something i’ve been mulling over

The gospel is not just for conversion.  We must preach the gospel to ourselves every day.

Some recent books

The Inklings of Oxford: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Their Friends

I wrote an earlier post about this book, but I was able to read it while I was on vacation!  This is a very fun read with lots of awesome pictures.

Break-Through Rapid Reading

I’m actually only a short way into this book, but my reading speed has doubled, and large amounts of reading don’t seem as daunting as they used to.  I would recommend this to everyone who wants to read more efficiently.  Bryan has some good thoughts on this book.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God

I’m very thankful to Francis Chan for this contribution.  It isn’t expository in its treatment of Scripture, but it rightly points to the theme in scripture of living sacrificially.  Patrick wrote a good review of this.

Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation

Graham Goldsworthy examines Evangelical interpretation of The Bible, challenges to Evangelical interpretation, and reconstructing Evangelical interpretation.

The Grand Weaver: How God Shapes Us Through The Events in Our Lives

Ravi Zacharias was very influential in my understanding of Christian apologetics in college, so I figured I’d read another of his books.  This book is very pastoral and encouraging as Ravi examines stories of God’s providence.

The Journey From Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible

Ever wondered how The Bible came together?  This book gives an exhaustive look at the canonization of God’s Word.

A Must-See/Hear Concert!

The Louisville Choral Arts Society will perform their Fall 2009 Concert soon, and it will be an amazing experience!

When:  October 25, 2009 (3:00 PM)
Where:  St. Agnes Catholic Church (Newburg Road–Directions)

Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mass in g minor
Peteris Vasks, Plainscapes
Eric Whitacre, Cloudburst

I think this will be the best choral concert I’ve ever sung in.  It will not be your typical choral concert.  All 3 of the programmed pieces are composed with an almost supernatural aural experience in mind.  It would behoove anyone who can to come!

“The Heavens Declare…”

Al Mohler’s recent post on the glory of God in Creation and the ingenuity of humanity pointed me to this site.  Take a look through some of the pictures and be amazed! There are too many pictures to look at, but it’s certainly worth a browse.

It is also interesting to note the vast difference in telescopic and photographic technology from 1995 to today.  Christians should find reason to believe in and glorify God because of His creation, but should our awe ever diminish (as it has concerning the pictures from ‘95), God is nonetheless glorious.

Memorize God’s Word

This website makes it EXTREMELY easy to get any verse or verses on flashcards…And it’s free!

I don’t know what to say…but i laughed

Compassion International

Tara and I decided that it was time to invest in the life and livelihood of a child.  I have heard of Compassion International and I was moved by their reputation for financial accountability and honesty and their efforts to meet the physical and spiritual needs of impoverished children around the world.  For only $38/month we are going to be able to provide for the physical, educational, and spiritual needs of a 6-year-old girl named Kulwa in Tanzania.  Please pray that we can be faithful in our support and prayer for Kulwa and her family.

If you are interested in Compassion International, it is very easy and affordable.  Support can even be automatically drafted each month to avoid having to remember to pay another bill each month.  From CI’s website:

Compassion International is one of the nation’s largest Christian child sponsorship organizations, working with more than 65 denominations and thousands of indigenous church partners in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Since 1952, Compassion’s revolutionary approach, through one-to-one Christian child sponsorship, has touched the lives of more than 2 million children. Compassion has been recognized for its financial integrity with top ratings and recommendations by several “watchdog” organizations. Sponsor a child in need today.

Some Recent Sporting

2 nights in of Ultimate Frisbee @ Waterfront Park in Louisville with Dave Peercy

A few games of softball @ Valley View Baptist Church in Louisville

“Mountain” biking on some pretty cool trails @ Cherokee Park in Louisville with Patrick Shreiner

2 days of golf @ The Eagle Nest and The Pearl in North Myrtle Beach with family and friends

Jet Skiing on the Inlet Waterway and in the Ocean in Cherry Grove Beach with family and friends

“I Want It All” – Shane and Shane

I Want It All

use me, break me, waste me on You, Lord
ruin me, take me, waste me on You
for to die is to live…

to starve is to feast
and less of me is more of Jesus
Lord, i want it all
Lord, i want it all
if i lose my life
i gain everything
and at the cross
away with all death’s sting
Lord, i want it all
Lord, i want it all

there is power in the blood
there is victory in Jesus
come in power, wash me clean
overwhelm me with Your presence
there is power in the blood
there is victory in Jesus
help me glory in the cross
help me find my gain in loss

Philippians 1:21-23; 3:7-11

$$$$$ (Please Comment)

The Total Money Makover: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness

Dave Ramsey’s New York Times Bestseller, The Total Money Maker: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness, is a sound book.  Dave Ramsey is a Christian, and one of his target audiences is American Evangelicalism.  I believe that the principles laid out in Dave’s plan are mostly biblical, but let me clarify.  Dave Ramsey’s literature is not Gospel-centered.  Does this mean that Christians and/or non-Christians should avoid his media?  Absolutely not.

Honesty, integrity, providing for one’s family, and wisdom in contractual decisions are all themes in the Bible, and these are Dave’s general points.  The Dave Ramsey Show often says, “We’ll give you the same common-sense advice your Grandmother would give you…except we’ll keep our teeth in.”  (haha).  Concerning funding the local church, paying off our debtors, providing for our family, giving to the poor, etc. Christians should be leading the way.  Sadly we find too many church parking lots full of financed BMW’s and too many Missions budgets dwindling (I’m part of the problem).  For his addressing of such issues, I am very grateful to Dave Ramsey.

Ramsey deals with many financial categories, but he is most known for his plan for becoming debt-free.  His 7 step process for this is:

1. Save $1,000 as an Emergency Fund (Also stop funding EVERYTHING like 401K, IRA, etc.)
2. The Debt Snowball Effect – Pay off all of your debts (no matter the interest rate) from smallest to largest.
3. Finish The Emergency Fund – save enough for 3-6 months of expenses in case you lose your job.
4. Maximize Retirement Investing – Be financially healthy for life.
5. College Funding
6. Pay Off the Home Mortgage – Dave always recommends a 15-year, fixed rate mortgage, in which the monthly payments are no more than 25% of your monthly income.
7. Build Wealth Like Crazy

This plan has worked for A LOT of people, but my personal convictions start to conflict around step 4.  I agree as much as I possibly could agree with steps 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6.  Steps 4 (Maximize Retirement Investing) and 7 (Build Wealth Like Crazy) are not 100% consistent with my understanding of The Gospel.  Jesus calls some of His disciples to sell everything they have and follow Him.  The rich young ruler is told that is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  The apostles plead with believers to share in the sufferings of Christ and to care for the poor among them.  I wonder if I’m being consistent with my own convictions by holding on to 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6…but I just see such a stark contrast between the responsibility of those steps and the possibility of selfishness of the other two steps.

What do you think?