Pastoral Thoughts on the Doctrine of Election - Desiring God

Great message by John Piper:


Pastoral Thoughts on the Doctrine of Election - Desiring God

The Difference Between Hymns and Praise Songs

The Difference Between Hymns and Praise Choruses

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

"Well," said the farmer, "it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."

"Praise choruses?" said his wife. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The farmer said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you: "Martha, the cows are in the corn"' - well, that would be a hymn. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

'Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN.'

. . .Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus."

The next weekend, his nephew, a young, new Christian from the city came to visit and attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was.

"Well," said the young man, "it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."

"Hymns?" asked his mother. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his mother.

The young man said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you: 'Martha, the cows are in the corn' - well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

'Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by to the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain? There in their heads is no shadow of sense. Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed. Then goaded by minions of darkness and night, they all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by, where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn; where no vicious animals make my soul cry and I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.'

. . Then if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.
October 28, 2010 | Robin
Thanks, Robin, good for a laugh!

Michelle Malkin » Baltimore Food Police Write First Ticket

Michelle Malkin » Baltimore Food Police Write First Ticket

Answering the Critics of Monergism

Answering the Critics of Monergism

Ode to the Creamy Burger

Many years ago, 1979 I believe, I wandered into a convenience store at Caswell Beach, NC one day. In the ice cream freezer something caught my eye called a "Creamy Burger" (the official spelling may have been Creamee, I'm not sure). One of my companions who had previously experienced the frozen treat assured me "Oh yeah...that's really good!". As I bit into the new discovery, my taste buds traveled to places they had never been before. Neapolitan ice cream surrounded by two soft oatmeal cookies, dipped in chocolate was an invention for the ages. I revisited that convenience store many times during that week at the beach and did my part to keep the makers of Creamy Burger in business. Many years went by before I saw another CB and it quickly found its way to my tummy. I haven't had one for many years and after some web searching, I discovered the Creamy Burger went the way of the Edsel and rotary telephones sometime during the 1990's. My desire is that one day, before I leave this plane of existence, the Creamy Burger would return to the frozen food section of the local grocery store and I would, once again, have the opportunity to enjoy this delectable dessert.

Dr.J's HouseCalls: Attention Citizens Of Asheboro, North Carolina: Pravda Has NOTHING On The Courier Tribune (Subtitled: When Your Local Newspaper Can Be Bought)

Just some local action some of you might find interesting:

Dr.J's HouseCalls: Attention Citizens Of Asheboro, North Carolina: Pravda Has NOTHING On The Courier Tribune (Subtitled: When Your Local Newspaper Can Be Bought)

God is the Responsible One

Submission is freedom. I heard Steve Brown say that on the radio today and it rings so true. When we yield to the Lord, the responsibility is His. Of course, He is already in charge, but I'm looking at it from my point of view. God is in charge so the responsibility is not mine and this frees me up to follow and obey.

I feel this way at my job sometimes. I grow weary of being the manager and would rather someone else make the decisions. Whether spiritual or material, there is freedom in submitting. One can then focus on submission and obedience.

The Shape of Society

On my way to work today I heard on the radio that Americans will spend a record amount of money this year on....wait for it.....Halloween. Yes, doing the math, the total figure (which I cannot remember) breaks down to $66.28 per person. Forty percent of adults polled said they planned to wear a costume at Halloween.

I thought Halloween, at best, was a time for kids to dress up and collect candy. The growth in adult participation in the "holiday" speaks to the fact that our society is regressing. No one wants to grow up it seems. Many people want to live in perpetual childhood.

Maybe I am making much ado about nothing. Nevertheless I believe it is a sad state of affairs.

Getting an Education

I have enrolled to take web courses from Covenant Theological Seminary and I am very excited about it. It's basically like auditing classes...I'll get no credit toward a degree, but I am gaining knowledge of which I can never obtain too much.

Studying right now the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. Also included in this course are lessons on last things and the church. I pray this will help me in my walk with the Lord.

They Went Out From Among Us

[12] Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. [13] But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
(Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV)

I know of an individual who, after many years in the church, one day decided he was an agnostic, turned his back on regular church participation, and announced he was a "student of theology". Is this someone who "pretended" to be a believer for many years and finally grew tired of the charade, or a true child of God fighting a spiritual battle within who will eventually return to the fold? I am not his judge, so I don't know. I have my own problems when it comes to doubt and assurance. I do know I can look to the scriptures and get some answers:

[19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
(1 John 2:19 ESV)

Does this verse apply to our friend mentioned earlier or is he just not doing a good job of "[holding] our original confidence firm to the end"? This opens another can of worms because at first read this passage seems to suggest that a believer can "keep" himself saved. Of course only the Lord has the power to keep his children and the gospel of John makes this clear:

[28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
(John 10:28-29 ESV)

Any thing we do in this endeavor can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit, so in the end, it is God who performs it. We must serve Him as best we understand the Word, depend on Him for strength and guidance and leave the results to Him.

Seasons of Doubt

I'm human. At least, I think I am. Because of this fact I am imperfect and my faith is imperfect. Sometimes I fall into seasons of doubt. I honestly sometimes wonder if it is all true. I know the enemy attempts to take advantage of my humanness and discourage me.

And where do I turn to get the encouragement I need in times like these?...the Word of God, of course. John the Baptist also had his doubts. Read Luke 7:

[18] The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, [19] calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” [20] And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” [21] In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. [22] And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. [23] And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
(Luke 7:18-23 ESV)

Sometimes as Christians look back at biblical history, we tend to put the people of that time on a pedestal. John the Baptist was not super human. He could not tell the future. He only had the revelation that God saw fit to reveal to him up to that point in time. We must take what God has given us, and, by faith, go on to believe and serve Him. He will encourage us and strengthen our faith through His Word and His people. I like the last verse of the passage..."blessed is the one who is not offended by me." If we hang in there and not turn our backs on our Savior, a blessing awaits. Furthermore, I believe God will not let His TRUE followers turn their backs on Him. That's what is known as "perseverance of the saints".

For me personally, I have to be in the Word everyday. If you don't eat, you'll starve.