Think Wink.

Since January, I have become more and more fascinated with Paul Washer. His website is HeartCry Missionary Society. He is an amazing preacher. Here is a sermon on the judgment of God at the last day. It is amazing!

The Lord Is Moving

James White on Steve Gregg

Sermon Notes

Here is an interesting interview that Marvel.com has with Captain America author Ed Brubaker about tomorrow’s (June 25, 2008) Captain America #39 and Captain America #40. You have to check out the awesome sweet preview art of Bucky encountering the 1950s Cap that later became the Grand Director. I’m so excited for tomorrow!!! Also, this interview allows readers to see what else Brubaker is doing if his comics are really drawing you in. Here’s the interview.

Tuesday Q&A: Ed Brubaker

Note: The guy who did the picture of Bucky Cap’s head in this post is Alex Ross. With a little providential blessing I will be meeting the artist this weekend and having him autograph a poster of this picture or the cover of Avengers/Invaders #2. I’m stoked!

Cap #38 Interview

Captain America #38 Preview

Brubaker on Cap #39

Here is an excellent message by James White on John 3:16 and the fact that it does not debunk Calvinism and particular redemption but actually supports the Reformed doctrine. This is 43 minutes long so make sure you have the time to listen to it all the way through.

This is a reposting for those who didn’t have the audio player for the previous publication of this message.

James White on John 3:16-17

πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων

With All His Warts

One of our first assignments in the “Illuminati” (I would like to consider myself the Iron Man and Pastor Tim the Prof. X but I think I’m more Namor/the Submariner) is to examine what does it mean to be “called.” With the gift of my new NET Bible I couldn’t wait to start investigating the issue. I chose to examine passages in the Bible where it is said that one is “called” by God to ministry. They were Abram, Moses, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Barnabas and Saul/Paul (both in Acts and in his epistles). Here are some of the observations that I’ve come away with.

Nearly all of the passages that I examined involved an imperative, namely that of “Go!” Abram (Genesis 12:1-3 NET), Moses (Exodus 3:10 NET), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5-10), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-3:11), and Jonah (Jonah 1:2 NET and Jonah 3:2 NET) were all told to “Go.”

When Acts speaks of Paul being called (Acts 13:2 and Acts 16:10), the term there is προσκαλέομαι, proskaleomai (the word comes from the preposition πρός meaning towards and the verb καλέω meaning to call or summon or invite), and the force is more like “chosen” or “summoned.”

In Galatians 1:15-16 the verb καλέω appears. However it is difficult to discern if καλέω refers to Paul being called to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, to his task as the apostle to the Gentiles, or if καλέω isn’t either/or but is both/and and that there is only one call that we are gradually awakened to over time. Note also that there are striking parallels between Paul in Galatians 1:15-16 and Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5-10.

In Acts 26:15-18 and 1 Timothy 1:1, Paul’s being made an apostle is done in the same manner as the OT prophets are made prophets, by command, by an imperative to go.

I’m not sure what to make of this yet. I have only just started this investigation. What really catches my attention Paul’s use of καλέω in Galatians 1:15-16 simply because I’m not sure how to read it. I know that for Paul, in a salvific context, καλέω is an effectual call. But I’m not 100% certain that καλέσας in Galatians 1:15 is referring to his salvation, or solely to his salvation. Could it be that there is only one call in the Christian life? But that call isn’t just to salvation, but the call is to a vocation and to a marriage (or to singleness as I am still very much single) and to having children and to minister at a particular church. I have really become very curious about this possible notion. I challenge you, my reader, to think over what it means to be called as a Christian. What does it mean?

About Think Wink

Who And [He] Predestined These Also [He] Called

Those Whom He Called He also Justified

So last summer the world was taken captive by Optimus Prime and the Transformers. Here is an article concerning next summer’s sequel. Relevant bits are that the title is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen where as previously it was Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and the movie is set for a June 26, 2009 release.

H/T: Superherohype: Transformers Sequel Drops the “2″

See also: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Mortal Kombat–KC Chiefs Defense Style

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Trailer 2

Puritan Wisdom and Sin

This looks awesome!

Tolkien and Predestination

Will You Help Me?

My View of the NT’s Use of the OT

One of the things I love most about my church is that there is a real heart for missions and evangelism and making disciples (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). Here is the encounter of one man, Jason, and one of the guys I’m doing the “Illuminati” study group with, Bob, that I mentioned in the previous post.

What strikes me most about this post that I am linking to is the encounter with Donna. Hear what she told Jason and Bobby when they began to tell her about Jesus,

Bobby and I weren’t prepared for the conversation that we had next. She said yes she knows who Jesus is, and she said that she believes in Jesus. I have counseled and spoken to dozens of addicts who say Jesus and then they love the world. This woman was different. I don’t have the conversation verbatim, however one of the first things she said is that, “God chooses people and he hasn’t chosen me.” She said she married a Christian man at the age of 33 and lived as a believer for 5 years, and gave her whole heart to God, but God would never free her from her addictions. She had heard countless stories and seen them of how people came into churches and were saved and then freed from their addiction but she’s cried and pleaded to God to free her, and she said all the immoral things I do, I’ve asked him to take it from me and he just won’t. If you could see the pain and agony in her tears, the worn face, and the tired and probably high countenance.

One of the things in the study group that I just started is what would we say to someone who says that. What would you say? I’m not sure. How about you? Here is the entire post:
Urban Reformation: Fasten Your Theology:Engaging A Remnant Culture

No related posts

Today has been just one incredible blessing from God my Father and Jesus his Christ.

First has to do with the summer mission trip that my youth at church is going on July 19-26, 2008. While on the trip the kids are going to study John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life (For more information about this book and the study package it has you can click here or just go to the DesiringGod website linked under the Resources menu below). Yesterday I had the awesome privilege to serve my good friend and co-laborer with the youth Jimmy (he used to be my boss at UPS until a couple of weeks ago when Jesus blessed him with an 8-5 job working with an amazing gentleman at church) by moving him out of his old apartment on MBTS campus and to a new one just a couple miles away. In light of the move, I was asked to teach this morning (June 22, 2008) and begin the study of Don’t Waste Your Life. So I read the chapters and watched the DVD session and did the study guide section last night. I must say it was an amazing study for me. Then today, the youth really responded well and engaged the material. Some even came up to me after the second service and told me how much they look forward to the rest! Teenagers did that! God was really working in their hearts and minds and they want more. God is SO good. Read more

The Watchmen Movie

When I think of “euaggelion” or “gospel”…

Another look into euaggelion

I have made known in earlier posts that I am a partial preterist, postmillennialist (or better yet an optimistic amillennialist–amilliennialism tends to view the success of the church in her commission [Matthew 28:18-20] very pessimistically). My understanding of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 is closest to a post-tribulation view, although I don’t really think we need to have a separate category for what happens at the Resurrection when those who are living are translated into their resurrection-bodies.

The following link is for a two-hour debate hosted by Covenant Radio. It is between Don Preston is a full preterist and his opponent is Lou Ruggiero who is a dispensational premillennialist. While I think that full preterists push certain texts too far (i.e. 1 Thessalonians 4) and thus loosing the eternal estate, there is a great deal that I agree with in regards to full preterism. Listen to this debate and note one thing. The dispensationalist’s commitment to a literal reading of the OT prevents him from allowing Paul and Peter to interpret the OT prophets. Also, the dispensationalist must avoid the texts that speak of timing issues (i.e. texts that say “quickly”). Also, the hyperbolic language in the OT prophets are not allowed to be taken hyperbolically. I enjoyed the debate and I have a great deal of respect for one Don Preston. His website is www.eschatology.org. Here is the link to the debate.

The Second Coming Debate (Preston vs. Ruggiero).

If you liked this debate, Don Preston is going to debate Melvin Jones on June 26, 2008 on the topic of eschatology. Check out the Covenant Radio website (linked above) for more information.

This Sux

The Right Time and the Right Place

My Comfort in Romans 9

One week from now, I will be in Chicago for an annual trip that I take with my brother to attend the Wizard World Convention, basically a comic/sci-fi convention. I have met Ray Park who played Darth Maul (Phantom Menace) and Toad (X-Men). I have met the voice actor who played General Grievous (Revenge of the Sith) as well as the actor who portrayed Jaws, the nemesis of James Bond.

Not only am I going to Chicago to spend quality time with my brother (my cousin Henry will be there also), but my favorite comic artist Alex Ross will be there. I’m hoping I can get this poster signed by Ross to hang up in my room. On my flight I’m going to read Captain America #39 where Bucky meets his mentor’s successor from the 1950’s, a man who so loved Captain America he changed his name to “Steve Rogers” and also had his physical appearance altered as well as his vocal cords changed to sound like the original Super Soldier. He even took the super soldier serum (but did not utilize the veta-rays to stabalize the serum) but became insane as a result of the unstable nature of the serum (Incredible Hulk anyone?). Comic Book Resources was given a sneak peak at Cap #39 (Ed Brubaker also writes Uncanny X-Men as well and so there is a sneak peak at Uncanny X-Men #499; the artist for this X-Men comic series is also going to be in Chicago at this convention–so cool!). Check out Bucky and Falcon training. Read more

September 11, 2001 and Ground Zero; pt.1

How Many, How Many?

Two Good Links