Today in Blogworld 7.3.12

Mike Leake

5 Questions To Ask of a Book

Tim Challies reveals 5 questions that he asks of a book to determine whether or not it is “good and worthy of recommendation”.  This article should help prospective authors as well as other book reviewers.  (I happen to fit both). 

Forgiving God?

There is a new therapeutic method out there were the counselor gives the counselee permission and encouragement to “forgive God”.  Sam Storms analyzes whether or not this is a helpful practice. 

5 Critical Steps If Your Child is Hooked on Porn

Thankfully my little boy is only 4.  But the day will be coming (much quicker than I imagine) when the serpent of old will seek to entice my little guy with pornography.  Here are 5 critical steps if your are at a different spot and your child is viewing pornography.  (HT: David Murray)

What Multitasking Does to Our Brains

I multitask all the time.  Maybe I should stop.  Leo Widrich explains what goes on in our brain when we multitask.  He also gives some helpful advice for being more singularly focused.  (Also I’m glad that music doesn’t count as multitasking.  (HT:Z)

This is the History of Rock ‘N Roll In 100 Guitar Riffs:

(HT: Stephen Altrogge)

7 Questions with Greg Dutcher: Author of Killing Calvinism (Part 2 of 2)

Mike Leake

On Saturday I posted the first part to my interview with Greg Dutcher, author of Killing Calvinism.  Below is part 2

5. You mention in the book that some things about our theology make you uncomfortable. You also, and I love this point, encourage us to be real and acknowledge those difficulties. What is the biggest thing about Calvinist theology that makes you uncomfortable?

I try to show that every Christian, regardless of his theological stripe, has some emotional discomfort with at least something. I’ve never met a Christian who did not emotionally balk at the concept of an everlasting hell, for instance. Of course having some emotional reticence does not threaten the existence of a doctrine so there really is no danger in admitting that we may struggle with certain aspects of our theology. Has it EVER bothered me in some way that God does not choose everybody to be saved? At the risk of having my Calvinist card revoked, I would say have to say “yes- sometimes it has bothered me.” A non-Calvinist friend of mine was very appreciative of me admitting that. He told me that too often Calvinists come across as “Stepford” wives who seem robotically at peace with emotionally difficult doctrines.

Of course it is difficult to come to terms with our inability to choose God on our own. We live in a culture where choice is king. We have already made countless free-will decision before our car keys are in the ignition. There is no reason we need to fear admitting that it can be hard to accept the fact that sin has wrecked our will beyond our worst nightmares.

6. How could this book benefit a non-Calvinist?

My hope is that non-Calvinists might scratch their heads and think, “Huh- maybe it’s not as much the theology of Calvinists but the attitude of Calvinists that has bothered me so much.” Once a distinction is made, maybe they won’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Of course I’m not so naive to believe that our non-reformed friends will simply come to embrace Calvinism after one of its advocates admits a bunch of his blunders. But I do hope that they will sense genuine love and respect from a dude just trying to handle his Calvinism well.

7. All of Christendom has decided that the issue of Calvinism will be settled by a wheel-barrow race. You’ve been chosen to select the two racers for Team Calvin. Team Not-Calvin is championed by John Wesley and Billy Graham. Who do you pick to lead us to victory? And why?

Wow- that’s a tough one. To be consistent with Team Non-Calvin, I’ll pick a dead Calvinist and a live one too.

I hate doing this, but Spurgeon edges out Calvin to me. Even though I’m bypassing the guy my theology is actually named after, I just can’t think of anyone who can beat Spurgeon in eloquence or passion.

Then I’d have to go with Piper as the modern Calvinist. Why? Because he’s the 21st century Spurgeon in my opinion. Eloquence, passion- I just can’t think of anyone else who can match him in today’s pulpit.

GO TEAM!

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Thanks for doing the interview Greg.  And I pray that the Lord blesses your ministry and your writing.  Thanks for this helpful little book.  It’s my prayer that many will read it and that the Lord will use it to expand His Kingdom. 

You can get the book here. 

Shot With Your Own Arrow

Mike Leake 1 Comment

AN EAGLE sat on a lofty rock, watching the movements of a Hare whom he sought to make his prey. An archer, who saw the Eagle from a place of concealment, took an accurate aim and wounded him mortally. The Eagle gave one look at the arrow that had entered his heart and saw in that single glance that its feathers had been furnished by himself. “It is a double grief to me,” he exclaimed, “that I should perish by an arrow feathered from my own wings.” (From Aesop’s Fables)

How often is this true in our Christian walk? Moreover, how often does this happen with unregenerate man? It is not necessary for Satan to have an arrow shop in hell.  We do a fine job providing arrows for him.

Consider James 1:14-15 for example: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” If there is not a messed up desire then Satan has no power to lure you. It is only because of a disordered affection that Satan is given an opportunity for destruction.

Or consider Ephesians 4:26-27: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” This is another way of saying “don’t leave the door cracked so that the devil can get his foot in”. The principle here is that if you do not leave the door cracked he will not have easy access. If you want to be destroyed then harbor anger and bitterness. Hanging on to anger is like crafting an arrow and handing it to Satan to shoot straight into your heart.

We often go through life wondering why we get wounded so much. Part of it is because we are fallen people living in a fallen world. We are not yet fully redeemed and neither is our environment; pain is inevitable. However, many of our wounds come from arrows that we ourselves have crafted. Such as:

  • The alcoholic whose life is in shambles because he cannot kick the bottle. With each purchase of a case of Budweiser, each trip to the bar, each party you are crafting an arrow and asking Satan to shoot you in the chest
  • The husband or wife that hang on to bitterness. With each unresolved conflict, each refusal to speak truth, each entrenched refusal to forgive, and each night of refusing to make the gospel central they are crafting an arrow and asking Satan to shoot their home full of fiery darts.
  • The teenager that hops from ungodly relationship to ungodly relationship. With each empty ‘I love you’, each touch that went too far, each flirtatious look, each loaded text message, each “innocent” massage, each obsessed and smothering moment, and each non-gospel centered date or wish of a date you are crafting an arrow and asking Satan to destroy your heart with it.
  • The pastor that refuses accountability or is too prideful to delegate. With each new item on his agenda, each busy moment spent in planning instead of prayer, each corner that is cut in sermon prep, each guard that is ignored to protect his purity, and each moment he spends as a pastor instead of a son he is crafting an arrow and asking Satan to wreck him.

The situations are numerous.  There are as many arrows as there are wounds.  Yet the beauty of the gospel is that Jesus heals our wounds no matter who crafted the arrow. This is why the answer to your wounds is not more pills, more education, more free time, more rules or regulations, more relationships, more counseling sessions, or more spiritual disciplines. These are good, they help, but they cannot do what only Jesus can. Only Jesus can heal.  These may be the means that He uses but at the end of the day only the Great Physician can apply the wound-healing salve to our tattered bodies. 

If you find that you are in the business of making arrows to give to Satan, your answer is not to try harder and start a focused regimen to not make arrows. Your answer is to be so drenched with the gospel and so enthralled with Jesus that you are either too in love to make arrows or too gospel soaked to feel their sting. And when you mess up and hand Satan an arrow, take the stupid thing out (repent) and go to Jesus for healing (faith).

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Originally posted here. 

Today in Blogworld 7.2.12

Mike Leake 1 Comment

6 Traits of a Pastor in Awe of God

Paul Tripp gives us 6 traits that mark a pastor that is in awe of God.  These things cannot be faked but they come more naturally to ones that marvel at the awesomeness of God.  Tripp also has a short section at the end about getting our awe back. 

10 Tips on Solving Mysterious Bible Passages from Sherlock Holmes

Eric McKiddie continues to write solid articles.  Here, guest posting for Trevin Wax, McKiddie offers ten helpful suggestions on biblical interp from Sherlock Holmes. 

Hope for Feeble Lovers of Jesus

Mark Altrogge offers us feeble lovers of Jesus a great dose of hope.  Mostly what he is saying is that, “I don’t love Jesus as much as I should, but I will.  Increasingly.  For all eternity”.  This gives hope and not despair. 

How to Write a Horrendous Blog Post

Chris Vacher gives us 3 tips on how to write a horrendous blog post.  I’ve been guilty of all three.  Probably in the same post. 

The Gospel in Two Minutes: