Glenn's home

Sweden guilty of crimes against a family

2011-10-16T20:13:00.002-01:00

In this day and age - in Europe no less - it is apparently okay to kidnap children and deny them access to the parents; where you may ask? - Sweden would be my answer. Follow the title link and read for yourself.

Their crime - homeschooling their child - leagally I must add - and opting out of vaccinations, which was also legal at the time in question.

If you took 'Sweden' out of the report you could make it fit with horror stories from Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia, but no, modern day Sweden which has joined Germany in outlawing Home Schooling.

It would seem that yet again society refuses to learn from the mistakes of the past. Where will it end? More repression of freedoms so hard fought for and the imposition of brain washing on a scale not seen since the second world war and later Stalinist Russia etc

Logos giveaway

2010-08-21T11:09:00.000-01:00

Logos Bible Software is giving away thousands of dollars of prizes to celebrate the launch of Logos Bible Software 4 Mac on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!

They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC base packages and upgrades. Check it out!

Luke Chapter 7

2008-05-03T21:44:00.002-01:00

Here we find a Roman Centurion, a Gentile, putting to shame all the Jews (which must by definition have included the Apostles at that point in time) by the unquestioning faith displayed regarding Jesus ability to heal. Considered himself unworthy to have Jesus even enter his house.
How many of us could learn so much from just this one incredible display (that includes me at the top of the list)

Luke Chapter 6

2008-05-03T21:23:00.003-01:00

It was v37a that 'leapt' out at me here, what I consider to be one of the more abused verses in the Bible.
How many times have you heard people try and avoid legitimate challenges by misapplying this verse. So many Christians think it is a 'Get out of jail free' card to avoid any challenges.
When that particular 'log' has been removed it is obvious that it is hypocrisy that is being spoken against here.
To put it plainly; if you were guilty of adultery and you took someone else to task for committing adultery then this verse would apply to you.
When you allow scripture to inform assessment of scripture it becomes even more obvious because we are told in Mat 18: v15-18 ( for instance) what to do when we "judge" someone to be in sin.
If we were to truly 'judge not' in the way that too many would prefer then we would be unable to follow the very clear instructions laid out in Matthew reference above.

Luke Chapter 5

2008-05-03T21:14:00.002-01:00

Christians should fast (from food primarily) regularly; not just when they want something or find themselves in extremis regarding some issue.
This is a much neglected aspect of Christian life, especially here in the soporific West where, in general, persecution is something that happens 'elsewhere' and rarely disturbs the Spirit sapping surroundings of the West.

Luke Chapter 4

2008-05-03T21:07:00.003-01:00

Here in verse 1 we find that the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was Gods idea from the start; we are told that Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit.
Oh I love the Trinity; think about it, in effect He (God the Father) degreed that Himself (God the Spirit) should lead Himself (God the Son) into the wilderness - I don't understand how that works, but I think it is great

Sad news

2008-04-08T18:55:00.002-01:00

Hi, Several projects/posts for this blog are on hold for the next week or so as my father passed away today at the age of 78.
He had been unwell for some time and bedridden for the past year.

So called 'pregnant man'!!

2008-04-05T22:20:00.003-01:00

There has been much said about the so called 'pregnant man' in the USA and it is utterly ridiculous.

Lets get one thing clear right from the start; she is not a man, she is a woman trying to pretend to be a man. She was born a woman and no amount of surgery can change that simple fact.

She is not even a good imitation of a man because although she had some surgery, she left her reproductive organs intact. (because she wanted a child at a later date)

Now lets make something else clear; no true man can be pregnant, only women can be pregnant and carry a child to full term. I realise that that is a shocking statement for some deluded souls on this planet, but it is an unalterable fact.

These same people seem to think that by calling a woman a man and artificially inducing facial hair and a deepening of the voice through the introduction of testosterone (again, artificially) that it somehow makes there irrational statements true. NO IT DOESN'T and it never will.

It is called propaganda and that is all it will ever be.

Do I hate these people, NO I do not. I think they are in need of help. I think they are deluded spiritually and need to be set free from the delusions that beset there troubled souls.

This twisting of the true nature of men and women is another assault on the beautiful created order of God.

Luke Chapter 3

2008-03-27T21:33:00.002-01:00

This '1 thing' provided much food for thought which is ongoing .

What struck me here is the command that if we have even one item over and above the absolute basics we are to share with those who have not.

In this example provided in Chap 3 we are told that if you have two tunics (note only two) we are to give away the extra one to someone who has not.

Many people in the West would consider this to be madness. Only having two shirts for instance would be considered more than below the poverty line and yet we are commanded by God to be ready to give one away.

When one looks at the Church in the West (and elsewhere), and by Church I am of course referring to the people, not the buildings, we need to realise that we are soaked in almost unimaginable wealth.

What many Christians would consider to give away would be from what they see as 'excess to requirements' which falls a long way short of the Biblical injunction and standard.

I note also in passing that the soldiers in v4 are not told by John the Baptist to give up soldiering or to become pacifists, he tells them to be honest and content with what they have. How very different from what many Christians spout these days.

Luke Chapter 2

2008-03-27T21:14:00.003-01:00

What stood out for me here was the Shepherds involvement.

Shepherds were considered a despicable class, commonly regarded as little better than thieves.

Yet to such as these was granted not only the news of the birth of the Christ, but also a huge display of the heavenly hosts singing praises, now that must have been some concert - can you imagine the tonal perfection..... sorry, of course not, how could we.

Only Elisha and his servant are recorded as having also seen an angelic host (2Ki 6:17)

I note in passing that the Magi do not rate a mention in Luke's account of the virgin birth, but the start of the greatest event in all of history was given to those considered despised and lowly. Praise the Lord.

Luke Chapter 1

2008-03-27T21:04:00.002-01:00

What struck me in Chap:1 was the circumstances of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was barren for nearly her whole married life. In Jewish society of the time this was seen as a curse, but as it transpired Elizabeth was not in fact cursed.

Her circumstances were according to the purposes of God. She was to be the mother of the Herald of the Christ, John the Baptist.

Not only was the birth of the Christ miraculous (virgin birth), but the birth of His herald was also miraculous through the unlocking of Elizabeths barren womb.

I also note in passing the similarity between Abraham & Sarah and Zechariah & Elizabeth, as in one son, late in life according to Gods purposes.

Luke: 1 Chapter; 1 thing

2008-03-27T20:19:00.002-01:00

My next run of posts is going to be built around the concept of working through Luke and picking out one thing that strikes me from each Chapter.

Safe place for discussion?,,,not likely!!

2008-01-03T19:17:00.000-01:00

There is a blog called "Complegalitarian" which pretends to be a place for egalitarians and Complementarians to 'safely' discuss issues.
If it wasn't for the egalitarian pundits who frequent the place it might just achieve it.....on second thoughts it was doomed from the start. Why? Because of the rampart hypocrisy of the blog owner who allows the egal. commenter's to slander and impugn the motives and character of anyone who dares to express a Comp. outlook.
Now, sometimes it is dressed up in 'nice' language, but the intent remains the same.

For instance, if you support a Comp. view you are likened to a despotic Dictator, you are a supporter of slavery, you encourage spousal abuse, oh yes and you are an idiot who is incapable of even the barest understanding of Scripture.

On the other hand if you support Comp. and you express even the slightest criticism of an egal. commenter or poster and your comment will be deleted. I am not talking about a direct assault on the character of the person, but just the view they have expressed or (heaven forbid) the way they have expressed it.

There was at the beginning a couple of brave souls who tried to be posters on this blog to present the Comp. viewpoint on issues raised. They have given up due to the hostile atmosphere and the blatant attacks and misrepresentation of whatever was brought.
Like many things there are of course the odd exceptions, but they stand out for that reason.

Now, it will come as no surprise to find that the view most common amongst the posters is that the Comps are the ones who are vicious, spiteful and hateful whilst supposedly misrepresenting the egal position.

Avoid this place like the plague, it serves no purpose except maybe to show how not to do it.

Insanity in Finland!!

2007-12-13T16:54:00.000-01:00

No, not mental health issues, but the act of the Finnish Government in taking some Lutheran Pastors to court for standing up for what they believe concerning leadership of Christ's Church.

For the full story follow this link to CBMW.

Give it a few more years and this insanity could break out here if the militants have their way.

Think about it.

Never ending Merry-Go-Round

2007-12-12T22:09:00.000-01:00

So here we are, the Anglican Communion is still trying to pretend that something could be done to stop the split.
Now, I consider the split not only inevitably, but eminently desirable. To sort the wheat from the chaff is always desirable.
People who consider the homosexual life style as being exceptable to God and not condemned by the Bible cannot also claim to be Christian and Bible believing. The dichotomy between the two standpoints is unbridgeable.

Maybe it is time to except that the Anglican Church is in need of a good Reformation on a par with the original. For instance the Church is the people not the building; you don't need to wear strange dress like costumes to minister to Gods people; there is no need for an Archbishop and certainly not one who lives in luxury surrounded by pomp and ceremony. sort of like a second rate Pope; so much deadwood needs to be cut away before the Anglican community in the West can start to be vibrant and alive again.
The isolated pockets of life just serve to highlight the desperate need of the rest.

A teenagers comment on teenagers

2007-09-10T22:04:00.000-01:00

Go to the following link to read an excellent analysis of the 'teenage problem' .

Today many do not realise that the concept of the 'teenager' only came about after WWII.

Read it and weep and then pray.

Aarrrrgh, blogdom

2007-09-04T08:07:00.000-01:00

Cough, cough, choke, choke. I really must come here more often, the dust is a killer.
I am sure that this has been raised elsewhere and it will have been put better than I am able, but I think the Blog world has created a problem.
It is now so easy to get ones thoughts on-line that too many people think their opinion is worth far more than it actually is.

People now think that just because they have an opinion about something that it is weighty and deserving of propagation. Hence all the opinion 'fights' that go on over things that are patently ridiculous in the first place.

Christians who think they know better than the Bible, in other words, they don't like what they find there and therefore it can't possibly mean what it says and then they move mountains to prove that it must mean something completely different

There is one blog where they have a policy that you are not allowed to make personal attacks on people, their opinions yes, but not the people themselves. Sounds good, except they don't seem to want to follow it themselves. There are several contributors to the blog and at least two of them regularly indulge in character attacks on the people they disagree with.
This display of hypocrisy is sad, that when challenged they refuse to see it is even sadder.

There are too many Christian blogs that are seemingly incapable of realising that non Christians come across their blogs and see this sort of hypocrisy (and worse) and are rightly put off.

Evolutionists worried!!

2007-07-29T22:09:00.000-01:00

The Creation Museum of the Answers in Genesis ministry in Kentucky is causing waves of panic in the evolutionist camp. You can read about it in more detail by following the link.
One museum dedicated to Gods truth against all the museums that follow the religion of evolutionism (I know, that represents unfair odds against the evolutionist museums) and the 'built on sand' nature of the 'molecules to man' lie is exposed.

If it wasn't so sad it would be hilarious, the ridiculous claims made by many scientists and institutions that the existence of the Creation Museum is going to set back the scientific abilities of America or undermine the teaching of science in schools.

Standing on the truth of Gods word has an impact out of all proportion to the scale of the work or the effort put into it by individuals. All the glory goes to God for the amazing story behind the 'birthing' of the Creation Museum.

They (AIG) expected to get about 250,000 visitors in the first year; after the first 2 months of being open to the public they have already had 120,000 visitors. If this keeps up then it could be 3 times their original projected figures. Glory to God.

I would highly recommend visiting the AIG web site

The amount of material available on the site is huge and a true treasure trove.

Sadness of the 'Emerging Church'

2007-07-02T14:22:00.000-01:00

On Adrian Warnock's blog today is the sad report not only of Brian Mclaren's support for the views of Steve Chalke in regard to Penal Substitution, but also an example of Brians failure to honour Gods word by offering no answer to one of his 'flock' who asked "why did Jesus have to die".
Brians reply was basically "I don't know and neither did Jesus. The point wasn't understanding it; the point was doing what needed to be done." (This via Brians brother Peter)
I do not know what Church they are supposed to represent, but it is not the Church of Jesus Christ.

Creation Museum finally open

2007-05-29T13:10:00.000-01:00

Praise God for His truth.
At last the AIG Creation Museum in the USA is finally open to the public. All the time and effort to get this excellent facility up and running has come to fruition. This wonderful statement that Gods truth and true Science are not incompatible is a joy to behold and oh how it has the evolutionists running scared.
Petitions against, signed by people who haven't seen the inside of the Museum and mocking news reports which are so clearly full of misinformation are but two examples of the signs of their panic.
After all they don't want people to realise that Evolution (molecules to man) has no basis in fact and that there is no evidence at all for this so called 'factual' explanation of how everything came into being.
Of course the saddest part of all this is the continued collusion of 'Christians' in this fallacy. People who claim Jesus as their Saviour, but put man's fallible opinions above the Word of God.
The only downside is having to travel all the way to the USA to visit the Museum.
Even some of its detractors have had the honesty to admit that it is a world class facility.

Together on a Mission '07 (UK)

2007-05-07T20:15:00.000-01:00

Together on a Mission '07 is nearly upon us.
This event is the annual Leadership conference of Newfrontiers and is a great opportunity for me to meet up with my Pastor friends from India.
Without this event I would only be able to talk by phone or write emails, which although providing an excellent way to communicate over the 5000 miles between India and here in the UK, is still not as good as being able to spend time together face to face.
God has blessed me with such wonderful friends amongst the Newfrontiers India Elders and although we are so far apart most of the time they have all been a great comfort and blessing over the years. (Follow the link for more info on the Conference)
The fellowship and teaching at this event are always excellent and soaked in the Spirit of God.

Archbishop Peter Akinola

2007-05-07T19:52:00.000-01:00

At last! A firm clear step has been taken to affirm those who are not prepared to compromise the scriptures in the Anglican Church in America.
Archbishop Peter Akinola from Nigeria flew into America to confirm a Bishop to minister to those unwilling to put up with Jefferts-Schori (and others) and the madness that she (and they) represent.
This should have happened a long time ago, but the attempts to paper over (or rather ignore) the ever widening chasm in the Anglican world took precedent over the obvious fact that those ignoring the clear teaching of God were not prepared to back down or recant. (no surprises there)
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Jefferts-Schori wrote asking Archbishop Peter Akinola not to go down this road, fortunately he ignored them. The A of C should be ashamed of himself for his continued attempts to compromise and distort scripture and to indulge those who go even further.
The idea of a debate over whether the Bible condemns homosexuality (which it clearly does) would be laughable if it wasn't so sad. This does not mean that we should go around 'witch hunting' for so called 'gays'. Like any other sin we should speak out against it and offer Christ and His redemptive work on the cross as the answer.

Happy Christmas and New Year

2006-12-25T00:04:00.000-01:00

Well, it has been an eventful year. The usual mix of good and bad plus the very bad, but as ever there is a New Year shortly to follow praise be to God.

Another year older and another year closer to going home. That thought keeps me going when things are really bad. In what will seem in retrospect to be the twinkling of an eye there will be Jesus welcoming me home. Oh glory.

Do not misunderstand me, I am not a depressive. That eternal perspective keeps the woes of this world in proportion and that thought of going home in God's good time brings me great joy.

As we remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour I am ever mindful of His eternal purpose in coming here.

Dr Grudem attacked - again

2006-12-08T14:14:00.000-01:00

Over at Adrian Warnocks blog he is serialising an interview with Dr Wayne Grudem (currently at Pt 4), well worth a read.
As is sadly becoming the norm when Dr Grudem is featured anywhere the 'anti Grudem' brigade 'gird their loins' and start making their untrue accusations about Dr Grudem.
Much of what they call evidence is nothing of the sort, as becomes plain if you take the time to read up on their assertions.

When challenged and cornered it quickly devolves into a form of 'he's wrong because I say so' or they accuse Dr Grudem of being incompetent, a liar etc.
One character called Suzanne becomes so disconnected from reality that her comments on posts quickly become unrelated to the subject matter of the original post and/or become slanderous in a very unpleasent manner. This became so bad on the Between Two Worlds blog that Justin Taylor actually banned her from the blog. (only the second person ever and after much warning)

Peter Kirk is very opposed to Dr Grudem and what he writes and yet he admits in one of the comments on Adrians blog that he has never read one of Dr Grudems books. Oh, sorry, I believe he may have read a chapter, but it is not clear if it was the whole chapter or just part of it.
How he can dispute what Dr Grudem has written without even knowing what he has written is self evidently ridiculous.

Blog Beta

2006-12-01T19:49:00.000-01:00

Not too sure about this Blog Beta, maybe I should have waited until it was out of Beta.

Genesis Commentary for Children

2006-12-01T18:44:00.000-01:00

I have just come across the "Herein Is Love: A Commentary Series for Children" published by Shepherds Press (thank you to Justin Taylor of Between Two Worlds)

I have already ordered the one for Genesis, especially as it supports the Biblical view of creation, as in six literal days etc.

The intention of the publishers is for the series to cover from Genesis through Joshua. In their own words;

"The beginning books of the Bible are essential to our understanding of God's redemptive story. The author of Herein Is Love creatively focuses our attention on the events that bring this story to life. The series has the richness of well-written literature and the depth of understanding inherent in a commentary. The result is a series of books whose details live and sing. They help parent and child understand the Christ-centered Word, and they are enjoyable reading for both. Your own faith will be strengthened while reading to your children, and your children will be encouraged, lesson by lesson, to believe in the Lord Jesus."

"This wonderful series will take you and your child from Genesis through Joshua; from the beginning, when there was only the Word, until Gods takes His people into the promised land he has prepared for them."

To find an adult commentary that is willing to stand up and support the biblical view of creation can be hard, so to find one I can use with my 3 children to give them a firm understanding of this important truth is a real joy.

There is of course so much more to Genesis and it is a shame that so many people are willing to compromise in this area and so require that time and effort is expended to try and correct all the Bible undermining compromise regarding the clear teaching of scripture.

I see the support for Biblical creation as just one small (albeit important) piece in the great tapestry that makes up these defining books of the OT.

I look forward to aquiring the whole set.

Overcoming Sin & Temptation - Book Review

2006-11-08T21:22:00.000-01:00

In some ways I found this a difficult review to start, so much material covering such an important subject, where to start?
My first observation is that this book cannot be approached with a view to skim reading or anything similar.
Although some of the archaic language has been sifted there is still a lot of words that are not commonly used today, if at all. (There is a glossary so don't dispair)
That being said, it does mean that you will have to focus fully whilst reading this book and not allow yourself to be distracted. All that effort will be worth it.
As John Piper used to say to his sons if they complained that a good book was hard to read "Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves; digging is hard, but you might find diamonds."

In this book you will find diamonds in abundance and seams of pure gold, but you will have to expend effort to get there, but it will be so worth it.

The whole subject of sin is rarely handled in such a forthright and honest way in todays 'touchy feely, 'I' centered' Christian world.

Although hundreds of years old this could have been written today such is the relevence.

Yes, this book will require you to expend much effort, but you will be rewarded with excellent truth and gifted with wisdom in this crucial area.

Read this book, again I say, read this book.

This review may be short, but others are so much more eloquent than I and as such I will leave it to them to give you more of an insight into the actual material.

A few women wasting their time

2006-11-02T21:36:00.000-01:00

It is sad to see some women wasting so much of their time and spiritual energies trying to prove that the Bible doesn't really say what it is saying and even if it is it doesn't really mean it!!!
Get that? (oh, and if all else fails, then it was added by a scribe and as such can be ignored anyway or Paul didn't write it so it shouldn't be included in Scripture, and so on, and so on)

I am of course refering to the issue of women in leadership in the Church.
From Genesis to Revelation the teaching of the Bible is that leadership in the Church is to be men only and that in the home the man is head of the family.

Now at this point certain female bloggers often start accusing the writer/speaker of supporting violence against women in the home etc, in essence trying to cloud the issue with lies and emotional rhetoric (not to mention slander)

No matter how much sound research, word studies, Biblical evidence is brought to bear it is automatically dismissed because it doesn't say what they want to hear.

Wayne Grudems excellent resource 'Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth: an analysis of 118 disputed questions.' is often pilloried by these same people, but I have yet to see them dispute the 118 questions or the veracity of their origins. As usual it is just claimed that Grudem is wrong or it is implied that he is a lousy theologian/academic or despite the fact he is a Professor of NT he actually does not have a grasp of the subject.

These sort of personal attacks are okay from their side, but a travesty if the slightest hint is made that their abilities in these areas are, shall we say, verging on the incompetent.

Stalled review

2006-11-02T21:33:00.000-01:00

My review of 'Overcoming Sin & Temptation' is taking longer than I thought, but it will appear soon ;-).....hopefully.
I think I am letting the material overwhelm me somewhat.

Not Junia again!!

2006-10-30T19:30:00.000-01:00

Over on Better Bibles Blog (personally I think it is a bit of a misnomer) one of the contributors has started a multi part post on whether or not Junia was an Apostle.....again.

Was Junia an Apostle? No is the simple answer. In the Bible all of the Apostles were men and Jesus would have included women amongst them if He had wanted to.

Some have dared to put it down to Jesus not wanting to offend the cultural mores of the time, well all I will say on that one is that such things did not stop Him at any other time.
There is much clear evidence in the NT to support male only leadership of the Church and none for the inclusion of women amongst that leadership.

Are they excluded from ministring to other women and to children? No.
Are they prevented from assisting their Husbands in ministring to men away from the main gatherings? No.
So the key to the misguided efforts on the BBB hinge around whether Paul was saying "well known amongst the Apostles" or the more accurate translation "well known to the Apostles".

The latter is actually more likely although the former is present in many translations. The latter has come about due to extensive new research into Greek usage etc from the relevant era.

Of course this is rejected out of hand by those with a vested interest in trying to prove that Junia was an Apostle.

Now, in and of itself this new research is actually a side issue. My comments about Jesus choosing only men for His Apostles is by far the more persuasive of the two as not even the advocates of Junia can deny that that is indeed what Jesus did.

They do not like it and try to deny the significance of that choice at all costs.

It also seems to escape their notice that they have to perform all sorts of theological 'gymnastics' to try and prove their point. Take verses or ideas in isolation to the rest of Scripture (when it suits) and when all else fails...deny that the scripture at that point is binding for today.

In other words, anything other than submitting to the clear teaching of scripture.

Suffering & the Sovereignty of God - Crossway books

2006-10-24T17:35:00.000-01:00

This book should be read by every Christian because it addresses one of the fundamental issues of our day, suffering.
This is an issue that is too often downplayed or sidelined by young and old alike.
Like the authors in this book I do not approach this subject from a distance, but up close and very, very personal. I have been chronically ill for the last 5 years and during the treatment had to deal with chronic anaemia, infected psoriasis, near migraine level headaches, an almost non existent white cell count, blurred vision and much more besides. I am now technically ‘cured’, but my body is still recovering and reducing all the painkillers is progressing albeit slowly.

This book starts with the word of God, feeds off the word of God and honours the word of God throughout.
If you are seeking easy answers then don’t read this book, but if you are seeking answers that strengthen your spirit and leave you with the highest view of the sovereignty of God, then read on. (In the book I mean, not this blog)

John Piper, as always, gives us no wriggle room (praise God) and lays it all out in his indomitable way.
He shows that God is in control of everything and that we can rely on that fact because He is there for us.
Feel under attack from the armies of Satan or the sinful desires of your own flesh? Be encouraged because God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to endure.
In physical or emotional pain? Be encouraged because Jesus knows and understands your suffering.
As John Piper puts it in chap 1 –

“God is supreme in all things. He has all authority, all power, all wisdom—and he is all good
“to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lam. 3:25).
And his name, as Creator and Redeemer and Ruler of all, is Jesus Christ.
In the last few years, 9/11, tsunamis, Katrina, and ten thousand personal losses have helped us discover how little the American church is rooted in this truth.”

I would add that this applies in general to the church in the West. There are beacons in the dark from churches like Bethlehem Baptist and the Sovereign Grace Ministries group of churches amongst others, but they are all too few.
Just as well that God has it all under control.

If you are suffering, struggling for answers then READ THIS BOOK.

Please believe me when I tell you that it is possible to praise God joyfully in the midst of pain and suffering when you find your strength in God.

All the authors in this book understand the reality of this all too well.

By the grace of God I know it to be a reality as well. This is achievable by anyone, you do not have to be some sort of ‘super saint’, far from it.

Please read this and be encouraged and challenged.

Video on demand @ AIG

2006-10-24T16:12:00.000-01:00

I would like to recommend the 'Video On Demand' section of the Answers In Genesis website - come to that I would like to recommend the whole site - where AIG are sharing some of their videos online in 15 minute sections every Tuesday.
This can be found under 'Media' at the top of the home page.
This site is full of material and demonstrates that science supports the Bible and shows that evolution (molecules to man) is a lie.

Book reviews!!!

2006-10-20T19:49:00.000-01:00

Shortly I will publishing my reviews of 'Suffering and the Sovereignty of God' and 'Overcoming Sin and Temptation'.

Both of these books should be on the shelf of all who profess to be Christian.

Cameras!!

2006-10-20T19:33:00.000-01:00

I love photography and cameras (the two loves do not always go together)

Photokina saw the release of an amazing panoramic scan camera with a resolution of 160 million pixels. Requiring only 1 second to take a complete scan. If it is as good as is claimed this will be a real step forward in landscape digital panoramas.

I am also looking forward to the official release of Adobe's Lightroom - currently on Beta release 4.1 - an amazing piece of software. So easy to use.

So long, I had not realised

2006-10-20T19:31:00.000-01:00

Time flows so quickly somtimes. I had not realised it was so long since I had posted here.
Too much time spent reading other sites. Tsk, tsk.

Anglicans need to face reality

2006-06-20T08:02:00.000-01:00

ECUSA have finally gone so far that hopefully Rowan Williams will have no more wriggle room and he will have to face up to what everyone else has known for years - What he calls a risk of fracture has been a total schism for years.
The Bishops in Africa and Asia have known it for years and have plainly said so.
The Anglican leadership has to face reality. The ECUSA (and others) have been thumbing their noses at the Bible for too long.
Rowan Williams need to wake up to the affect of his own liberal leanings, albeit that he has supposedly put them to one side for the sake of unity.
All Anglicans need to wake up and demand Biblical fidelity from those who lead them.
No more committees to discuss homosexuality - there is nothing to discuss, it is wrong, it is a sin, God calls it an abomination. How much clearer does God have to be?
What should be discussed is how to reach out to homosexuals with the truth of Gods redeeming love, but that has to be hand in hand with a recognition of their sin.
We wouldn't reach out to adulterers or thieves without recognising their sin and their need to repent of it so they can be made right with God.
Unity is not to be achieved at any cost or by compromising on the clear teaching of scripture.

Found it - (I think)

2006-06-12T20:29:00.000-01:00

Okay, I think I have found the 'source' of Suzannes 'article'. (if anyone cares)

I believe she got it from 'More Than Meets the Eye' by Ann Nyland and considering the vitriolic and badly written nature of much of the book, no wonder she didn't want to admit were she got it from. (Also it might have been from the online version of the book that was on GWtW because she does say she came across it whilst surfing)

But I have to say I would still like to see an actual copy of the full original article before I am fully happy about its provenance because I have found Ann Nyland to be very untrustworthy in her book when reporting what people are supposed to have said or written. I actually have a copy of this book and I was stunned at the shear level of what it would be more than kind to call 'a creative approach' to reporting what others had written & said.

She may well be accurate in her reporting in this instance, but given her track record elsewhere in the book.....well lets just say I currently find it easier to believe the opposite of what she has to say without a shed load of varifiable evidence to the contrary. She really is her own worst enemy.

Some clarity!

2006-06-12T19:41:00.000-01:00

Wayne Leman was kind enough to clear up some of the uncertainty, see below;

"Glenn, the quote by R.C. Sproul is genuine. He said what Suzanne has quoted. I linked to his quote several months ago from my TNIV links webpage. Unfortunately, when I now try the citation link from that webpage I get a dead link.You are welcome to cite the url from my webpage if you like as a source--it was a legitimate source at one time. Apparently someone has deleted the webpage that used to be on the Internet with that quote from Dr. Sproul."

But, this still begs the question as to why the reluctance to give a source by Suzanne and why the comment - "...but I feel it is better without that context." What is so dubious about the 'context'?

Should do better!!

2006-06-12T16:39:00.000-01:00

I have just posted the following on the Better Bibles Blog;

'Suzanne, why are you unwilling to say where you found the quote that you have given in the original post.You said

"I apologize for not saying where I got the quote, but I feel it is better without that context. I have no reason to think that it is not accurate, but I cannot get into the Tabletalk archives."

As far as I can see there are no Tabletalk archives on the Ligonier site anyway.I'm sorry, but all we have is an unsubstantiated quote from a source that is dubious at best and if not dubious, why not give it. Obviously I can't say either way. I don't subscribe to Tabletalk, but to build an accusation against R C Sproul without giving anybody the chance to investigate the varacity of your 'source' is at best an abrogation of your own blog guidelines. I expect better standards from your goodself, so should you. '

To get the full context you would need to see the original post 'Apology to my pastor's wife' + 34 comments. (On the Better Bibles Blog)

The bottom line is that an accusation has been made against R C Sproul and Suzanne McCarthy, as can been seen from her quote, is very reluctant to reveal where she found the quote she has used to cast aspersions on his abilities as a theologian.
In other respects Suzanne is usually very meticulous and is normally very quick to point out what she perceives as a lacking in this area in others arguments.
R C Sprouls main crime seems to be that he had the temerity to sign up to the 'Colorado Springs Guidelines'.
You can't help but get the impression that to do so is make you a less than a serious theologian.

I made the mistake of thinking that Wayne Leman was an egalitarian (see previous post and comments for my apology), but there is no such error with Suzanne. Definitely a 'dyed in the wool' egalitarian who allows that to warp her perception of many who are Complimentarian in viewpoint.

The theological gymnastics sometimes used by Suzanne to make the Bible say what she wants it to are not to be recommended, but are sadly typical of much that comes from the egalitarian camp.

Some of what I believe

2006-06-12T15:09:00.000-01:00

For the sake of clarity I will state what I believe and what for me are non-negotiable; (this applies to me personally) The following are not in any particular order.

1) God created the world & the universe, and all that is in it, in 6 literal days about 6 thousand years ago (roughly)

2) The 5 Sola's as they are called

3) That Jesus is the Son of God & the Son of Man, born of a virgin, who died on the cross for the sins of those He came to save.

4) That the created order, before the fall, is the origin of male headship in the home and of male leadership of Gods Church, as evidenced by Paul in the NT.

5) Limited atonement.

6) That the Bible as we have it is the Word Of God and as such is the full and final authority in all things pertaining to Christians and the Christian life.

7) That 'Open Theism' is contrary to the revealed Word of God.

I think that will do for openers. This does not represent the totality of what I believe, but does give a reasonably fair indication of certain key elements.

God bless

Just when is enough, enough?

2006-05-29T19:48:00.000-01:00

Over on the Better Bibles Blog Wayne Leman says as part of a post;

"FWIW, Dr. Grudem has been practicing this kind of negative subjective dismissal of the TNIV for several years. I wish he would stop. His cause would be enhanced if he would just present evidence for his claims rather than trying to divine the motives of those with whom he disagrees."
and
"He does so with his long lists of supposed "inaccuracies" in the TNIV. He provides little, if any, evidence to support his claim of inaccuracy. The fact is that those are not necessarily inaccuracies, but differences of opinion about what is a better translation wording."

Now, in the first quote we are told that Dr Grudem should present evidence of his claims and then later in the same list of comments we have the second quote commenting on the evidence that doesn't exist.

Now, I have to say that I personally own books by Dr Grudem that supply not just the requested evidence (from the first quote), but do so with extensive references and notes, which also negates the second quote.

The evidence may not be to the liking of those that object, but it does exist and is very extensive.
As well as the books there is plenty of online material pointing out what worries Dr Grudem (and many, many others) with explanations, references & notes.

A visitor!!!

2006-05-29T19:10:00.000-01:00

Wow, excellent, a visitor - to my blog - a rare experience indeed and a welcome one.
Wayne Leman is one of the saner voices on the egalitarian side of things, although let me be quick to say that there is much more to the man than a single issue. (see Better Bibles Blog)
Others on the BBB are, shall we say, more strident in their viewpoints.
Do I agree with him on a lot of issues, no, to put it simply.
I am sure we could find some common ground on which to agree, but when it comes to issues of leadership in the Church, we do not agree at all.

I have been away so long, yet it is all the same

2006-05-16T12:28:00.000-01:00

Well, well,
I have been away from things for a while and even considered giving up on this blogging lark. (Not that I was that regular with posts anyway)
Also it seems to be the same old things going round and round in cycles or just on and on in a mindless line.
T4G caused a storm by adding one sentence at the end of their Conference Statement which got many egalitarians in a fluster, but then when aren't egalitarians in a fluster?
They seem surprised/indignant that anyone would have the temerity to point out that ignoring Gods clear teaching in the scriptures concerning the leadership of His church should be designated as potentially harming the witness of the Gospel.
They, as always, seem equally mortified that not everyone is falling in to line with their mis-interpretation, or outlandish (in a few cases) mis-reading, of scripture.
Wild claims are made about certain Greek words which, in their eyes, don't really mean what every one thought they did for the last 2000 years.
Ann Nyland is a case in point. According to her

'Anthropos has no male nuances, no male overtones, and has nothing to do with maleness'

Yet in Thayer "in regards to sex, a male"
Also see the following from the Septuagint:
Deuteronomy 17:5. "Then you shall bring out that anthropos or that woman, and you shall stone them with stones"
Deuteronomy 22:24. "They shall be stoned with stones, and they shall die, the young woman, because she did not cry out in the city, and the anthropos, because he violated his neighbor's wife."
There is much more evidence that there is indeed a male componenent to the word 'Anthropos'.

She also trys to claim that 'Aner' primarily means 'a person generally'.
Yet the main meanings of 'Aner' are; with reference to sex
1) of a male
2) of a husband
3) of a betrothed or future husband
4) with reference to age, and to distinguish an adult man from a boy
5) any male
6) used generically of a group of both men and women

These statements by Ann Nyland can be found in her book 'More than meets the eye' which has found enthusiastic support from some in the egalitarian camp, but then it says what they want to hear, so it must be true.

This is just the tip of an incredibly large iceburg which seems to be built upon the premise of 'we don't want these words to mean what they do, so they must mean something else'.

The material coming from the complimentarian side is of a much higher quality and does not stoop to the name calling that is evidenced in Ann Nylands book and in other works from the egalitarian camp.

There are of course elements on both sides of the fence who should not be given any space at all in a reputable debate and who are only out to cause offence.

Unfortunately there are many who are presented by egalitarians as being of the 'cream' who still resort to personal attacks and blanket denials in there work and articles.

For a balanced and well referenced work you would find it very hard to beat Wayne Grudem's book called: 'Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth'.

Other authors to seek out are Thomas Schreiner, Bruce Ware, Andreas Kostenberger, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Susan T Foh, Richard Hove, Carolyn Mahaney, Susan Hunt, Sharon James, William D Mounce to name just a few.

I will come back to this in another post

Dr Henry Morris

2006-02-26T10:03:00.000-01:00

It is with great sadness that I learned today of the death of Dr Henry Morris, one of the fathers of modern biblical creationism.
Few men qualify as defining an era, but Dr Morris was one of them. His seminal book 'The Genesis Flood', which he co-wrote with Dr Whitcomb, came to be seen as a pivotal book in modern creationism.
He will be greatly missed.

Intelligent Design is dishonest!

2005-12-22T18:35:00.000-01:00

In the wake of the court decision in Dover, Pennsylvania blocking ID in the schools, I have to say I agree with the Judge.
The proponents of ID in this case were being dishonest; wanting an Intelligent Designer without having the honesty to say just who that designer is.
The article I have linked to below says it very well and I recommend that you read it.

Nomination for the last Warnie Award

2005-12-04T14:18:00.000-01:00

I would like to nominate Al Mohler for the last Warnie Award of the year.
I am just amazed that he has not been a recipient before now. His prolific output covering such a rich diversity of subject matter should in itself make him worth considering, when you add in his great insight and commitment to the truth of Gods word I personally think he is a clear winner by a mile.
He is also respected across denominational lines and by Christians around the world.

Ill health

2005-11-24T13:07:00.000-01:00

I am sorry that there has been no posts on this site for nearly a month. Ill health has made things very difficult, oh yes, and setting up a new computer that my nephew bought me recently.
I hope to have a semblance of what passes for normality restored very soon.

Atonement confusion, still !!

2005-10-26T01:49:00.000-01:00

Adrian Warnock has caused a stir over at his blog with his post on the substitutionary penalty paid by Christ on the cross.
Because he commented that -

"The bible is very very clear, we are saved by Christ from the wrath of God. If you cannot accept that, I am not convinced that you are definitely saved and I would be concerned that you might fall short of the test that we will all undergo on that final day. This issue really is that important."

Some of the comments have been a little reactionary, rather than reading what he actually said, they have zeroed in on the doubt of salvation comment, but apparently ignoring his opening statement of the paragraph above.

I mean, come on, if you don't accept that Christ paid the price of our sins by God pouring out His wrath on Christ on the cross, then just what is your hope?
If they were not paid for on the cross they haven't been paid for and we are to be pitied.
How can you be sure of your salvation if you don't believe that Christ died for you on the cross and that in so doing absorbed the penalty for your sins?

Upcoming review of next C J book

2005-10-26T01:09:00.000-01:00

Hello to one and all, (it's okay, I know virtually no one reads this blog at the moment)

I have been given the privilege of reviewing an ARC of C J Mahaney's next book 'Living the Cross Centered Life', which is due out at the end of February/beginning of March '06 from Multnomah Publisher's.
I will be putting up my review sometime towards the end of January when it will be more relevant to the publication date

Lack of discernment in strange places!!

2005-10-16T00:59:00.000-01:00

It never ceases to amaze me how some people, who are otherwise spot on in their walk with God, can display a lack of critical discernment over the oddest things.
I know a Pastor (not one of my own) who has an excellent ministry and serves God faithfully and is respected not only in this country but overseas as well, yet seems to miss something in the occasional book that he will enthusiastically recommend.

An example would be 'Wild at Heart'. He thinks it is an excellent book for men and yet the author clearly states that God takes risks?????? God....risks, I'm sorry, but that is an impossibility and does not match the God I find in the Bible.
The book also makes for a very 'self' oriented approach.

One of my Elders took the men in our church through some of the book and it was a deeply unsatisfactory experience.

A book I can recommend for men which would be very fruitful for any man to go through either on his own or in a group is 'Disciplines of a Godly Man' by R. Kent Hughes and published by Crossway Books.

Now I am not trying to knock the guy because he made a mistake about 'Wild at Heart', the point I am trying to make is that considering his experience of many years, that he should make such a blatant error about something so fundamental.

I would recommend his preaching to anyone and his pastoral experience is an example to all. (No I am not going to name him)

I think that sometimes Elders can forget that just because they have the experience to sort the chiff from the chaff as they read, the people they recommend something to might not have the same innate ability and therefore could be led down blind alleys which could easily have been avoided.

Sad news about the downward spiral of A Of C Rowan & Tony Campolo

2005-10-15T19:16:00.000-01:00

I have copied this from the current column by Gene Edward Veith in World Magazine.

The reference to Rowan and Campolo is towards the end of the article and it is so sad.

Have these people lost all contact with reality? Apparently so.

"As evangelicals debate the inclusive-language Today's New International Version (TNIV), many liberal mainline churches have slipped far down the slippery slope in what they have done to the Bible.
In 1990, the National Council of Churches published the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), an inclusive-language rendition of the well-accepted Revised Standard Version (RSV). This translation keeps masculine references to God and to Jesus, but changes them for human beings, getting rid of the generic "man," putting "brothers and sisters" where the original just has "brothers," and using awkward plurals and repetitions to avoid the generic "he." Never mind that the messianic title "Son of Man" is now "a human being." What the NRSV did to the RSV is pretty much what the TNIV did to the NIV.
But that much inclusive language was not enough for many mainline churches. An Inclusive Language Lectionary, a rendition of Scripture texts read during the worship service, takes the next step of changing the gendered language for God. Today, the congregations who use this lectionary in Sunday worship pray to "our Father-Mother." Jesus is not the Son of God, but the "child of God." The pronoun "he" is not even used for the man Jesus, replaced with ungrammatical constructions: "Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us" becomes "Jesus Christ, who gave self for us" (Titus 2:13-14).

But that much tinkering proved not to be enough either. In 1995, Oxford University Press published the New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Version.
This revision of the NRSV not only uses gender-inclusive language for God and Jesus ("God our father-mother"), it also eliminates, in the words of the introduction, "all pejorative references to race, color, or religion, and all identifications of persons by their physical disability."
In avoiding all "offensive language," "darkness" is changed to "night," lest it offend black people, and "the right hand of God" is changed to "the mighty hand of God," lest it offend left-handed people.
But that does not go far enough. The liberal Catholic group Priests for Equality published in 2004 the Inclusive Bible. "Kingdom" is both sexist and authoritarian, so the priests made up a new word, "kindom."
Adam is not a "man," he is an "earth creature." And to avoid offending homosexuals or others in nontraditional relationships, the words "husband" and "wife" are changed to "partner."
But since radical theology depends on demonizing the "patriarchy" of the Bible, the Inclusive Bible includes footnotes admitting that "the actual Hebrew is even more brutal" and chastising the apostle Paul for his retrograde attitudes. Then the translators just change the text to something more suitable.
But the Inclusive Bible does not go far enough either.
The Bible version Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures uses what its introduction calls "cultural translation."
Not only is it inclusive, it translates ancient terms into their modern-day equivalent. Thus, "demon possession" becomes "mental illness."
Even names are changed: Peter, Nicodemus, and Bethsaida become "Rocky," "Ray," and "Fishtown." Religious terminology is eliminated, as not being in accord with our culture: "Baptize" is changed to "dip"; "salvation" is changed to "completeness."
The translation describes itself as "women, gay and sinner friendly." Thus, when Paul says that it is better to marry than to burn, the Inclusive Bible says, "If you know you have strong needs, get yourself a partner. Better than being frustrated." The Inclusive Bible follows the higher critics in leaving out the Pastoral Epistles and Revelation, and it follows The Da Vinci Code in including instead the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas. This translation is endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the evangelical leader Tony Campolo.
But does any of this matter, as long as people are exposed to the Bible? Yes, it does. The bisexual deity "Father-Mother" is not the true God, nor is this made-up religion Christianity. These translations are not the Word of God. Just the Word of Man."

Copyright © 2005 WORLD MagazineOctober 22, 2005, Vol. 20, No. 41

Yet another book from C J, Praise God

2005-10-10T23:18:00.000-01:00

No sooner have I taken on board the new release from C J than I glean from 'GirlTalk' that he has another new book at the proof reading stage called 'Living the Cross Centered Life'.
One of his daughters, called Nichole Whitacre, refers to it in a blog entry on the 27th September.
Apparently it is due out in a couple of months, so maybe before Christmas!
I look forward to adding it to his other books on my library shelves.

Roman Catholicism sinks ever lower

2005-10-06T14:29:00.000-01:00

This article at the Times Online shows that the RC leadership has completely lost the plot.
It's official folks, if you are a Catholic you get to pick and choose which bits of the Bible you want to believe and which you would rather leave out.

They confuse two different descriptions of one event as two different events. They have decided that although the Bible is Gods word He couldn't get the creation bit right and had to borrow it from the myths of others.
Oh dear, God got it wrong again. NOT

When is the Roman Catholic Church going to wake up and realise that the Bible is really the word of God and not something they can pick at.

The blindness demonstrated by this latest absurdity is almost beyond belief.

Roman Catholicism needs evangelising as much as Hindus. At least the Hindus have an excuse.

Review of C J Mahaney's new book

2005-09-25T18:35:00.000-01:00

Over the last week and a half I have been savouring C J Mahaneys forthcoming book 'Humility: True Greatness'. Due out at the end of October & published by Multnomah.

I am one of the blessed 50 bloggers who volunteered to review this eagerly awaited book.

What a treat and a treasure. This is a powerful reminder of the pervasiveness of pride and just how much we must fight to keep it from getting any control.
There are 3 parts to the book composed of 12 chapters. Parts one and two contain 2 chapters each. Part 3, which covers 'The Practice of True Humility', appropriately has the other 8 chapters.

The first two chapters, The Promise of Humility & The Perils of Pride lead us gently into the book.
After that I couldn't stop reading and thinking about this book. I don't care how long you have been a Christian or how mature you assume yourself to be in Christ, this book will challenge you and confront you and rightly so. No one is free from this battle nor will we ever be until we are taken to glory.

C J leads us so graciously through this whole subject and as usual thinks himself so unworthy of doing so. Although he will be uncomfortable with it I have to say that few are so well qualified to write on this subject as he is.

I first came across C J in 1992 at Stoneleigh Bible Week when he gave a talk on the Book of Job and suffering. He counselled me after one of the meetings (There is no way he would remember) and God used him powerfully to give me breakthrough. Over the years he has gone from strength to strength in his ministry and in leading by example.

This book is but part of the fruit of all those years of obedience to Gods call on his life.
At the end of the book C J supplys a very helpful list of suggested ways to battle pride in your life. He points out that you don't have to follow his list, but that you must have a list of things that you will engage in to battle pride.

I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen (and probably to some who wont) because this is a battle we must win and this book is a concise, bible filled remedy that you should carry in your pocket where ever you go.
Get it, read it, do it.

Being a guest blogger

2005-08-14T00:20:00.000-01:00

I have been asked to be one of the guest bloggers over at Adrian Warnock's blog whilst he is away on holiday.
I am still very new to all of this and I was amazed to be asked. It feels a bit strange posting on someone else's site. I am very conscious of a responsibility to Adrian to get it right, so to speak.
I am encouraged by his faith in me not to mess up his blog.
The responses to a couple of my attempts have been very good in the comments department, which is nice.
I really must learn more about things like 'trackbacks' and 'linking'.
I must encourage my Pastor friends in India to investigate this whole blogging thing.

ESV Bible Blog � Blog Archive � ESV Readability (Grade Levels)

2005-08-08T21:59:00.000-01:00

ESV Bible Blog � Blog Archive � ESV Readability (Grade Levels)

Very interesting idea to break down the readabiblity of the Bible by each book.

Biblical Theology: What Over-interpreted Artifacts Do...

2005-08-05T10:04:00.000-01:00

Biblical Theology: What Over-interpreted Artifacts Do...

Yet another attempt to diminish the truth of the Biblical account. So sad.

Adrian Warnock's UK Blog: Bloggers: pray for us!

2005-08-05T09:30:00.000-01:00

Adrian Warnock's UK Blog: Bloggers: pray for us!

Please add Adrian to your prayer list. Especially the holdup to their house move.

Answers in Genesis - Creation, Evolution, Christian Apologetics

2005-07-31T23:01:00.000-01:00

Answers in Genesis - Creation, Evolution, Christian Apologetics

What a beautiful insight to Gods superiority in the detail of the flight of a butterfly which man can still not mimic.

Literal days of Creation

2005-07-28T21:46:00.000-01:00

This is of course another very contentious subject and just like the issue of whether or not women should be Elders (no) is easilyn resolved by a plain reading of scripture.
No leading Hebrew scholar denies that literal 24 hour days are the intended meaning in Genesis 1.
For those unaware of the reason - if the Hebrew word for Day 'Yom' is with a number and/or the words morning and/or evening it always, without exception means a literal 24 hour day.
So when it states in Genesis 1 - Morning and Evening of the First Day ( Second and so on) it couldn't really be made more clear.
Yet even with something this clear it still amazes me (although it probably shouldn't) that people can so wilfully and deliberately insist on anything other than the straight meaning of scripture just because fallen man has a different idea.
I am here refering to Christians, not nonbelievers.
So many otherwise well informed Christians don't seem to grasp the undermining effect of consigning Genesis 1-11 to myth instead of the hard facts it actually represents.
Other Christians (like Hugh Ross) know exactly what they are doing and would rather kowtow to the worlds so called 'Theory of Evolution' than acknowledge the true sovereignty of Gods version of events.
So many people seem unaware that there is not one single piece of evidence for 'molecules to man' evolution. No transitory forms have ever been found. (apart for a few forgeries)
All the scientific evidence supports a young earth, Noahs Global Flood and the co-existence of man and dinosaurs.
This is one of the 'other' subjects that I have studied extensively from all sides for many years.
I highly recommend the Answers in Genesis web site for an extensive library of documents and audio available for free.

Wayne Grudems excellent book

2005-07-28T19:12:00.000-01:00

I have just finished reading Wayne Grudems excellent book 'Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth'.
I know it has been out for a while, but I have only recently had a chance to read it.
Oh Joy, what an excellent reference work to refute the half truths and outright misinformation that some Egalitarians are trying to foist on an unsuspecting public.
The deliberate twisting and mis-representation of scripture in some of the books coming from the Egalitarian side is so saddening.
And no, I am not just taking Wayne Grudems word for everything. I do a lot of checking and reading of reference works and studies done by others. (and have done for many years on this issue and others)
What is in the book is not all news to me, but it brings it together in one place.
This book will go on my shelves next to my commentaries.
I only disagree with him on one point - I don't think women should be Deacons.

Sad day for C of E

2005-07-13T14:56:00.000-01:00

What a sad day for the C of E, women Bishops, how ridiculous. The final nail in the coffin of the Anglican community, but then the so called Anglican community has been a very sad joke for quite some time.
Compromise after compromise has weakened the ability of the Anglicans in the West to truly witness for Gods kingdom. Although there are many Bible saturated uncompromising laity the powers that be have hamstrung them time and time again.
Now we hear that many clergy will 'defect' to the RC church, more insanity. How can you ignore the wonton idolatry which is intrinsic to Roman Catholicism or the advocacy of Marian worship with all that that entails. (I know that not all RC hold to the worship of Mary, but most are willing to call on her for intercession which is not much different)
How so many otherwise intelligent people can be so blind is truly saddening

I am amazed, I won!!!!

2005-07-12T16:03:00.000-01:00

I can't believe it, I have won an ESV of my choice. I honestly can't remember the last time i won anything. It is such a lovely feeling.
It is such an excellent gesture by GNP. I have just read on Adrians blog that because of the number of comments they have upped the number of giveaways from 3 to 6.
I am really looking forward to getting the ESV of my choice, oh okay, I chose the Genuine Leather Burgundy Thumb Indexed Classic Reference.
I still wish that they would bring the Study Bible forward from Fall/Autumn 2008.
Oh Well.

ESV and the Spirit

2005-07-10T18:17:00.000-01:00

The latest Q&A on the ESV asks about the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the translation process. J I Packer comments that they involved God and the Holy Spirit every day before starting the translation work

1st Day of Conference

2005-07-05T23:43:00.000-01:00

What a wonderful start to the Conference. Excellent teaching on perserverence during suffering, God using the weak and such excellent worship.
Brilliant time with Ranjit & Synthia from India, our first face to face for 2 years.
Also met some new faces from India praise God.
Added 5 new books, more on that later. Must go to bed, early start

New Frontiers Conference

2005-07-03T23:44:00.000-01:00

At last the New Frontiers International Leaders Conference in Brighton UK is finally here.
Tuesday morning is zero hour.
I have spoken with two of our friends from Goa, India who lead Churches there. Two of their team who have never been before are coming. One of them is a worship leader from Vasco De Gama who I am so looking forward to finally meeting. This man has suffered so much and is suffering still. He and his family are a shining example to all because in the midst of it all glory is given to God.
Two other friends from India are also going to be there, Praise God. We see each other maybe once in a year, more often it can be two years between our face to face meetings.
C J Mahaney is with us this year, what a privilege. 40 nations represented, fantastic.
I will post each night before falling into bed on the highlights.
My Church is running two mini buses each day, we leave 07:45 and get back at about 23:20, but it is worth every minute.

Wrong application?

2005-06-29T10:31:00.000-01:00

As a break from the ESV and gender issues here is something that is close to my heart.
The statement in the Word that "by His stripes we are healed" is so often applied to physical healing, yet the context of the statement seems to me to apply the statement to spiritual healing.
Personally I think that that being healed spiritually is far more important that physical healing.
I am aware that making such a statement about the mis-application of this statement will probably be greeting with howls of horror in some quarters, but I firmly believe it to be the case.
I wouls just add at this point that this is no academic subject for me.
I have spent the last 4 years battling with Hep C and although the treatment was successful (treatment in my case lasted 6 months and was worse than the illness) I am still recovering and I still have 8 daily painkillers to wean off. Down from 21 a day last November when the treatment finished.
God has taught me so much over the last few years, what an amazing classroom. God is so good. I have gained so many insights and much understanding of perseverance.
Do not misunderstand me, I firmly believe that God heals and I have personally witnessed some amazing healings including the regeneration of a severely damaged lung.
Too many people these days have an atitude towards healing of 'I am a Christian therefore if I become ill I will be healed, it is my right as a Christian'.
Nowhere in scripture is that stated, healing yes, as a given right no. From all this comes the insidous belief that if you are not healed you must be steeped in unrepented sin.
Of course the heretical 'Health & Wealth' movement is not helping, but that is a whole other subject.

Battle of the sexes

2005-06-23T22:22:00.000-01:00

Over the last couple of days I have been commenting on other blogs on the ESV, gender and the like. I have noticed from some of the comments that a few people are repeating things they have been told, but without actually checking it out properly for themselves.
Leadership being male always causes confusion and the enemy laughs long and loud. It amazes me how many people seem unaware that although we are equal before God spiritually, He has assigned us different roles which were established before the fall not afterwards, and therefore qualify for the "very good" comment from God.
If being head of the household doesn't drive you to your knees then nothing will, what an incredible responsibilty. Of course you are to do it as God commands and not the way that some men do which is harsh and domineering in nature.

Oh dear, my secret is out

2005-06-23T22:18:00.000-01:00

Oh well, no more anonymity for me, Adrian Warnock has announced my existence in the blogging world on his blog. I have had two visitors already.
Looks like I will have to be more productive on my own blog.
That might be a good thing!!!

ESV thoughts

2005-06-23T14:08:00.000-01:00

Well, well, so much controversy about the ESV. One of my own posts was quoted by David Warnock (no relation to Adrian) as an example of an ill informed Conservative Evangelical. Interesting, but meaningless. I gather I am ill informed because I stated something he didn't agree with. Hardly the best approach.
Am I a Conservative Evangelical? In the best possible sense, yes. Although I have to say that with the current trends in the Evangelical world the phrase doesn't have the same meaning that it used to and as such could be misconstrued. (wilfully or otherwise)
Theologically I put myself in with the likes of Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, John Piper, C J Mahaney, Wayne Grudem, Albert Mohler, Terry Virgo, Arthur Wallis, Martin Lloyd-Jones, J I Packer, R C Sproul, Ken Ham, and others.
With all of them I am a Berean. I except nothing just because it comes from a certain author.

TOC answers

2005-06-15T22:40:00.000-01:00

At last the answers to the questions that Adrian Warnock presented on our behalf to the ESV TOC. It is already getting some interesting postings.
I look forward to the rest of the answers and the postings that come out of it.

So much information!!

2005-06-14T10:53:00.000-01:00

I have been looking at several blogs and when they are updated and how often they refer to other blogs.
I have to assume that some of these people must spend an inordinate amount of time reading other blogs as well as updating their own, maybe too much time?

Looking forward to...

2005-06-07T13:09:00.000-01:00

Only a few weeks to go until the New Frontiers 'International Leaders Conference' in Brighton, UK. This year we have the pleasure of the company of C J Mahaney speaking on Sovereign Grace. Leaders and delegates from over 40 countries are expected.
As usual it will be exciting to hear what Terry Virgo has to say,as well as the other speakers, several of which are from outside New Frontiers. (as usual)
I look forward to seeing friends from India as this is the only opportunity I get at the moment to see them face to face.
If you want to know more check out www.newfrontiers.xtn.org

Fasting

2005-06-06T15:00:00.000-01:00

Hi,
I would like to recommend two seminal books on fasting; 'Gods Chosen Fast' by Arthur Wallis and 'A Hunger For God' by John Piper.

'Gods Chosen Fast' was published in England in 1968 with the first paperback appearing in 1969. It is only 119 pages long, but is full of Biblical wisdom relating to fasting including some very practical guidelines for starting and finishing a fast. These relate more to longer fasts but have value in regard to all fasting. A must have for any serious library.

'A Hunger For God' appeared in a UK edition in 1997. This work is 239 pages long and raises very pertinant observations regarding the application of fasting and our heart attitudes.
As always with John Piper you cannot get away with a half hearted attitude to this subject. After reading this book you will have no excuse for wrong application or for wrong attitudes in regard to fasting. Another must have for any serious library

Hi

2005-06-06T13:09:00.000-01:00

Mostly what I will be posting here are reviews and comments on books I personally like and have in my library.
Sometimes I will add comments on other issues. Just so I am upfront and clear about where I am coming from; I am a Bible believing Christian. I believe in 6 literal days of creation and in the God ordained roles of men and women (see the Danvers statement)
I also believe in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God and Salvation by Faith alone. And for those who fret about such things, I am Pre-Mill. and Post Trib.