Head-dibs

Since (you say) I am getting to be quite forgetful (I don't remember why), at least I am not like this poor bloke: Two poems on Jonathan Bing by Betrice Curtis Brown Oh, Jonathan Bing, oh, Bingathon Jon! Forgets where he's going and thinks he has gone. He wears his false teeth on the top of his head, And always stands up when he's sleeping in bed. Oh, Jonathan Bing has a curious way Of trying to walk into yesterday. "If I end with my breakfast and start with my tea, I ought to be able to do it," says he. Oh, Jonathan Bing is a miser, they say, For be likes to save trouble and put it away. "If I never get up in the morning," he said, "I shall save all the trouble of going to bed!" "Oh, Jonathan Bing, what a way to behave! And what do you do with the trouble you save'" "I wrap it up neatly and send it by post To my friends and relations who need it the most.'' *************** Poor old Jonathan Bing Went out in his carri...

I just have to post this article as it is thought provoking: In what ways is the logic right? Is Scrooge the good guy? How does the article oppose Biblical Christianity? "What I Like About Scrooge: In praise of misers." By Steven E. Landsburg Posted Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004, at 11:18 AM PT Here's what I like about Ebenezer Scrooge: His meager lodgings were dark because darkness is cheap, and barely heated because coal is not free. His dinner was gruel, which he prepared himself. Scrooge paid no man to wait on him. Scrooge has been called ungenerous. I say that's a bum rap. What could be more generous than keeping your lamps unlit and your plate unfilled, leaving more fuel for others to burn and more food for others to eat? Who is a more benevolent neighbor than the man who employs no servants, freeing them to wait on someone else? Oh, it might be slightly more complicated than that. Maybe when Scrooge demands less coal for his fire, less coal ends up being mined. But th...

“You should tell the devil “Just by telling me that I am a miserable, great sinner you are placing a sword and a weapon into my hand with which I can decisively overcome you; yea, with your own weapon I can kill and floor you. For if you tell me that I am a poor sinner, I, on the other hand, can tell you that Christ dies for sinners and is their Intercessor… You remind me of the boundless, great faithfulness and benefaction of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The burden of my sins and all the trouble and misery that were to oppress me eternally He very gladly took upon His shoulders and suffered the bitter death on the cross for them. To Him I direct you. You may accuse and condemn Him. Let me rest in peace, for on His shoulders, not on mine, lie all my sins and the sins of all the world.” --Martin Luther

The quote below is an excerpt from a book I recommend everyone read at some point and time. I think of these paragraphs as a "depth guage", so I ask the question: "where are we now in the age of so-called 'Post-modernism'?" "Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their au­tonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think. What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell f...

O Scholarly Pen! (Where to begin?) Touching your lips to the dry desert page, Caressing that plane, A dance not in vain, Swirling true art from the mind. O Unlearned Keys! (who credits these?) Standing in rows on old bleachers like troops. A-fiction romance and diction, no dance, Stamping the mark from the hand. O Sapient tyro*! (how will you go?) Seeking to eat from the table of lore. A home-sculptured meal, Or “a fast-food deal”? Glean from the ones who take time! ********** "[T]hat's what learning has come to nowadays. The Latin language is hardly understood, Hebrew is unknown and Greek is so little esteemed that it is not considered ignorant for even the most learned men to pass over a Greek word without reading it." -- Victor Hugo ********** * an interesting word referring to a student in general, implying the kind of student he is: ignorant or learned. That he is "sapient" suggests he is "learned."

"There are two selves: one that reacts to circumstances; the other responding from God to the situation." These words open a study on depression and despair. This is an intriguing thought as it exposes one of the most unique wonders of the universe found in man that will not be found in any other place or event in nature, namely that man can exist as two separate beings when he is only one. This is found in the statement "there are two selves"--by definition, man should not be able to exist in two selves simultaneously, yet he does. The book of James (in so many words) gives examples of how this strange phenomenon of works out in mankind. James begins right at the heart of the issue: temptation. Man has a choice of responses to temptation that he will go through--when it is set before him he cannot do anything but experience it. Man has a choice in his experience of temptation: he can either be joyful because the endurance of the temptation (and non-submittal to it...

last night was the eclipse and i missed it not because i wanted to but because i had to as the clouds covered the sky and the moon and me played peekaboo until the blanket got too thick and finally the moon went out and everything was dark i knew it was dark because it was dark and things all around were not as bright as they before when the moon was out and was so blinding that when you looked at it for a while it burned a hole in your eye and everywhere you looked you could see a spot i went to bed then later i woke up and it was very bright outside because the eclipse was over but my wife did not miss it and she said that about 2 am it looked very red outside when the moon was coming out from behind the earths shadow my friend is in the hospital today having an operation because he has cancer so i woke up at half past 4 am and got ready to be at the hospital to pray with him at 6 am which is something i have never really done before and i am very tired i tried to think of something ...

"Eph 2:3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--" Paul draws a line in the sand: once you were here, now you are here. Once you once lived in the lust of the flesh. Once you did the desire of the flesh and mind. Once you were by nature children of wrath, just like everyone else. Someone would say, “There you go—it’s not your fault. You were born in sin; therefore your addiction came from your parents.” Great! Then tolerate my sin! Why is everyone so “concerned” about me? While it is true that I was born in sin and I once thought and had the desires of the unregenerate heart, I do not have to continue living like an unbeliever, one who does not know Christ Jesus. Paul makes the distinction that “we also once lived”. We don’t live there anymore. Bob Coy (Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale) summarized it this way: growing up, the best video games in the world...

A brother sent this to me--enjoy! "Thou art the blessed God, happy in Thyself, source of happiness in Thy creatures, my maker, benefactor, proprietor, upholder. Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries. May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name. Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country of everlasting delights, that paradise-land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that will disappear into nothing. As I pursue m...

This is (I believe) one of the greatest poems ever written. Just wanted to share it with you: ***************** BOOTS by Rudyard Kipling We're foot-slog-slog-slog-sloggin' over Africa - Foot-foot-foot-foot-sloggin' over Africa - (Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!) There's no discharge in the war! Seven-six-eleven-five-nine-an'-twenty mile to-day - Four-eleven-seventeen-thirty-two the day before - (Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!) There's no discharge in the war! Don't-don't-don't-don't-look at what's in front of you. (Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again) Men-men-men-men-men go mad with watchin' em, An' there's no discharge in the war! Try-try-try-try-to think o' something different - Oh-my-God-keep-me from goin' lunatic! (Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!) There's no discharge in the war! Count-count-count-count-the bullets i...

Between the atheist who would not dream of financially supporting the church and the Christian who will not financially support the Lord's church? Between the skeptic who does not believe the Bible and the negligent Christian who never reads it? Between those who do not believe in Bible classes and those who choose never to attend a class? Between the atheist who does nothing to build up the Lord's church and the Christian who finds fault with others but does nothing himself? Between a man of the world and a person in the church who lives like a man in the world? Between a man of the world who lives for self, and a person in the church building who lives for self, not God? These are tough questions for Christians who live in a tough world. The fact is that Christians make no difference until they are different. So, what's the difference?

We are familiar with the quip, "whaddya think you are, God's gift to man?" Would you believe that the remark actually came from someone's definition of "ministry?" What does “ministry” mean? "An office and function whereby one proclaims the mystery of godliness. A work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of church leaders that informs theology and practical implementation." (Stitzinger, James. “Pastoral Ministry in History.” TMSJ 6/2 (Fall 1995) 143-80. All quotes hereafter come from this summative article.) FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT: The shepherding love, care, mercy, discipline, compassion and delight of God toward people. FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT: Same as OT plus the wisdom, glory, power and humility of Christ; laying down life for sheep. Elder (presybteros): Administration and spiritual guidance of the church; Bishop/overseer (episkopos): guidance, oversight, leadership in the church; Shepherd/pastor (poimen): position denoting leadership and authority...

Why does one enter the ministry? “Before a person aspires to enter any profession, it is fair to ask him whether he knows what will be expected of him.” [1] Has anyone ever asked you that—“Why are you in the ministry?” One quickly discovers that his answer must come from one or two areas—either he is in the ministry for God or for himself. Generally speaking one also quickly recognizes that whatever he is “in” for is to accomplish something for himself or for God. A recent survey of seminary students revealed some unsettling facts: 89% of those surveyed saw preparation or enhancement of a Christian Service Career was Important. 48% saw importance in becoming a better-educated person. 74% saw the necessity of improving job skills as important or somewhat important. 37% were neutral in seeing to develop personal maturity while 26% thought this was important and 31% said this was unimportant. 48% thought that maturity in the Christian life was important, while 52% saw this as somewhat im...

Thomas Jefferson encouraged the study of the Greek and Latin as they are models of pure writing and one should enjoy the luxury of reading “the originals” as there is value in the science of all those classics contain; however, Jefferson did admit that the study of “the originals” is not for everyone. [1] Alexis de Tocqueville indicates the intentional nature of classic literature. “Nothing in their works seems to be done hastily or at random; every line is written for the eye of the connoisseur and is shaped after some conception of ideal beauty.” The point of study is not that men would become dangerous citizens who specialize in dead languages, but that men would become changed by what they read following the discipline of learning how to read. He serves the reminder of the difference between the slave and the free man is what he knows—it was the slaves who discharged the duties of the middle classes. If the aristocrats wanted to learn anything or to hire a service, they went to tho...

The Navajo talk of walking life paths and each one walks his or her own. Basically, there is the Dine’ way (the Navajo way, the way of life and land) or there is a way for everyone else—and generally speaking, it is in the Dineway the Navajo tries to maintain the hozho (peace) of the imbalance of nature caused by the less knowledgeable (non-Navajo). Within the Navajo way are many paths detailed in ceremonies: the Navajo Blessingway, which is a rehearsal of “emergence” or creation (of sorts); the Enemyway, a cleansing ceremony and others such as Shootingway, Nizhoniway or Beautyway, Mountainway, Nightway, Navajo Windway. Each of these is dominated by chants categorized as Lifeway, Evilway and Holyway. [1] In more recent times there has been the addition of the Jesusway. Since the preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ believers are recognizing there is another path to walk and it is a narrow way that leads to life. Jesus taught, “Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate a...

Horatius Bonar writes in Words to Winners of Souls, “Take heed to thyself. Your own soul is your first and greatest care. You know a sound body alone can work with power, much more a healthy soul.” Bonar then presents four ways by which one is to accomplish the personal care of the soul. First, “keep a clear conscience through the blood of the Lamb.” I remember once asking a great Christian brother how he managed to keep such a level head. I never saw him angry or irritated. This brother just keeps his cool. I have seen him agitated but not distraught—“shaken, but not stirred” (so to speak), but he is such a consistent person with his demeanor that I just had to ask how he did it. He simply smiled and said, “keep short accounts with God.” “That’s it?” I wondered. “That’s it.” And he just smiled. John MacArthur illustrates the purpose and function of the conscience. "In 1984 an Avonca Jet crashed in Spain. As always after a crash like that investigators study the accident s...

Elwyn Davies tells the story of the days he was stationed in North Africa during the Second World War. In the harbor were 187 sunken ships and it was the task of his men to send divers into these ships, to find the safes and blast them open to find documents that pertained to the enemy and his plans. In those days the divers wore the old-type diving suits, not like those used today. Every diver had a buddy and every buddy had a reserve buddy. Across the harbor at this station were chalk cliffs where caves and tunnels had been dug in. One such cave had three chambers: the innermost chamber housed the divers, the middle chamber held communications and in the outer chamber, the buddies stood waiting. When the diver went into the water his #1 buddy would sit on a three-legged stool by the water’s edge holding in his left hand held a pressure gauge. His right hand held the handle of a small, innocent-looking wheel. When immediately the helmet was fixed and the diver entered with water ...

(WARNING: The following Blog is rated "L" for "Language") You know what Wingdings are--these are the font you may select in your word processor that replaces letters with symbols. You know what it means when you are reading, say, a comic strip and you see a string of symbols when the character is talking? It means one is using bad language, cussing up a storm. As this program I am currently using does not support wingdings, I cannot type them here--perhaps that is best. Here is why: I am so hopping angry and there are not enough wingdings in the world to express what I would like to say right now. I just heard on the news that a bill is being passed for mothers who are aborting their children to have administered to the soon-to-be destroyed child PAIN KILLERS! Yes! It is true! SRN News just reported it! Then they played a sound byte of some (insert wingdings here) liberal stating that science confirms that an unborn child has a higher level of sensitivity than that ...

It's been a busy month with Intensives going on. In my "downtime" last night, I read George Washington's Farewell Address. Remember him? The first President of the United States wrote this (bold characters are my emphasis): " Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports . In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness—these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, "where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice?" And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality ca...

Jun 2, 10:18 AM EST the The Associated Press released an "article" I found strangely humorous. Below is a sampling of the publication: "The bugs — both the ones that bite and those that must be eaten to stave off hunger — the heat and other discomforts are claiming their toll as celebrity contestants on a Colombian "Survivor"-style reality show drop like flies. Instead of trying to endure to the very end on a verdant tropical peninsula in order to collect the cash prize, several are pleading with their tribes to vote them off the show. "Isla de los Famosos" — Spanish for "Island of the Celebrities" — has captured a broad audience, partly because viewers in a country where most people live in poverty are getting a kick out of watching models, singers and actors deal with the gritty business of day-to-day survival. The other day, two of the contestants had to slaughter and butcher a hog for their teammates. They have also been given live c...

1. How many Charismatics does it take to change a light bulb? One to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness. 2. How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb? None. God has predestined when the light will be on. Calvinists do not change light bulbs. They simply read the instructions and pray the light bulb will be one that has been chosen to be changed. 3. How many Armenians does it take to change a light bulb? All. They need everyone to make sure it stays on. One can never really be sure. 4. How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb? Change??? 5. How many neo-orthodox does it take to change a bulb? No one knows. They can't tell the difference between light and dark. 6. How many TV evangelists does it take to change a light bulb? One. But for the message of light to continue, send in your donation today. 7. How many independent fundamentalists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, because any more might result in too mu...

When my wife and I are away from home, we have a rule for our five kids about calling us, which is “DON’T call unless it is flooding, burning or bleeding.” Any of us who have ever been kids all know that great unspoken and unwritten rule: when no adult is present, there are no rules. It just goes to prove that when we were born, they may have broken the mold, but there is proof that it grows back . . . ((wait a while, you'll get it)) So my wife and I will be out and the phone will ring with "daddy, brother’s looking at me" or "mommy, she’s breathing my air again" or "I got blood in my veins" (actual call, that last one) or some other non-emergency. It makes you wonder about Paul and Timothy. Paul told Timothy "I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long." (1 Tim 3:14) What? You mean that Timothy is left in this church—alone? Without Paul? With all those . . . “church people?” Which brings up another quest...

as I have been preparing for my bible study on Rev. 2:8-11, God has given me this to think about: * my oldest daughter was splashed in the eye with a corrosive chemical last week (she's fine now). She saw the same doctor my youngest son did when he got stuck in the eye with an arrow two years ago. * two days ago my oldest son got his eye smashed with a ball and his eye was bleeding. He saw the same doctor. * the people we have been buying our house and land from decided that we have until the end of July to close the deal move out (they are ditching our 6 year agreement). I will be in Africa at the end of July, which follows June, my most busy time of the year with 86 students coming for two weeks of intensive courses. * my 60 year-old dad got a broken collarbone and a totaled Harley in a motorcycle accident while riding California to Washington D.C. for a Memorial Day celebration. Apparently this truck the convoy was following on the highway slammed on his brakes and dad hit th...

(context for this post comes from "mailbag" posted on 5/12/04) Jesus’ intimacy with his church takes place on two levels: locally and universally. We can get an idea of what this is like when we see Him walking among the candlesticks in Revelation 2. There is no difficulty in seeing one walking among such well-lit fixtures, observing them from all sides, noting the strength of light and length of tallow. The responsibility to burn belongs to the candle, but it is set in place by the same one who can remove it. There is another image of intimacy found in His holding the seven stars in His right hand. I remember my fascination with marbles as a child, holding them in my hand, turning them all around, fingering them, listening to them rub against each other, fascinated by the marks and lines that ribboned through them. Perhaps Jesus considers His churches in much the same way, only by the millions. Hand cupped, fingers together, face close by, touching, turning, fingering, ...