly make the blog more popular. But I’m forced to tailor the topics to what I can handle. I make sure blogging doesn’t become another stressor. I have a hard enough time with that just waking up in the morning.
5. People act online in ways they (hopefully) would never act in person (including me). Sometimes people say things online that they would never dare say to your face. There’s a certain boldness that comes from hiding behind a laptop. People think they’re more intelligent than they really are. People think they’re more authoritative than they really are. People forget that on the other side of the screen is a real human being.
A few years ago I made a commitment to only write what I would say in person. Sometimes I don’t always fully consider their feelings in person either. At least I’m consistent. I also try not to do many ‘teaching’ type posts because I really don’t have the authority to do so. I also try not to criticize professional athletes and coaches (really). But of course there are times when I think I know more than I do or criticize people. This is what the comments on other people’s blogs are for. (smiley)
6. It takes a lot of time. I’m actually surprised at how time consuming blogging can be…
This is the thing that has caused me to think about quitting. But blogging has been too valuable for me. I want to get back to more substantial posts that cause me to think things through and ask important questions.
I’m also making an effort to spend less time on the internet without losing communication with online friends. I will be writing a post about that soon.
I believe all of Will’s reasons are very sound. This post isn’t meant to be a rebuttal at all. I think he will benefit relationally and spiritually and we want the best for him. If he should change his mind with a new perspective, people will certainly be glad.
Calvin was not naive about the apparent discrepancies in Scripture, nor did he expect biblical numbers to be exact. He accepted that Scripture uses phenomenological language and figures of speech. He often probed the difficult issues stemming from mistakes in translation and transmission. All that to say, he made the same sort of distinctions careful modern-day inerrantists make.
More to the point, however, he held to the same view of verbal, plenary inspiration. Calvin never rejected the truthfulness of any Scriptural affirmation. He believed the Bible to be the Word of God and without error. He argued on many occasions that to disagree with the Bible was to disagree with God himself. Conversely, those submissive to God, he maintained, would submit themselves to the Scriptures. They would never be led by the Spirit away from the Bible, for the Bible is the Spirit’s book.
–Kevin DeYoung, Did John Calvin Believe in Inerrancy?
I added emphasis to part of the quote that I’ve always believed but haven’t been able to articulate very well.
Also see:
What Inerrancy is Not
What Good is Inerrancy If We Don’t Have the Original Manuscripts?
…having to listen to New Year’s resolutions. I firmly believe we should make changes when they’re needed. We should acknowledge what we do wrong before God and pray for God’s help to turn them around and do what we can to change. There is nothing magic about January 1st.
A couple of days from now I won’t have to listen to them anymore. If you like reading about them pro and con, mostly con but with some pro mixed in, here is a good list of blog posts:
New Year’s Resolutions and Change for 2011
This is a short one but the first one is a good series on prayer and I wanted to let you know about the reading plan post if you haven’t seen it and are interested.
Here is a post that goes along with the last plan listed in the post above which has Seven Tips For the Two-Year Journey at the end of the post with some tips that pertain to any reading plan (if that made any sense).
Christmas: The Hinge of History at The Gospel Coalition – Bryan says, “Trust me, you’ll want to read it.”
I updated an earlier post titled “For God so loved the world” with links at the bottom. Let me know if you have an opinion.
Does God have a purpose for false teachers?
Caring about All Suffering, Especially Eternal Suffering
There are a lot of lot of blog posts that have photography tips that just state the obvious. Some of them don’t even include pictures! I tried to find some that are at least decent for Christmas, except for the last one which is excellent but only on one topic. If these are over your head, well, you’re probably hopeless anyway. (smiley) Just remember to fill the frame, which usually means get closer and don’t forget to photograph the food since everyone loves it so much.
Christmas Photography Tips at Flickr
Christmas, Holiday, Winter and Vacation Photography Tips – More links
How to Photograph Christmas Lights
Trials and Suffering at Isaac’s Musings
Christian Carnival CCCLV at who am i?
2010 in photos at boston.com (some are disturbing)
In the Mail at THEOparadox
I now partially agree with the last one. I think it’s better use of readers’ time to write about books that the blogger is reading or has read unless a specific list or question about it is relevant.
I participate in a home coffee roasting (no, it’s not illegal as Dr. Jim West might think) bulletin board. It’s very frustrating to read about someone who just bought some green (unroasted) coffee beans and then says, “I can’t wait to roast these tomorrow night!” Well thanks for wasting my time! How about wait a few days and tell us how you like it?
Click for a larger one
Photo ©Jeff Oien
I cannot offer this as a Free Photo
Quite a while ago I did a similar post about another publisher and since then the New Living Translation (NLT)/Tyndale has made great strides in what they have to offer online.
One regular item is their Thursday Giveaway. This week (the week of December 5, 2010) they are giving away the The One Year Bible NLT which is what this post is about. They are asking bloggers to let people know about and write about what they like about the New Living Translation Facebook page.
Since the NLT has been adding new web sites and features I was planning on doing a post like this anyway, so I would like to let you know about most of the things the NLT provides us with that’s featured on their Facebook page. There are so many, you may not know about some of them.
You can find the main web site at www.newlivingtranslation.com.
nlt.to is a fast loading site with a simple interface for quickly looking up a verse or passage, especially if you want to copy and paste a passage as it’s formatted in a paper Bible. This is also a great for mobile users. You can easily share on Facebook or Twitter. I asked about including the verse itself instead of just a link back to the site and they may include this feature in the future. You can find a list of other features on their blog announcement post.
Another great site for original language users is their interlinear site:
nltinterlinear.com
This also shows how closely a truly dynamic translation can stay to the original languages. Although interlinears may be unpopular with some educators, this can show you how they chose certain words in translating this version.
The NLT Study Bible is available online with a free 30 day trial so you can try it out and see if you would like to purchase it:
www.nltstudybible.com
The NLT gives:
The New Living Translation presents the Give the Word contest and giveaway, a partnership with three great ministries—the Dream Center, Oasis International, and Wycliffe Bible Translators. All three of these ministries Give the Word to people and in places where it is desperately needed, and all three will benefit from the Give the Word contest.
Give the Word page
Sweepstakes page (linked in the quote above)
Most of these things are listed on their Facebook page if you go to Info. If you’re a Facebook user and ‘Like’ the page, you’ll get updates and also a daily NLT verse.
The staff have been the most accessible of any translation I know of. I’ve corresponded with Laura Bartlett, Sean Harrison and Keith Williams who has been an encouragement to me as a blogger and they are all very professional and friendly.
I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but those are some of the things and people you will find online regarding the NLT.
The last one is video Acidri’s Blog brings us that you may have seen. The absolute sovereignty of God is a counter-intuitive comfort once God showed it to me. When I get in the “dark valley” and am having deep trouble with the difficulties with mental and physical health, I always go to Psalm 139:13-16 which the man in the video alludes to at one point.
I’m so impressed with his knowledge of Scripture and you can see how important Scripture memory is for him.
As the evangelical community turns to CBMW for trusted counsel on contemporary Bible translations that are faithful and accurate in their rendering of gender-language,
–CBMW
Really? Are you sure?
I get so mad when I read this. If only I had this as a kid:
The [Heidelberg] Catechism is an introduction to the Christian worldview and the basic teachings of the Bible; it is divided into fifty-two sections, called “Lord’s Days,” which were designed to be taught on each of the 52 Sundays of the year. Elders and deacons were required to subscribe and adhere to it, and ministers were required to preach on a section of the Catechism each Sunday so as to increase the often poor theological knowledge of the church members.
–Michael Acidri
I have The Heidelberg Catechism on its own page with Scripture references shown on most systems if you pass your cursor over them.
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