Thief in the Night!

Two things are for certain: 1) Jesus WILL return, and 2) this movie is quite entertaining!



My pastor mentioned this movie from the pulpit, pointing out its enormous influence on evangelicalism and the way we view Revelation. He also said you can see it online and check out the cheesy acting and 'far out' outfits! So when Aimee had Sophia for the evening and Adriana was doing homework, I did what any good dad would do with his 4-yr-old and watched a movie about the end of the world.

We enjoyed the drama and the comedy (and awful singing) and had lots of discussion about what our new resurrected bodies will be like (force fields Myles, really?) He was pretty bummed that he can't take his 'monster guy' stuffed pillow with him to Heaven!

No matter what your view on end times (Christians disagree on the details/timing/sequence of the Second Coming, but agree that He will indeed return!), this is a helpful movie because we all need to examine our life view of eternity and we're all called to respond to the call to forsake our sin and give our life to Christ. I love the blood transfusion analogy (in the movie a guy gets bitten by a cobra--check it out!)

My pastor doesn't teach 'pre-tribulation rapture' so I can't endorse that view, but still, this is a fun movie to see and actually has a pretty good Gospel message! If you can get past the horrible short-shorts worn by shirtless MEN, you will be fine!

Read the New Testament before year end! New Excel Tool

Ever read through the New Testament? If not, or if it's been a while, ... it's now easier than ever! In fact, CCW has a reading plan that will take you through it in 90 days!

I thought it would be cool to put this 90-day plan in a spreadsheet (CLICK HERE) with the following features:

• Input a start date and all dates auto-populate so you know what to read on what date
• Check-boxes (for you 'box-checkers') so you know what passages you have read*.
  

Download this file (Microsoft Excel) today! If you get started by October 3rd you can have the New Testament read by the end of the year!

Soli Deo Gloria!

*Note: checked boxes are not meritorious toward salvation (i.e. Titus 3:5, Eph 2:8-9), however the Scripture is God's chosen instrument for revealing Himself to sinners (Rom 10:17) and causing growth in the believer (2 Tim 3:16)!

I am a hole-riddled, long sunk wooden boat ...

Tony Felich is my brother-in-law's pastor at RPC. Great stuff!

If the sea represents the righteous, just, and holy standard of God, I am a hole-riddled, long sunk wooden boat on the bottom. I never could float on this perfect sea, I was never sturdy enough to stay atop the waves for even a moment. From the time I have existed there was no other possibility for me but to sink under the weight of the water with my countless holes and gashes. There was never time for any water to be scooped out before sinking, my structural devastation was just too far reaching and catastrophic. The speed and immediacy of the engulfing water never gave opportunity to devise a plan for escape. In my condition, self-rescue from the crashing, crushing weight of sea was impossible.

Click here to read the whole thing. You will be glad you did!

Video - The Gospel Song

A friend shared this video on FB. It's amazing! Beautiful animations describing Christ's substitution for sinners.



HT: Jason

What is the Bible About?

Great video featuring Tim Keller. Is the Bible a list of things God doesn't want us to do? I was stirred to worship Christ, who is written about in every page of the Bible.




HT: Erik

Free Mp3 CD from D.A. Carson - The God Who is There

Now you can learn about God from the smartest man of our time! All you pay is shipping to get the entire seminar on Mp3 for FREE! The following is from Monergism's website, about the offer ...

Description: With the generous permission of The Gospel Coalition, Monergism Books is giving away for free this incredible seminar by Don Carson.

From The Gospel Coalition blog: On February 20-21 and 27-28, 2009, Don Carson presented a 14-part seminar entitled “The God Who Is There” at Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis. This series will serve the church well because it simultaneously evangelizes non-Christians and edifies Christians by explaining the Bible’s storyline in a non-reductionistic way.

The series is geared toward “seekers” and articulates Christianity in a way that causes hearers either to reject or embrace the gospel. It’s one thing to know the Bible’s storyline, but it’s another to know one’s role in God’s ongoing story of redemption. “The God Who Is There” engages people at the worldview-level.

Contents

1. The God Who Made Everything
2. The God Who Does Not Wipe Out Rebels
3. The God Who Writes His Own Agreements
4. The God Who Legislates
5. The God Who Reigns
6. The God Who Is Unfathomably Wise
7. The God Who Becomes a Human Being
8. The God Who Grants New Birth
9. The God Who Loves
10. The God Who Dies—and Lives Again
11. The God Who Declares the Guilty Just
12. The God Who Gathers and Transforms His People
13. The God Who Is Very Angry
14. The God Who Triumphs


About the Speaker
D. A. Carson (PhD, University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author or editor of more than forty books.

Click here to order!

Confession is not Propitiatory

Huh? Some might wonder what that means! This is the title of an article a friend sent me today. It basically means that merely saying you are sorry (even repenting) for an offense against God does not make everything better; it does not satisfy the required justice.

Had a discussion in Bible Study today about this very thing. The topic of the study was how God is our Judge. He has every right to be our judge as the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Someone mentioned how He forgives and that He's not all about Law. This is true, but I feel like I failed to clearly communicate that the only basis for His forgiveness of rebellious enemies of God (Rom 5:10) like us, is the Blood of Christ. This article, sent in God's perfect timing, explains perfectly what I was trying to spit out! It answers a question we should all have, and that is, 'What do we do with all our guilt?' It includes a great Spurgeon quote and a beautiful Christian song. Please read! Confesion is not Propitiatory

HT: Ryan