Be like David, not Mike

Voddie Bauchman’s excellent essay on the contrast between two great basketball players’ acceptance speeches into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The two players were David Robinson and Michael Jordan.  Here’s a summary:

There was a stark difference between the two acceptance speeches.  As I listened to the two speeches, all I could think of was the old commercial catchphrase, “Like Mike… If I could be like Mike.”  Unfortunately, in this instance, Mike was the last person anyone should aspire to be like.  This was definitely not a Michael Jordan highlight.  Jordan’s Speech was self-centered, indulgent, arrogant, and at times embarrassing.  In contrast, David Robinson rose to the occasion and made a brief, inspiring, encouraging speech (see his speech here) that made his family, his team, and his friends proud.

(HT:  JT)

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Amy Carmichael: missionary and reluctant mother

Here’s an inspiring story about Amy Carmichael! It begins:

We can’t always identify life-changing moments as they occur. When a little Indian girl named Preena crawled into Amy Carmichael’s lap and called her “Amma” (or “mother” in Tamil) for the first time, neither of them could have known that this simple act would change both their lives forever, and the lives of hundreds of others.

This is a great story not only about missions but about how Amy, who gave up motherhood for the cause of the gospel, ended up embracing motherhood for the sake of the gospel.

(HT: Let the Nations Be Glad)

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What’s postmodernism?

We hear and use the word “postmodernism” all the time, but do you know what it means.

Maybe you don’t care what it means. You should because its principles touch virtually every part of our culture today.

So whether you need a little brushing up on the term or whether you aren’t “into” philosophy much, take a moment to read this excerpt from Phil Johnson’s seminar at the Shepherd’s Conference a few years ago on postmodernism:

“Now, what is postmodernism? It seems like we hear that word all the time.  It came into vogue in the mid-1980s, and the term gets thrown around a lot these days.

You may have the vague notion that postmodernism involves a denial that absolute truth may be objectively known. And that is the central idea that gave rise to postmodernism. According to the typical postmodernist, Reality itself is not objective; it is an individual concept constructed by the subjective mind. According to postmodernism, the subjectivity of the human mind makes it impossible to discover objective truth. Objectivity is an illusion.

Perhaps when you think of postmodernism, you also think of tolerance and diversity, because those are the primary virtues postmodernism has elevated above every other kind of moral value. That’s another hallmark of postmodern thinking.

Another one of postmodernism’s other outstanding features is its suspicion of (bordering on utter contempt for) any claim that is made with certainty or authority. I’ll have much more to say about that as we go.

But all of those things are classic characteristics of postmodern thought. Here are some more:

Postmodernism generally prefers subjectivity to objectivity and ambiguity to clarity.
Postmodernists are skeptical of logic, and they also distrust history.

They question every form of dogmatism. Postmodernists don’t like authoritative definitions. Try to define something clearly, and they will nitpick endlessly over every ambiguity, every exception to the rule, and every supposed paradox that challenges your definition. They will exploit every generalization to try to make it appear absurd. They like to blur the line in every dichotomy. All of that is how postmodernism’s essential relativism plays out in practical terms.

But most important, postmodernism is generally hostile to every worldview that makes any universal truth-claim. In fact, it’s fair to say that the whole idea of a “worldview”—or acomprehensive philosophy of life—is about as un- postmodern as possible. Postmodernism might be defined in a nutshell as the belief that no single worldview offers a universally and objectively true perspective on life and reality.”

To read the rest click here.

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A world of injustice

We live in a world full of  injustice today—unfair labor practices, difficult marriages, being misunderstood even by other Christians because of biblical convictions, political injustice, and all sorts of oppression.  Against this world of injustice, there is a God of perfect justice.  He is perfectly righteous.  And he hears the cries of the oppressed and victims of injustice.

“Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!” (Psalm 72:1-4, ESV).

“For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.” (Psalm 72:12-14, ESV).

One day we will be ruled by a king of perfect righteousness–when just will flow like water down a mountain. We wait for His kingdom. For now, we cry, “How long, O Lord, how long? Your kingdom come!”

Until then when we experience injustice, we must rest in the sovereignty, wisdom, and love of God. And we must be like Solomon in Psalm 72 and help the needy, minister to the afflicted, support the weak, and defend those who are unable to defend themselves.  We must also pray for and seek to elect and appoint officials in our government who will strive for true justice.

Take a moment today and pray for justice, long for the coming of our king, and purpose to help someone today who is needy and afflicted.

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One greater than Solomon

“May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!” (Psalm 72:8, ESV).

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!” (Psalm 72:18-19, ESV).

We read and talked about Psalm 72 last night together in our Bible study together.  It is, in a modern sense, like an inaugural address which our President gives upon assuming office.  Psalm 72 is Solomon’s inaugural prayer.  But something greater than Solomon is highlighted in this Psalm. Someone greater–Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:42).

Of this psalm, Spurgeon said, “We see on the shore of time the wrecks of Caesars, the relics of the Moguls, and the last remnants of the Ottomans, Charlemagne, Maximillian, Napoleon, how they flit like shadows before us!  They were not; but Jesus is forever.”–Spurgeon!

Charles Hodge remarked, “The Seventy-second Psalm contains a description of an exalted king, and of the blessings of his reign. These blessings are of such a nature as to prove that the subject of the psalm must be a divine person.  (1)His kingdom is to be everlasting. (2) Universal.  (3) It secures perfect peace with God and goodwill among men.  (4) All men are to be brought to submit to him through love. (5) In him all the nations of the earth are to be blessed. . .The subject of this psalm is, therefore, the Redeemer of the world.”

This psalm has served for the basis of several hymns, the most well known of which is by Issac Watts entitled “Jesus Shall Reign.” Watts, living in England, in the 1700′s penned these words as he considered the worldwide reign of Christ one day.   Below are all 14 stanzas which reflect the missionary vision of this psalm!

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barb’rous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His Name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His Name.

Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.

The scepter well becomes His hands;
All Heav’n submits to His commands;
His justice shall avenge the poor,
And pride and rage prevail no more.

With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.

As rain on meadows newly mown,
So shall He send his influence down:
His grace on fainting souls distills,
Like heav’nly dew on thirsty hills.

The heathen lands, that lie beneath
The shades of overspreading death,
Revive at His first dawning light;
And deserts blossom at the sight.

The saints shall flourish in His days,
Dressed in the robes of joy and praise;
Peace, like a river, from His throne
Shall flow to nations yet unknown.

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