Head-dibs

A very practical man was known to confess: "I have too much religion or too little; I must either give up what I have or get more. I have too much religion to let me enjoy a worldly life, and too much worldliness to let me enjoy religion." He solved the dilemma triumphantly by a wholehearted acceptance of Christ as his living Lord. He put an end to divided loyalty and doubtful obedience.

" but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence ." (1 Peter 3:15) "The answer is probably that we look as if we hope in the same things they do. Our lives don't look like they are on the Calvary road, stripped down for sacrificial love, serving others with the sweet assurance that we don't ned to be rewarded in this life. Our reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:12)! 'You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just' (Luke 14:14). If we believed this more deeply, others might see the worth of God and find in Him their gladness." John Piper, " Don't Waste Your Life ."

"Beneath this question is a fundamental failure to see what the universe is about. It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about Himself. And He says it for us to learn and enjoy--namely, that He is infinitely great and powerful and wise and beautiful. The more the Hubble Telescope sends back to us about the unfathomable depths of space, the more we should stand in awe of God. The disproportion between us and the universe is a parable about the disporportion between us and God. And it is an understatement. But the point is not to nullify us but to glorify Him." John Piper, " Don't Waste Your Life ."

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." After h...

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a v...

"Depressions of spirit, humiliating thoughts of one’s self, deep and grievous bondage—all these, the children of God are well aware of. With Paul we have, at times, to cry, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Beloved, it is well for us to know, as I am sure we do know experimentally, that in this matter of barrenness and desolation the creature can do but little. It is the Spirit that quickens—the flesh profits little. When we get into this state, we feel like a man who cannot swim. And the more we kick and struggle the more rapidly we sink. It seems as if all human energy were but the energy to sin and a power to make us yet more dead to true spiritual life. Well, what are we to do, then? Why, let us remember that the text is addressed to us in just such a state. ' Sing, O barren! Break forth and cry aloud you that did not travail with child .' But what can I sing about? I cannot sing about the present. I cannot even sing concerni...

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they ca...

Sherwood Wirt of Decision magazine (he went to be with the Lord in November 2008), once wrote of the mood of the day when Christ was born: "The people of that time where being heavily taxed, and faced every prospect of a sharp increase to cover expanding military expenses. The threat of world domination by a cruel, ungodly, power-intoxicated band of men was ever just belowe the threshold of consciousness. Moral deterioration had corrupted the upper levels of society and was moving rapidly into the broad base of the populace. Intense nationalistic feeling was clashing openly with new and sinister forms of imperialism. Conformity was the spirit of the age. Government handouts were being used with increasing lavishness to keep the population from rising up and throwing out the leaders. Interest rates were spiraling upward in the midst of an inflated economy. External religious observances were considered a political asset, and abnormal emphasis was being placed upon sports and athlet...

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant--as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old--salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, and FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE...

The Magician Penn Fraser Jillette, of "Penn and Teller" is an athiest. Listen and watch what he has to say about the gift he received, and the giver:

by Daryl Wingerd Jesus once said, "No one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man" (Mark 3:27). The "strong man" Jesus was alluding to was Satan, and his house was this world—Satan's realm of influence and power. The Old Testament speaks repeatedly of God's intention to enter Satan's house and plunder his goods, that is, to save many who were "being held captive by him to do his will" (2 Tim. 2:26). Satan knows the Scriptures (Matt. 4:5-6), and he is acutely aware of current events (consider, for example, his awareness of Job's prosperity). He is a highly intelligent being who hates God, has plenty of evil resources at his disposal, and would love to foil God's redemptive plan. Yet concerning this great redemptive "burglary," God gave him all the details in advance. He told Satan exactly when, where, and how He would enter his house to plunder his goods. He didn't ...

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will thi...

Anybody who reads this blog will note that I do not post on Sunday's but this is a double exception (another post will come later today). Here's a little "sump'n, sump'n" I got for my darling wife . . .

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. 'AND HIS MERCY IS UPO...

Marcellus to Horatio and Bernardo, after seeing the Ghost, "Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, This bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad, The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is the time." (Shakespeare)

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; a...

Don't Waste Your Life . Click on cover for details:

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like t...

What is Christmas? Strip off the date, the name, Santa Clause, the cards, the presents, the tree and the food, and what have you got? Nothing! Absolutely Nothing! It isn't biblical, it isn't Christian. It is nothing. So, why do it, if it is nothing? Christmas is important because it gives Christians the opportunity to catch the world barely aware of Jesus, and give them the gospel truth, that God loved the world so much He gave Himself in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ because of our sin: born in a manger, died on a cross and risen from the grave! Spurgeon said, "Look, Christmas is here. We might as well live with it and take the opportunity to exalt Christ."

8 And there were in the same country children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. 9 And, Lo! Santa Clause came upon them; and they were sore afraid. 10 And Santa said unto them: "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people who can afford them; 11 for unto you this day will be given feasts of turkey, dressing and cake; and many presents; 12 and this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath a tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls and lights." 13 And suddenly, there appeared a multitude of relatives and friends, praising you and saying, 14 "Thank you so much, for it was just what I wanted!" 15 And it shall come to pass as the friends and relatives have gone away into their homes, that parents shall say to one another, "What a mess to clean up! I'm tired, let's go to bed and pick it up tomorrow. Thank goodness Christmas only comes onc...

The song says, "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled." What Christmas traditions do you observe that can be used to communicate the gospel to a world barely aware of Jesus during this time of year? My family gives away Gospels of John to nearly everyone we meet when we go out during the month of December. We just walk up to people and say, "Merry Christmas! Here is a gift for you." One lady started to take a Gospel of John, then drew her hand back and asked, "Are you Jehovah's Witnesses? I won't take it if you are a Jehovah's Witness . . ." What a gospel opportunity!

Christmas is an excuse to get drunk, have a party, get something, give something, leave work, get out of schol, spend money, overeat . . . ; or, Christmas is an excuse for us to exalt Jesus Christ in the face of a world that is at least tuned in to His name.

"Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble." Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

Hello Lord, it's me your child I have a few things on my mind Right now I'm faced with big decisions And I'm wondering if you have a minute, cuz Right now I don't hear so well And I was wondering if you could speak up I know that you tore the veil So I could sit with you in person And hear what you're saying but Right now, I just can't hear you. I don't doubt your sovereignty I doubt my own ability to Hear what you're saying And to do the right thing And I desperately want to do the right thing But right now I don't hear so well And I was wondering if you could speak up I know that you tore the veil So I could sit with you in person And hear what you're saying but Right now, I just can't hear you. And somewhere in the back of my mind I think you are telling me to wait And though patience has never been mine Lord, I will wait to hear from you Oh Lord, I'm waiting on you Right now I don't hear so well And I was wondering if you could sp...

In 1990, the president of Columbia International University (then called Columbia Bible College), Robertson McQuilkin resigned from his position to care for his wife Muriel who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. The words from his resignation letter still touches lives around the world. Most recently, those words were featured on a Christmas-themed radio program of Proverbs 31 Ministries. To hear the program go to: http://proverbs31radio.blogspot.com/2008/12/priceless-gift.html Today, McQuilkin serves as president emeritus of CIU. Posted on CIUNet by Bob Holmes

[by Charles Spurgeon, from sermon #1763 , delivered at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington] “ So that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful ”—Romans 1:20, 21. Now we come to consider the second sin. May the word which I may have to say about it, be blessed to many of my hearers by the power of the Holy Spirit! Have you ever thought of it in this light before—that men were without excuse because when they knew God they were not thankful? Unthankfulness is a sin for which there is no excuse if it be attended with knowledge. I fear there are thousands who call themselves Christians, who are not thankful, and yet they never thought themselves very guilty on that account. Yet you see these sinners were without excuse, because they were guilty of a great sin before God, and that sin was unthankfulness. I tremble both for myself and you when I see want of thankfulness thus set in the front rank of sins. How is it tha...

Have you checked the oil in your car? The air pressure in the tires? The weather? The news? Is everything in order? Ever run a check on your god? Has your god created man on the earth or done anything like that? Has any people heard the voice of your god from the midst of the fire and survived? Has your god tried to take for himself a nation from within another nation? Has your god shown his might and power as God did in Egypt before so many witnesses? Has your god been heard from heaven? Has your god disciplined you because he loves you, as a father loves his children? Has your god driven out nations before his people? Has your god given you an inheritance? Has your god given commandments, that it may go well with you and with your children, that you may live long? ( Deuteronomy 4:32-40 )

by Sinclair B. Ferguson I took the hand of my toddler son (it was several decades ago now) as we made our way into the local shop on the small and remote Scottish island where earlier that year I had been installed as minister. It was Christmas week. The store was brightly decorated and a general air of excitement was abroad. Without warning, the conversations of the customers were brought to a halt by a questioning voice from beside me. My son's upraised index finger pointed at a large cardboard Santa Claus. "Daddy, who is that funny-looking man?" he asked. (Go on over to Lingonier Ministries Blog for the rest of the article.)

"A depressed Christian is a contradiction in terms, and he is a very poor recommendation for the gospel . . . . Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered froma condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who 'scorns delight and lives laborious days.'" (D. Martin Lloyd Jones) Click on cover for more details:

Ever stop by one of those sunglass places and try on different colored lenses? Those silver-grey tinted ones sort make everything look overcast. Some yellow lenses seem to liven, sharpen the scenery. Red-tinted lenses make everything look red, and blue-colored lenses make everything look cartoon-ish (to me, at least). "South Pacific" is considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time; but, the 1958 film is the version everyone loves to hate. The musical sequences of the film already help lift the story out of the harsh realities of WWII, but the director thought he would assist the fantasy by filming the musical sequences through filtered lenses. When the studio got the film, they sharpened the lens colors so the entire musical sequences are presented in nearly other-worldly colors: brilliant yellows, soft oranges, deep blues, tense greens, etc. Yes, when you look through a colored glass, everything is awash in that color. When we stand before God, having broken His...

“We ought to be Christians in large type [font] so that it would not be necessary (for others) to be long in our society, or to regard us through spectacles, in order to detect our true discipleship. The message of our lives should resemble the big advertisements which can be read on the street-boardings by all who pass by.” (F.B. Meyer, 1847-1929)

A wireless device has been developed that can pick up and record a conversation taking place inside a building--three miles away. No microphones are in the room. This listening device is simply pointed at its target and "viola!" Eavesdropping! From the distance of three miles. Yet some people doubt that God can know everything about us . . .