Bad Choices

Sometimes I just want to go out and make some bad decisions. I'm too dang intelligent to not realize they were stupid, so blatant idiocy is the only available explanation if I chose to make one of those bad choices.

Anything from completely blowing off the rest of school to pursuing an available girl just to make out to spending an outrageous amount of money on stuff I just want.

It is interesting to note that these urges to purposefully make mistakes often coincide with times I am discontent with God. As a friend of mine put it, "Christ isn't going to give up on us," and I sure hope he isn't.

I'm so dang tired of trying to live according to the faith I claim, and so dang tired of being tired of it.

I need some restoration up in here.

Overnight Hammocking

Last night my friend Andy and I slept in our hammocks instead of our dorm rooms. I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty dang cool. However, I must qualify it's dang coolness.

First, it is very difficult to sleep in a hammock, as it is not flat like a bed. That problem will hopefully be remedied next time we do it, with a little adjustment of the hanging technique.

Second, people are ridiculous. First, at about 2 AM, there was a group of 5-7 seemingly intoxicated people that came out to the pod-living structures near where we hung our hammocks, and proceeding to be ri-dang-diculously loud and obnoxious. Also, at a approximately 4 or 5 AM, two people came over and something along the lines of the following:

"Hmm, I wonder what these are?"
"I think they're hammocks."
"Yeah, it looks like that's what they are."

At which point one of them proceeded to lean down on Andy's hammock, which he had drawn over himself and was therefore not visible, to which he replied "Who's there!?"

"Oh F*CK! There's f*ckin' people in these hammocks!"

Which of course was very conducive to sleeping.

Overall, it was good though. Out of the 6 hours we were out there, I slept probably 5. Next time, though, armed with better technique and hopefully a better location, we should be solid for the whole night.

A Music Video

Music video for "Her Morning Elegance" by Owen Lavie. Pretty good stuff.

Tim Hawkins

I'd only seen some of his stuff, and it wasn't very funny...but these two, classic. Especially the Bible verse one:

Predestination vs. Free Will

I'm thinking about starting a blog called "Presdestination vs. Free Will." I've actually already registered the URL just in case.

The basic premise would be this: I'd get a few of my reformed friends and a few of my non-Calvinist friends, and we would look for examples in everyday life that represent our (or the opposing side's) view. Just little things which you could point to and say "Aha! Predestination!" or "Aha! Free will!"

The point would be to point to the fact that while it does matter what you believe, the really focus should be on going out and loving God and loving others.

So, anyone interested?

I Am A Fan of Mark Driscoll

Literally. When I was still on Facebook, I was one of his fans. Here's a hilarious passage from Vintage Jesus, by Mark Driscoll. I highly recommend this book:

"I have never had a suicidal thought, but in the darkest seasons of life I do find myself daydreaming about Jesus' return, some people getting loaded into a wood chipper, the curse being lifted, and the never-ending sunshine promised in Revelation so I won't have to put the top back on my Jeep. In the meantime, the feces and the fan are certain to continue interfacing until the day Jesus gets back and cleans up the mess we've all made."

Feces and Fan Interfacing. I love it.

Quotes o' Funnies

"If Tom Gill were in the military, there would be no more wars."
--Tom

"Get food and do your job."
--Joel, in reference to the conflict between ministry and obtaining sustenance

"They weren't being emergent per sé, but they were asking a lot of good questions and coming to not so good conclusions. Which is emergent."
--Me

"Seriously, Rick went to Palestine and came back with like 1,000 camels. And now they're all over the house."
--Joel

Why Reformed?

I understand there is a balance, but I agree with what he said:

"We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner. But the chief needs of people are still spiritual, and social work is no adequate substitute for evangelism. In fact, efforts to help people will only be truly effective as their hearts and minds are changed by the gospel."
--James Montgomery Boice

Health and Wealth Gospel, Revised

Here's a "corrective tract for the prosperity gospel" from John Piper's blog:



Harsh, but true. John Piper really despises the prosperity gospel. He followed up this picture with this verse:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" [Mark 8:34-36]

Dry Bones Becoming As Flesh

I saw this picture on John Hendrix's blog. He is an amazing illustrator. I don't care if you don't really care for art, you should definitely check out his blog.



I've always been intrigued by this particular passage of scripture. It's one of those ones that I'd cite in reference to the fact that we've lost a sense of wonder at what God can and will do.

I'm almost positive it's symbolic (even though no one has really figured out Ezekiel), which, for someone who often feels like a skeleton of a man, is very heartening news.

My Words Worth of Wordsworth

Tonight is going to be one of those nights where I would put my Facebook status up as "T.J. is going to be up real late working on this paper" only to be be followed by "T.J. is still working on this paper" and then later by "T.J. has only ___ more pages left on his paper" and possibly by "T.J. is dead."

Providentially, however, I do not have a Facebook to distract me from tonight's endeavor. Hopefully I won't be distracted by other online endeavors. This post is a testament to that statement's improbability.

William Wordsworth is the topic, and while I do enjoy writing about literature, I think I'd rather punch myself in the face repeatedly while sitting on a bed of ants and listening to Celine Dion than stay up for the remainder of this paper.

Think about that as a personal hell.

Jesus Wants Sinners

Another video, this time from the Desiring God Blog. Very powerful...this one pissed me off as much as the guy said he was.

How many times do I do the same thing though? Placing a judgment and declaring through my actions or words that Jesus does not want something broken?

Resurrection Video

This video comes to you via the blog of a staff member, while I have a few things to say about this church, and even this video, I must say it is in the least powerful, and the poem ain't bad either:


Elevation Church Easter Opener from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Unlying Pixels

I have found that I can tell myself and really believe that I am 100% okay with something, but as soon as I see a picture confirming it, it makes my stomach turn.

Something about seeing the truth in unlying pixels incites an intense physio-emotional response that leaves me shocked at both what I saw and how I reacted.

I think it's very interesting that this happens. It has happened to me several times before. Maybe it's just part of the acceptance process.

I will have to spend some serious time in prayer over this. It is annoying how almost as soon as I have obtained some semblance of peace, something decides to come along and push me off the stool.

Ambiguity abounds, I know.

Facebook Consideration

I just read this article that I found through Joshua Harris' Blog. It points to the exact same three reasons that I left Facebook. I'd encourage you to take a look at it, it's really short.

I am not saying that everyone needs to leave Facebook in order to be better Christians. I am saying that Facebook's effect on your life and especially your Christian walk is at least worthy of consideration.

And the same things he says could go for blogging too. So I'm not pointing any fingers.

Good Friday

I find it providentially ironic that today, the historical observance of the day Jesus was crucified was dark, gloomy, overcast and most noticeably thundering and lightning. Some people lean on coincidence. I prefer to lean on something firmer, more steadfast, and more benevolent.

A storm, filled with flashes of lightning and intense claps of thunder is one of the only metaphors with which nature can mimic, hint at or even imitate the beautifully cacophonic dichotomy of what happened on the cross.

In one location, in one act the flood of both God's wrath and His love met, heaved and broke a man so much that He cried out "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

I hope to rely on the man who suffered ultimately to ultimately save me from all of my suffering.

Not Sunday Morning Worship

"If you will not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him one day a week."
--A.W. Tozer

True story. Tell your friends. I've found that my unwillingness (subconscious or otherwise) to worship God or give him glory instead of my carnal desires throughout the week can lead to a relative apathy when it "comes time to 'really' worship Him" on Sunday morning.

Rocketball

A design I did for a sport some friends and I invented. It's legit and awesome (the sport) and I'm also a fan of the design.

Death, Be Not Proud

My English professor, Dr. Cynthia Furr, passed away in an accident caused by two street-racers yesterday. Her 2-year-old daughter was killed as well.

I am usually do not react with extreme grief or sadness to deaths, and I was honestly sad, but not depressed at the passing of Dr. Furr: she was a believer, and so I knew she was enjoying eternity.

When I found out that her 2-year-old daughter died as well, and that her husband had therefore lost his wife and precious girl in one fell swoop, it has done more than trouble my heart.

I am reminded of a message by John Piper that I posted not too long ago, in which he says through all circumstances, the gospel allows us to say:

"God is enough. God is enough. He is good. He will take care of us, He will satisfy us, He will get us through this. He is our treasure. Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth, there is nothing I desire beside You. My flesh and my heart, [our circumstances] may fail, but You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever. That makes God look glorious."

And so I must seek God in all things. In the eternal perspective, our lives are so infinitesimally small compared to glory, and because this is not our home, how can we be angered at the destruction of that which is not our final resting place.

The world is dying, and death is part of that. But thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord, we have eternal life, and death will one day die. O Death, where is your sting? I pray that God be glorified in everything, even Dr. Furr's death.

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
...
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die"

--John Donne, "Holy Sonnet X"

Jesus Wasn't A Rock Star

From the blog of a popular pastor:

"If my generation isn’t careful, we may fall into a Guitar Hero mentality toward ministry:
Everybody wants to be a rock star, but no one wants to learn the chords.

It’s hard work to study God’s Word. To pray for breakthrough. To do spiritual battle on behalf of those we lead. To charge forward in faith for the cause of Christ. To run a church with the highest standard of excellence."

I think this is a great insight into American Christian ministry, at least from my generation's perspective.

It is indeed a huge problem that many aspire to leadership without the dedication and diligence to study and love and learn God's Word. To pray. To love our enemies. To love our brethren when it's inconvenient.

However, I think an almost more important question that needs to be asked is: Why do we look at the position of a pastor as that of a "rock star?"

Jesus did not aspire to greatness. In fact, he "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped." He gave up the almighty glory of God to serve US! That's ridiculous! And that's the example we are to follow, even though that degree of humility is unattainable for us!

Yes, the lack of dedication and diligence in my generation is a problem, especially pertaining to the ministry. But more so than that is our aspiration to glory. Because that is depriving God of the glory he deserves.

I am saying this to myself as an aspiring minister and teacher of the Word as much as any other: No one should desire the minstry for the glory and fame it can provide.

Bill Clinton=Theologian. Not.

Fact: Politicians should not attempt to be theologians. At least not to political ends.

Upon reading this article by Bill Clinton, I wanted to punch myself in the face because that would have been less painful than reading it.

Not that some of what he says about the "Values Voters" and 'Religious Right" isn't partially true, but the mishandling of scripture and a complete apathy toward the real meaning of Christianity makes for very poor theology.

Content Slaves

How often are we as people content in our slavery? Sin is enslaves. Anyone who disagrees is fooling himself.

One would think that we would rebel against the rule of something over us, as we often do against God. But yet, we remain under the much more malicious influence and directive of sin.

Very often we are as Jonathan Edwards points out:

"The corrupt hearts of men naturally incline to stupidity and senselessness before God comes with the awakening influences of his Spirit. They are quiet and secure. They have no true comfort and hope, and yet they are quiet; they are at ease. They are in miserable slavery, and yet seek not a remedy. They say, as the children of Israel did in Egypt to Moses, "Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians."

This verse comes from Exodus 14, as the Egyptians were bearing down upon Israel, with their backs against the sea, they turned accusingly at Moses with the words "Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" [Ex. 14:12]

So often we, or at least I, am like this. As soon as the going gets tough spiritually, as soon as it's not all pie and ice cream pursuing God, I'm tempted to imitate the Israelites' inclination. To think [and genuinely believe, as our actions indicate] that a deliverance from evil tyranny would be as simply as dessert is at best, foolish.

So then, the struggle is not to have victory or deliverance from sin; Christ has provided that: "Who will deliver me!? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" [Rom. 7:21-25] The struggle becomes to continue to rest in the redemption and deliverance he has graciously provided.

In conclusion, it's a choice between two masters: do you want to be a slave to sin, a malicious, unforgiving and eternally destructive master, or does God, the benevolent, gracious and eternally constructive master sound more appealing?