-- Timeout Blogger! --

All of this Blogger drama has been getting to me. Last week, four posts were almost deleted while blogger underwent 'maintence'!

I'm taking a short break. Besides, I've been thinking of changing the blog site to wordpress or posterous.

Until things get sorted out, chew on this - the first poem published by Piper in 1969 for $5.

In that land
Were some birds
And some grass
And very much dust
And a number of common folk
Wit a lot of simplicity
And wisdom;
      So it was not unnatural
        That they should expect
The grass to wither
And the birds to fall dead from the sky
When one of their friends,
Looking over his shoulder
Somehow like an ordinary man,
Said,
“Before Abraham was, I  AM.”

LATE POST: Friday Music - Lecrae

*This is from Friday, but blogger 'lost' my posts until now!*



Rehab - $5 on Amazon.com

I used to hate rap. There was no point to it. Then, I found Lecrae - a Christian rapper who occasionally outsells secular artists.

Lecrae's newest album, Rehab, is one of his best. Like his previous one, Rebel, Lecrae uses every lyric to pack in theological truths and ideas.

Some good tracks are "Killa" - about the destruction from lust; "Just Like You" - a look into identity; and the Star-Wars-quoting-fun "40 Deep".

Lecrae delivers another great album and continues to swim against rap's dark culture, creatig songs that edify and point people to Christ





Lyrics from "Just Like You"

I was created by God but I ain't wanna be like Him, I wanna be Him. The Jack Sparrow of my Carribean...
Then in steps Jesus. All men were created to lead, but we needed somebody to lead us. More than a teacher, but somebody to buy us back from the darkness, you can say He redeemed us.
Taught us that real leaders follow God, finish the work cause we on our job...

LATE POST: Mindless Monday Fun:Animal Edition

*This was from yesterday, but blogger ate all of posts. Still funny though.*

Why are animal voiceovers so funny?



There's a whole series of these from BBC, which are surprisingly addicting:

Piper's Principles II: Is God Happy?

Last week, I began to look at some major points in John Piper's book Desiring God. We looked at his book's foundation principle:

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. (p. 18)

This week, I want to address this question: If we are going to find joy and happiness in God, how do we know that God is happy? We've failed to find happiness in pleasures here, how do we know He won't fail us too?

----- | Sovereignty | -----

The answer lies in God's absolute sovereignty.

But the foundation of the happiness of God is the sovereignty of God: "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." (Psalm 115:3). If God were not sovereign, if the world He made were out of control, frustrating His design again and again, God would not be happy. (p. 33)

The verse he mentions, and many others, teach the idea that God is in absolute control of every atom, event, and power in the universe. I love Piper's next point:

In the end, one must finally come to see that if there is a God in heaven, there is no such thing as mere coincidence, not even in the smallest affairs of life: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:33). Not one sparrow "will fall to the ground without your Father's will" (Matthew 10:29). (p 37)

Knowing this, we can never think that we are in the wrong place, or are not where we should be. Every "chance" encounter stops being "chance" and starts being "divinely appointed." He knows where we are, and has us there for a reason! His sovereignty leaves no room for coincidences.

----- | The Unanswered Question | -----

The lingering question therefore is this: If God is sovereign, why do bad things happen? Why is there evil? Why can't he just stop all evil?

Some people would argue that God is not happy. They would point to the evil acts of men, natural disasters, and the fact that Satan is somehow "winning" here on earth. How could God be happy with the state of things? How could he be happy when bad things happen to his creation?

I have two answers for you.

First, Piper would point you to the death of Jesus Christ. A man was falsely accused, beaten, ridiculed, and murdered - yet this was God's will! Moreover, out of all the evilness, betrayal and darkness, God used these evil things to bring forth a way of grace to mankind. The gospel is a constant reminder that God sees evil and is saying "I know, I know... but just wait until you see what I am doing!" If we see anything in the Bible, it is the continuing theme of goodness coming from evil.

People lift their hand to rebel against the Most High only to find that their rebellion is unwitting service in the wonderful designs of God. (p 35)

The second answer comes is not from Piper, but from Lecrae, a Christian rapper. He takes a different approach on the problem of evil:

Look man, some people say that God ain't real because they don't see how a good God could exist with all this evil in the world. If God is real, then He should stop all this evil, cause He's all powerful right?

What is evil though? It's anything that's against God. It's anything morally bad or wrong. It's murder, rape, stealing, lying, cheating. But if we want God to stop evil, do we want Him to stop it all, or just a little bit of it? If He stops us from doing evil things, what about lying? Or what about all evil thoughts? I mean where do you stop? The murder level, the lying level, or the thinking level? If we want Him to stop evil, we gotta be consistent, we can't just pick and choose. That means you and I would be eliminated right? Because we think evil stuff. If that's true, we should be eliminated. But thanks be to God that Jesus stepped in to save us from our sin. Christ died for all evilness. Repent, and turn to Jesus. - lyrics from "Truth" 

So, yes. We can all agree that evil things happen. But if we want God to just destroy all evildoers - we would all be destroyed!

God is sovereign, and He does as He pleases. He is utterly happy (wouldn't you be happy if your will could never be stopped?). And so, Piper argues, we have a sure foundation and source of happiness in this incredible Being.

Podcast: Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything

This Sunday, we had a guest pastor give this sermon at the Village Church. It's a fantastic message on the centrality of the gospel:

Tulian Tchividian - Jesus Plus Nothing Equals Everything 

[If this link doesn't work, just go to the main site, and find the one from May 7, 2011]

Tuesday News Roundup

Two Muslim Imams Kicked Off Flight - Last Friday, after going through security and a secondary screening, a pilot in Tennessee refused to take off unless two high-ranking Muslims were removed from the plane. They were headed to North Carolina, ironically, to attend a conference on "prejudice against Muslims, or Islamaphobia." This is disgraceful and cannot happen in our country.

SlutWalk Marches - A police officer in Toronto sparked 'SlutWalk' marches in Toronto and Boston with one bad comment. The walks are a protest against blaming sexual assault victims for the crimes against them. What did he say?

"You know, I think we're beating around the bush here. I've been told I'm not supposed to say this - however, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized".              - Constable Michael Sanguinetti 

Syria's Decline - Tanks v. protesters. No, not in Libya, but in a grim situation developing in Syria. Things are looking worse as one Syrian rights group claims 800 civilians have died in fighting...

Mindless Monday Fun: A Visit from the Sexy Sax Man

Give this one a chance. Yeah, it's weird for the first 5 seconds.

But then, the hilarity ensues 12 seconds in.



Now, try not to sing this song all day.

A Primer on How to Drive in Dallas

Yeah, he's from Dallas.

One of the biggest changes I've undergone in Texas was learning to drive in cities like Dallas. My first few days of hour-long commuting, I hated every driver in Dallas. After a week or so, things got easier. And it was then that I realized, I had become... one of them! So, here's a few pointers on how to drive in Dallas:

1. Signaling: Blinkers are a sign of weakness. If you use them, you will be cut off.
2. Tail-Gating: Is the traffic in front of you going too slow? Try this - get as close as you can to the car in front of you. Then, stay there. Congratulations. The car is now speeding up or getting out of your way.
3. Cell Phones: Driving on the highway is the BEST time to call that friend you've missed! Or, why not just text them? After all, it's easier
4. On-Ramps: When entering an on-ramp, press the accelerator to the floor. Studies have shown that entering a Dallas highway is about as hard as a jet launching from a carrier.
5. Bikes: It is a myth that bikers have the right of way on roads. Teach them a lesson by driving by them at a high speed. Same goes for pedestrians.
6. Brakes: You may have heard that 'easing' onto the brakes is the best way. But that is false. When traffic is slowing down, slam that brake pedal! The people behind you will just have to deal.
7. Trucks: Remember when you see the over sized, lift-kit fitted, dinosaur-sized truck - the driver is simply overcompensating. Take pity.
8. Speed Limit: Look at the speed limit sign. Follow this guide:
• Right Lane Speed = Limit - 10,
• Center Lane Speed = Limit +10,
• Left Lane Speed is incalculable as it approaches infinity.
9. HOV Lane: What is that very left lane for? HOV who? I'm not sure what you've heard, but this is actually an extra lane for when traffic is stuck! Just hop in there anytime you feel like it!
10. Honking: It has been proven that Dallas drivers do not have the ability to hear car horns.
11. Highways: Someone dies every day on 635 and I-35. Do not be that person.
12. Stop Signs: You can go first by staring down the other drivers!
13. School Zones: The speed limit says 20 - but Dallas law requires you to go 10 mph OR 40 mph. Nowhere in-between.
14. Accidents: Did you just see an accident? Don't stop! Just slow down a lot so that others can look too.
15. Friendliness: When you wave someone to go in front of you, you've just marked yourself as a push-over to all the other drivers. They're going to go in as well.
16. Traffic Jams: Scientists are mystified by an anomaly in traffic jams: Time actually comes to a stop! They are currently trying to use this to slow down nuclear half-lives.
17. Car Maintenance: Why pay that auto store lots of cash, when duct tape will suffice?
18. Gas Prices: Search google for "syphoning tips".
19. Motorcycles: If you are riding a motorcycle in Dallas, you need to see a psychologist about your suicidal tendencies.
20. Pace: The best way to drive is to keep varying your speed. Speed up, slow down. This will keep the other drivers from predicting your path. And that means "winning".
21. Parking: 'Compacts only' is really a suggestion. Triple-park that beast!

Friday Music - Wye Oak

Wye Oak is indie - very, very indie. Unlike the past few bands, they are not a worship band by any means.

Their debut album, Civilian just came out last month and it is fantastic! The band is made up of only two people - Andy Stack playing drums, keyboard and bass(!) while Jenn Wasner plays guitar and sings in a smoky voice - but they are still able to create a rich, unique sound.

Pitchfork has described them as an "earnest folk-influenced indie rock with touches of noise and dream pop." If this doesn't make sense, just listen to the song below.


These guys are going to be big, mark my words.


Check out "Fish" by Wye Oak:



Civilian - Wye Oak on Amazon - $5.00

"Christian Hedonism" - Sounds Dirty, Right?

Can we have fun and not sin?

Christian Hedonism - this just sounds wrong. I mean, just look at this definition:
he·don·ism

1. (Philosophy) Ethics

     a.  the doctrine that moral value can be defined in terms of pleasure 

     b.  the doctrine that the pursuit of pleasure is the highest good

2. the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of principle

3. indulgence in sensual pleasures

But, if asked, John Piper would call himself a Christian Hedonist. And, after reading half of Desiring God, I think I would too.

This sounds selfish, base, and utterly un-Christian. How could Piper base his book on this principle? Can a true Christian be a hedonist? Does he make it better by adding the word "Christian" in front of it?

So, let's try to understand how seeking our pleasure relates to following God. Do you think it can?

----- | Be Happy - The Bible Commands It? | -----

Today, Christians tend to see pursuing pleasure as a bad thing. "If it makes me happy, then it must be sin." So, we draw lines, and play things safe. But what if this hedonistic desire is good?

Piper argues that God wants us to be happy - the Bible is laced with hedonistic commands (p 25):

• to "love mercy," not just do it (Micah 6:8)
• to do "acts of mercy, with cheerfulness" (Romans 12:8)
• to "joyfully" suffer loss in the service of prisoners (Hebrews 10:34)
• to be a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7)
• to make our joy the joy of others (2 Cor. 2:3)
• to tend the flock of God willingly and "eagerly" (1 Peter 5:2)
• to keep watch over souls "with joy" (Hebrews 13:17)

And, Piper's favorite: "Delight yourself in the Lord" (Ps. 37:4). He even says:

Not to enjoy God is to dishonor Him. To say to Him that something else satisfies you more is the opposite of worship. It is sacrilege. (p. 22)

So, if I am not joyful when worshiping, am I wrong? Piper would say yes.

If this all sounds too harsh, Piper reaches a clear, concise definition pretty soon.

----- | Piper's Thesis | -----

Piper's main argument, and point is this: we are pleasure-seeking creatures, but will find our purest, most satisfying, never-ending happiness IN God. He quotes a great passage from CS Lewis:

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinte joy is offered us, like an ingorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (p. 20)

So, Piper finally rests on a clear definition of Christian Hedonism:

1. The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.
2. We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead, we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.
3. The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.
4. The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it is shared with others in the manifold ways of love.
5. To the extent that we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure, we fail to honor God and love people. Or, to put it positively: The pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue. That is:

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forver. (p28)

Would you agree with him? In glorifying God, are we not the happiest?

If there is disagreement, Piper starts with this and unpacks it over 300 pages. Give him a chance.

Next week - we'll look at the question "Is God Happy?"

"Take Heart!" - A Reminder

How easily I forget the answer to all of my troubles. Today, I was reminded of a simple, but powerful promise by Jesus:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

He promises peace in Himself! Not a peace to come, or a peace from our 'good behavior'. No, we can "take heart" in the fact that our peace is already secure - He has overcome! It's done.


This Hillsong tune fleshes this out in a great way, meeting each of our problems with a trait of God:

[Chorus at 3:50] 

All our troubles, and all our tears,

God our Hope, He has overcome!

All our failure, and all our fear,

God our Love, He has overcome!

All our heartache, and all our pain,

God our Healer, He has overcome!

All our burdens, and all our shame,

God our Freedom, He has overcome!

God our Justice,

God our Grace,

God our Freedom,

He has overcome!

God our Refuge,

God our Strength,

God is with us,

He has overcome!

(lyrics from: http://www.elyrics.net/read/h/hillsong-united-lyrics/take-heart-lyrics.html)

Mindless Monday Fun: My Name is John Daker...

A little late, but this video is hilarious any time of the day:

"My Name is John Daker"



We sang this song in church on Easter, and this video is all I could think about!!