Make Your Own Posters

This is absolutely hilarious if you like to match pictures with words in the style of despair.com.

Ten Facts about the "Prosperity Gospel"

1. The "prosperity gospel" is destructive.
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:9

2. It is deceptive.
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." 1 Timothy 6:10

3. It is decisive. You either believe in the things of this world, or you believe in God. One or the other.
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7

4. It is decrepit.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

5. It is decreasing.
"And the world is passing away, along with its lusts; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:17

6. It is declarative. Believing in this false gospel says something about your faith.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15

7. It is defective.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life?" Mark 8:35-37

8. It is delightful to sinful ears.
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching, for the time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." 2 Timothy 4:2-4

9. It is deductive. That is, it takes away from the truth of the Gospel.
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

10. It is defeated. The lies about the Gospel are already finished off.
"As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:5
"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!" 2 Timothy 2:8-9

The Sovereignty of God in Prayer

"I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company."
Romans 15:30-32

Pastor John Piper in last week's sermon, recounting an older sermon on the same verses:

"In response to prayer, God changes human wills! Otherwise, they're ain't no point in praying! . . . Prayer assumes the sovereignty of God over human wills. The sovereignty of God over human wills is not a problem for prayer, it's the basis of prayer!"

I had a great conversation with a loved family member this last week on this very topic, and this thought should get some more discussion going. For the record, this is exactly what the Bible teaches. Otherwise, why would you pray to God, for people? If He can't and won't touch our beloved free will, what can He do?

Thank God that He has not left us to ourselves, but has invaded our little kingdoms of wicked wills and led us into the infinite kingdom of His beloved Son.

One Year Ago Today . . .

(To My Wife)

One year ago today I took you out to dance
to spin and shake and create romance
and on the ride home I stopped where we met
even if my excuse was too easy to get
you saw right through my little surprise
just like you always do with your clear eyes
and an awkward walk down the old sidewalk
- remember how I could barely talk?
my trembling heart and hands played a song
that He wrote on my heart so many months long
then to kneel and scramble and find the shiny thing
that signifies we two as one - a wedding ring
oh to cry and whisper and hold you so close
maybe we'll do it again tonight, who knows . . .

So we've been on the road so many times,
and staying out late and talking on the line,
working in our house and learning how to be
married
I know it's hard and I love you so
I can't do it all so let's remember to hope
in the One who is supreme in grace and power
Who comforts and helps in joy hour by hour
He is the one Who is infinitely wise,
Who wills and works and we don't know why,
He is good and He is Christ.

so I put this up for all to see
and I write with smiles of glee,
"I love you more today than I ever have."
Your words and heart and mind and love
are a gift to me from God above
so I love Him more today than I ever have.

God At Work

God at Work is a great book by Gene Edward Veith. He uses his pages well to explain and apply the Biblical doctrine of vocation as Martin Luther understood it. It is an encouraging look into not only (as the title appears to suggest) that God is present with people at work but also that God is Himself working in and through all of our callings in life. It was amazingly God-centered, God used it to bless B and I time and again. We happily recommend it to you.

Is This Other Gospel Really Any Gospel At All?

I was browsing through one of my favorite blogs when I came across this link to the front-page article of the latest Time magazine which asks the question, "Does God Want You To Be Rich?" (Here's the CNN.com summary.) More and more of our country's "Christian" leaders are answering, "Yes, oh yes."

For my summary and a Biblical response, go here. This is a serious problem when the world is even picking up on the church's folly, so we by the grace of God need to learn and change more into Christ's image and words.

Stan's 40th Birthday Bash Weekend

We had a blast in Asheville this last weekend. The occasion was my uncle Stan's (surprise) 40th birthday party. My aunt Carolyn did a great job planning it, and everything went off without a hitch. The food at the restaurant was amazing, and our time with the family was just as enriching. B and I had a great time making Stan's posters, too. Earlier in the day we even go to visit a used bookstore! That was a treat for me.

So many thanks to God for Carolyn, Kyle and AJ, and Papa Ben and Dolores for setting it up, and praise be to God for making such a cool uncle - uncle Stan. You have always been a big brother to me.

New DesiringGOD.org !!!

The folks over at DG have completely redesigned their (already excellent) website and made it even better. Now, you can access all of John Piper's sermons, audio, Q&A's, writings, articles, and several of his books - all for free to anyone who comes. Praise God for raising up such a ministry that regards Him as supreme, good, happy, and abounding in grace for all who call on Him.