Think Wink.

Here are some pix of the Autobots and Decepticons from the upcoming potential blockbuster Transformers: the Movie.

Next Summer’s Mega Hit

Transformers…Dang!

Transformers Tonight!

I have two goals this summer to go along with my ministry, Lord willing, at Faith Community Church, and my daily reading plan–which is going really well.

First, I want to maintain a working level of understanding of my Greek by translating the epistle to the Galatian Churches. In doing this, I will be able to keep my Greek skills sharp and in use. Other wise I am going to let them deteriorate and that isn’t good. If I finish that book and there is time left for the summer, I will work on translating 1 John.

The goal I have is to read every day from the Works of Jonathan Edwards Volume 1 and, if I can finish that, Volume 2. I am convinced that there is only so much the fine teachers of today can teach me. There is only so much of what Edwards wrote that they can teach me, or any other past theologian for that matter. There is nothing like being able to read Edwards for myself and see what Yahweh will teach me through his Holy Spirit. Thus I want to read as much of his works as possible while there will be ample time to read.

I feel these are lofty goals for the summer that will keep me sharp in both my language studies and in my understanding of Scripture, God, and theology as a whole. I wonder what goals you have for this summer that will help you keep up with the area that you are studying in so that when school starts back up in the fall, you will be on the ball ready to go. Students often forget much of what they learn during the semesters during the summer. I encourage you to do something that will keep your mind sharp and help you recall some of the things you have learned.

Transformers…Dang!

The New Dark Knight Trailer

The New President of the SBC?

As I finish up my series on the arguments of the preterists for an AD 70 fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse, I want to begin a new series on things that I think of when I hear or see the term “gospel” or euaggelion. I have no idea how long this might run, it could just be a work in progress that never stops as I grow and learn more from scripture or it just might be only a few posts. Who knows but I am going to enjoy this and I hope you do too.

I want to start off with something that many people don’t really see as gospel or good news. And that is the sovereignty of God. They see it as a good thing, that God is sovereign. But we rarely equate it with or put it with the gospel of Scripture. But I think Scripture says otherwise. To start let us go to Romans 10:13-15 where Paul says,

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [ho kurios] will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

We can see that Paul is blessing people who are bringing the tidings of good news because they preach it, the people hear it, believe it, call upon ho kurios and are saved. The quote that Paul gives in Romans 10:15 that says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news [euaggelizomenon]!” comes from Isaiah 52:7. Let us look at the whole verse to see what Isaiah viewed as the good news. The prophet declares,

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Notice the progression. The person is bringing good news, he publishes peace, he brings good news of happiness, he publishes salvation, he says to Zion/Jerusalem “Your God Reigns.” The good news that Paul and Isaiah had in mind is that God is sovereign. That is a key element to the gospel. Apart from the sovereignty of God, the gospel would be incomplete!

It is good news that God is on his throne. It means that he is in control of all things, working them out according to his good pleasure and according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:6, 11). It means that the promise of Romans 8:28 is secure and true. It means that sin will be put down and that God will one day vindicate his holy name. It means that he has the ability to save a sinner from the clutches of sin if he so ordains to do so. It means that he can and does command that you and I submit to him and that all who do bend the knee before him will be saved. It is good news that God is sovereign over everything, including me and my sinful, rebellious will that desires only to gratify and glorify me. He has the power to defeat that rebellion and bring me to himself.

So when we preach the gospel, one of the things we must preach to preach the full gospel is, “Your God reigns!” To the rebellious sinner this will both kill and resurrect him/her. Otherwise, why should we call upon Jesus as ho kurios?

Another look into euaggelion

Truth, Salvation, and “euaggelion”

The “euaggelion” of Peace

I have two more Sunday’s at my church in Bunceton. Then I am permanently relocating to Kansas City to finish and focus on my education. After prayer and much discussion with some trusted people, I concluded that my education is top priority right now and that God is really wanting me in KC in giving me a job that completely pays for my education.

There is also another reason why I believe that God has called me to KC and away from Bunceton. And it is in this that I am seeking your prayers. My friend Jimmy has asked me to come on board with him at Faith Community Church in the youth group. The kids at this church are really growing at this church. They are begging Jimmy to teach them how to evangelize and share their faith. I feel that there is much I can do to contribute to this church and its youth program. Jimmy has asked me specifically to help out with the high schoolers. Recently, God has been leading me to develop people with a solidified biblical world view. To develop people who can become teachers, doctors, business execs. secretaries, janitors, theme park operators who engage the world and the culture with a Christian world view. That no matter what they do, they are driven by the Gospel. They are Christian doctors or lawyers. These people have the fortitude to step into their college scene or work environment and view it through the lens “of the Gospel of the Glory of Jesus Christ who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is a chance to do this. (The third reason is that it is getting too expensive to drive the five to six hours every weekend from KC to Ashland and Bunceton)

Today, Jimmy meets with the elder of preaching at Faith Community to propose his ideas for the youth group, including bringing me on to teach the high schoolers. I ask that you pray for God’s will to be done. If that means I am to come on board than I come on board, if not then I do not. But whatever happens, may the decision that they reach be one that most reflects the manifold glories of Yahweh in his son, Jesus the Messiah.

Calvinism and Prayer

Three Requests

A Prayer Request