Head-dibs

"It takes God to understand man. And He has written a book to go along with us--an instruction book to accompany the machinery He has designed. If you buy a new television set, refrigerator, or automobile, along with it you get an instruction book compiled by the manufacturer, who understands the machine best. It tells you what to do when things go wrong. That is exactly what the Bible does. It is the greatest book on human psychology in the world." Ray Stedman, "The Need for a Priest," Sermon on Lev. 8:1-9

"Doctrine and doing are like the two parts of salt: salt is composed to 2 poisons, sodium and chlorine. If you should take either of the two poisons, you would die. But if you combine them properly, you have sodium chloride, and that is common table salt, without which there is no savor for our food, and indeed, no life and health to our bodies." Donald Gray Barnhouse, "Romans."

One once observed the difference between a learned and an unlearned person is that one says, “I don’t know,” while the other says, “I don’t remember.” This led me to reflect on the kind of person I was in school? I was a completely different person in College and Seminary than I was in High School or Junior High. I don’t know who that person was in Junior or High School. Were you a fast learner? Legend has it that Daniel Webster was not a tidy child growing up. One day in the district school the teacher told him if he appeared in school again with such dirty hands, she would thrash him. But the next day Daniel appeared with his hands in the same condition. “Daniel,” the teacher said in desperation, “hold out your hand!” Daniel spat on his palm, rubbed it on the seat of his trousers, and held it out. The teacher surveyed it in disgust. “Daniel,” she exclaimed, “if you can find me a hand in this school that is dirtier than this one here, I will let you off.” Daniel promptly held out his ...

Wednesday night we didn’t make it to church, so we had it on the front porch. Sort of. Our youngest son plays with twin girls from next door after school just about every day. They are the same age and they get along quite nicely, despite the fact that many of the girls’ family members don’t like us (besides the fact we’re the wrong color, we don’t fit in with their drunken parties or their crack and pot smoking conferences that go on in the woods behind our houses) the kids get along great. This was the first night I’ve ever gotten to really talk with them beyond a quick “hello” before the kids disappear into the bushes. They get in trouble if they talk to anyone but our son. But tonight, everybody was gone, so the girls and William played in the front yard. After dinner, I went outside and sat on the step and did a few magic tricks. Their attention was undivided as they pulled up chairs from the front of our house and watched my every move. One of my tricks involves “mind readi...

The subject and study of future things (eschatology) is more than just a casual interest for most people. Interestingly, individuals with comparable backgrounds may have different ideas about what is to come. One Christian woman once remarked to another, “I have taken a single ticket to Glory, and do not intend to come back.” Her sister in Christ replied: “You are going to miss a lot. I have taken a return ticket, for I am not only going to meet Christ in Glory, but I am coming back with him in power and great glory to the earth.” Were they talking about the same future, or something different? There is no inconsistency in what they were saying, but a differing emphasis on details. A former US Secretary of State once spoke of future events, but a future that would never happen. John Foster Dulles once remarked: “Peace is often identified with the imposition by strong nations of their benevolent rule upon the weaker. Most of these efforts collapsed in war. The best known effort of ...

I am racking my brain trying to draw out an illustration of someone who stands out as an outstanding Christian example. I am distracted because as I am sitting here thinking, my oldest children are laughing and talking about things that happened in youth group (“student ministries”) or summer camps. The highlight of their entertainment of the moment involves recalling contests involving drinking gallons of milk or speed-eating Oreos, chasing them with entire cartons of eggnog—and the predictable outcome (no pun intended) of ingesting such large quantities all at once. Why is this funny? Why are Youth Pastors (Student Pastors) advocating this kind of sickening behavior? Worse still, what kind of Christian example is to be found in this kind of so-called leadership? How is one to respect them? People who are respected are those found to be upright, with integrity. Respected people are those with good reputations; temperate; prudent; hospitable; able to teach and remain teachable; ...

"Fix my thoughts, my hopes, and my desires upon heaven and heavenly things; teach me to despise the world, to repent deeply for my sins; give me the holy purposes of amdendment and ghostly strength, and assistance to perform faithfully whatsoever I shall intend piously. Enrich my understanding with an eternal treasure of Divine Truths, that I may know Thy will; and Thou, who workest in us to will and to do of Thy good pleasure, teach me to obey all Thy commandments, to believe all Thy revelations, and make me partker of all Thy gracious promises." --Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667), "Holy Living."

( click here for more information ):

Then there was the one about the little boy who finally sat down after resisting his parent's command to do so. He said, "I'm sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"

A young man once studied violin under a world-renowned master. Eventually the time came for his first recital. Following each selection, despite the cheers of the crowd, the performer seemed dissastisfied. Even after the last number, with shouts louder than ever, the talented violinist stood watching an old man in the balcony. Finally the elderly one smiled, and nodded in approval. Immediately the young man relaxed and beamed with happiness. The applause of the crowd meant nothing to him until he had first won the hearty approval of his master. " the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men ." (Romans 14:17-18) " Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth ." (2 Timothy 2:15) " Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he ...

Abraham, servant to Montague: “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” Sampson, servant to Capulet: “I do bite my thumb, sir.” Abr: [asking again, as if in disbelief] “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” Sam: [aside, to Gregory, another servant to Capulet]: “Is the law of our side if I say, ‘ay’?” Gre: “No.” Sam: “No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.” Gre: “Do you quarrel, sir?” Abr: “Quarrel, sir! No, sir!” Sam: “If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good as man as you.” Abr: “No, better.” Gre: “Say ‘better’: here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.” [Benvolio approaches] Sam: “Yes, better, sir.” Abr: “You lie.” Sam: “Draw if you be men [drawing his sword]. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.” [They fight] (Act I, Scene 1, “Romeo and Juliet,” by William Shakespeare.) Watch the clip below if the text is too dry (it’s not the best clip, but it is the most concise): One does not have to be fully inundated in many genres of literature to know Romeo and J...

I double-clicked on the word “power” and my dictionary automatically opened to the word “control.” Oh, the irony--who is in control? The first definition under “control” includes “check, test” while the second definition elaborates the concept, “to exercise restraining or directing influence over; rule.” “Power” describes “ability” and “possession of control.” The two definitions do not describe two different ideas. “Power” and “control” are both related when one considers “conduct.” We’ve all heard the saying, “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Is the principle so absolute? If power is kept in check, under control, power actually contributes and builds up. Electricity, for example, in its unchecked state can be quite dangerous; on the other hand, under the control of wires, insulation, circuits, etc. electricity can be quite good and useful. The same is true of water. Unless it is channeled, water can bring us to ruin. The problem is that absolutes (like power, love...

The Bible is a miracle book and the fact that it exists is a miracle in itself. One particular aspect of the miracle is the Bible is known to be “The Good Book” because throughout its pages we see the wicked heart of man being addressed by the discontent of God to leave man in his depraved condition. God that he might rescue from the penalty, power and presence of sin seeks after man, in all his wickedness. That is a miracle. What miracle of the Bible stands out as your favorite (leave a brief description in the “comments” section below)? We tend to think of the biblical records as “stories” but they are so much more than that as “story” has come to imply separation from reality. Miracles are called such because of what they are in reality, not separate from but rooted in reality. Miracles cannot be denied. Once I was talking with a young lady concerning her worldview, proudly proclaiming herself to be atheist. I asked her how she thought how the Universe came into existence (including...

Thoughts on “Religious Affections” “Religion” has been explained to be an attempt to explain or understand the Creator. The noun “religion” can be actually be traced to the French root “relier” which implies the idea of “connection”; that is, “to rely.” Is your life characterized by commitment, devotion and practice, service in worship of the Creator on whom you rely? In other words do you demonstrate a mastery of divinity, or are you mastered by divinity? Human beings exist either in the state of action or the state of non-action. If we are not caused to move or act, then we will remain at “rest” until we choose to move. Jonathan Edwards, in his master-work “ Religious Affections ,” explains the nature of humanity is to be inactive unless influenced by our affections. “These affections are the ‘spring of action,’ the things that set us moving in our lives, that move us to engage in activities.” In other words, we are disinclined to act unless our own purposes are served. Edwards conti...

Of all that I’ve forgotten, I sometimes wish I could forget my first dream (the first I actually remember) as it truly was a nightmare. I must have been only 7 or 8 years old and for some reason, I was truly terrorized in my dream--I can still see the images vividly. Years later, 1986 came and went, sort of just slipped by as if a dream (more like a nightmare) and like most dreams I have presently, I certainly don’t remember most of it—and of course, the parts I do remember I wish I could forget. The Wilson Sisters and their band “Heart” gave many of us a sound-track for the year with their pop hit, “These Dreams” in which some were the princesses and others the prince (whatever that meant to our drug-induced, hormone-driven, sin-pattern behavior). As time passed we learned our sleepy thoughts, images and emotions had to become goals or purpose for living—for those that lived to tell. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and I am not talking about the one he had to rule the world. His dre...

If this were not true, I'd feel ashamed to even think of sharing it. My car is showing signs of going "by the wayside" (so to speak) as it is chugging and needs some attention. This is not easy to do when you only have one car and a limited budget, but one does what one can when he is able to do it, yes? The other day, the window on the driver's side made a funny noise and got stuck in the "down" position. My beautiful and very intelligent wife helped me get it up again. Later, dummy me forgot about the noise, and rolled it down--only to get it stuck--again. Once again, she helped me get it up. I told myself repeatedly to never even think about considering giving the thought of entertaining the idea of contemplating the remote possibility of bringing the window down again. So I didn't. Still more recently, while trying to find a misplaced cell phone, I opened my car (hot from sitting in the sun), started it, and hit the down button to the rear win...