Saturday, February 7, 2009

So Long for Now

Well everyone, this is it. The journey has come to an end. There just comes a time when you realize you have too much on your plate. I appreciate everyone who's been a part of this and even those of you who've written against us.

This blog will remain up and Gordan and I will remain co-owners until we decide to recycle it, kill it, or auction it off to the highest bidder.

The only blogging I am doing now is about whips and whipmaking. Come by and see me some time.

I covet your prayers.

Semper Reformanda!

-Rhett

Monday, February 2, 2009

Gordan's Gone

Hey, just a quick note to let you know that I am begging off of blogging for the foreseeable future. Many of you know (more of you don't) that I had a novel published in 2000. Well, I've been bitten by that bug again and now must pursue the path of writing another. I don't have a lot of control over my own creative juices: you've kinda got to go with the flow on these things, I've learned.

But even before I begin to pursue another book-writing, I'm already stacked to the gills with time constraints and ministry responsibilities, so something's got to give. This time, that something is the internet in general, and the blogosphere in particular.

I believe Rhett is going to come on here shortly and make an announcement along similar lines with regard to the status of this blog, so I will simply sign off with the prayer that our great Sovereign may continue to bless you with an ever-increasing knowledge of the truth, as it is found in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Crazy talk? We'll Soon See

Four minutes, listen then comment. Is this crazy talk?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sanctification Question

Here's the scenario.

A young man comes to you and confesses that he is in bondage to something addictive (whether drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography...whatever.)

He is in distress and near despair because of his lack of victory in this area.

He is a confessing Christian, and aside from this confession, has never seemed to bear the fruit of a false convert. There's nothing you've observed in his life that would've led you to suspect that he's anything other than a growing, though imperfect, sincere believer in Christ.

Now that he's laid bare his soul to you, his desire is freedom from this sin.

What is your counsel?

(The reason I ask is because I was "raised" as a baby Christian with a Pentecostal view of sanctification, and am interested in other ideas. I'm not so much interested in your theology of personal holiness as I am what your specific counsel to a man like this guy above would be. I'm interested in how the rubber meets the road in your theory of sanctification.)

So...play nice and try to keep responses to something less than thesis-length.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

More Prophecy Stuff at Incrediblog

I'm starting a series on allowing the Bible to interpret itself, even on prophetic matters. I think when most of us settle on a prophetic system that seems to work for us, then that's the one we go with, and it becomes a filter through which we look at all prophecies. But what if the Bible itself demonstrates proper interpretation of prophetic dreams and visions? Hmm.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Book Recommendation: RA Torrey's "The Fundamentals"

I have a confession to make. I hate theological liberalism. Look up all the synonyms for "hatred" in your thesaurus, and if you roll them all up into one mega-hate word, and then smother that hate-word in the hottest red chili sauce known to man (y'know, the stuff you have to handle with rubber gloves), well then, that's how I feel about liberalism. And, coincidentally, most actual theological liberals get on my nerves rather quickly.

Having made that confession, I want to say that I got R.A. Torrey's two volume work, The Fundamentals, for Christmas and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It's four books, actually, and each is a collection of essays from various authors.

These books began to be collected/assembled in 1909, as an obvious frontal assault on the then-fashionable liberalism that was coming out of Germany, and beginning to infect Christianity in North America.

As with any collection of writings, some are more helpful than others, so I'm not offering a blanket endorsement here, but generally speaking these are thoughtful essays written by brilliant, well-educated Christian men who hated liberalism nearly as much as I do. (They might leave off the chili sauce.)

The first book is focused on countering the en vogue Higher Critical method, and the remaining three center around theological topics. Some of the names I recognized before I started reading: James Orr, B.B. Warfield, W.J. Erdman, Thomas Boston, H.C.G. Moule, J.C. Ryle, G. Campbell Morgan, C.T. Studd, and Philip Mauro. (I also recognized C.I. Scofield, but I was trying to list the good ones above...)

I have seen this set for sale many times before, but I have passed over it because I had a suspicion that it would be filled merely with the rantings of snake-handlers and those who believe that holiness has something to do with the length of your shirt sleeves.

I have been pleasantly surprised, and quite edified, by this collection. Did I mention how much I hate liberalism?

But here's the thing, the reason why you really ought to consider getting The Fundamentals by R.A. Torrey for yourself: The current Postmodern fad gets all of its theological legwork from the 19th and early 20th Century liberals. The pomo's haven't hit on something new. They're simply rehashing all the same junk that has destroyed Christianity in Europe and brought down all the mainline denom's here. And smarter men than you and I had 'em pegged a long, long time ago.

RA Torrey's The Fundamentals, a two volume hardcover set, can now be had for about fifteen dollars, which is 85% off the original retail cost. Talk about bang for your buck! Very highly recommended.

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Saturday, January 3, 2009

"With Juicy Bits"

For interested folk, I've published a post on the last third of the Revelation, with juicy bits of wild speculation at the end. Enjoy.