Gospel Living

Someone posted the following vids.  Enjoy: "Joy, Joy" preformed by Diane Brown "A Christmas Prayer" preformed by Cory Welch "A Caribbean Christmas Medley" preformed by Philip Webb "I Wonder as I Wander" preformed by Jubilant Sykes "O Holy Night" Philip Webb

Clever stuff from the North Point iBand: (HT: Christian Research Net )

This is a practical question for a couple of my friends from seminary, now missionaries in Cambodia.   Read about one particular conflict and its biblical resolution .

In the midst of Black Friday bludgeonings, one wonders if the name of the Spirit of Christmas is the Great Gimme.  Yet, many Americans say that "the reason for the season" is Christ's birth. Taking that confession at face value, we should then ask ourselves, What's so special about that? If you haven't noticed at the top of the page, I've posted a letter that is an attempt to answer this very question.  Below is a video based on the Go Fish song that is passing into our seasonal tradition.  May you be warmed and filled by both.

Google has released a new word-count graphing tool that warrants some fun.  Enter any term to see a representation of its usage over time.  I chose the words "Christ, God, self" from the years 1,800 to 2,000.  (Note: this is limited to the books available on Google Books .)

Here are my final two parts to the series on how Christians should read and apply the Old Testament.  If you haven't read/listened to the first part, it is commanded that you do so now . Some words of caution before beginning: as this was to originally be a two-part series, there are only notes for two parts.  Also, there was a problem recording the third and final part, resulting in a longer re-recording of the session with a small reduction in audio quality. Notes for Parts 2 and 3 ( PDF ) Audio for Part 2 ( MP3, 36:19 ) Audio for Part 3 ( MP3, 51:02 )

Bryan Lopez and Thomas Nelson are giving folks a chance to win a copy of " Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity in Christ " by John MacArthur before the January release date.  In addition to info about the giveaway, there is a short review of the book and a video explaining that this study "exploded" MacArthur's understanding of the New Testament.   Go over there and find out how to share in the love . If you think you know why I am posting this without having first read the book... well, yeah, I want one, too.

Venturing into the theater with three children strikes a mighty blow to the bank account, but it was worth the adventure that awaited us. Having completed the story only months earlier, and being once burned by "Prince Caspian," the little ones were ready to do battle should the film depart from what they imagined. We were all in for a treat. The non-spoiler review My favorite human character was Eustace Scrubb. Will Poulter portrayed the character so well that it made me want to scream like a girl - that is, until he did so himself to better standards than anyone could have asked. He was the brat the audience loved to hate, opening the door to all that was due him.  His character added the dimension promised by the glasses. Of course, as far as non-humans go, Reepicheep deserves an honorable mention. Having to overcome being a computer-generated mouse who lost his previous voice to Simon Pegg, the furry swashbuckler not only leads in dialog, but he also demonstrate...

(HT: Reformed Baptist Blog ) Funny stuff.  Of course, any church with the insight to reform away from the Catholic doctrine should also have the insight to reform away from the Catholic view of amillennialism, but I don't want to be nit-picky on Christmas. :)

(From Letters of John Newton ) My Dear Friend, I must leave a line to tell you that we sympathize with you and your wife in your severe trial. (The death of an infant.) But, at the same time, I rejoice exceedingly in the Lord's goodness, enabling you to be resigned and satisfied with His will, despite all the feelings and pinchings of flesh and blood. If you can now believe and say, "He does all things well"--with what transport would you say it, if the whole plan of His wisdom and love was unfolded to your view? He will condescend to unfold it to you hereafter--and it will fill you with admiration. It is an affliction, to be cordially rejoiced in, when the Lord, who cares for us--intimates His will by the event. Healing and wounding are equally from His hand--and are equally tokens of His love and care over us! "The Lord gives--and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Job 1:21 You are in the wise and merciful hands of One who prescrib...

Here is the first part of a message series I delivered at church.  How do we as NT believers read and apply the Law and the rest of the OT? Both in my notes and in the audio, I reference this being a two-part series.  However, a change in the service schedule coupled with my inability to trim down the material (you know I can be long-winded) turned this into a three-parter. The first part was delivered November 28. Audio (MP3, 1 hr) Notes (PDF)

This is just a simple thought that Spurgeon challenged his congregation with in 1859.  May the mystery of it not be lost on you.  Instead, consider what Spurgeon said next: When we come before God it would be well if we would always remember this. We are committing great folly if when we are spreading our case before Him, we dare for one moment to speak of ourselves as good or excellent. We shall never succeed in that way—He will not listen to us, for this plan has no power with Him! But if, when we come to Him, we can plead our sin and our misery, then shall we prevail. No, we may even go the length of the Psalmist, David, when he prayed, “For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity”—and for a strange reason, you would say—“for it is great.” He used the greatness of his sin as an argument why God should have mercy on him! O you legalists who are looking to yourselves for some arguments with which to prevail with God! O you who look to your sacraments, to your outward fo...

In keeping with yesterday's post, here is another Christmas special from childhood that forever fixated a song in my mind. The year was 1987, I was six, and Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Special gave me a life-long admiration of camels. As an aside, there was one reason I wanted to watch the Will Vinton special: four of Vinton's other clay creations. Thus, "We Three Kings" is also a permanent fixture in my mind with this song: And speaking of that, I lost my little drummer dude at a bowling alley sometime in 1987-8. I'm still pretty broken up about it, so if you found it, I would really appreciate you mailing it back to me. This is why I don't let my kids take their toys anywhere.  Too many sorrows.

Important business, this:

I just thought you should know that every time I hear this song, this is what plays in my mental theater: UPDATED: Fixed video

Lots of people have are in need of new Bibles for Christmas.  Maybe the KJV-Only movement  just spat out your friend, and thou perceivest a need. Here are a few folks on why they trust the ESV: ESV Trusted By Leaders from Crossway on Vimeo . And, hey, why not go all the way?  MacArthur Study-Bible: ESV: