MLB 2011 Predictions

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Last year I made a few bonehead selections but my predictions were relatively solid.  I thought I’d give it a go again this year:

AL East:

  1. Boston Red Sox
  2. Baltimore Orioles
  3. New York Yankees
  4. Toronto Blue Jays
  5. Tampa Bay Rays

AL Central:

  1. Chicago White Sox
  2. Minnesota Twins
  3. Detroit Tigers
  4. Kansas City Royals
  5. Cleveland Indians

AL West:

  1. Texas Rangers
  2. LA Angels
  3. Oakland A’s
  4. Seattle Mariners

NL East:

  1. Philadelphia Phillies
  2. Florida Marlins
  3. Atlanta Braves
  4. Washington Nationals
  5. New York Mets

NL Central:

  1. Cincinnati Reds
  2. St. Louis Cardinals
  3. Milwaukee Brewers
  4. Chicago Cubs
  5. Pittsburgh Pirates
  6. Houston Astros

NL West:

  1. LA Dodgers
  2. San Francisco Giants
  3. Colorado Rockies
  4. Arizona Diamondbacks
  5. San Diego Padres

ALCS: Boston Red Sox defeat Minnesota Twins

NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies defeat St. Louis Cardinals

World Series: Philadelphia Phillies defeat Boston Red Sox

Again this year I hope I’m wrong!  I do think that the Royals will at least be close to .500 this year.  The Marlins are a dark horse pick for me, as are the Baltimore Orioles.  I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Pirates make some early season noise.

What To Do When the Gospel Confronts You

Mike Leake

A couple months ago I quoted this gem from Wesley Hill:

The gospel resists the fallen inclinations of Christian believers.  When we engage with God in Christ and take seriously the commands for purity that flow from the gospel, we always find our sinful dreams and desires challenged and confronted. 

In other words it is impossible to be comfortable in the Christian life.  As long as there is still sin in my life, God is still holy, and as long as God he is committed to me, then it will be impossible for me to be comfortable. 

God, through His gospel, is always confronting my fallenness.  And my fallenness is constantly running from the gospel and attempting to hide in darkness or build a life of mock holiness.  The sin in me cannot stand the Lord’s blazing holiness.  And the Spirit within me cannot stand my wretched wickedness.  Who do you think is going to win that one? 

So, then the gospel is constantly confronting us. 

And when that happens I can do one of three things.  I can change the gospel, I can claim the gospel, or I can allow the gospel to change me and claim me.  Ultimately, if I am a believer, the gospel will win.  I know that I will still die with sin in my life; but Christ is greater.  But in the here and now will I live a life of redemption or rebellion?  Will I experience now what Christ has already purchased? 

Change the Gospel

This option is very attractive.  My plain ol’ ESV outreach Bible has some 900 pages worth of material that I can twist, distort, and shape to fit whatever heresy my wicked heart wants to promote.  Every heretic has his verse and every rebel can find Scripture to justify wickedness.  (That’s scary).

Not only can I find refuge in my distorted view of Scripture but I can also find a community that will make me feel good about myself.  I’m certain there are plenty people that are living in the same delusion—and we can gather together as a merry band of Scripture-twisting gospel dodgers.  If you need it you can find any false prophet telling you “peace, peace”; even when there is no peace. 

So if I want, I can change the gospel and the nagging of the gospel will be quiet for a season. 

Claim the Gospel

When the gospel confronts me one option is to claim a cheap grace.  This is also very attractive because it’s a half truth.  At this point I’m claiming the promises of the gospel but ignoring the conditions and the demands of the gospel. 

Hiding behind cheap grace has its perks.  You can feel forgiven and stay comfortable with a rebellious heart at the same time.  I’m certain that the accuser would be more than happy to help us hide our sin behind a false gospel for a good 80 years before he exposes it, for the sake of accusation, when we stand before Jesus.  (And that’s scary).

So if I want, I can claim the gospel in part and hide behind a cheap grace.  As long as I feel forgiven it doesn’t matter if I really am, does it?

Be Changed, Be Claimed

The other option, and the only fitting option, is to actually believe the gospel.  When the gospel confronts me I can agree with God that my sin is odious, live in the power of the resurrection, and rest in the merits of Christ. 

To be claimed is what Paul is referencing in Galatians 2:20. 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20 ESV)

I belong to Jesus.  My old idolatrous heart has no claim to my life.  My desires now must be his desires.  So when the gospel confronts my idolatrous heart I—through the power of the resurrection—turn from idols and cling to Christ.  This also means that I am hidden in Jesus; I have a new identity.  I am adopted, forgiven, justified, cleansed, made holy, etc. etc.  And all of this because of the identity of Christ.

Being claimed by the gospel inevitably leads to being changed and transformed by the gospel. 

And this is why the gospel is constantly confronting me.  Even though I occasionally attempt to change the gospel to fit my idolatry the Spirit doggedly pursues me, chastises me, bruises me; whatever it takes.  He is radically committed to me and WILL bring about my holiness.  The gospel wins.

And occasionally I try to claim the gospel and hide in cheap grace.  Jesus NEVER lets me get away with that.  He breaks through the facade.  He conquers my spiritual self-righteousness, lays me bare, and calls me to hide in His powerful and costly grace. 

—

For a great article on gospel repentance check out this article by Tim Keller.

Surrending Our Children To The Flames of a Lesser-god

Mike Leake 1 Comment

In Ezekiel 16 the Lord gives a very stinging rebuke to Judah.  In this chapter the Lord shows how he blessed his wife (Judah) and caused her to prosper.  Instead of using these things to enjoy a loving relationship with her husband she instead went after other lovers.  Verses 20-21 may be most shocking of all the indictments:

And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them?

These children are the ones born to covenant Israelites.  They were to have been brought up in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, they were supposed to have reflected the Father’s image.  But instead the Israelites actually sacrificed their own children for the worship of other gods. 

It could be possible that this is only a metaphor for the Israelites dedicating their children to the gods of Babylon instead of to YHWH.  That is possible.  Or it could mean that they actually burned their own children as an offering to pagan gods.  This is what Manasseh did (2 Kings 21:6). 

Now, I want to be careful here in how I apply this verse.  I do not want to overextend it and try to make this text say something that it is not intended to teach.  But I do think we should ask ourselves if we have a Manasseh type of heart with our own children. 

Is it possible that rather than dedicating our children to the Lord we are raising our children to bow to the counterfeit gods of our culture?  We may not be surrendering them to flames but are we fighting for their souls? 

I must remember that the LORD has given Nikki and I children not only for our own enjoyment but primarily for His glory.  Isaiah is a very gifted little boy.  I know that I am biased, but I can see in him some really awesome talents.  I think he is going to be a great musician someday.  So it is our responsibility to raise him in such a way that his musical talent is spent for the glory of God.  We would be no better than Manasseh if we allowed Isaiah to settle for the counterfeit god of success, fame, and money.  May we strive to a better end.  (Obviously, the same thing goes for Hannah). 

And it is also possible that Isaiah will not have musical talent, he won’t be able to throw a baseball, he’ll never enjoy reading Puritans, he won’t be called to preach, and he’ll never get married and have children.  And neither will his sister.  Those aren’t tragedies.  The only tragedy would be if their lives are surrendered to the flames of a lesser god.

May the LORD constantly stir the heart of Nikki and I to fight for Isaiah and Hannah’s souls. 

Take a Bribe, Win a Free Book

Mike Leake 8 Comments

  OR
I am not above bribing you.  If you vote for me I will enter you in a chance to win a free book:  The Expository Genius of John Calvin or a Pre-Ordered copy of Radical Together.  This book is still in its shrink wrap and it can be yours. 

Two ways to win.  First you can go to SBC Voices and place a vote for Borrowed Light in the Southeast division.  Then simply leave a comment letting me know you voted.  

Second way to win is to subscribe to this blog and then leave a comment letting me know you are a subscriber (and what way you subscribe). 

If you do both I will enter your name in the drawing twice.  Winner will be announced on Friday!  If you win tell me which book you want.