Resolutions for 2009

Had to get a year-end plug for CCWToday in. There is so much great Christian reading on CCW, you really need to check it out!

Jim Elliff recently posted some Bible reading plans here on his blog. I'm especially excited about the NT in 90 days plan.

MacArthur also has a great Bible Study approach that is summarized here. Grab the audio too (links are provided), it's been one of the most helpful and edifying sermons I've ever heard!

To wrap up the 2008 blogs, I'll close with a few resolutions I scribbled down. Some things I'd like to keep in mind for next year ...

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.
12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.
21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God' s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

OK, so I didn't write any of these. In fact, Jonathan Edwards wrote them BEFORE he turned twenty years old! You can read all 70 of his resolutions here. The following words prefaced his resolutions and reminds us how we ought to make and keep resolutions today!

BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE.

Bring in the New Year with a couple of Funny Videos

If you know Dan Warne, you probably saw this already (he posted on FB). Pretty funny stuff ...



This one is "Arminian Basic Training - How to Defeat Calvinism!" (I love the Bible highlighter idea!)



Happy New Year!

Don't Waste Your Life ... on the job!

Some time ago our associate Pastor preached a fantastic sermon, (maybe one of his best), on the first verses of Romans 12. The message was passionate and memorable. At least I remembered to heed his advice to read John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life. I would encourage you to get a copy of this book or read it online.

There are a lot of quote-worthy treats in DWYL. Some day I hope to talk about his "wartime lifestyle" that he describes on page 111. This time, though, I want to quote from the discussion in Chapter 8, "Making Much of Christ From 8 to 5". Perhaps some day Christ will open the door for the Bonhams to serve as full-time missionaries. For now, though, DWYL is a welcome reminder to make much of Christ where we've been strategically placed at this present time! But how?

Therefore, the burning question for most Christians should be: How can my life count for the glory of God in my secular vocation? I am assuming from all that has been said in this book so far that the aim of life is the same, whether in a secular vocation or in a church or mission vocation. Our aim is to joyfully magnify Christ—to make him look great by all we do. Boasting only in the cross, our aim is to enjoy making much of him by the way we work. The question is, How? The Bible points to at least six answers.

I won't quote the whole chapter, but I will list these six answers:

1. We can make much of God in our secular job through the fellowship
that we enjoy with him throughout the day in all our
work.

2. We make much of Christ in our secular work by the joyful,
trusting, God-exalting design of our creativity and industry.

3. We make much of Christ in our secular work when it confirms
and enhances the portrait of Christ’s glory that people hear in the
spoken Gospel.

4. We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning
enough money to keep us from depending on others, while
focusing on the helpfulness of our work rather than financial
rewards.

5. We make much of Christ in our secular work by earning
money with the desire to use our money to make others glad in
God.

6. We make much of Christ in our secular work by treating the
web of relationships it creates as a gift of God to be loved by
sharing the Gospel and by practical deeds of help.

For me the most striking was #3. The way we serve Christ and make Him look good at our jobs "confirms and enhances the portrait of Christ’s glory that people hear in the spoken Gospel." Working hard and with integrity makes the Gospel "play better". Piper explains:

There is no point in overstating the case for the value of secular work. It is not the Gospel. By itself, it does not save anyone. In fact, with no spoken words about Jesus Christ, our secular work will not awaken wonder for the glory of Christ. That is why the New Testament modestly calls our work an adornment of the Gospel. In addressing slaves, Paul says they are “to be wellpleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:9-10). The point here is not to endorse slavery (which Paul undermined more indirectly by calling the converted slave, Onesimus, “no longer . . . a slave but a beloved brother,” Philemon 16), but to show that the way we do our work “adorns” the doctrine of God.

In other words, our work is not the beautiful woman, but the necklace. The beautiful woman is the Gospel—“the doctrine of God our Savior.” So one crucial meaning of our secular work is that the way we do it will increase or decrease the attractiveness of the Gospel we profess before unbelievers. Of course, the great assumption is that they know we are Christians. The whole point of the text breaks down if there is nothing for our work to “adorn.” Thinking that our work will glorify God when people do not know we are Christians is like admiring an effective ad on TV that never mentions the product. People may be impressed but won’t know what to buy.

For me, this is both an admonishment to work hard at work and with the highest integrity. It also is a reminder to open my mouth in boldness for Christ! I hate those TV ads that are so good or funny but never tell you the product to buy! That's not good marketing, that's just a waste! I don't want my hard work to be for nothing! I want people to know for Whom I work so hard, to make much of Christ!

DWYL is a good little book! I admit it reads a little slow (philisophical?) at the beginning as Piper reminisces about how God got him to where he's at now. It's well worth the effort, though, and has the potential to be life-changing for many!

As we approach the end of 2008, Don't Waste Your 2009!

Penn Jillette discusses evangelism

This video appeared on Pyromaniacs. Penn Jillette (an atheist) explains his very positive encounter with a believer who gave him a Bible.



Hearing this is encouraging, convicting and motivating. Perhaps Jillette does not convert to Christianity, but it was very helpful to hear his perspective.

A night to remember!

That's the way Aimee (my wife) described the night we had at the Nathan Clark George concert last night. Hard pews notwithstanding that was a great way to describe it!

It truly was a special time! Despite the single digit temperatures outside, my family and I were warm inside Redeember Presbyterian enjoying the heart-warming music of Nathan Clark George.

A crowd of maybe 200 (my estimate) enjoyed this intimate concert, as we got to know Nathan, Mark Stoffel (mandolin/violin) player, and Ross Sermons (bass) through their music. We heard a savory mix of Christmas tunes from the very old and well known (O Come, O come Emmanuel) to the old not so well known (Remember O Thou Man), to the more contemporary and well known (I'll Be Home For Christmas). I bought his Christmas CD and it's fantastic. Of course, they also played some of our favorite NCG songs not necessarily Christmas songs.

The acoustics were absolutely perfect for grand old Christ-honoring tunes! The sound was perfect, and Nathan's rapport with the audience was relaxed and comfortable. He was at ease and seemed to sincerely enjoy sharing his G0d-given gift of music. He was clearly praising God for His glory and for our edification and it was a real treat to listen to!

Being a Nathan Clark nut, and not having met him in person, I just had to say hello as he manned his own cd table in the back before the show (we were among the first ones there). I can't imagine anyone being more down-to-earth and humble than Mr. Goerge. When I asked where he was heading next, he explained how this is the last show of the year and talked about his plans for joining his wife and kids in Tennessee. He was also gracious enough to pose with Adriana and I for a couple of photos.




You can listen/buy Nathan Clark George songs here, and please also check out his mondolin player, Mark Stoffel: very talented in his own right and I have to say a very funny German! Stoffel has recently put together his own CD.

It sounds as if Nathan Clark George at Redeemer will become a Christmas tradition. Watch this blog for announcements about next year!

I want a Snuggy for Christmas!

Who wouldn't want to stay warm while looking like their favorite Reformer, Martin Luther?



I think I saw some guy wearing this at the Chiefs game today! -10 wind chill! Why not?!?

Reminder: Nathan Clark George Christmas Concert tonight!

REMINDER: Nathan Clark George (read other posts on NCG) will be putting on a free concert this evening at Redeemer Presbyterian tonight at 6:00 pm! See you there!