Judges 15

Samson did his great feats when the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. When he did things in his own power, he was strong, but not overly so,

And he was an idiot.

Review: WUTHEIRING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte

This is a book that's easy to admire but hard to love.

I understand its great historical significance. I know it's considered a great classic of English literature. But none of that mattered when I was in the middle of a very boring book .

I know there are people who would disagree with me. Some people really enjoyed this book. I did not.

Judges 14

Let me reiterate: Samson was an idiot. He was an idiot used by God, but he was still an idiot.

In this chapter he not only broke his Nazirite vow, but also the Law of Moses. If anyone were proof that God can use whomever he wants, it was Samson.

Judges 13

Whatever else you might think of Samson, there's no doubt he was a miracle baby. Like Samuel, he was given in answer to his mother's prayers. Like John the Baptist, his coming was forecast by an angel.

But I still think he was an idiot.

Review: LION OF BABYLON by Davis Bunn

As near as I can tell, "Christian" publishers give women watered-down romance novels., and men get watered-down Tom Clancy books. There are exceptions, but that seems to be the general rule.

This book is one of the latter.

There are plenty of reasons for not recommending this book, but I'll pick one: people who claim to follow the Creator of the Universe should be able to do better than tepid imitations of the world.

Our Father

Are you afraid of your earthly father? Do you have to use special language to talk to him? God doesn't require all that either.

The first words of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples -- what we call the Lord's Prayer -- are "Our Father ". Notice Jesus doesn't say "my Father ", though he had more right than anyone else to do so. Instead he shared the fatherland of God with his disciples, and by extension with all of us.

Perhaps you had an absent father. Let God be the one who's always there. Maybe you had an angry or abusive father. God is a father of infinite patience and love.

Even if you had a father who, as far as you could tell, did nothing wrong, he was still human. God isn't, and wants to show you what a father is meant to be.

All I can say is let him.

Judges 12

Ibzan was a judge who broke the law.

It's impossible to remember that judges weren't primarily jurists, but warlords. They weren't expected to be better than anyone else. That said, by arranging marriages for his children outside his tribe, he broke the Law of Moses.

Review: THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY, VOLUME 1A: GENESIS 1-11:27 by Kenneth A. Mathews

Commentaries are serious business.

Monetarily, they bring in a lot of money for their publishers, and are a significant investment for a pastor. More than that, they can have an effect on the way a pastor sees his calling, and can thus affect congregations his entire life.

My pastor likes the Pulpit Commentary. I chose  the New American Commentary for three reasons: I don't know Greek or Hebrew, neither of which is necessary for the NAC, it's available in Kindle format, and I liked it, based on the volume for Daniel.

That said, it's not that sort of book you read straight through. It's a little like reading a dictionary. In fact, that's a good analogy. Both are reference books full of information, and recommended to anyone who works use them as such.

Judges 11

Did God want Jephthah's daughter? Of course not. In all the centuries that the Israelites were in the Promised Land, I don't think that he ever asked for a human sacrifice.

But he's always believed in keeping vows.

A little about me and the blog, in case you're new here

I'm Leslie Christopher Bloom, though I go by Chris. Only the gummint calls me Leslie,

The first thing you should know about me is that I'm a Christian. I'm also the husband of Lora and the father of Emily and Lesie . I'm American, white, and 40 years old. But really, the most important thing is know about me is that I'm a Christian who believes the Bible.

Oh, and I have locked-in syndrome. This means I have a perfectly good mind in a perfectly good body, with no real communication between the two. Basically, I'm paralyzed from the eyeballs down. This happened because of a stroke when I was 38, but it's seriously not as important as the other thing.

The blog exists mostly as a way of working out my own thoughts, and to give me practice writing. Here's the schedule: 

Monday- -- medical posts, and rants 

Tuesday -- book review 

Wednesday -- stuff for new Christianns 

Thursday -- book review 

Friday -- book review 

Mon-Fri -- a chapter of the Bible each day 

Weekends are for catching up, resting, and getting a jump on the next week.

Now go read your Bible. I've got nothing new to say.

Judges 10

it's terrifying to realize God won't help.

There's a point in this chapter where the Hebrews, who have abandoned God, turn back to him for deliverance. God tells them no, and that they should ask the gods they've chosen.

Review: SHOCK AND AWE (EPISODE #1) by Celebrity Pastor

Simply put,, this is hilarious.

At least I think so. What Celebrity Pastor does is take current church growth trends and exaggerate them. I wish I could say that he exaggerates a lot, but that isn't always the case. I think it's funny, sad, and ridiculous, all at once,

If you're on Twitter,do yourself a favor and follow Celebrity Pastor. And Church Curmudgeon, while you're at it. They write very funny stuff.

Judges 9

"He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." 

That's what kept going through my mind while I read the story of Abimelech. His reign both began and ended in murdrer. It was characterized by murdrer. If anyone ever fulfilled what Jesus later said, it was him.

Review: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

If you're female, you've probably already read this and loved it. If you're male, you probably haven't and won't.

I don't have a copy of Blue Like Jazz, so I'll try to quote Donald Miller from memory: "A female friend once gave me a copy of Pride and Prejudice, along with a note that said, 'What's in here is in a women's heart.' That may be, but the first hundred pages of said heart are hopelessly boring."

Well said, Mr. Miller. Personally, I wanted the characters to just say what meant, but if they did that the book would only be about seven pages long.

Judges 8

The Israelites were literally unbelievable.

Gideon was God's instructions to deliver them from the Midianites, so they try to make him king. When he refuses, they follow God as long as Gideon lives, but turn back to the Baals after he dies.

judges 7

Let's see if in unison that they:

Israel never won a battle. God did. This chapter in a perfect example of that.

The Lord's Prayer

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them this model:

"Our Father,

Hallowed be your name.

Yeah kingdom come, your will be done,

Give us this day out daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

I think that's how the ESV puts a,. At any rate, I'll be breaking down the Lord's Prayer over the next few weeks. 

Review: THE KALEVALA by Elias Lonnrot

Yes. It's a book review on a Tuesday. I'm going to try three a week for a while. Unfortunately, I had to double the cost to read it.

Back in the 1700s, Elias Lonnrot collected at the Finnish folk-tales he could find out combined them into one epic poem, The Kalevala. At the time The Finns were under the domination of Russia, and Lonnrot hoped to instill in them a sense of national pride leading to independence.

Translated into English, the poem doesn't rhyme, but has a nearly hypnotic rhythm (the same as Longfellow's "Song of Hiawatha", if that helps). The rhythm allowed long sections to be memorized, which was important when these were transmitted orally.

It is unlike any other mythology I've ever read, focusing mostly on a few heroes and a cross-border feud with the Lapps over the magician Sampo. Long passages of intense battle alternate with long passages of meat preparation.

I liked it, though I realize it's not for everyone. I've wanted to read this for over 20 years, and it was nice that it could still surprises me at every turn.

Judges 6

Let's be clear: Gideon putting out a fleece was not an act of faith, and certainly wasn't anything to be emulated.

God had already spoken to him. He'd already raised an army. The fleece sheets more like his last attempt to get out of a than anything else.

My beef with Romanism

First off, I know "Romanism " is deeply offensive, and I'm very sorry to have to use it. I can't in good conscience call it "Catholicism", though, because "catholic" means "universal", as seen in the Apostles' Creed. Despite its claims to the contrary, the Roman Church is not and has never been universal.

But my problem with Romanism doesn't lie with the name. That's just a symptom of something far deeper.

As I understand it, Rome accepts three separate vehicles for divine truth: the Bible, tradition, and the Magisterium. This Magisterium defines the official Roman position on all things; in effect, it stands above the other two. Truth is what the Roman Church says it is.

But playing fast and loose with Scriptrure isn't the real problem, though it definitely is a problem.

The rest problem is that it often contradicts Scriptrure, and in any conflict between the two, Rome always wins 

I'll give an example. In the First Vatican Council, the Pope decided that Popes were infallible when they spoke ex cathedral. From what I can tell, the only two statements that have met that criterion are the announcement of infallibility and of Mary's freedom from sin.

The Church of Rome has long held that Mary never sinned, but now it said that she, unlike all people since Adam and Eve,was conceived without original sin. Not only that, but because it's a dogma, it's something a person has to believe, or he won't get into Heaven.

Unfortunately, the flatly contradicts the Bible, especially the Book of Romans, which states that all have sinned. Not "all but Many", but at. It also contradicts the the numerous places in the New Testament where repentance and faith in Christ are presented as the way of salvation.

This isn't a problem for the Roman Church, which holds that it made Scripture, rather than the other way around. For those of us who disagree, it's a very serious problem. At the very least, placing oneself above the word of God is incredibly arrogant.

In fact, it's very difficult to see any difference between the church based in Rome and the one based in Salt Lake City.

Judges 5

This is the only chapter in Judges entirely given to a song.

Deborah was also the only female judge we know of. I wonder if there's any connection?

Review: THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF by Norman Doidge

When I was growing up, we were taught that once the brain was damaged, it stayed damaged. It couldn't heal itself, and whatever functionality the damaged part had was lost forever,

Turns out we were taught some wrong things in the '80s.

Now we have a belief in neuroplasticity,which states that the brain can, in fact, heal itself, and other parts can take over for damaged sections.

This book is an extended apology for neuroplasticity. It is apologetic not in the sense of being sorry for its subject, but in the sense of giving reasons to believe in it. The book provides over a dozen case studies in favor of its thesis. Unfortunately, since neuroplasticity is well-established, the book is no longer cutting-edge.

Like many popular-level science books, this one has a slightly manic tone, as if neuroplasticity will solve every problem. I can assure you that it won't. This is a good example of the genre, though, so if you don't mind your science a little out of date, I'd recommend it.

Judges 4

The story of Sisera and Jael is fairly well-known, and is the high point  of the chapter.. But what did killing the king's general actually accomplish?

The last verse of the chapter tells us.

Judges 3

Judges is a picturesque book, and Ehud stars in one of the most picturesque stories in it. So let's forget about him.

Instead, I want to think about Othniel. He was the son-in-law of Caleb, and God raised him up to judge Israel. In his lifetime Israel had gone from conquerors to slaves.

The Ten Commandments and the Gospel

we've spent over two months on the Ten Commandments, listing them and trying to put them in a form that I hope is easy to understand. But how are they related to the Gospel?

It's very simple. Everyone has broken at least one of the commandments. They're the foundation of the whole law. If you break one of those, you're guilty. Period. People need to know what they're done wrong. Being saved makes no sense if you don't know what you're being saved from.

The other reason I posted them is that Christians need to know them. How do you know you're obeying him if you don't know what he said?

Judges 2

As long as Joshua and the elders were alive, the people of Israel worshipped Yahweh. It seems that the first chance they got, though, they turned their backs on him and ran to the gods that were already worshipped in Canaan.

Kind of like we'll trust anything but God before we turn to him.

Judges 1

I've said before that if I could cut out one piece of the Bible,that book of Judges would be it.

It starts out so well. The Israelites asked God before they did anything. That chapter ends with a list of tribes and the people they failed to drive out.

Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy

A long time ago, I heard a preacher on the radio say we should all eventually have a Barnabas, a Silas, and a Timothy. In other words, we should have someone who's older in the faith who can teach us, someone who can work with us, and someone to whom we can pass everything down. I think I know who mine are.

My Barnbas is Tony Barber, my pastor at Bluff Park Baptist Church. He and I don't always agree, but I can't think of anyone else who's taught me more about being a Christian. I learned to be a pastor by watching him.

As for Silas, I've been blessed with two. Greg Harper and Ryan Burg are very different people, but they both have a very deep concern for reaching the lost. I'm proud either one would have anything to do with me.

My Timothy is named Robert Burgess, an otherwise intelligent young man who for some reason treats me like a role model. Besides, where else am I going to find someone who likes both Star Wars and Charles Spurgeon?

These are mine. Who are yours?

A note on Judges

Judges 1 will be on Monday.

As long as we're here, I want to give a little explanation of what I'm trying to do. I don't try to boil each chapter down to a couple of sentences. That's for better people than I. I just write what occurs to me as I read each chapter.

Review: THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE by Watchman Née

it's a cliche to say that a book works on more than one level, but in this case it's true. This is a genuine Christian classic, and it's easy to see why.

On one level  it's a commentary of Romans, and a very good one. It's devotional rather than verse-by-verse, and it helped me see the meaning of what I'd always seen as a very difficult book. On another, it uses the structure of the Epistle to the Romans to discuss the normal Christian life of the title.

I'd recommend this book to anyone, but most of all to Christians wondering if this is all there is. Too many "inspirational" books leave the reader frustrated at not being a super-Christian like the author. This one doesn't.

Joshua 24

The chapter begins with a history of Israel. Why? Because they needed to hear it. They were about to transition from a nomadic warrior life to one of sedentary farming.

How you got where you are has a lot to do with where you're going 

Joshua 23

Joshua , now very old, calls the leaders of the people together to remind them of something we've already seen several times, but which bears repeating:

The Israelites army never won a battle. It had its part to play, not God won the battles. Let me say that again. God won the battles. Not the person he chose, or the general he chose, but God.

Don't covet

The last commandment is simple. Don't covet,all the verbiage is to close any loophole rules lawyers might exploit. But it's also different from all the others.

The first four commandments are to tell us how to relate to God. The next five tell how to relate to each other. The last is internal.

Coveting is just wanting something you don't have. Since everything we have comes from God, coveting means, at its heart, we don't trust God to give us things.

Unfortunately, our entire culture is built on covetousness. Especially the time of year, everyone wants more. The best way to not covet is just to be happy with what you have.

Joshua 22

It's best not to shoot first and ask questions later.

The first thing the tribes who settled east of the Jordan did when they got home was built an altar. If the other tribes hadn't found out why before they attacked, the history of Israel might have been over before it really began

Joshua 21

This chapter makes a special point to say that God kept all of his promises to the Israelites.

In fact, he's never broken a promise. Every word he spoke in Scriptrure either already has come true or will by the end of time. I trust him, since he hasn't let anyone down yet.

Some jokes I like

I'm tired of ranting, so here are a few jokes instead.

A man wakes up in the hospital. "Doctor," he says, "I can't feel my legs!"

"That's not surprising," the doctor says. "I had to amputate your arms."

They say that the first thing to go is your memory. That second thing to go is your memory.

The Pope decided to kick all the Jews out of Italy. Before he did so, he gave the Jews one chance to stay. He would debate their greatest rabbi. If the Pope won, the Jews would leave. If the rabbi won, they could stay. Unfortunately, the two men didn't share a common language, so they decided to make it a silent debate.

The day came, and the men sat across from each other. The Pope made a circle in the air with his finger, and the rabbi jammed his toward the table. The Pope held up three fingers, and the rabbi held up one. The Pope set some bread and wine on the table, and the rabbi pulls an apple from his coat. Finally the Pope stands and says, "I give up. The Jews can stay."

When asked what happened, the Pope could only shake his head and answer, "He is the greatest theologian I've ever met. When I make a circle to say God is all around us, he pointed down to remind me that God is here with us, too. When I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity, he held up one to show that there is only one God. When I put out bread and wine to remind him of forgiveness, he pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin."

At the same time, the Jews were asking the rabbi about the debate. "First he said all the Jews all around here had to go. I said we're staying right here. Then he said we get three days to leave, and I said 'Up yours, Pope!'" Then they asked what happened next. "Who knows? We broke for lunch."

There. Isn't that better than me getting mad?

Joshua 20

once again we read of the cities of refuge, except this time God chose them.

It's interesting that of the three west of the Jordan River, two became national capitals. East of the Jordan was one we still hear about from time to time.

Review: LET THE NATIONS BE GLAD! 3rd ed. by John Piper

I actually had a copy of this book (2nd ed.) for a couple of years and never got around to reading it. That's a shame, because it's a very good book.

A lot of my reluctance probably had to do with the author. If modern Calvinists had a Pope, it would be John Piper. Since he and I disagree on so much, I went through a long time when I just didn't read his books. Of course, Piper is a great writer and I always learn from him, so it was only a matter of time 'til I came back.

Surprisingly, there's little Calvinism in this book. It builds a solid case for missions first from Scripture, then from experience and logic. There is a good deal on becoming the kind of missionary people will be glad to see coming, and Piper explains why the Gospel really is good news for the world.

I enjoyed reading the book, and recommend it to anyone interested in spreading the Gospel, here or overseas. It's easy to see why it's become a standard in the field. I wish I'd read it sooner.

Joshua 19

The rest of the tribes got their inheritances, as did Joshua.

Remember that waaay back in the book of Numbers, Joshua was one of the faithful spies. He was promised a piece of the land, and in this chapter he got it.

Joshua 18

interestingly, God promised to divvy up the land, and he chose to do it through lots.

After all, nothing's random.

Don't lie

There's some wiggle room in "Thou shalt not bear false witness ." That's how most people have heard it. I've heard plenty of analysis that pretty much lets people off the hook. What it comes down to, though, is "Don't lie."

Not a lot of wiggle room there. 

But what about...? Don't lie. But what if...? Don't lie. It doesn't say, "Don't lie unless..." It says, "Don't lie."

So don't lie.

Joshua 17

Not only did apparently no one drive out all of the Canaanites from their territories, but some were actually afraid of them.

Remember that not doing what God says shows a lack of trust in him. Being afraid of the Canaanites ment that they weren't sure who was stronger.

Joshua 16

I'm not going to lie to you. This is boring.

My good friend and first Sunday School teacher David Alexander once said that if it's in the Bible, it's there for a reason. It's not there for everyone, though.

One year

it's been about a year since I got an iPad. A family I'd never met and haven't seen since gave it to me. I don't know the exact date, but it was around the first of December, and that seems easy to remember. Anyway, I'm very grateful.

But what have I used it for? I believe with all my heart that whatever I have should be used to advance the kingdom of God, and I've tried to do that. I've also ranted a good bit, but I won't tell if you won't.

I've also read around 125 books. This is partly because I love to read, and party because I want to stay ready to evangelize. I don't know if I'm going to get better or not, but I'm not going to stop trying, and I'm going to be ready to go when it's time. 

Have I accomplished anything with the incredible blessings I've been given? I'll find out one day.

Joshua 15

Much of the chapter-- much of the rest of the book of Joshua, in fact -- is very dry. Tucked in the middle of a long real estate definition is a story about Caleb.

It pays to read the whole chapter.

Review: RESOLVING PERSONAL CONFLICT by Ken Sane and Kevin Johnson

There isn't anything anti-Christian in this, but not much particularly Christian,either. It's based largely on modern psychology with a little Jesus on top.

Honestly, this book made little impression on me. I wouldn't recommend it on that basis alone.

Joshua 14

Caleb and Joshua were the faithful spies sent from Kadesh-barnea. Because of his faith, Caleb was allowed to pick his portion of the land.

Naturally, at the age of 85, Caleb chose not only an unconquered city, not only a fortified unconquered city, but a fortified unconquered city full of giants.

'Cause that's just the kind of guy he was.

Joshua 13

Even though Joshua had grown old, the land still wasn't entirely taken.

Just like God promised, remember?

Don't steal

This one's very straightforward. Read it however you like, in whatever version you like, and it's hard to get anything else out of it.

These are called the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions. Failing to obey them reveals a serious lack of trust in God. This one's no exception. The thief doesn't trust God to take care of him; he trusts his own ability.

Of course, if his abilities were that good, he wouldn't have to steal in the first place.

Joshua 12

This chapter is a list of the kings defeated by Israel under Moses and Joshua.

It's dull, but vital. This didn't happen in some distant, mythological past. God gave a specific place to specific people at a specific time. He invites us to check his work.

Joshua 11

If this looks different, it's because I'm trying something different. I doubt anyone will mind too much. 

This chapter covers the conquest of northern Canaan. We're told that God hardened the hearts of the Canaanites so they wouldn't make a deal like the people of Gibeon. 

 He hadn't promised the land to anyone else, and he wanted the people already there out. 

The real American religion

A few weeks ago, I wrote that football was a religion is many, and I stand by that. But while I was typing that, I realized what the actual religion of America is.

Simply put, the religion of America is America.

Before we go any farther, let's nip some objections in the bud. I don't hate this country; I love it, and I'm glad I was born here. I'm also not a godless Commie. Communism is a dilapidated building on a nonpartisan foundation, which only eliminated pickpockets by eliminating pockets. As for godless ... love for God is why I say what I do.

It's unfortunate and wrong, but we've always identified bibical Israel and America. I said it a while back, but nothing can be Christian. People can be, but things can't. Ergo, this isn't a Christian nation.

Let me repeat that. This isn't a Christian nation. It's also not a nation of Christians, as I've heard it put. Think about it. If this country has 200 million Christians, why does Hollywood keep putting out movies that are deliberately provocative? Why does TV get more offensive as it goes along? Why does it seem like the entire world is dead-set on using our worst instincts to separate us from a little money?

Why are we excited when our children learn to kill because someone told them to, to protect a country whose very constitution places it in opposition to God? I think Leopard Ravenhill put a very well when he asked, "Would we send our daughters to have sex with the enemy if it were for 'the good of the country'? Yet we send our sons to kill for the same reason!"

America didn't die to save you. You weren't created in the image of America. It's all well and good to say you love God and country, but what happens when you have to choose?

Joshua 10

Where the author of the book gave six chapters to this conquest of Jericho and two to Ai, the rest of the southern part of Canaan took less than a chapter.

It helped that five kings allied together, but it is clear a pattern had been established.

Review: PARALYZED BUT NOT POWERLESS by Kate Adamson

I read this on my wife's recommendation. Since she's smarter then me, I've learned over the years to pay a little attention to what she says.

Mrs. Adamson had the same kind of stroke that I did, but our circumstances were very different. Because of those differences, I can't honestly say that this book helped me.

I can appreciate the work that went into this, and the fact that so much credit is given to God, and I'm certainly glad for anything that gets the word out about this rare condition. In the end, though, this is a story of personal triumph, and that's just not a genre I like.

Joshua 9

The Gibeonites had a terrible choice. God had told his people to destroy everyone in this land. The only way to save their lives was to trick the Israelites into ensuring them.

What would you have done?

Joshua 8

Ai 2: The Rematch.

Guess how it went this time.

Don't sleep around

The commandment actually says, "Don't commit adultery", but our culture has so completely lost the meaning of that phrase that I found it necessary to put a different way.

It doesn't just mean you're not supposed to cheat on your husband or wife. It's more than that. Adultery is having sex with another you aren't married to. That includes when you're single as well.

And that still isn't all. Jesus equated lustful thoughts with adultery. Just thinking about it is as bad as doing it. As always, he was spot-on. By the time we sleep with someone, we've rolled it around in our hearts dozens of times. I assume, anyway.

I've never physically cheated on my wife, and I don't think she would cheat on me either. I know we both have in our heads, though.

And that's what matters.

Joshua 7

After taking the mighty city of Jericho, the Israelites are defeated by what can only be described as the podunk little town of Ai.

I don't think it's giving away too much to say it isn't God's fault.

Joshua 6

This is the part of the book everybody knows about.

I'm no expert, but it seems like God gave them a thoroughly ridiculous plan for taking a city. And then he never told his people to do it that way again.

Tradition for its own sake

A while back someone accused me of saying that I hated tradition. That person was incorrect. She also had a serious case of selective hearing and numerous other problems with me, but this is neither the time nor the place to talk about that.

What I actually said was,"I hate tradition for tradition's sake."

We Southern Baptists are bad about this. We tend to think apostolic Christianity is whatever our grannies did. Who else would call something "contemporary" when it came from the 1970s, as opposed to "traditional", which is how they did it in the 1950s.

We have a seriously skewed view of time.

But we're here to talk about tradition.

I'm not against having traditions. I'm thankful for those who came before me, and I'm glad to have giants on whose shoulders to stand. We should build on the foundation we have, but not be bound by it.

Too often, though, we think our job as Christians is to pass along the way we were taught. It's not. I doubt many of our traditions are in Scriptrure. That means at some point, someone made them up. If they don't work anymore, someone can stop them.

But that takes courage.

Joshua 5

Circumcision was the sign of being part of the people of God.

Does this mean that the generation that conquered the Promised Land wasn't part of the people of God for 40 years? It's something to think about...

Review: THE SILMARILLION by JRR Tolkein

This is a prequel to both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, and consists of a collection of Elvish legends. It is not so much a coherent story as a group of texts written throughout Tolkein's life and hammered into shape after his death by his son, Christopher.

I found it easy to admire, but hard to love. Tolkein created Middle Earth as a place to put his Elvish language, and saw these legends as far more important than his more popular works. That may be true, but "important" doesn't equal "interesting".

To put it bluntly, this is a boring book. I can only recommend it for the most obsessive Tolkein fan.

Joshua 4

The next generation was always on God's mind.

Crossing the Jordan was in a big deal, that he wanted remembered.

Joshua 3

What was so special about the city of Adam?

Nothing that we know of, but that's where the waters of the Jordan stopped.

Don't murdrer

This seems easy to keep. I haven't killed anyone, and I assume you haven't either. So we can pretty much check this one off, right?

Maybe not.

Jesus equated murdrer and hatred. Wanting to kill someone was as bad as actually killing him. Lack of opportunity or courage for sin is no excuse for sin.

I've hated. Everyone I know has. I'm pretty sure you have, too. If what Jesus said is true,we're all murderers, and we all need forgiveness.

Joshua 2

it's important to remember that even at this stage Israel wasn't entirely homogenous.

God has always taken anyone who would obey him, even lying whores.

Joshua 1

"Be strong and courageous."

Even though God was giving them the land, the people still needed to do their part.

Closed-minded?

"The purpose of an open mind is the same as that of an open trap: to close it eventually on something solid." -- GK Chesterton 

Many believe Christians are closed-minded because we believe we have the only way to salvation. At the same time we're accused of believing in fairy tales.

Which is it? Too credulous or too incredulous?

The fact is that I'm more open-minded than any secularist I know. To believe the Bible, we  Christians have to believe that at least two people walked on water. We have to believe that the earth's rotation stopped or slowed, that dead people came back to life, and that not everything has a materialistic explanation.

Doesn't sound very closed-minded to me.

Deuteronomy 34

some people have had a problem with this chapter, because it's about the death of Moses, and since Moses obviously couldn't have written about his own death, this book and therefore the whole bible is untrustworthy.

This ignores three points. First, as far as I know, these five never claim to be solely by Moses. Second, there's no reason God couldn't have revealed the future, including the death of Moses, just as easily as he did the past. Third, there is good evidence that someone edited these books later, and there's no reason to think this editor wasn't inspired too.

You can always find a reason to disbelieve if that's what you're after.

Review: T4T Steve Smith

This is a companion volume to Church Planting Movements, detailing the training used by a  Chinese leader to plant native- run reproducing house churches. In fact, T4T stands for Training for Trainers, reflecting the belief that the trainees today will be trainers tomorrow.

The first half gives the story of the movement and the great things God continues to do in China, the movement, and T4T. The second half is entirely practical; it has the whole T4T course as well as suggestions for adapting it to North American churches.

I have long been an advocate of the way the persecuted church does things. I highly recommend this book, for  telling the reader not only what was done, but why.

A note on Joshua, and the law

Joshua will begin on Monday.

If you've been reading along, you just finished the first five books the Bible. You have five of the longest and most difficult books under your belt now. You can handle the rest.

The first five books are called the Pentateuch, the Law of Moses, and many other names. They are the backbone of the Old Testament; that OT is a commentary on its opening books. Remember that as well keep on.

Deuteronomy 33

I was wrong. The song was Moses' next-to-last words.

His real last words were a blessing, which is just like Moses, and just like God.

Honor your parents

this does not mean to obey them slavishly. If your mother or father tells you to do something contrary to God's word, you have not only a right but an obligation to disobey them. This commandment is meant to cause obedience, not despotism.

The way I understand it, honoring my parents means making them glad I'm their son. "Danny and Cathy's boy" should make them proud, not ashamed. That's what I want from my own daughters; not mindless obedience, but for people to know that they were raised to do what's right.

That would honor my wife and I.

Deuteronomy 32

The last words of Moses were a song about God.

In the promised Land, the most important thing to know about was him..

Deuteronomy 31

Let's be perfectly clear about something. The Israelites didn't take the Promised Land because none else wanted it. It was and remains some of the most strategic real estate on the globe. They didn't win it because the nations already there were weak. They weren't great empires, but they were very strong in their own right. The Israelites didn't conquer it because they were so overwhelmingly powerful; they were a bunch of riff-raff, the children of the same riff-raff that God had received from Egypt.

They got the land because God was with them.

"That's just what Christians do"

I heard that from a sister the other day. She wasn't a friend; I think I'd met her once before. We had attended the church she belonged to once, but we didn't know each other. She came to drop off food and money, and to introduce her friend and to let us know that her Sunday School class had decided to take care of us. When told she didn't have to do all that, she said, "That's what Christians do."

We love one another.

Let me reiterate that we don't worship with this congregation. We didn't know these people. We never specifically asked for their help. But that's just the latest we've heard from them. Our own congregation has been a tremendous help. We have been blessed by people around the world.

I'm not saying non-Christians can't be loving, or that all professing Christians are. Both are obviously untrue. I am asking one thing:

If you have the love of God in you and it's not overflowing onto others, please be sure you have the love of God in you.

Deuteronomy 26

why does this farmer bringing his tithe say to the priest, "The LORD your God"?

I don't know. Someone should look into that..

Review: EVANGELISM AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD by JI Packer

If John Piper is the heart of modern Calvinism, JI Packer is the brain. I don't agree with them about Calvinism, but they're always worth reading. This book is no exception.

It's a common misconception that Calvinism kills missions and evangelism. Even a cursory study of missions shows that that isn't true. Packer uses this small book to show that, because of God's sovereign will, only the Calvinist can be sure of winning converts through evangelism.

This book is very well-written and, if one accepts his basic premises, eminently logical. It pains me to say it, but because of the theological bias I can't recommend it.

Deuteronomy 29

God remakes the covenant.

The one made at Sinai wasn't with the people who would enter the Promised Land, but with their parents..

Deuteronomy 28

God made a lot of promises, both good and bad.

Look at the history of Israel and tell me he doesn't keep his word.

Deuteronomy 27

Most of this chapter consists of curses for disobedience.

It's not that God ever wants to curse his people. It's just how we are.

Keep the Sabbath holy

I hate to burst your bubble, but Sunday is not the Sabbath.it's the day Christians meet to worship together, but that's very different from the Sabbath.

This commandment is based on the fact that God rested on the seventh day of creation. In essence, it makes us give God one day in seven.

It's not that God demands we spend the day serving him in some arduous way. It's permission to rest within the very fabric of creation itself.

We here in the West are spoiled to our weekends. We forgot that they are a recent invention. They were certainly unknown in the ancient world. The idea of doing nothing but resting for one day in every seven seemed ludicrous then. It seems that way to some people now.

It's still the fourth commandment.

And who am I fooling? I like to burst bubbles.

Deuteronomy 30

when you've had enough and turn back to God, he'll forgive you and bless you more then you can possibly believe.

Now that's a promise right there..

an American religion

It's football. I don't like it. There. I said it.

I grew up in Alabama, possibly the worst football-crazed state in the union. I got out of the habit of watching games when I was in the Navy, and never got back into it. My life didn't make much difference. The fact that it didn't make much difference proves it was just a habit.

But that's not why I call it a religion.

You may ignore this as a rant from a bitter old band nerd, and you'd be partly right. I was in the band. I played saxophone, so I wasn't even cool among band nerds.

But that's still not why I call it a religion.

I've been in Sunday School classes where all anyone wanted to talk about was the previous day's game. Let me say that again. People cared more about how well a bunch of college kids moved a piece of leather up and down a field than anything God had to say. When that sort of thing happens, you're not worshipping Christ anymore. You're worshipping at football team.

Two events pushed me over the edge. The first was at a car plant where I worked. People were hooking up car batteries on the assembly line so that they could turn on the radios to listen to  constant coverage of the hiring of a coach. If asked, they'd all say that Jesus had complete control of their lives, yet they were at anything that had to do with football.

The second happened that next fall. I had to go to this local Quik-E-Mart between SS and the main services, and in the short time I was there no less than three strangers approached me, wanting to know what team I was for. One guy even had reasons I should root for the same team as him. It made me realize that in 30-some-odd years no  one has come up to talk about Jesus, but in a few minutes three strangers had walked up and evangelized for football teams.

Am I saying never watch a game or talk about it? Of course not. I do think John Piper had it right when he said, "You should care about sports, but not that much."

I was raised to be a fan of Alabama football, but Alabama football didn't die on a cross.

Deuteronomy 25

God hates cheating.

How can you love someone you're busy ripping off?

Review: THE MESSAGE REMIX NEW TESTAMENT by Eugene Peterson

I'm only reviewing this product. I don't dare review the content.

I have to confess that I haven't read every book I've reviewed. Some have been audiobooks. A gold star to whoever figures out which ones.

The Message has gotten a lot of flak over the years for the very loose quality of its translations. It reads very well, though, and sounds even better spoken. The author himself has said that it was not a Bible and shouldn't be used as one, but it's been heavily marketed that way by NavPress, who I hold fully responsible.

All that to say this: I liked it. I don't see using it as a Bible, or giving it out on one, but it was refreshing to hear things put very differently from what I've used to. The Bibles I've been accustomed to have all been in the King James tradition (KJV, NKJV, and ESV), so it was very interesting hearing the New Testament in unfamiliar language.

In fact, that one thing I didn't like was that it had so many readers. None of them were terrible, but they weren't great either. I understand why it made sense from a marketing standpoint, but as a listener it didn't help.

Overall, I recommend it. If you're young and haven't read the New Testament, that is a good introduction. If you've read it a thousand times, it never hurts to hear it with fresh ears.

Besides, it's never a bad idea to hear God's word.

Deuteronomy 24

The Hebrews were not to take advantage of anyone less fortunate than themselves.

After all. It wasn't that long before that they were slaves.

Deuteronomy 23

The Israelites weren't to charge each other interest.

Lending money at interest is the basis of our economy. This is the wealthiest nation that has ever existed precisely because of something that God expressly forbade.

Don't take God's name in vain

I have always been leery of one particular cuss word. (You may call it cursing or swearing, but where I'm from we say cussing)  As long as I avoided that one word, I could pretend I was obeying this commandment.

It goes far beyond cussing, though. Taking God's name in vain is also called blasphemy, and that's just putting God's name on something that isn't God. Since I wasn't remotely like Christ, calling myself Christian was blasphemy, plain and simple. It was taking God's name in vain.

Taking something you like and calling it God is how most of us break this rule. What does it say that we don't even agree on what we don't believe in?

Deuteronomy 22

This first part of the chapter is given to various levels, while the latter part is devoted to laws about rape, adultery, and other sexual topics.

It's a shorter version of what he'd already told their parents.

Deuteronomy 21

This chapter covers a lot of ground, from unsolved murders to rebellious children and beyond.

Remember that Moses was teaching them to live in the land, and these were things they needed to know.

Why nothing can be Christian

Nothing can be because that word is a noun and not an adjective.

It means two things: a person who is the Christ, and a person who is surrendered to him. Neither applies to stuff.

Jesus didn't die to justify music. There is music that is more and less glorifying to God, but no Christian music.

Jesus didn't die to justify books. There are books more and less glorifying to God, but no Christian books.

Jesus didn't die for justify stores. There are stores more and less glorifying to God, but no Christian stores. 

Does this mean we should shop wherever we want and fill our minds with whatever garbage we find? Absolutely not; in fact, it should make us more careful. Adding a thin veneer of Christianity doesn't make something bad good. Let's stop looking for an imaginary "Approved by God" sticker and start being discerning.

Deuteronomy 20

The Israelites were to fight when God said, where God said.

Some people think this chapter is handbooks for Christian war. They're wrong.

Review: MEDITATIONS by Marcus Aurelius

The Roman Emperor wrote this about 170 AD. It's considered not only a classic of Latin literature, but the pinnacle of Stoic philosophy as well.

The problem with reading it comes from its age. The way I read it was in a very old translation of an ancient book. People don't write this way anymore, for the very good reason that people don't really talk like that anymore. I don't speak for everybody, but the style seemed choppy and repetitive to me.

A far worse problems in Stoicism itself. It is a profoundly man-centered phii lodge, and one that fits with the self-made image that Americans have of themselves. Unfortunately, it' required a totally godless outside,

Stoicism as I understand it teaches that mankind can only get better by his own efforts. It can basically be summed up in the phrase "Man up." It's ultimately the worship of oneself.

I don't recommend this book. It teaches wrong ideas in a boring way.

Deuteronomy 19

You want proof that people were bad? Just read this chapter.

Remember that there's no point in prohibiting something people aren't likely to do..

Deuteronomy 18

In the middle of several repetitions of the law already given, there's a messianic prophecy.

'Cause that's just how God rolls.

In.

Don't make any idols

The second Commandment is different than the first, just because we're not inclined to make idols with our hands. We love to make them with our minds, though.

Have you ever thought, "My God isn't like that," or picked what you liked about God and ignored the rest? I have, and in so doing I've created false gods to worship.

God is what he is. You can take him or leave him, but you can't change him. That option isn't available.

Deuteronomy 17

Solomon was not a good king.

By God's standards, which are the only ones that matter anyway.

Deuteronomy 16

The people were not to appear before God empty-handed.

They were to appear, every man of them, at least three times a year, with evidence of the blessings they'd received.

As that great theologian Loretta Lynn said...

 "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but no body wants to die." I'm not claiming to understand what she was thinking when she wrote that, but it sounds like a good description of most professioing Christians to me.

Anyone who believes in Heaven and Hell would rather go to one and miss the other. That's only natural. Nobody who's heard about Hell wants to spend any time there. The trouble is that most people don't think they're going, and the few who do don't really understand it. Regardless, nobody wants to die to find out.

Even professing Christians, who should know better, are afraid of any kind of dying. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Christ calls people to.

Specifically, he told his followers to die to self. He wants us to subvert our wills to his. He wants us to be lost in him. We all want the benefits of having Jesus without the inconvenience of bending to someone else's will. In short, we want to go to Heaven but we don't want to die.

Deuteronomy 15

why would God insist on perfect animals for sacrifice? I can imagine a couple of reasons.

First, he's God, and peserv are best. Second, it would have  a temptation to use thie tabernacle as a place to dump inferior livestock.

Review: THE JEFFERSON BIBLE by Thomas Jefferson

Yes, that Thomas Jefferson.

After his presidency, Jefferson took a razor blade to the New Testament, cutting out all of the supernatural elements. About 75 years after his death Congress published the result under Jefferson's title, The Life and Morals of Jesus Christ. It has simply become known as the Jefferson Bible.

There have been many attempts to "de-mythologize" the life of Jesus, to use Emil Brunner's word. Jefferson's was one of the boldest; he just cut out what he didn't like.

Unfortunately for Thomas Jefferson, it doesn't work that way. You can't just keep what you like of the Bible and threw the rest away. The Bible is a single book. Someone once said that there's a reason our Bibles are leatherbound and not loose-leaf. Jefferson tried to make a Jesus skeptics could believe in, but he ended up just writing a Jesus in whom no one could believe.

Deuteronomy 14

Why did God make so many rules? Because the Israelites were meant to be different,

Why was this weekend to be different? Because they were God's.

.

Deuteronomy 13

God was serious about the  Hebrews not turning to other gods.

Very serious.

Deuteronomy 12

no syncretism.

Syncretism is the blending of religious beliefs. It couldn't be done then, and it can't be done now..

Don't know any other gods

The first commandment is pretty simple. Of course, that doesn't mean we haven't found it way to screw it up.

The analogy that always occurs to me concerns my wife. i can't have a bunch of girlfriends as long as I make my wife first in my affections. In the same way, I can't worship a lot of gods as long as Yahweh to most important.

The thing to remember about this commandment is that God is all you get. It's a good thing he's all you need.

Deuteronomy 11

Remember God. Remember what he did.

And tell your children..

Who are you planning on shooting?

Over the years, nothing has drawn more fire my way from professing Christians than my pacifism. At the same time, I've noticed that those most concerned with their rights, especially gun rights, claim to follow Christ.

Most people say they have them for protection. Do you need guns to protect your property? Jesus said to give up your property .

Are they to protect you and your family? God promised to do that.

Please don't think I'm picking on guns or their owners. I'm against people being killed with swords, tire irons, and harpoons. As long as someone is alive, he can be saved. Once he's dead, that's it.

I'm not saying that owning a gun means you aren't a Christian. What I am saying is to examine yourself in the light of Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 10

No matter how angry the Hebrews got, no matter how much they screwed up, God wouldn't leave them without guidance.

That's comforting.

Review: THE GREAT GOD PAN by Arthur Machen

Arthur Machen, and this book in particular, is hugely influential in modern literature. Other than authors, though, it seems few have even heard of him, which is too bad.

Despite his title, this book is less about paganism than about science, at least as those words were understood in the early 20th century. At its heart it's a mystery; the supermarket and pseudoscientific elements don't fully appear until the end. The episodic structure serves the plot well,

In my opinion, Arthur Machen more than deserves his reputation. I know it's not fair everyone, but I thought this was a very good book.

Deuteronomy 9

this is a recounting of the events at Sinai.

Remember that the oldest among them would have been teenagers at the time. They  needed to hear the word had happened

Deuteronomy 8

God warned the Hebrews not to forget him, and they did it anyway.

Go figure.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are very misunderstood.

They're not just a bit of thou shalt nots, though in the King James Version, a very old translation of Scripture, most of them start with those three words. Instead, they're rules to live by.

These rules seem restrictive at first. Instead of having your back, though, they let you develop to your full potential. You can only drive as fast as you want on the autobahn because there are very strict rules about how to act there. Freedom unbound is chaos.

The Ten Commandments are:

1. Don't know other gods.

2. Don't make idols

3. Don't take God's name is vain.

4. Keep the Sabbath holy.

5. Honor your parents

6. Don't murdrer.

7. Don't sleep around.

8. Don't steal.

9. Don't lie.

10. Don't covet. .

Deuteronomy 7

The Israelites tried their best to be just like the other nations, but they weren't.

They were God's..

Deuteronomy 6

Do what God said, and teach your children to do the same,

And be sure to tell them why..

Bible study, or you study?

Emily had her first Bible study last week. Without any prompting from me, I might add. She just wanted to. Words can't say how happy she makes me.

Too often a Bible study degenerates into a study of the people involved. The only thing more disheartening than how many times I've heard, "What does this passage mean to you?" is how often I'm said it.

Frankly, I don't care what you think, just like you shouldn't care about what I think. Let's worry about what God thinks instead.

Deuteronomy 5

The law begins with the Ten Commandments.

Get them right, and then you can worry about the rest.

Review: THE ILIAD by Homer

Let me save you some time. Achilles gets mad and refuses to fight. A lot of men with Greek names die. Achilles gets less mad and agrees to fight.

That's the story. You're welcome.

Deuteronomy 4

God gave the people a reason not to worship idols,

Other than, "because I said  so," which is a pretty good reason..

Deuteronomy 3

I knew Og's bed was big, but not that  he was the last of a race of giants.

If anyone ever asks why there are no giants , tell them God killed the the last one.

God the Holy Spirit

The most misunderstood and mysterious member of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. Some groups within Christianity have focused on him, but we should never emphasize one member of the Trinity over the others. Neither, though, should we neglect any.

The Holy Spirit is always there, pushin us toward holiness. He brings non-Christians to God, and Christians closer to him. He inhabits believers, and gives them strength and gifts to build each other up. He inspired Scripture, and get people today to read it.

In all this, he never points to himself, but to the Father and the Son. He's God the Holy Spirit, and that's what he does..

.

Deuteronomy 2

Never oppose God.

Sihon and Og learned that the hard way.

Deuteronomy 1

The majority of this chapter is devoted to a retelling of Israel's failure to enter the land.

This isn't surprising. Israel was once again about to enter Canaan, and they needed to hear it.

You knew it was coming sooner or later

What I'm talking, of course, about a post on homosexuality.

Simply put, the Bible is against it. Both testaments speak out clearly against homosexual behavior. As I've said before, you cannot make a case for from Scripture.

Does that settle it? For me it does. Short of the voice of God himself, I don't know of a higher authority.

Notice that I said the Bible was against homosexual behavior. It is not a sin to be tempted. Let me repeat that, because there seems to be a lot of confusion about it among bothChrististians and non-Christians. It is not a sin to be tempted. Want proof? Jesus was tempted.but without sin (Heb 4.16).

It's not wrong to sometimes have homosexual thoughts. It's wrong to dwell on them, and it's wrong act on them, but isn't wrong to have them.

I'm not trying to let those who engage in homosexual behavior off. It is adultery, and a heinous sin against God. I'm just trying to put into perspective. Homosexual adultery will send you to Hell. Just like heterosexual adultery.

I'm sorry I have to waste time on this, but that's our culture. Hopefully, future generations will see it as aberration

A correction, dang it

In the review of Christian Apologetics, I kept referring to the author as "Douglas Groothius". His last name is actually spelled "Groothuis".

Dang it.

Review: CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS by Douglas Groothius

apologetics is not apologizing for something. Rather, it's a defense. In this case, it's used for a vigorous defense of the Christian faith.

I'd seen Groothius' name before, but never read any of his work. It turns out that this is a very intellectual and very rigorous book. It's not the kind you skim, or dip into here and there.

Far too many apologetic works come across like they're afraid of people using their brains. Thankfully, Groothius' book one of those, it requires effort, but rewards that effort, I recommend it highly.

God the Son

During his life on earth, he was known as Jesus Christ. The first thing to know about that is that "Christ" isn't a name; it's a job title. It's the Greek word for the Hebrew term "messiah", and both words mean "anointed one". He would more properly be "the Christ", but it's not like I'm qualified to correct anyone's grammar.

The Son is the Christ of Christianity. He is the way we obtain forgiveness of our sins. He's easily the most understandable and approachable member of the Trinity, simply because he lived and remains as partially human. He is the point where human and divine meet, and it's significant that the crossover came from God's side, not ours.

He lived the perfect life we couldn't, and died for people who would spit in his face and deny his very existence. This isn't the time or place to discuss all the issues raised by the union of God and man. I can't even understand all the questions, much less the answers.

He died for me even though he didn't have to. That's all I really want to say.

A note on Deuteronomy

I'll start Deuteronomy on Monday, for exactly the same reasons I gave for putting off the start of Numbers..

Numbers 36

Just because God is always right doesn't mean nobody else can be.

And he is never afraid to admit it when they are 

Israel

I'm not a supporter of the State of Israel.

I realize that most Southern Baptists would consider that heresy. I have good reasons for thinking that way, though, other than just wanting to be contrary.

As with so many other things, it comes down to evangelism. The State of Israel discourages it. In fact, it has gone so far as to expel people for converting Jews to Christianity. It was founded specifically as a Jewish nation, and seems determined to stay one, 

But should we be trying to convert Jews at all? Billy Graham seems to think not; he's gone on record saying that we shouldn't. In th this, though, he is opposed to Christ, who sent his disciples to convert Jews and did so himself.

But surely we don't want to be against God's chosen people? There are two points to be made here. The first that the modern State of Israel is not the same as biblical Israel. Claiming Jewish ancestry doesn't redeem anyone, as the Bible makes clear

The second that no one is talking about being against Israel. I'm not against it any more than I am any other secular nation. I'm just talking about being utterly neutral toward it.

If I'm wrong, I'll be happy to apologize. But the Bible says I'm not.

Q

Numbers 35

manslaughter was very circumscribed. The death of a person was a very serious matter. The guilt of murdrer could only be expunged by the death of the murderer, so the definition of accidental killing was extremely limited.

But so was the definition of murdrer.

Review: COLLECTED WORKS by T. S. Eliot

Keep in mind these are collected, not complete, works I didn't.

I've always liked Eliot's poetry. It turns out, though, that I hadn't read much. This book contains a lot and as a result I like it even more. Unfortunately, this collection also contains a volume ohis essays on literary criticism, which I found dull. 

Enjoy the poems, but skip the essays.

Modern medicine and I

The chief of medicine is to keep me alive as long as possible.

Mine is to spend eternity with my Savior.

They'renot opp opposing goals, nor are they mutually exclusive. But they're very different.

Numbers 34

This looks like another chapter that mattered then but is irrelevant now. That's just not true..

The Israelites army wasn't allowed to run amok. The boundaries of the land, and thus the area in which the army could operate, were strictly limited. By whom? By God.

Numbers 33

The first part of this chapter seems utterly pointless. It's a list of places the Hebrews camped between Egypt and Canaan.

However, it shows that ours is a historical faith. Unlike many, it's rooted in both time and space.

.

Numbers 32

Several tribes wanted an inheritance outside the Promised Land. Provided they helped fight, God was willing to give it to them.

As long as they don't conflict with his, God accommodates our plans. That's amazing

God the Father

This is who we usually mean when we say "God". His name is usually rendered "Yahweh", an attempts transliterated the Hebrew into English. Sometimes it's given as "Jehovah". Either way, it means, "I AM", a reference to God's eternal nature.

He is the head of the Trinity in some way we can't understand. The Son and Holy Spirit defer to him. It was his idea to create, and his idea to redeem his creation. He is the originator of everything.

There's a lot more that could be said, but I'll leave it at that.

Review: EXPERIENCE GOD'S POWER IN YOUR LIFE - LIFE CHANGING by Burton Rager

Before I go any further, I want to say that "Burton Rager" is one of the best names I've ever run across.

This is actually a collection of11 short books. Together, they make a good introduction to the various Christian beliefs, and would make a decent framework for a series of sermon or lessons.

However, there's a downside. The advantage and disadvantage to ebook publishing is that anyone can do it; there are no publishers, buyers, or editors to worry about. Unfortunately, Rager needs an editor. It's never so bad as to be unreadable, but it's bad enough to be noticeable.

If you don't mind some mangled English, I highly recommend this.

Numbers 31

Miriam was not neutral toward the Israelites, but actively against them. It placed itself in a battle with God.

And so it was destroyed.

Numbers 30

Keep your word. Period.

Nothing else. Just keep your word..

Numbers 29

What a dull chapter.

What? You were all thinking it. At least, those who read chapter were. God already knows what's on your mind. Why not be honest with him?

.

Numbers 28

God didn't demand offerings because he had to be fed, as so many so-called gods did.

He was owed them because he'd told the Israelites to offer them.no other reason was necessary..

The Trinity

One of the most difficult beliefs I'm Christitanity is the doctrine of the Trinity. This is the belief there is one God, exists in three eternal persons.

God Father is the Creator of everything and the one most prominent in the Old Testament. God the Son is the Savior of all and is featured in the New Testament. God the Holy Spirit, probably the most mysterious member of the Trity, isn't front-and-center in the Bible, but has always empowered people to do God's work.

There are three separate gods; there is one God. That one Hasn't appeared in three different forms. He really is three different persons in one God.

How can three be one? I don't know. Anyone who says he does is probably lying..

Numbers 27

Even as to his own death, Moses obeyed God.

Why did God pick a murderer to represent himself? Who knows? But from their first meeting to his last official act, the nearly-constant refrain eas, "Moses did as the Lord commanded".

.

Numbers 26

This is a long, dull chapter.

The important thing to remember is that God keeps his word, to those who love him and those who don't..

naturalistic evolution taken to its logical conclusion

my "stupid reflexes" have been taken as possible proof of evolution. I would respectfully disagree. I am alive due to the work of medical professionals, who worked very hard to save my life, but effectively removed me from the gene pool,

Since evolution, as I understand, is all about genetics, I'm pretty much evolutionarily irrelevant at this point. That's why I don't believe my stupid reflexes are proof of evolution. Since they don't help me pass on genetic material, they're irrelevant.

So is most of what humanity does, in fact. If all your time isn't being spent staying alive and producing children, it's being wasted. The model for humanity isn't God, but stud bull.

That's what evolutionary theory would call truth.

Naturalistic evolution -- that is,evolution without a gluing intelligence; what most people mean by "evolution" -- is ultimately nihilistic. It leaves no room for a God, and thus no room for hope. It has nothing to say to those of us dissatisfied with the world as it is. There's  no point working to improve things if the people we're trying to help are just going to be replaced by the next generation, who may or may not Berber.

Nihilism is just a fancy way of saying there's no point to anything. It's a kid's philosophy. It's an adolescent saying that over and over so he doesn't have to hear anything he doesn't like, and because he's an adolescent he doesn't like anything.

Some will say that I only write these things because I hate science, but that's not true. I love science, and am very thankful for the good it's done. But this form of evolution isn't science. It's not observable and not repeatable in a laboratory. It can't be proven by the scientific method.

For many years I tried to believe two irreconcilable things. I'm glad I had to choose.

Numbers 25

every priest after Phinehas was his descendant.

Not because Phinehas cared about Phinehas, but because he cared about God.

Review: STOP ASKING JESUS INTO YOUR HEART by J. D. Greear

As an evanfelist and someone who loves the Bible, I hate the sinner's prayer. There's simply no biblical warrant for "asking Jesus into your heart". Before you throw Revelation 3.20 at me, read it in context, it's addressed to professing Christians.

I went into this book thinking that it was a refutation of that unbiased mindset. Instead, it was about assurance of salvation. It's still a very good book.

Greear writes well, though not astoundingly so,and the book is strongly biblically-based. Ironically, the part with the least biblical support was the part that spoke most strongly to me.

For years I have been wondering if I should get rebaptized. I was dunked when I was 20, about ten years before I truly became a Christian. Since then, I've heard -- and said -- for years that if you weren't saved when you were baptized, you just got wet. Is this right?

This isn't the place to debate all the issues surrounding baptism, but Greear's answer is a simple no, and after much thought and prayer, I tend to agree. Regardless of your opinion on that subject, I recommend this book

Numbers 24

Balaam could speak the word of God because his eyes were open.

It will shock some people, but this isn't the real world. I know it will because I've met plenty of professing Christistians who are perfectly fine with doing the opposite of what God has revealed in his word because they live in the "real world".

I'm sure Balaam understood. In the end, this world doesn't matter. We don't mater. Only God matters.

Numbers 23

Balaam was not an Israelite, he wasn't a descendant of Abraham, as far as we know. He was apparently just some Aramean through whom God spoke.

And he paid attention to every word.

a correction

Last week I said that 2Maccabees was prophetic. It isn't; it's a historical book that focuses on Judas Maccabeus and his followers. That's what I get for doing this from memory.

I should also note that I used the KJV Apocrypha, mostly because I had it handy. There are a couple of different presents of the Apocrypha. Some Bibles just have the books as part of the Old Testament, and others have them in a separate section, There are many versions, also, ranging from that of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which as I understand it has the largest Apocrypha, to the many Protestant groups that accept none of these books.

I belong to one of those groups, the Southern Baptist Convention. So why spend so much time on books I don't believe are Scripture? For two reasons. The first is that these Wednesday posts are mostly written to new Christians. They've most likely seen, heard about, or been given a Bible with more than 66 books. I feel I have a duty to address that.

The second reason is that I've always been interested in the Apocrypha. Why? The answer is simple, and it's the same reason I've spent time learning about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and a thousand other things I don't believe: I like to learn. I'm curious, especially about religion, and there was so much misinformation from all sides regarding the Apocrypha that I wanted to find out the truth for myself.

I don't read Greek or Hebrew, but I know of many who do who are generally trustworthy. I depend on them, and on the many who have gone before, when I say the Apocrypha is good reading, but not the word of God.

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Numbers 22

God will let people seem to have their own way, only to show it was all part of his plan anyway.

Maybe the moral is "don't make God mad".

Numbers 21

What was the Book of the Wars of The Lord? I don't know. Does it matter?

If God wanted us to have it, we'd have it.

What Chris thinks about all this

My wife's been asked what I think about being ing in this condition. The implication is that I don't want to live like this, and that Lora's only keeping me around for selfish reasons.

Let me assure you that part of that is correct. I don't want to be like this. No one in his right mind would.

As it stands, I'm here now. God will take me when he's ready. Until then, my job is to try and build his kingdom, and I intend to do a good job.

Or, as the apostle Paul put it, "to live is Christ and to die is gain,"

.

Numbers 20

God had a certain way he wanted things done, and the Israelites refused to go along. They rebelled and complained every chance they got 

God still took care of them anyway..

Review: COMPETE WORKS by Aeschylus

One thing I'm trying to do is to read through the first Great Books series, published back in the 1950s by Encyclopaedia Britannica.  I made it through .The Odyssey (good) and The Illiad (bad), and remembered that after that came four playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Eurpides, and Aristophanes. So far, they've  been kind of ugly.

There are seven extant plays by Aeschylus, and all of the are very boring. I think this more than anything else has to do with the age of the plays. They're over 2000 years old, and the fact that I read them them in a Victorian translation didn't help.

Some people swear by Classical Greek dreams, but I found it dull. Not recommended unless you're masochistic, hardheaded, or both.

Numbers 19

Water didn't make a person clean. Ritually, anyway.

The people still needed to wash themselves, because God had told them to. Even after they'd done so, they were still unclean the rest of the day. It was God's grace, not water, that made them clean..

Numbers 18

Every priest was a Levites, but not every Levites was a priest.

It's important to know the difference.

The Apocrypha

Some Bibles have another class of Old Testament books, generally called the Apocrypha. These are later books, which appeared in Greek first, not Hebrew

1Esdras covers the same groound as Ezra and Nehemiah, while 2Esdras is prophetic. The Additions to Esther are exactly what they sound like.  The Wisdom of Solomonand The Wisdoom of Jesus,the Son of Sirach are similar to Proverbs, Baruch and The Epistle of Jeremiah claim to be by Jeremiah's secretary and Jeremiah's respectively, and The Prayer of Manasseh purports to be the prayer of repentance of one of Judah's wicked kings. The Song of the Three Holy Children, The History of Susanna, .and The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon are all additions to Daniel. 1Maccabees tells of a war between Israel and the Greeks, and 2Maccabees is prophetic.

And Tobit and Judith are about individuals.

I've never seen any reason to include them in Scripture. At the same time, there are a lot of good reasons to read them; chief among these is the fact that  any Christian can learn from them.

The Apocrypha is not something the Catholics came up with in the 1500s. Nor is it true that these books were unknown when the apostles wrote. Still, I defer to those wiser and godlier than I. The Apocrypha is good reading, but not the Bible.

Numbers 17

I love that God always does more than he has to.

As an example, he promised to make a staff blossom, That would have been enough. But God didn't just make Aaron's staff bloom, but bud and produce ripe fruit overnight..

Numbers 16

God was very clear who was in chargr and how things should be done,  but Korah and his friends wanted another way. And the people were willing to follow them.

That's in the first  part of the chapter. The real kicker is in the second half.

I, Leslie Christopher Bloom ...

... being of sound mind and body, do hereby not know the rest of words. This is what I would like to happen should happen to me:

Since Emily seems to like the little Bible. I wantLeslie to have the one I like to preach from, when she's old enough. Emily should get the KJV.. Both have my notes in them, and both are the word of God, able to lead us to him if we just read and obey it.

I'd like my books  tbe given to the library at Bluff Park Baptst Church. My medical equipment should also be donated, to someone who can give it to those who need it.

Lora should know that I've always loved her, deeply and fiercely, and that hurting her is the worst thing I've ever done.

My other posessions should be sold or given to whomever needs them.

Let me be clear: nothing new is wrong. I know as well  as anyone how quickly things can change, though, so it seemed best to go ahead and get it out there.

Numbers 15

I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again: God wants things done a certain way.

And he's very very serious..

Review: THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

In the mid-1800s there were a lot of manifestos. This was the height of the Industrial Revolution, and also of modernism, when it seemed science could solve all of of mankind's problems. Everybody had a way to improve the world, and everybody wanted to write about it,

Though attributed to both Marx and Engels, the majority of the Manifesto was written by Marx, which means two things. The first is that it is very well-written. Marx was a great writer 19th-century standards, though by modern standards he's very, very boring.

The second is that it was extremely wrong. Marx had a one-track mind, and that one track was Communism. Everything was subsumed to it, and anything that didn't fit was thrown aside with great disdain. This means that there are things in Marx's writings that simply aren't true. They make sense, though, if you accept the basic premises of Communism.

There's no doubt there were -- and are -- abuses that needed correcting. But this would be forgotten like all those other manifestos if someone hadn't taken it seriously.

Numbers 14

God doesn't want you to do amazing things. He wants you to be obedient.

God had already told the Israelites something, but they tried to enter the land without him. Needless to say it didn't work.

Numbers 13

The land was everything God said, which shouldn't have surprised them by now.

And yet they were afraid.

The New Testament

This is the part that Christians need to pay attention to. Actually, a Christian should pay attention to the whole thing, but this is the part of the Bible written to us.

Matthew-John are the Gospels, four accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. Acts describes the growth of the Church in its first 30 years or so. Romans-Philemon are letters from Paul, an early convert and the greatest of Christian missionaries. Hebrews-Jude are known as the general or catholic -- meaning universal -- epistles, because they name no specific recipient. Revelation is the only prophetic book in the New Testament, and there's a lot of debate as to its meaning.

The two testaments go together;they make sense of and reinforce each other. And I believe these are true, too.

Numbers 12

Do not go against the one God's chosen. I don't care who you are. Just don't.

Why was only Miriam punished by turning leprous? I don't know; the chapter doesn't say. If the Holy Spirit had wanted us to know, he would've told us.

Numbers 11

Go ahead. Complain to God.

He'll give you what you want 'til il you're sick of it.

Shame on you

If you've come by, thank you.

If you've come by more than once, then thank you that much more. I know I'm not the easiest person to talk to, so you have no idea what it means that you've kept coming back.

If you've helped , thank you very much. I can never thank you enough for taking a load off of my and Lora.'s minds.

If you haven't done any of these things, shame on you. It's inconsistent? It inconvenient to be like this, too. You haven't shown the love of Christ, or of a Chrstian. No, I'm not saying you're not a Christian. I am saying you should examine yourselves. Like it says in the Bible. In 2Corinthians 13.5. In so many words.

One other thing: I understand time, distance, and money. Thanks to the interwebs, I have friends all over the world. I even understand old age, to a point. I don't mean y'all.

But if you can and you haven't so much as stopped in:

Shame on you.

Numbers 10

In this chapter,God foretells the book of Judges.

One time the silver trumpets were tobe used was when they fought an enemy who oppressed them, that's half of Judges right there.

Review: EATING DIAMOND PIE by David Thorpe

This novel reminds me of my friend Davo. I don't know that there's a standard British style, but it reds so much like Davo's that I could almost believe Davo wrote it.  The fact that he sent me an email while I was reading Thorpe's book just reinforced that.

This book was finny. The part with the hornets and the bathroom fan was hilarious, been in retrospect. This definitely wasn't a "Christian" novel, but it was irreverent and had more sex and profanity than I'd hoped, but far less than I'd feared. In this respect, too, it was Veddy Blitish.

Altogether, I liked this book, probably far more than I should have. I think my friend Davo would, too.

Numbers 9

There was not any fire over the tabernacle at night. At least the Bible doesn't say so.

It says the cloud was "like the appearance of fire." You may think I'm being nitpicky. You may be right, but let's stick to what this chapter actually says..

The Old Testament books I forgot

I could make a excuse, but like the man said, ain't nobody's fault but mine.

Ezra and Nehemiah tell, from a religious and political perspective, what happened to the Jews who came back from their exile. Esther is about some of those who stayed.

These three fit in the historical book, right after 2Chronicles.

I don't know why, but I always forget these books. It's not right, but it's how it is.

Numbers 8

Jusst like the priests and the tabernacle, the Levites had to be consecrated,

Could 22,000 men have laid their hands on two bulls? I don't see how, but that's what this chapter says. The most important thing to notice is that the Levites needed their sins forgiven. They were going to be close to God, so they had to be holy..

Numbers 7

This chapter is very long and highly repetitious, listing the offerings of each tribe for the consecration of the tabernacle.

The important thing is that they all gave the same. Though somebebody has to go first, every worshiper is equal before God.

Numbers 6

Most of this chapter is abut theNazirite vow, but tucked in at the end is one the most beautiful blessings I in all of Scripture.

God does this. He lulls you, then blindsides you with uunimaginable grace.

Common objections

"I don't feel comfortable evangelizing." No one feels comfortable evangelizing. Do it anyway.

"I don't know how todo it." If this were honestly your concern, you'd find out. Besides, you already evangelized for your favorite TV shows, bands,movies, and teams. If something is important to you, you want to share it. That's all evangelism is.

"I'm not called to evangelize." Are you a Christian? Then you're called.

"I'm not gifted as an evangelist." Congratulation. You've just used Scripture to justify your disobedience. If you read the passage,you'll see that people are gifted by the Holy Spiritas evangelists, but specifically "for the building up of the church."

These are the most common reasons I've heard why professing  Chrtistians who say they believe the Bible give for disregarding both it and theGod they claim to worship.

If you're not a follower of Jesus, this is why those same  people would rather see you spemd etermity in Hell than speak up.

Numbers 5

In this chapter, as in so many others, the people did t God said. That's huge.

Today wre look for ways to disobey, or to technically obey whole stil doing what we want. Here they just obeyed. Think about that..

Review: CHRISTIANS ARE HATE-FILLED HYPOCRITES

... and Other Lies You've Been Told. By Bradley R. E. Wright

Wright's book is very well-written, but he makes two very serious mistakes that ultimately sink it.

First, he confuses Christianity with church membership. Membership, or even attendance, is not the same as really believing. Most pastors will tell you that in a given congregation. There are a few who are serious about their faith. Those are the Christians.

Second, Wright doesn't seem to recognize that people do lie. He gives a long and very logical argument  as to why lyyinconfers no advantage in this case, but he ignores the fact that people lie anyway. People love to lie. It's in our nature.

I had high hopes for this book, but it was just an argument for the status quo. For that reason, I can't recommend it,

Numbers 4

The holy things in the tabernacle had to be covered by the priests before they could even be moved.

Holy means holy. Period..

The Old Testament

like i said, the Old Testament is just the history of ancient Israel.

Genesis spends 11 chapters on world history and39 chapters on the first four members of the Israelites nation. Exodus tells how they left Egypt and givs instructions for building the tabernacle, their place of worship. Leviticus and Numbers give the Israelite law and tell of their 40 years of wandering, while Deuteronomy is a restatement of the law for a new generation about to enter the land God had promised back in Genesis.

Joshua tells about the conquest and distribution of that land and Judges tells the sad story of what they did once they had it. Ruth is a short book that takes place near the end of Judges. The two books of Samuel are about the beginning of the monarchy and the first two kings of  Israel, Saul and David, and the two books of Kings dead with David's soon Solomn, the bsplit of the kingdom, and the kings of both kingdoms, while Chronicles -- both books -- covers the same ground, but with an emphasis on the southern kingdom of Jydah and the priesthood.

Job is a book about the of God. Psalms was the songbook of ancient Israel. Proverbs is attributed to Solomon (mostly), as are Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, also called the Song of Solomon. They are a collection of wise sayings, a meditation on life, and a love poem, respectively.

 Ther rest of the Old Testament is the prophets, who both foretold the future and called Israel to repent and follow the law. Isaiah_Danielare known as theMajor Prophets, more because their books are longer than because their prophecies were more important. The rest are called Minor Proophets.

And it's all true.