More stops on the WWW

Here are some more links to some beneficial, or maybe just interesting web sites:

Accountability – I truly believe that having an accountability partner (someone who will frequently ask you about your spiritual life/someone who you can call when you are struggling in temptation) is a great grace of God in developing your spiritual life. Randy Alcorn gives some practical helps to accountability partners in his article, “Accountability groups: Men helping men in their walk with God”

Believe it or not – Have you ever heard the counterfeit money illustration? The one where what federal agents do to recognize counterfeit money is to study the real bills, not counterfeits? The illustration is often used to make the point that in order to recognize false teaching, you don’t study all the false teaching out there, you study the Bible and then you’ll be able to sniff out false teaching. Is this illustration true?? Is this really what federal agents do?? Tim Challies actually went and interviewed an expert in counterfeit currency. Read about this here (part 1) and here (part 2) .

Young people – there are two blogs that might be helpful for teens and their parents. The Rebelution blog gives this definition of their name and purpose: “The official definition of the 'rebelution' is ‘a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture’." And the other blog comes from the folks at Five-15 about their parent and teen ministry that, “is about helping teens and their parents live not for themselves, but for Him.”

Defending the truth – what would you do if you were put on the Larry King show and asked about the exclusivity of Christ... that He is the only way of salvation?? Here’s one prominent pastors failure, and here is another who stood courageously in defending the gospel. Or, how about being on Larry King with a panel of ministers who support the ordination of homosexuals into the gospel ministry? Here is an excellent, gracious, courageous, truth-driven response.

Roman Catholics and Muslims together?

OK, so the world is abuzz with news of the Pope speaking ill of the Islamic faith. From my understanding, he cited an obscure Medieval text that characterizes some of the teachings of Islam's founder as evil and inhuman. Now, let’s suppose he is wrong in his representation of Islam… and I am quite sure that the teachings of the Koran are in fact evil in the sense that suicide bombers who carry out the strict teachings of the Koran are displaying Satanic influence – they are deceived by the father of lies that this act of murder will be blessed by God and they will inherit His eternal blessings; and they are following the Satanic example of the one who is a “murderer from the beginning.” And more specifically, it is a false gospel that confirms it’s followers to an eternity apart from God.

So, let’s suppose pretend that what the Pope said was wrong… the right thing to do when misrepresenting someone is to confess the fault, and strive to make amends. I don’t know what the Pope will do… it all becomes very political.

But here is where there is a abhorrent inconsistency… many Muslim nations can rape, murder, kidnap and torture Christians simply because they name Jesus Christ as their Savior and don’t go along with Islam. Or, remember when the Dutch newspapers were threatened with extreme violence for the cartoons they published? Where is the justice here? On one hand, a cartoon that mocks your religion is a capital crime; on the other hand, the murder of another human being is commended. In essence, they say, "If I disagree with you, I will violently protest; if you disagree with me, I will take off your head."

Our fellow human beings who are held captive to Islamic belief are suffering under an oppressive deception. May we pray for these nations and the people who… “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

UPDATE: there have been a few others who have done a much better job writing about this subject. John Piper lays out a redemptive way believers should respond to this. And Tim Challies explains how to shed a stereotype.

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I have noticed that several of the blogs I check regularly have had infrequent posts lately. This is a busy time of year and my attempts to keep this blog beneficial to me and others has become a lesser priority of late. And so, I have chosen the easy route... a good quote as a post. Now, I actually wasn't even planning on posting until I read this. It was definitely a challenge and motivation to my heart. This comes from William Stills and concerns the sending of kids off to college.

"Every autumn I have a spate of letters from fond parents, teachers, guardians, and monitors, appealing to me to follow up on such and such a youngster who is away from home at college for the first time, and who has to be hunted, followed, shadowed, intercepted and driven to Christian meetings. I have scarcely ever known this desperate technique to work. I understand the panic of parents and guardians, but it is too late then to try high pressure tactics. Prayer, example and precept, in that order, are the means of bringing up children and young folk in the faith. Nor will high pressure tactics and brainwashing techniques avail when young folk have gone off on their own. Some young folk, alas, will have their fling and sow their wild oats, and come at last to heel, sadly, like the prodigal son. It is where Christians pathetically put their trust in external techniques and artificial stratagems that young folk go astray. Nothing takes the place of the realism of holy living and secret wrestling before God in prayer for our youngsters. We must commit them to God so utterly that we dare not interfere or tamper with their precious souls."
(William Still, late Pastor of Gilcomston South Church, Aberdeen, Scotland)

HT: Ligon Duncan

PS - I found this post to be quite insightful

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I'm reading through a book that is unpacking Romans 8:13b, "if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." It has been very insightful, convicting, motivating, and hope-giving. It is entitled, The Mortification of Sin, written by John Owen in 1658, and you can get a copy here. I may give a fuller and lengthier quote another time, but just to get you contemplating the nature of this topic, here is a brief quote:

"Be killing sin or it will be killing you."

May you dwell on that and find greater motive to set about and continue to mortify sin in your life.

A few stops on the WWW

Here are some links to some beneficial, or maybe just interesting web sites:

Gospel – following up on my previous post on “Getting the Gospel right,", here is a well crafted statement that I have referred to many times. The Gospel of Jesus Christ: an Evangelical Celebration

Becoming a man – When Chad Mahaney turned 13, his parents gave him an unusual, but very profitable gift... he received a notebook full of letters from godly men, encouraging Chad in specific ways to honor God with his life (here’s the link to the site where his mother explained this gift). One of the letters was published on the internet and I found it particularly insightful and encouraging to me at 35 years old. Here is a letter from David Powlison to Chad Mahaney on his 13^th birthday.

World Trade Center – Cal Thomas promoting an Oliver Stone movie???? Here is Cal Thomas’ take on Oliver Stone’s movie that is currently out entitled World Trade Center.

Conversion – Is there a difference between the Christian way of evangelism and the Muslim way of proselytizing?? A believer comes with good news and lovingly proclaims it and urges belief... Islam, on the other hand...

Afraid to share Christ?? – Here’s a humorous video that walks through “eight reasons why I don’t share my faith.”