Review: CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE by Richard Foster

Having first appeared in the 1970s, this book is considered a classic of Christian writing. It has sold millions of copies, and while it has often been imitated, it has never been bettered.

Foster essentially lists and explains ten ancient Christian disciplines. Some, like Bible reading, are things Christians should already be doing. Others, like meditation, should only be undertaken with caution.

Overall, I liked this book. Discipline isn't something Christians are known for, but it should be. 

2Kings 1

Always speak kindly to God's prophet.

The fact two captains of fifty didn't, and look what happened. God sent fire down to protect his prophet, but also to prove that that's what Elijah was. He answered Elijah's if/then statement in an unmistakable way.

So what am I?

For years, I've considered myself a Southern Baptist. This was due to both chance, as the churches my family and I attended turned out to belong to the Southern Baptist Convention, and conviction, because the Southern Baptists' statement of faith, the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, is as good a statement of belief as any, and better than some.

Unfortunately, it would seem that a good many people in the Convention haven't read it. Especially back in 2003, when it was the only religious body on earth to vote to adopt a resolution support the Iraq War. Since then I've learned more about what Christ taught and how short even an ideal SBC would fall. I don't think I'm a Baptist anymore.

In fact, I'm not sure what I am these days.

Don't misunderstand me. I still believe the SBC is better than most. I believe it's the best of the major denominations in the country. A SBC church licensed me to preach and ordained me both as a deacon and as a pastor. My first pastorate was in a Southern Baptist church. I feel a great attachment to the SBC, and seeing it turn away from Scriptrure is like having a limb ripped off.

I still find Calvinism repugnant, and entanglement in or compromise with this world simply antichristian. The group I most associate with is the Anabaptists, at least as far as I know. (If you don't know what an Anabaptist is, think Amiish, Hutterites, and especially Mennonites. Not necessarily the way they live, but what they believe.) No one follows the Bible perfectly, but they seem like the least imperfect of the bunch.

Review: THE GODS OF PEGANA by Lord Dunsany

This is another of Dunsany's collections of very short stories. This time, they're all grouped around a single theme, that of Dunsany's invented mythology.

I liked this book a lot, but I realize that 100-year-old fantasy stories don't appeal to everyone. If you're into that sort of thing, though, I highly recommend it.

Review: BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW by John Eldredge

For better or worse, this is an Eldredge book, with all that implies.

Needless to say, it's written well. In addition to his own talent, Eldredge has a background in theatre, and is living example of the truth that reading good authors makes you a good author.

The central idea is that Jesus is bigger and wilder than we think. If that sounds familiar, it should. It's the central idea of most of Eldredge's books. It seems like Eldredge has made the same mistake as many others: he assumes his own experience is normative.

He loves the wilderness,so all men must love the wilderness, so God must love the wilderness. It doesn't take a genius to to find the problem with that logic. By that argument, he fly fishes, so all men must fly fish,so God must fly fish. He's named John Eldredge, so all men must be named John Eldredge, so God must be named John Eldredge.

I don't recommend this book, because it's so similar to his other books, and because he seems to have made God in his own image  

All three together

Martin Luther said that no one should even be considered a Christian who doesn't know the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed. I don't always agree with him, but this seems like a good starting point. For the last few months I've been breaking down each trying to explain them. Here are all three without my comments.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 

1. Don't have other gods.

2. Don't make any idols.

3. Don't misuse God's name 

4. Keep the Sabbath holy.

5. Honor your parents.

6. Don't kill 

7. Don't sleep around.

8. Don't steal.

9. Don't lie.

10. Don't covet.

That's the Chris Bloom version, which is a lot easier to understand than some. Here's the Lord's Prayer in the ESV.

THE LORD'S PRAYER 

Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

And here is the traditional translation of the Apostles' Creed.

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into Hell:

The third day he rose again from the dead:

He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: 

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

I believe in the Holy:Ghost:

I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of the saints:

The forgiveness of sins:

The resurrection of the body:

And life everlasting. Amen.

1Kings 22

This is a long chapter. It's also a disturbing one, and not just because Jehoshaphat, a "good" king, was allied with Ahab. If lying is a sin, by sending a "lying spirit" God seems to implicate himself.

The fact is I haven't figured it out yet.

2Kings will start on Monday.

Review: WHAT THE EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY by David Bercot

I may as well admit that I'm a big fan of Bercot and place a lot of weight on what the Ante-Nicene church (before the Council of Nicea in 325 AD) believed. This subject is also one that has bothered me a lot -- and caused me a good deal of trouble over the years.

Suffice to say that you'll probably find something to disagree with in this short book. I did, and Calviinistic Baptists will be especially offended. Check it with Scriptrure, though, and remember that the question is not whether you like it, but whether it's true.

1Kings 21

Ahab was bad, but Jezebel was even worse. 

Ahab was a whiner and quite possibly the most evil king Israel ever had. But Jezebel loved to instigate, and in this chapter shows herself perfectly capable of going behind the king's back to start a lie that got someone killed.

Fear or love?

I try to use this blog as a tool  to do whatever I can to build the Kingdom of God. But a question nags at me: am I doing this because I'm afraid of God,  or because I genuinely love him?

I  first became a Christian because was afraid of Hell. I don't think that's the best motivation, but it's a legitimate one. However, if that's still the main reason I obey years later, there's something wrong.

The question becomes one of love. I know God loves us; his actions prove it. I've always said that the scariest passage in Scripture is Matthew 7.21-23, in which people tell Jesus all the good things they did in his name, only to hear he never knew them.

I don't want to hear that.

 

1Kings 20

Ben-Hadad led 32 kings and their armies against Ahab. When they were beaten, he assumed that it was because they had fought in the hills, and Israel's God was a god of the hills. He thought if they fought in the lowlands he would win.

He was wrong. God is God everywhere.

Review: ARISTOTLE IN 90 MINUTES by Paul Strathern

I need to admit something.  I really like philosophy, but I'm too lazy to read the dense, thick tomes on which it seems to be based. In that sense, these books were made for me .

This book has an introduction, a summary of his life and works, a selection of quotes, and a couple of timelines: one or Aristotle's life and one of important dates in philosophy as a whole. Strathern manages to pack a lot of information in this short book.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.

1Kings 19

Elijah wasn't afraid of confronting King Ahab, or of mocking the prophets of Baal even when ludicrously outnumbered. Near as we can tell, he feared no man. But he sure did run from Queen Jezebel.

Elijah's problem wasn't the fear of man, but of woman.

1Kings 18

This chapter has one of my favorite stories.

The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a great one. What's often overlooked is the sacrifice he made. Not the bull, but the water. In the middle of a drought, he poured water on the altar until everything was so soaked that water ran down and filled a trench around the altar. Rather than being dramatic, Elijah was offering something precious,

1Kings 17

Elijah was given the power to make the drought last or stop and then sent out of Israel to a Gentile widow. Not only did he make her meager store of food last until the end of the drought, but he also brought her son back to life after he died of an illness.

Sounds like Israel blessing the nations to me.

Review: 10 BOOKS THAT SCREWED UP THE WORLD (AND FIVE MORE THAT DIDN'T HELP)

by Benjamin Wiker 

The key to understanding this book is to understand the author's perspective. Wiker writes as a neoconservative, and reading from that point of view makes a great bit of difference.

You may not agree with the choice of books or the interpretation of them, but it's hard to fault Wiker's subsequent logic. In the end, it's all about presuppositions. If you agree or at least can understand why he feels that way I recommend this book. If you don't or can't, I don't.

Review: MORMONISM by David Cloud

Cloud is a Fundamentalist with a big F, who separates from anyone who introduces "innovations" into the church. Despite this, what I've seen from him before was irenic and reasonable.

This book is no exception. In fact, it's so reasonable it's bland, and the fact that this short book contains information easily found elsewhere doesn't help.

It's hard to recommend this book. It's a pretty good introduction to Mormonism, but a pretty bad one to Cloud.

And the life everlasting. Amen.

This is the end of the Apostles' Creed, the third thing Martin Luther said every Chrstian should know. There are two very important points in this last line.

I actually misspoke when I mentioned people gaining eternal life. Eternal life would have no beginning or end. A better word is really "everlasting", like the Creed says.

The other important point has to do with the word "amen". It's not just something we put at the end of prayers or say during a sermon. It means you agree. The best way I've heard it explained is that amen is short for "I wish I'd said that.'

Next week I'll list everything together.

1Kings 16

The kings of Israel seemed to get worse and worse.

At least Judah occasionally had a good king. Israel had nothing but bad ones and, as we'll see in the next few days, sometimes their wives were even worse.

Which one?

I hear a lot about how we need to get America back to what it once was. What I always wonder is this: which America do we need to get back to?

The one of the 1980s, when we killed people all over the world and had enough nuclear weapons to destroy the earth hundreds of times?

Or maybe we should get back to 1960, when blacks were systematically discriminated against?

Was our country more Christian during the two world wars, when we trusted guns instead of God to make the world better?

How about the turn of the last century, when it was acceptable for people to die as long as profits stayed up?

Maybe we should go back to the 1860s, when hundreds of thousands killed each other while chaplains claimed that both North and South had God on its side.

Or should we go all the way back to the founding of this great nation, when our Founding Fathers wanted everything in a red coat dead and the tradition of lying to and stealing from the Indians carried on.

It was, you know. By professing Christians.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-American. I love this country, and feel very blessed to have been born here. I believe the United States of America is the best nation men have come up with. But I'm also honest, and I know this same nation has consistently broken God's laws. We should stop  perpetuating the lie that it hasn't.

1Kings 15

If length of reign was a sign of God's approval, then Asa was by far the best king of Judah so far.

Think about it. Even the celebrated David only ruled 40 years, albeit over a united kingdom. Asa got 41. It's not that simple , though. I can think of someone much worse who reigned much longer, but we'll get to him.

Review: VELVET ELVIS by Rob Bell

Rob Bell is a few years older than me, and is arguably the most famous "Christian" of my generation. This was his first book.

Like many authors his age, Bell is better at asking questions than answering them. It reminds me of something I learned in the Navy: never bring up a problem without also bringing up a solution. Bell brings up many problems, and few solutions.

This book also contains his trampoline analogy, in which doctrines are compared to trampoline springs. Yes, a trampoline will work just fine with a few springs missing, just as you can be a Christian without holding to all of some doctrines. Bell's analogy fails at two points, though.

First, it ignores the fact that if you keep removing springs, you'll eventually find yourself not bouncing on a trampoline, but standing on the ground. Second, doctrines often build on each other , and taking one out may take out several otherwise solid ones with it.

Bell has embraced postmodernity, with its denial of absolute truth, closely, and I can't recommend his books.

1Kings 14

There's no such thing as a victimless crime, especially if you're king. Because of Jeroboam's evil, Israel was taken from his family forever.

Just because God gave something doesn't mean he can't take it back.

1Kings 13

Do what God said. Peiriod.

Jeroboam didn't have to make golden calves. In fact, he was specifically told not to. The false prophet didn't have to lie. In fact, he was specifically told not to. The man of God didn't have to turn aside and eat there. In fact, he was specifically told not to. See a pattern?

The resurrection of the body

The popular notion of spirits floating around the clouds for eternity is just that: a popular notion. It's certainly not from the Bible. (And don't even get me started on the wings and harps.)

What the Bible does talk about is a bodily resurrection in a physical existence. What will it be like? I don't know. No one does. I believe the afterlife for Christians will be better than we can imagine, just as Hell will be worse.

But we'll have bodies either way.

Review: RSV New Testament (Dramatized) by Falcon Picture Group

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible caught a lot of backlash and was essentially rejected on publication by evangelicals because of one Old Testament verse. Several products neatly sidestep the problem by using the New Testament alone. This is one of them.

Since my own weapon of choice, the English Standard Version, is about 70% identical to the RSV, I found this very easy to listen to. It was familiar. The dramatization was low-key and unobtrusive, and I recommend it.

1Kings 12

This is why I have a problem with most "youth" ministries. Rehoboam didn't need to listen to people his own age (or slightly older). He needed advisers who were older, who had been around a while.

And I have it on good authority that the Hebrew word doesn't mean "little finger", but a different body part entirely.

Review: ANOINTED FOR REVIVAL by Geof Waugh et al.

Waugh is apparently an Australian pentecostal. A while back a lot of his work was given away free, so I have a good many of his books. If they're all like this, that's too bad.

The problem with this book is that it's schizophrenic. There's no one style, like there would be in a book with a single author. Even in books of essays and stories with many authors, there is usually a theme holding it all together. Here there's nothing. It just feels thrown-together.

The first half consists of hagiographies of early pentecostal leaders. These are apparently students' papers. The second half is a history of the pentecostal center in Brisbane, written by Waugh. There is no attempt to connect the halves.

I don't recommend this book, partly because of its random nature, and partly because it's just boring. 

1Kings 11

It seems to be hard to remember that the higher you go, the farther you have to fall.

God had warned of the dangers of foreign entanglements, especially marriage to foreign women,  but Solomon didn't listen. Despite his divine wisdom, he thought he knew better than God. The result was that that he wives led him astray.

The best thing ever for missions?

Some of you know that before my stroke I was planning on being a missionary to Newfoundland in Canada. When I'm able that's still what I want to do. To that end, I've tried to learn everything I could about missions, apologetics, church planting, evangelism (which together I think of as MACE), and the island itself.

I learn best by reading, and rather than carrying around several thousand pounds of books, I can just take my Kindle up there.

Whether they're Kindles, Nooks, or some other strange creature, E-readers are a boon for those who need access to a library but can't always count on one being available. They're also good for people like me who can't hold a book.

For less than $100 you can give a missionary 2000 years of wisdom. Even better, the Kindle reading app is free, and public domain books are free or nearly so, so the cost is more like $10.

That's cheap no matter who you are.

1Kings 10

Of course Solomon was world-famous,

If the richest person in this world was also the wisest, and was head of a worldwide trading empire, and gave the credit to God for everything, you would've heard of him, too.

Review: ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TIP YOUR NINJA by Jerremy C. Shipp

This is a collection of "maxims for the clinically absurd", and sounds like the sort of thing Mr. Shipp's friends found hilarious. Not being one of those happy few, I found it more amusing than funny.

I don't recommend it, simply because there are much funnier books out there.

1Kings 9

When Hiram came to help when Solomon was building, he brought his own materials. Solomon paid him with 20 cities. When they proved unacceptable, he gave Hiram a lot of money involved.

Gold is always accepted.

Review: THE CHRISTIAN ATHEIST by Craig Groeschel

This book is exactly right in pointing out those who profess to worship Christ but live as if he didn't exist. Those are the Christian atheists of the title. The disconnect is troubling, and the concept is well worth a book.

The only problem is the author. The last chapter is the most autobiographical, and seems to depict Groeschel, pastor of something called "lifechurch.tv", as tied up chasing money as anyone else. It tends to make what came before seem hypocritical.

Even with that caveat, I recommend it.

1Kings 8

A couple of days ago, we read it chapter about the temple, but even that construction work it wasn't complete. Half the chapter yesterday was dedicated to Hiram making me furnishings and utensils necessary for it to function, but even that didn't complete it.

It wasn't complete until the ark was in t.

The forgiveness of sins;

This is the great hope Christians have. Not eternal life; everyone gets that, but most people have to spend it in Hell.

We all need forgiveness,  because we've already sinned ourselves to death. Sin is just going against God. He won't put up with sin now, what makes you think he'll put up with it for eternity in Heaven?

The reason -- the only reason -- we can be accepted by the Father is to that our sins are forgiven, and the only way that could happen is that the Son had to die to pay for them.

1Kings 7

Solomon spent a lot of time and money on the temple, trying to make it worthy of the God to whom it was dedicated. What does it mean that he spent so much more on himself?

Half of this long chapter is given over to describing the palace of Solomon, and the rest to the furniture Hiram cast for the temple. While the temple was fully furnished, it's disturbing how concerned Solomon eas with his own comfort.

Review: THE GOSPEL OF JESUS by Daniel Johnson, read by Garrison Keillor

This is the only freebie you get. I said a while back that I like audiobooks, and you'd have to figure out which were read and which were listened to. The "read by " credit kind of gives this one away, though.

I like the way Keillor reads, though, and think of this as as much his book as Johnson's. When it comes down to it, this is a very well-done harmony of the Gospels, based on the New Living Translation, and read by Garrison Keillor. There's no part of that sentence I don't like, and I highly recommend it.

1Kings 6

Though it's not likely that Solomon ever swung a hammer, this chapter repeatedly says that he built the temple.

I know what's meant . The author only meant that Solomon caused it to be done, not that he did it himself. Still, it's a funny picture, Solomon in robe and crown,doing it all alone.

And here's another post on Locked- In Syndrome

I realized that it's been a long time since I wrote anything about the shape I'm in. There are a couple of reasons for this. The most  important is that I just don't like talking about myself. The most boring subject to write on is me.

As for Locked-In Syndrome, the old description is the best:  I have a good mind in a good body, with no real communication between them. Practically, this means that I'm completely paralyzed and can only reliably move my eyes.

There. Now you know more about it than the doctors I've met.

1Kings 5

Hiram, the king of Tyre, thought very highly of David, and Solomon reaped the rewards.

Hiram had the wood harvested. He had it flowed and carried to the sites that Solomon had pointed out,. Hiriram sent craftsmen, found work for tens of thousands of conscriptted Israelites, and even came himself to supervise. But Solomon had to feed them all.

Review: WILD AT HEART by John Eldredge

This is the first Eldredge book I ever read, several years ago. Unfortunately, it's also the book that convinced me that while his psychology may be good his theology is terrible.

First, the good. Eldredge points directly to the problem when he states that men in general don't feel needed or even welcome in a world that seems to have been designed for womenl. He also writes wrell, and I always think it's a good idea to do that.

And if that was all, everything would be great. Unfortunately, there's the bad. Specifically, there are two areas of concern. The first is a mistake even great philosophers have made: he assumes that his own experiences are normative. Not only does he think all his desires come from God because he's ssved, but he tends to identify his tastes and God's. Essentially, God becomes John Eldredge writ large.,

Potentially more problematic is his attitude toward God's omniscience. Eldredge repeatedly refers to the "risks" God took creating people with free will. Risk implies a lack of knowledge about the future that skirts dangerously close to Open Theism.

I would love to recommend this book, but I can't.

1Kings 4

This is Israel's golden age, without a doubt.

Look how much land they controlled. Abraham had been promised all the land between the Euphrates and the sea, and this is as close as they got to claiming that promise.

Review: WAKING THE DEAD by John Eldredge

The "dead" to which the the title refers are desires and dreams, particularly those of men. As in most of his books, Eldredge wants men to break out of their civilized shells and become the strong, wild men God created them to be, which seems to involve fly fishing, for some reason. And elk hunting.

This isn't so much a bad book as a nonessential one. There is very little in this that isn't in his other books. For that reason, I don't recommend it 

1Kings 3

I find it more than a little ironic that Solomon asked for wisdom to know good from evil while he was at the "great high place" where he was accustomed to offer enormous sacrifices . Even more amazing is that God granted it provided he followed God's laws.

For example by not sacrificing to Baal.

I believe in the holy catholic church, the communion of the saints

First, understand that "catholic" is an old word meaning "universal". No one is pledging allegiance to the Church of Rome by repeating the Apostles' Creed.

The Church consists of followers of Christ in every place and every time. It is the universal community of saints, "saints" being another name for Christians in the New Testament.

The Church is not a place you go. It's not an institution founded by people. It isn't even synonymous with any denomination or sect. Simply put, it's all people throughout all time and space who love Jesus Christ and are loved by him.

1Kings 2

David's last place of advice to Solomon was just a hit list. Solomon had it carried out, making this a very bloody chapter.

It's more like The Godfather than the Bible.

Review: REVOLUTION IN WORLD MISSIONS by KP Yohannon

This is another of those books that changed my whole outlook.

Yohannon is a native of southwestern India, and his organization, Gospel for Asia, trailns native missionaries who can spread the Gospel more quickly and easily than Westerners can. The book is both autobiography, tracing the lives of Yohannon and GfA, and manifesto, calling for an end to the status quo and the increased use of native missionaries rather than foreigners.

I highly recommend this book. It opened my eyes, and will likely have the same effect on you.

1Kings 1

Yet another rebellion by a son. What a way to start a book.

David was too old to rule effectively, and Adonijah slipped in his own coronation without bothering to let his father know. David was too old and sick to do anything about it anyway. But Solomon wasn't.

The S-word

I'm going to tell you a secret.

It's a word, one the "good" people say they don't know. They're lying, though. Everyone has to deal with it one way or another.

It's certainly not a word you'd want to use in polite company. In fact some churches never use it, and some preachers take a lot of pride in the fact that they've never used the word, and they probably never will.

Of course, we mere mortals should forget we ever heard it, and under no circumstances are we to say the S-word, especially to someone not already in our club.

What word am I talking about? Lean close and then I'll tell you.

It's sin.

It's not what people want to hear. You won't build a 10000-member congregation talking about sin. You can't become rich and famous or have a string of $10 billion campuses or travel the world in private planes by telling people to repent. The question was never, "Is the Gospel helpful?" but "Is it true?"

Is it true?

Review: RADICAL by David Platt

If you're a reader like me, there are a few books that have changed the way you look at the world. This is one of mine.

The idea behind the book is simple: Christians in America don't have to live the American dream, particularly since Christ called his followers to the exact opposite. Instead of chasing bigger, better, and newer stuff, we're to live quiet lives of service and humility.

This book was a breath of fresh air the first time I read it, and it continues to be every time I reread it. I recommend it; it's definitely a message we need to hear.

Review: HOW TO CHOOSE AND USE A WIDE-MARGIN BIBLE by Randy A. Brown

Randy Brown runs the Bible Buying Guide, a blog  that a) specializes in news and reviews of new Bible editions,  and b) is better than this one. He's gained a lot of knowledge, and he's been good enough to share some in books like this.

I personally thought this book was written and put together well. It's clear it isn't a professional job, but it's also clear that Brown put in the effort in both the writing and Kindle formatting to make it as good as possible. The only complaint I have is that there isn't more of it. There's a lot of information here, but it's still a very short book. Then again, maybe I shouldn't be so critical of short things; my lovely wife is one, after all.

All told, this is a good book on an unfortunately obscure subject.. I recommend everyone read it visit the site, and get your own wide-margin Bible.

2Samuel 24

This is either several interconnected stories or one long one. I personally think it's the latter. Regardless, this chapter tells how Israel got the land for the temple. I also like the fact that David wouldn't offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing.

He really was a man after God's own heart.

1Kings will start Monday.

Review: THE ACCIDENTAL ANARCHIST by Bryna Kaszler

And here I thought I was done with Russians for a while.

Actually, this is a fictionalized rendition of the life of the author's grandfather. His biography was very picturesque, and Kanzler does a good job of describing the immensity of Siberia and the inhuman conditions of the Russian army and the gulags.

At the end of the book, the author reveals the practical upshot of all the adventures: this is how her family came to America. The biographical note at the end bridges the gap between the author's time and that of her subject.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Despite my antipathy toward its setting, it drew me in, and I enjoyed reading it. I recommend it.

2Samuel 23

This chapter is divided into two. Verses 1-7 give an account of David's last prophecy, and verse 8 on tell of his mighty men.

It's interesting that God rarely spoke through David while he was king. He wrote most of his psalms as a shepherd, and though he never stopped seeking God's will,often he was spoken to rather than through.

I believe in the Holy Ghost

Do you, really? Francis Chan called him the "forgotten God"; he's definitely the hardest one to visualize.(I always picture and a huge manta ray for some reason,)

The King James Version and this creed haven't helped by translating this as "Holy Ghost". Most newer works say "Holy Spirit", which I prefer. I don't doubt that ghost was the best word at the time, but these days it just brings up images of spooks.

Let's be clear. There aren't any haints in Christianity. There were a few people who were raised from the dead, and one notable occasion when a man's soul was called up from the land of the dead. Other than that,there's nothing. We worship the living, not the dead.

Whether you believe in him or in some preconceived notion of him, the Holy Spirit is God. He's an integral part of the Trinity, and Jesus said it was better for him to leave so the Spirit would come.

Do yourself a favor and research the Holy Spirit. Do yourself an even bigger favor and pray for guidance first. There's a lot of crazy about him on the interwebs.

2Samuel 22

He was the king of all Israel. Many kings paid tribute to him. The armies of the nation were under his command, and he knew exactly how many chariots, horses, and men he had. Yet this whole chapter is a song of praise to God.

He had everything,but he knew who it was all from.

2Samuel 21

David started off killing a giant, and all this time later he's still doing it.

This time is different, though. His commanders asked him to stay home because he was too valuable to lose. That's different from staying home for no reason except to get in trouble. He was becoming an old man, and was being treated as such.

Then church is supposed to be boring?

Never. Church services should never be boring.

Just look in the Bible. There are battles, intrigue, love songs, extramarital affairs, unbelievable wins and heartbreaking losses. That's the kind of thing we hear about in church. Doesn't sound boring to me.

And don't use the excuse that you can't understand the Bible. There are something like 60 kajillion translations of the Bible now. Find a reputable one you like and read it, and if you don't get something, ask.

In fact, that's another reason why you should be in church: the people who can answer your questions are there.

Charles Spurgeon, possibly one of the greatest preachers who ever lived, gave his students this advice: if you see people going to sleep, give each of your deacons a long stick and a penknife, and tell them to whittle one end of that stick down to a needle-sharp point. That way, when people start to nod off, they can prod the preacher.

To paraphrase John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, it's the preacher's job to be on fire; it's yours to be there to watch him burn.

What I mean is that the pastor is responsible for making sure that the service isn't dull. You have to adjust your expectations and realize that the entire world doesn't exist just to entertain you. Who knows? You may even start liking it, and then you can be a church nerd too.

He is risen!

Easter isn't about boiling eggs, though plenty of people like hard-boiled eggs.

Easter isn't about new dresses and hats, though there's nothing wrong with a pretty girl in a pretty dress.

Easter isn't about celebrating springtime; after all, it's autumn in half the world.

Easter isn't about hiding plastic eggs, though watching little kids try to find them is a lot of fun 

Easter isn't about candy, though candy is very good. 

Easter isn't about the Germanic goddess Eostre, though few of us call it "Pascha" anymore.

Easter isn't about family getting together, though family getting together is nice.

All of these things are just stuff we've piled on a holiday that's really about one thing: a man who died on Friday walked out of the tomb on Sunday.

He is risen, indeed.

2Samuel 20

Sheba learned the wrong lesson from Absalom's rebellion.

The only reason it had seemed easy -- and had almost succeeded -- was David's reluctance to fight his son. He felt no such reluctance when it came to Sheba, and when the people of the city where Sheba had hidden saw this army arrayed against them, they took care of the problem themselves.

Review: THE PURSUIT OF GOD by AW Tozer

Other than a couple of CS Lewis books, nothing that didn't say Holy Bible on the first page had such an effect on me.

It's a very good book, one of the best I've ever read. I recommend it in the strongest possible terms. Some of that may have to do with its size; it's not a long break at all, but it's a very full one.

But it might not affect you the same way. I think it's one of the greatest books ever written. Your mileage may vary.

2Samuel 19

Joab was replaced as David's top general, that's given in a short, almost throwaway, clause in a sentence about someone else. It's significant, since Joab had been with him a long time, and was one of the very few people who could speak openly to the king. Maybe that's why David got rid of him.

He was afraid to face a popular general who was much like himself.

Review: DELIVER US FROM ME-VILLE by David Zimmerman

This is a very good book.

It covers a lot of the same ground as Embracing Obscurity, but in my opinion is the better book.

The idea is that Christians should stop expecting everything to revolve around them and churches should stop catering to that.

We live in a very self-centered time, in which we have to be told we aren't the center of the universe. This book is a good antidote for that, and I definitely recommend it.

2Samuel 18

Absalom was ultimately brought down by his hair. If that isn't an argument for short hair, I don't know what is,

Like the Amalekite in chapter 1, the Cushite thought he was bringing David good news. He didn't account for how much the king loved his son, though.

From thence he will come to judge the quick and the dead

First off, "quick" is just an old way of saying "alive". The Apostles' Creed simply says that Christ will judge the dead and the not-dead. Last I checked, that covers everybody.

Wait. Jesus is going to judge people? I thought we weren't supposed to do that. Doesn't it say right there in the Bible, "Judge not, lest thou be judged"?

It's funny how people who don't know the first thing about Scriptrure always quote this King James Version. If you hear very old, Elizabethan English, you're virtually guaranteed to be talking to one.

And I know that the KJV was translated not under Elizabeth I, but under her successor, James I. I also know the KJV was meant to be slightly old-fashioned, Elizabethan even.

But that's just a very long rabbit trail.

What matters is what that line means, and the answer to that is simple: exactly what it says.  It's remarkably straightforward. There just isn't a lot of explanation necessary. Just remember that God the Son will leave the Father's side to judge humanity.

Like it says.

2Samuel 17

it has always bothered me when God's people get what they want by lying. In this chapter, Hushai was sent specifically to call Ahithophel's good counsel bad. He was to lie.

I'm still thinking that through.

Review: THE NEXT STORY by Tim Challies

Challies is a very popular blogger. He is also Canadian, which doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I thought I would mention it anyway.

This book is about the incredible growth of computer technology and interconnection, and how Christians should react. It's timely and very well-written. I recommend this book as a good look at a very important subject.

2Samuel 16

David showed wisdom even in defeat.

He would have been justified in killing Shimei, or in telling someone to do it. Instead, he let him live, showing how the years and the circumstances had mellowed his hot-headed nature.

Should church be more entertaining?

That's something I've heard a lot. It's usually used as an excuse for why men don't want to go to church. The other popular excuse I've heard is that women are just more religious than men. That's patently false; in the various Eastern Orthodox churches, as many men as women attend, and in Islam more men than women attend weekly services.

So much for the second objection. 

The first brings us back to the original question. Should church be more entertaining? I remember hearing last year that it church were more like football, he might go.

But should that be the case? Should church be more like football? I'm not going to defend the modern church service, which owes more to the medieval Church of Rome than to the Bible. I don't think that the church needs to be more entertaining. I think we're too concerned about being entertained.

That's why some churches have a live nativities. It's why some have motorcycles, wild game nights, and whatever else they think will attract men. This is just pitiful.

What we need to do is stop going to church looking to be entertained. What the church needs to do is stop trying to compete with the world in terms of entertainment. It can't, and it shouldn't. All the church has that the world doesn't is Jesus.

That's where the focus should be. Before they hear about anything else, they should hear about him. There isn't anything inherently wrong with all the other stuff, but it's all secondary to him.

Let's keep first things first.

2Sanuel 15

This is what happens when you let your kids run wild: they rebel.

This chapter tells about the early success of Absalom's rebellion. Rather than stand up to his murderous, rebellious child, David ran. He also made plans to take his throne back. He had been at his best when running from a king, after all.

Review: THE MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN RELIGION by Gregory A. Boyd

This  is a companion and a follow-up to Boyd's earlier work, The Myth of a Christian Nation. Unfortunately, it's just not good enough.

There are two problems with it. The fact is that it's not alone. The premise is that modern Christianity owes more to secular sources than to the Bible. This is also the idea behind Pagan Christianity, by perennial trend-chasers George Barna and Frank Viola, and as much as I hate to admit it, the latter is the better book.

The other problem is the specter of Open Theism that overshadows the book. For those who don't know, Open Theism is the belief that God doesn't know the future, and it's a position with which Boyd has been increasingly associated. I'm not sure of his beliefs right now, but it's hard not to read his work without that in mind.

Even leaving that aside, I don't recommend it. It's not as good as the book it follows, and it's not as good as the one by Barna and Viola. 

2Samuel 14

David was as decent as any man who ever lived, but he seems to have been impetuous, blind to his own behavior, and far too enamored of his power as King. Together, these made the palace of King David a dangerous place for anybody not named King David.

That may be why he so often had to be tricked into doing the right thing.

Review: MINISTRIES OF MERCY by Tim Keller

Keller started a church in the middle of New York City, which I suppose makes him qualified to write a book on helping the poor. Well, that and the fact that he's a good writer.

That isn't always the case. Too often, people get book deals just because they're famous. No one seems to care if they can write., or if they have anything to say. The work is usually farmed out to ghostwriters anyway, which makes it ironic when they can't write either. There's no pressure to make a good book; the publisher is selling the famous name, not the book. The only loser is the reader. I blame Al Gore.

Sorry. I didn't mean that to turn into a rant.

What I meant to say was that Keller writes well. Many books of the kind first try to bury the reader in statistics or drown him in syrupy sentimentality before bringing in bibical reasons to care. Keller disdains tactics like that,keeping a close focus on Scriptrure the whole time.

Why should we care about the poor? Keller gives us a biblical answer, and shows how that answer can look played out in the world. This book's goal isn't to make you feel guilty, but to help you act biblically, and I recommend it.

2Samuel 13

Everyone should read this chapter. It has everything -- incest, rape, murder  -- something for the whole family, really.

It also gives us a chance to talk about David. He was a great warrior and poet, less imprssive as a king, and to judge by this chapter, an abject failure as a father.

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

We not only believe that Jesus lived a perfect life and rose from the grave on the third day, but that he ascended into Heaven, where he remains today, ruling with the Father.

There isn't much else to say. Personally, I feel that his resurrection and eternal life give me more reason to trust in my own.

2Samuel 12

A lot of the time, sin doesn't just hurt the sinners. Already David had to have Uriah killed to protect himself. Now the child that would have exposed him died after a week anyway.

If it weren't for the 51st Psalm, I don't know that anything good could have come from it.

Review: COMPLETE WORKS by Sophocles

This is the second of three Greek tragedies in the Great Books series. It's marginally better than the plays of Aeschylus, but that's like saying you'd rather be hanged than injected. (I would, by the way.)

I found this slightly more interesting simply because I was familiar with one of the plays, Oedipus the King. Since that's the extent of the nice things I can say about it, I'll just rant about something instead.

I really like Delphi's complete works collections, but to keep prices down they have to use Public Domain translations. These are mostly Victorian, and the translators all chose to use very archaic English as the target language. Maybe the fact that they're old translations of even older English plays that are ancient by any definition is part of the reason they don't do it for me.

Needless to say, I don't recommend this book, except as a sleep aid.

2Samuel 11

This is David's great sin, the one that changed his life and tarnished his reign.

It all started because he stayed home when he should have been with the army. He was bored, and it led to him committing adultery (as did Bathsheba; don't think she was just a wide-eyed innocent in all this), lied to cover it up, and had a man killed because he wouldn't help with his own deception. And it all began with a man being somewhere he had no business being, watching something he had no business watching.

The question about the centurion

I had a question put to me that asked why Jesus, when he healed the centurion's servant, he didn't tell the centurion to hang up his sword and stop being a soldier. After all, if followers of Christ are to depend on him rather than on weapons, as I believe, shouldn't Jesus have mentioned it to a professional soldier he actually met?

I can think of a couple of reasons why he didn't. The first is that Jesus didn't have exactly the same mission as his followers. I want to be very careful here, because we are commanded to be imitators of Christ in a great many ways. There are some things we can't do, though, which is fine because they aren't our job anyway. For example, no matter how good you think you are I'm prepared to guarantee that you weren't sent to die for the sins of the world.

The second is that Jesus was very clear that he came to the Israelites. He didn't come to save Romans, or Finns or Incas for that matter. He said he came for the lost sheep of this house of Israel, and that was in the context of not wanting to help a woman who was far more closely related to the Jews than a centurion would be. Simply put, Jesus' earthly ministry had a very tight focus, and correcting Roman soldiers wasn't it. It's significant that the task of carrying the Gospel out of the Promised Land was given to the apostles.

Figuring out why Jesus Christ did something is often very difficult. Figuring out why he didn't do something is at best nearly impossible. It's just one more example of the Bible telling us not what we want to know, but what we need to know.

2Samuel 10

When the king of the Ammonites died, David sent people to offer his condolences to the new king. Unfortunately, this new king listened to some very bad advice and mistreated them, which should a war.

Being suspicious'll get you killed.

Review: ALMOST HOME by Chris Fabry

This is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The cover, with its saturated colors and clichéd overall appearance, it leads the reader to expect a nice, quiet, cozy kind of buzz.

It's not. 

It's the story of a life, lived mostly in a hollow in West Virginia, with all its ups and downs. While there are some cliches, it's mostly a small story told very well. It's about a man's commitment, first to God, then to the people, places, and things he loves.

I recommend this book. I was pleasantly surprised by it, and I think you will be too.

2Samuel 9

Don't forget people when you're on top.

Even though he was the king of all Israel, David never forgot his friend Jonathan. For Jonathan's sake, he wanted to do good to whoever remained of Saul's family, and when the one he found turned out to be Jonathan's son, that was even better,

Review: MACBETH by William Shakespeare

Let's just take for granted that I don't get Shakespeare. That way I don't have to complain and you don't have to read it.

I actually like this one. It's considered one of the greatest plays of all time, so it's not like anyone was waiting for my opinion, but I really do like it. The little things that could be left out without harming the basic story, like this witches and Lady Macbeth's descent into madness, add layers of gloom to an already dark play. Even the movement of Birnham Wood contributes to the almost surreal atmosphere.

In short, if you haven't read it recently, you probably should. I didn't appreciate it when I was 17 either.

2Samuel 8

This is a chapter of triumph, plain and simple. Everything David touched seemed to turn to gold. The key is that he was always doing God's will.

If you're on God's side, he'll always be on yours.

The third day he rose from the dead:

This is the heart of the Christian Faith. As this apostle Paul said, if Christ didn't rise from the dead, we should be pitied more than anyone else. Fortunately, there's no good reason to doubt it.

"Proving it scientifically" isn't an option. The scientific method can never be used to prove historical events. They are by nature not repeatable. You can't prove that the North won the Civil War scientifically.

You can prove it evidentially, though, and wiser people than I have done so. The fact is the only reason to doubt it is to decide beforehand that the supernatural never happens.

But never mind that.

The reason I called it the heart of the faith is that so much depends on it. If Christ couldn't defeat death for his own sake, what makes me think he can do it for me? If he didn't rise, then I'm confusing God with a dead criminal. I and millions more over the last two millennia have devoted ourselves to a lie.

I believe in a Saviour who rose from the grave in three days. If I'm wrong I've wasted my time and yours, and I hope you'll forgive me. But I don't think I am.

2Samuel 7

I think it's interesting that God didn't speak directly to David on this, but used the prophet Nathan. Anyway, what he was talking to Nathan about was David's plan to build a temple. In response to what seems like a simple yes or no question, God makes an extravagant promise.

Be careful what you wish for. You might get something better.

Review: THE JOURNEY OF DESIRE by John Eldredge

After the death of Bret Curtis, John Eldredge could have quit writing. After all, Curtis was his best friend, as well as his partner in almost everything. Instead, he has become very prolific.

This book was one of Eldredge's earliest solo books, and the lack of confidence shows. It is a well-written book, and all of Eldredge's major themes are here, some still unfinished.

I wish I could recommend this book, but especially in light of the more mature work Eldredge would later produce, I can't.

2Samuel 6

Dignity is overrated, anyway.

Michal's complaint was basically that David was undignified and the servants would talk. David just didn't care. He wasn't dancing for her or the servants anyway. He was dancing because he was happy, and he was dancing for God. God didn't seem to mind a little Indignity, so neither did David.

God is love?

Of course. It says it right there in the Bible. In those exact words. In 1John. End of post.

Except actually not. As C. S. Lewis wrote, a lot of people say "God is love" when what they mean is "Love is god." Even worse, we think our 21st century Western view of love is god.

The current version of love is largely negative; we can't say anything about someone's "choices" -- which are immutable -- and we can't push our religion on anyone, which is defined as bringing it up or letting it affect our opinions.

In contrast, the Bible sees this as terribly unloving. There, love is seen as a positive motivation; it makes people do things. In the Bible, love equals action.

Think about that for a moment. To the world, love basically equals sex. You can do whatever you want with whomever you want provided you "love" them. The biblical definition of love includes wanting the best for a person, not just for now but for the long haul ... and according to the Bible, the long haul is very, very long.

The simple fact is that revelations about God are meant to do one thing first and foremost: reveal something about God. "God is love" tells us that God is love. It does not provide a convenient loophole that allows you to do all kinds of things the rest of the Bible condemns.

2Samuel 5

David was finally anointed king over all Israel.

Of course, God had had Samuel anoint him king years before, but it sometimes takes a long time for people to catch up to what God is doing.

Review: JESUS: THE ONLY WAY TO GOD by John Piper

Pluralism is the belief that there are many paths to God. It says that no matter which religion you choose, they all lead to the same place.

Frankly, it's insulting, not just to Christianity but to every other major religion as well. Since they all make conflicting claims, by saying they're all true, pluralism says that none of them are.

Piper's book is a broadside against all that.

He takes Jesus' claim to be the way, the truth, and the life at face value and examines what it means in today's world. It's sobering for those outside the visible Church, and even more so for professing Christians within it.

I recommend this book, with all the usual caveats about Piper's work.

2Samuel 4

David's respect for Saul extended to his family. The brothers thought David would be happy with Ish-Bosheth's death. After all, he had peeled off most of the kingdom, and was David's chief rival for the throne. Instead, David had the assassins killed and the remains of the false king honorably buried.

Wait 'til you see how he treats Jonathan's son Mephibosheth.

Review: HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN VOTE? by Tony Evans

The answer, unfortunately, is "like he always has". 

This book came out just before the 2012 presidential election, ostensibly to convince people to vote for the Republican candidate. But how do you convince people who have been taught their whole lives not to vote for a Democrat no matter what?

The fact is that, down here in Alabama at least, there were no undecided voters to convince. Some groups always vote for Democrats while the others always vote for Republicans. There are exceptions, but they're rare, and since there's no point in campaigning among people who already know how they'll vote, both groups have effectively taken themselves out of the electoral process.

I'm most definitely not trying to win votes for the Democratic Party. I just want people to think before they vote.

Regardless, this is supposed to be a book review, not a rant about voting. I don't recommend this book, because I don't agree with Mr. Evans' conclusions. Doing more of the same while expecting different results is just insane.

2Samuel 3

Be nice to people, because you just don't know,

Abner was a great general, even if he was on the wrong side. Through Ish-Bosheth's jealousy, Abner defected to the other side. unfortunately for him, Joab got his revenge for the death of his brother. David had his people mourn Abner, which only made them love him more.

Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell

The Romans were good at three things above all else: making laws, building roads, and killing people.

Modern law is still based on Roman codes. All over Europe are roads the Romans built that are still in use. And when a Roman soldier told you somebody was dead, you could pretty much count on it.

So let's not have any nonsense about how Jesus just fainted and the soldiers thought he was dead. I've seen people who have fainted, and I'm fairly certain that a spear thrust into his side, piercing his heart, would have at least woken him up.

So he suffered under Pontius Pillate, the Roman governor at the time (helping to establish his historicity) and was crucified, died, and was buried.

The only part that gives some people trouble is the thing about the Savior descending to Hell. If it makes you feel better, call it Sheol, the Land of the Dead, or whatever floats your boat.

2Samuel 2

This is where the divided kingdom began.

Not for good; there were three kings of the united monarchy, and so far we've only seen one. But it's funny how things broke down.

Review: HEARING GOD by Dallas Willard

Willard is that rare and strange creature popular with both Pentecostals and Baptists. This book, though it seems based on the title would have a Pentecostal focus, is actually much more about prayer.

It's a truism that prayer is a conversation with God, but too often the conversation is completely one-sided. We present our wish lists to God and leave, not caring what the Maker and Sustainer of the Universe might have to say to us.

Willard's book is about the other side of the conversation; it's basically about learning shut up and listen to God is saying to us. It's a message we evanjellyfish need to hear, but unfortunately Willard's style is sufficiently bland that the message slips the mind.

I recommend this book for its arguments, but I don't for its presentation. It's an easy book to admire, but a hard one to love.

2Samuel 1

There are two things you should know about David: he meant to eliminate the Amalekites, and he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt Saul, the Lord's anointed.

The Amalekite should have known what he was getting into.

W. D. J. K.?

Back in the late 1990s got used to seeing W. W. J. D on everything. It stood for "What Would Jesus Do", which was derived from the central question of Charles Sheldon's novel, In His Steps.

On one hand, it's a good question. We should try to act like our Savior in every situation. On the other, it's not a good question at all, because by asking what Jesus would do, it opens the door to all kinds of speculation.

A better guide to behavior is Ray Comfort's WDJD?: What Did Jesus Do? This has the double advantage of preventing speculation and encouraging people to read the Gospels to see what he did,

For the purposes of this post, though, I'm not asking What Did Jesus Do.?, but rather Who Did Jesus Kill? The church in which I was baptized was in love with the military; it held a Uniform Honor Sunday every year, and acted like my joining the Navy was the best thing to happen in years. For all I know, to their way of thinking, it was.

I've seen this in every church of which I've been a part. Why do we love the military so much? Why do people who claim to worship the Prince of Peace think that it's better to put a bullet in someone's face than to give that person a reason for the hope that lies within us?

So who did Jesus kill? According to the New Testament, no one. I can't think of a single time he retaliated against anyone who hurt him. Someone will no doubt come back with Jesus' appearance at the Battle of Armageddon. Two things should be remembered about that, though.

First, it will be less a battle than a slaughter. The enemies of God will see it as a final chance to rebel, but the Bible depicts it as a way to get all of Christ's enemies in one place. Second, we're not invited. As I recall, it isn't so much between two armies as between an army and Jesus Christ.

And whatever you do don't throw Romans 13 at me. I'm very tired of people so desperate to justify themselves that they allow a poor understanding of a single chapter to trump everything else the NT says.

In closing (a meaningless phrase preachers use) I want to share with everyone something a good friend once asked me. "Should we hope some people remain unsaved so they can be soldiers? I didn't know how to answer then, but I think I do now:

No, we should try to make everyone a Christian so we don't need soldiers anymore.