Sproul on the “Biggest Upcoming Theological Battle”

In a recent interview, Mark Driscoll asked R.C. Sproul, the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries the question: What is the biggest upcoming theological battle?  Check it out his response here.

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A Few People Living Out 1 Corinthians 10:31 Well

Recently, via different peoples’ blogs and Facebook updates, I’ve seen a couple clips of different people using the gifts and the talents that God has given them to live out the biblical mandate found in 1 Corinthians 10:31, namely to “do all to the glory of God.”  I hope these bless and encourage you all as it has me.

1.  Shai Linne - found this clip of him singing his song titled, “The Greatest Story Ever Told” at the WorshipGod conference.  He basically raps the entire story of the Bible (Gospel-centered-ly, I mighty add) in four minutes – in four minutes.  Check out the video below with the lyrics underneath it.

It’s the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
It’s the greatest.

Alright check it: let’s go back in time, brethren. Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing. The glory of the Triune God is what I’m stressing. The origin of humankind was fine. Blessings were plenteous. God is amazingly generous. Crazy benefits in a state of innocence. God told the man what he could taste was limited. Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis. He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell. The whole human race—he represented it. Fooled by the serpent, man through his work, woman through birth—even the earth ruled by the curses. But instead of a wake immediately. God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake. Yo, wait what is this? Whoa, a gracious gift! In Jehovah’s faithfulness He clothed their nakedness. This was so they would know their Savior’s kiss and bliss. But first, many growing pains exist suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds. Eve’s firstborn seed made his brother bleed. Indeed things got progressively worse. Every section of the earth is been affected by the curse. And though God’s judgments against sin were gory, praise the Lord! It’s not the end of the story.

Next scene: man’s sin was extreme. God gets steamed, man gets creamed. The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water. Fire in the valley of slaughter – Sodom and Gomorrah. But at the same time, He’s so gracious and patient that from one man He created a whole nation. Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved, they cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save. He brought them out with signs and wonders – satisfied their hunger. Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder. Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government. Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant. Sin was imputed. So for man to know he’s unrighteous, God instituted animal sacrifices. This was to show our constant need for atonement. And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it. And when His people disobeyed and went astray, He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way. But they would get foul with their idolatry—wet and wild prophecy—send them into exile. To take their punishment like a grown man. Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland. And while in their forefather’s land they dwelt, they awaited the arrival of Emmanuel.

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears. In Bethlehem the Messiah appears. God in the flesh—Second Person of the Trinity. At thirty begins His earthly ministry. Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts and back-to-back miraculous acts. A stumbling block to the self righteous. But the humbled—His flock, said “There’s no one else like this.” He came from heaven to awake the numb. Demonstrated His power over nature, son. A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come. But the reason He came was to pay the sum for the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness. Bless His magnificence! He is perfect and innocent. Yet He was wrecked and His death. He predicted it. Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite. He said that He finished it. Resurrected so the elect would be the recipients of its benefits. Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate. His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes. Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence for heaven’s future residents who truly represent Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director, and Star of a story that will never, ever end!

[HT: Justin Taylor]

2.  Jose Palos – this guy’s a poet for Passion for Christ Movement.  This is a clip of him performing his poem, “Can You Imagine.”  It is powerful, stinging, convicting, affections for Christ-stirring all at the same time.  Check him out.

[HT: David Chong]

3.  Trip Lee - In this video, he raps/expounds the book of Philippians.  It is pretty dang impressive.  What gives the song even more of an impact is the way the graphics of the video were done.  Make sure to check him out below.

[HT: Ray Ortlund]

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Matt Perman: “You Don’t Have to Be Productive.”

Just found this post on the Desiring God blog.  I have to admit, the title, “You Don’t Have to Be Productive” is provocative and it caught my attention, especially because I am aware of how productive Matt Perman has to be seeing that his title is Senior Director of Strategy at Desiring God ministries.

Anyway, Perman was asked three questions in regards to biblical productivity to which he gave very solid, helpful answers.  The following is a response he gave to one of the questions:

3. In a nutshell, what is the most important and fundamental principle for being productive?

I would actually say: realize that you don’t have to be productive. By this I mean: your significance does not come from your productivity. It comes from Christ, who obeyed God perfectly on our behalf such that our significance and standing before God comes from him, not anything we do. Then, on that basis, we pursue good works (which is what productivity is) and do so eagerly, as it says in Titus 2:14.

When it comes to day-to-day application, the main principle is this: The key denominator of effectiveness is not intelligence or even hard work, as important as those are. It is the discipline to put first things first. You need to operate from a center of sound principles and organize and execute around priorities. This means that instead of prioritizing your schedule, you schedule your priorities.

You can find Matt Perman’s responses to the other two questions here.

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Timeless Hymns: “I Asked the Lord”

One doesn’t have to me know too well to know that in the past few months, I have discovered a new-found love for hymns.  It is definitely not an overstatement when I say that I have yet to find a song written these days that even comes close to having the same depth that hymns do.  And so as such, I wanted to highlight several of the hymns that have had a profound impact on me in stirring up my affections for Christ.

Allow me to start with my most recent fascination with Emily DeLoach’s rendition of John Newton’s hymn “I Asked the Lord” that was originally written in 1879.  What’s unique about this hymn is that it’s not a collection of independent verses, but rather, is a progression from beginning to end, chronicling, what I presume to be, Newton’s journey of faith with regards to suffering.  Below are the lyrics to the song.  You can download the song on iTunes or Amazon for $0.99.  The best 99 cents you’ll spend.

I Asked the Lord

1. I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace
Might more of His salvation know
And seek more earnestly His face

2. Twas He who taught me thus to pray
And He I trust has answered prayer
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair

3. I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins and give me rest

4. Instead of this He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry powers of Hell
Assault my soul in every part

5. Yea more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Cast out my feelings, laid me low

6. Lord why is this, I trembling cried
Wilt Thou pursue thy worm to death?
“Tis in this way” The Lord replied
“I answer prayer for grace and faith”

7. “These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou mayest seek thy all in me,
That thou mayest seek thy all in me.”

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What to Pray Before You Ask the (Four) Questions

In the previous post, I posted a link to Justin Taylor’s interview with Gerald Bray on the “3 Questions to Ask When Reading the Bible.”  To sum it up again very quickly, the three questions we are to be asking while reading any portion of the Bible are:

1. What does it tell us about God?  What does it say about who he is and about what he does?
2. What does this text say about us as human beings?  What are we meant to be and what has gone wrong?
3. What has God done about this? (This is where we spend some time reminding ourselves of and thanking Him for the cross.)
   
4. What does he expect of us in light of what he has done?

However, what I neglected to post was what we ought to pray before we actually open up the Bible to ask those three questions.  What helped me immeasurably in my walk with God was John Piper’s message for youth workers titled, “Imparting a Passion: A Challenge to Youth Workers.”  In it, he offers an easy-to-remember acronym (I.O.U.S.) that we should pray before we read the Word.  In fact, I find it best to pray this prayer as soon as I wake up.

The motivation behind these prayers (all of which are found in the book of Psalm) is that it’s a battle to open up the Bible and spend time in God’s Word.  It truly is a battle.  And so because it’s a battle within our hearts to spend time in God’s Word, we need to pray and ask God for help.  And in my experience, these are prayers that God is happy to answer.  But without any further ado, here they are:

1. [I] – Incline my heart to your testimonies (Psalm 119:36)
2. [O] – Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things from out of your law (Psalm 119:18)
3. [U] – Unite my heart to fear your name (Psalm 86:11)
4. [S] – Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love (Psalm 90:14)

Add to this prayer the three questions from Gerald Bray, a notebook, a pen, and some good coffee (or whatever) and you get the ingredients to satisfying devotional times with the LORD God Almighty who is gracious enough to speak to us through His Word.

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