Happy Birthday, John Calvin!

500 years ago today, John Calvin was born. He was born in France but is known best for his work in Geneva, Switzerland!  Though he is dead, he still speaks loudly today.  He would probably be disturbed by all the fuss over him today, for he wanted to be buried in an unmarked grave.  His daily prayer was simple and clear, “I offer my heart to you, Lord Jesus, promptly and sincerely.”

Though a man like we are, it is well that we honor those who risked their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ!

What Michael Jackson’s memorial service and India have in common

Tim Challies’ article explains:

Jackson’s service was an representation of just the kind of pluralism that has marked India. Everybody involved wanted to invoke God’s name, as you’re supposed to do when remembering a loved one, but it was clear that most of them invoked a god made in their own image. Even those who spoke of Jesus or who prayed to Jesus did so without any clear reference to the Jesus of the Bible. They spoke of a Jesus who accepts all and even (or perhaps especially) those who had rejected him. Never did Michael Jackson give any evidence of putting his faith in Jesus Christ, yet those who watched were assured, time and again, that he was now safe in the presence of the Lord, waiting there for the rest of us to arrive. Words and phrases invoked God and used the Christian lexicon but without any reference to the gospel, the true gospel, the gospel that saves. Lost men declared to other lost men untruths about the god they wish for, not the God who is.

You really have to read his whole post to get the full connection

Evolution’s “trump card”

Time is what evolutionists always have to rely on to make their system work.

“Time is the hero of the plot. . . . what we regard as impossible on the basis of human experience is meaningless here.  Given so much time, the impossible becomes possible.”–George Wald, Scientific America.

Time is their magic wand!  “Billions and billions of years ago!”

–From the Truth Project, session #5

Quite a car

A veritable witness on wheels. What do you think?

(HT: Challies)

No one is laughing

Some sobering, yet true words:

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God when it’s gotten real late and their kid’s not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say “We’ve got some bad new, sir,”
No one’s laughing at God when there’s a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’ve lost all they got and they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God in a hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God

Laughing With by Regina Spektor from the album Far

HT: Josh Harris

Counting the cost of marital unfaithfulness

I encourage my readers to take the time to read this sobering post by Randy Alcorn.  Very relevant in light of recent revelation by high-profile political figures who have publicly admitted adultery.

How many stars are there?

In 128 BC, Hipparchus said there were 1,026 stars

Kepler (1600 AD) thought that Hipparchus had counted a few stars twice and he thought there were 1,005 stars.

According to a 2003 study we think there are 70 sextillion (that is 70 x 10 to the 21st power).

And there are probably even more but as the Lord announces, “The host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured.” (Jeremiah 33:22, ESV).

If there are that many stars, those guys who sell us “the opportunity to name a star after someone” are never going to run out of business.

A once every 500 year sale: hurry!

From ChristianAudio.com:

It is clear John Calvin continues to remain one of the most influential Christians of the last 500 years. His preaching, writing, and theology have shaped the lives of Christians the world over. In celebration of his 500th birthday on July 10, we are offering three special audiobooks for the special low price of $2.98 each. This limited time offer starts now (July 7) and ends July 11.

Are you dying to self?

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ-that is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take all in patient loving silence-that is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it-that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any attitude, any interruption by the will of God-that is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown-that is dying to self.

When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances-that is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart-that is dying to self.–Author unknown

(HT: Grace quotes)

See the oldest Bible we have

About 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and put on the internet. Visitors to the website www.codexsinaiticus.org can now see images of more than half the 1,600-year-old Codex Sinaiticus manuscript. Click here for the story.