Gospel Translations

I'm real excited about this ministry!

Gospel Translations from Andrew Mahr on Vimeo.

New Year's Resolutions Ideas

While I have not yet formally written down my 2010 New Year's Resolutions, here are some areas I'm considering. Perhaps some will be helpful to you as well. So, here are some things I'd like to 'resolve' to do/do better next year (along with relevant links):

• Know God better through His Word (Bible Reading Plans, Bible Reading Record)
• Alter my lifestyle to reflect God's passion for world missions (Resource: Let the Nations Be Glad)
• Know the Gospel better (and SHARE it!) (Resource: What is the Gospel?)
• Read a good Christian book (Recommended Reading)
• A more disciplined prayer life (Resource: 9 Characteristics of Biblical Prayer)
• Love One Another (1 Corinthians 13, Romans 12:10) HT: Dan

See you next year, Lord willing!

Some things to get excited about

I've had this draft for weeks now, so I guess it's time to finish it up and get it out! Here are some things I've come across of late ...

• A friend recently shared a sermon from Pastor Tim Juhnke of FCC up north. There is power in the Blood is the name of it, and it powerfully pulls out of the text in Hebrews 9:14-28 the significance and prominence of blood in the Old Testament sacrifices, and by extension the emphasis on the blood of Christ in the New Testament. This forgotten significance has been forgotten. The next time you eat fast food, remember, "Something died so that I can live." Says Juhnke, there is one reason the Bible emphasizes the blood of Christ the way it does: to graphically illustrate God's utter hatred of sin. (Ezekiel 18:20a) Also helpful was how he explains about how people before Christ got saved. They were saved 'retro-actively' by the blood of Christ (Heb 9:15). Check out this powerful message! Tim has agreed to bring this message to the Bible Study Group at work when we have our Easter celebration on April 9th.
  
• You have never heard John MacArthur like this! You can find his personal testimony story here. Phil Johnson interviews and you'll hear some funny, interesting and edifying stories. Neat how he could have played wide reciever for the Cleveland Browns but wanted to preach instead! To whet your whistle here is an excerpt from the transcript where MacArthur talks about his childhood:

JOHN: I do have a great curiosity. And I love to see what things would do if I did this, or that to them. Or, I mean, I don’t know, one time my little sister was...my little sister, Jeanette, was in her little playpen in the kitchen, it was really cold and she kept say, “I’m cold, I’m cold,” she was about three and I was about five or six. And so I took the pillows off the couch and put them in the stove, in the oven. I didn’t know, I just stuffed them in the oven and turned the oven on.

PHIL: (Laughing)

JOHN: And, of course, when I could smell them, I figured they were warm enough to put in her little playpen so she could get warm. And I took them out, and they were on fire on the back.

PHIL: Ooh.

JOHN: And when I pulled them out and realized that, I just kind of flipped them and they landed inside the playpen and so I...my mother says I went in the bedroom and said, “You better get up,” it was early in the morning and they were in the bedroom, I said, “You better get up because Jeanette’s on fire.” And my Mom’s jaw dropped and my Dad says, “What are you talking about?” But having lived with me for six years, they realized there could be some truth to the statement. And they came bolting out to the kitchen and sure enough, these pillows are going up in smoldering flame and they grabbed her out of there. And I don’t know, I was really just trying to help, Phil...I...

PHIL: (More laughing) Pretty helpful.

• We recently had a guest speaker at our Bible Study Group at work. Lucas Hannah, associate pastor at Shawnee RPC, came and talked about evangelism. If you work at State Street you can see the video on our intranet site. For everyone else, here is a summary of Lucas's message.
  

Some things to get excited about ...

I'm not clever enough to tie all these together in a theme, and that is a good thing for you as it would only lead to rolling eyeballs. So, for lack of a better catchy phrase, here are some things I'm really excited about! I can just hear John Piper hissing at me, "Don't tell them you're excited, SHOW THEM YOU'RE EXCITED WITH YOUR WORDSsss!"


So, if I haven't lost anybody, here is what has me excited ...

• RefTagger. Many bloggers know about this already, but it's new to me! You put some code in your blog and then it makes any references you type in pop up when you hover over them, so readers can see the text! Don't believe me? Check this out. My favorite verse in the Bible is 2 Cor 5:21. Click here to make your blog do this! Best of all, it's FREE!
  
• Reformed Conference at Shawnee RPC. I'll give this it's own post, but for now make sure you keep March 26-28 free and clear!
• Men's Breakfast at Omaha Bible Church featuring Phil Johnson. This morning I was listening to a sermon by Phil, an excellent exposition of 1 Peter 1:3-5 ... see there's the RefTagger again! Reminds me of Gen 1:3! OK, back to the Men's Breakfast. I just happened to email Pastor Raymond this morning to send a link of this or that. Well, he emails me right back with news about THIS, and encouraging me to bring some guys up! Unless the Lord prevents us, the Bonhams are headed north early April. I hope to meet the Irish Calvinist (Erik Raymond) and the PyroManiac (Phil Johnson). Let me know if you'd like to caravan up with us! We'll most likely hit the fabulous Omaha Zoo while we're there!
• Seth Wing is in Costa Rica! Chances are you know this guy, already. He's one of those kind of guys who seems to know everybody. The most kind and unassuming guy I've ever met; it was a pleasure to work with Seth at StateStreet this last year, and he was a huge blessing to our Bible Study Group. The Lord has called him to move to CR to teach English to elementary students in a country that is 75% Roman Catholic. Please follow Seth's blog, News from the Rich Coast, and drop him a note (Spanish or English) and tell him you're praying for him!
• I love babies! Finally, babies! Yesterday I wrote about the horrors of abortion. But I'm reminded of several of our dear friends who have either recently welcomed little ones into the world or are expecting in the coming months. Praise God for these precious gifts!