I’ve always thought that the account of Simeon in Luke 2:21-35 is a very precious and moving story. I’ve read it and been stirred by it at all times of the year. But of course, it’s particularly striking around Christmas. Simeon was an elderly man who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he wouldn’t die until he had seen … More All I Want for Christmas: Simeon’s Hope
I think it can be very arrogant and ignorant to read about the failures of people in the Bible and to talk about those people as though they’re completely dense or slow or idiotic in light of the foolish things they did or the obvious responsibilities they neglected. Treating historical figures condescendingly is easy for any sinner to … More Take Heed Lest You Fall
This Sunday November 12 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). The following are some links and resources about believers around the world who are suffering for their faith. I haven’t thoroughly researched all of these sites and organizations, so read at your own discretion. Unfortunately some of them are theologically ecumenical, … More International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
I am becoming more and more convinced that if you ever stop thinking while you’re walking through this world, you’re done for. Anti-God, anti-Bible, pro-self, pro-sin worldviews are everywhere, and they’re pumped into us (especially through media, entertainment, and technology) like an I.V. for the mind. If you take one mental pit stop at the … More Worldview Everywhere
Today was RD Day Away, a day when the Deans’ Staff gets off campus and relaxes together. We went to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley in the morning and early afternoon, Malibu Beach for the late afternoon and sunset, and a local fish restaurant called Froggy’s for dinner. It was a refreshing day … More Signing Your Life Away
Welcome to Raw Christianity. This site is new in that it’s freshly designed and newly launched. But it’s really just a continuation of my old blog. I’ve taken everything I ever posted at the old site and transferred it here, so this blog looks like it’s been around since 2004. I’ve been working on this … More Welcome to Raw Christianity
During his recent sabbatical in Cambridge, John Piper wrote a new book entitled What Jesus Demands from the World. He spent almost three months huddling under the interrogating light of Jesus’ commands in the gospels, and then wrote what he learned. This past Friday night at the DesiringGod National Conference, he was asked how this … More Personal Thoughts about Jesus from John Piper
Tonight I find myself honestly wondering when the word “preach” became a Christian cuss word. As in, “We shouldn’t preach at people; we should just love them.” Or, “I just want to talk; I don’t want to preach at you.” Or, “Yeah, nobody really likes him; he just preaches at people.” I’ve used the word … More I Don’t Want to Preach at You
Thanks to all of you who commented recently with words of encouragement. I think that we all need encouragement more than we think and should give it more than we do. That’s certainly true for me. Thankfully, the Lord seems to provide it at unexpected times and from surprising angles. This week is RD Retreat … More American Values and Kingdom Living
I’m currently working on a historical biography of Jonah for my History of Israel class, and let me just say this: You really don’t want to disobey God’s call for your life. Seriously. No matter how hard it might be, it’s just a bad idea to go against what God tells you to do. I’m … More The Guy Got Swallowed by a Whale
Sorry for the proliferation of links and negligible posts lately. My two seminary classes have been taking up all my time. Having the four-day weekend is about the only thing that saved me, I think. I’m realizing how easy it is to grow complacent in walking with God. The dynamic pursuit of true spirituality can quickly fade … More Let’s Get Out of Here: Thoughts on Complacency
For those of you who know Dr. Varner and his wife, their 26-year-old daughter Lynda was killed in a car accident on July 4, 2005. I think the Varners were notified about the accident late on July 3 and Lynda was pronounced dead on July 4. The funeral was on July 9. So there are a … More One-Year Anniversary of Lynda Varner’s Death
This is what I tried to share at the end of Oak Manor's dorm chapel on Friday morning. It's difficult to communicate the nearness of eternity, the intensity of living the Christian life as it ought to be lived, and the reality of standing before the King. But you have to try. So this was … More Be Ready
I heard about London Theological Seminary a few days ago, so I checked out their website. It's a school that specializes in training men to preach the Word of God. It seems to be a very purist school, holding to some ideals that a lot of students (and probably professors) talk about but that are hard to … More Threats, Exams, Deadlines, and Eternity
I’ve always needed and loved Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” The implication of this exhortation is that the Corinthians (along with us) would’ve been tempted instead to be … More Not in Vain
I’ve lived in California long enough to not know how Southern California clothing fashions match up with the rest of the U.S. But since the many forms of media (especially television) are so widespread, I’d assume that fashion (especially amoung the younger generation) is fairly homogeneous. Fashion runs in time cycles and geographical patterns anyway, so … More Long Shorts for a Short Time
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