Somebody worse than Lawyers...

You have heard them all before, and laughed because they were true; you know, Lawyer jokes. Lawyer jokes are funny because we have all seen lawyers at their worst. We've seen ambulance chasers that prey on the hurting and uninformed. We've also seen lawyers who use loopholes to get their slimey defendants off scot free. And we've seen the slick talking, schmoozing lawyers that toot their own horns, and generally irritate to fool out of us all. But you know, I can respect lawyers to a small extent, because when they use their silver tongues, they are usually doing it for someone elses good. Sure he may be guilty, but it is to his benefit to get out of being punished. (Alright, all you seminary grads; don't lecture me on righteous punishment, I know there is another side. That argument is for later.) I can also respect lawyers somewhat because they are not the lowest form of life on the planet. I can respect lawyers, because at least they are not BANKERS!

Bankers are a pimple on the butt of humanity. You see, lawyers just lie, but Bankers lie and steal your money. Bankers steal your money every chance they get. They have a fee for this and a fee for that, and a fee for assessing fees it seems. They set up all the rules to be in their favor, then they lie and tell you that they are concerned about you. They say: "We exist for you, so that you can put your money in a safe place." Hogwash, we have banks so that Bankers can use your money to loan other people so they can charge interest and line their pockets with our money. (Have you ever noticed that the interest on your savings account is miniscule compared to what Bankers are charging on loans? Have you noticed that your bank has not gone down on any of the fees they charge you, yet everything has become automated, which Bankers sell to us as a way to keep costs down.) You'll pardon me Mr. Banker; if I don't listen to the sweet nothings you wisper in my ear while you rummage through my wallet. You don't fool me Mr. Banker. I know that you are lighting your fat Cuban cigars with the $6.00 fee you assessed me for stepping across your "hallowed" threshold one too many times last month. You know, there are men sitting in jail for doing what Bankers do everyday. I hope they all come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior and lord, and like Zachaeus make ammends for their theivery. But as of right now, all Bankers do for me is make me groan for the second coming of the Christ, so that I might be rid of them forever.

P. S. Did you hear the one about the 1,000 Bankers at the bottom of the ocean?
Yeah, I thought it was a good start too!

Oh how I miss college football, and UGA the best dog ever...

Well gang, I don't know about you, but it has been a tough 5 months since the last College football game. I have tried to appease myself with hockey, basketball, pro football, and baseball, but none of them cure my ills. But now we are only 2 months and some odd days away from the best season of the year. In order to get myself through these doldrums, I have put together a list of reasons why UGA is the best mascot ever. Here they are:

Top 10 reasons why UGA is the best mascot ever:

#10 He's got his own ice machine!

#9 He's tough! Pirates & Ninja's are only around

because UGA allows them to be!

#8 He's been to College!

# 7 He starred in a movie!

(with John Cusak & Kevin Spacey, he's like 2 degrees from Kevin Bacon)

#6 He was rated by SI as the most recognizable mascot!

#5 He's connected in Politics!
(Representative Bob Barr, I didn't have to tell you UGA's name now did I!)

#4 How many other dogs do you know that when he walks

out onto the field, 80,000 people look at their friends and say:

"That's a Dang Fine Dog."

#3 He's great with kids!

#2 Chicks dig him!

#1 He's got a great sense of Humor!

(someone just told UGA that Georgia Tech thought they could beat Georgia!)
(That one's for you Angela)

Me and Bonizzle

Soothing to the Soul...

This is Thomas a Kempis, the author of, "of the Imitation of Christ." I have been reading this devotional style work, and found it to be a challenge, and a balm unto my tired soul. I want to encourage you to read some of the classics of Christian literature. These venerable old writings keep us in contact with the Saints of old, showing us the faith as it was years ago. They remind us that the faith was "delivered once for all to the saints," and that if we stray too far from our ancient and future faith; that we need to check ourselves. They keep us from the "McDonaldization" of our faith. The classics also open for us the great learning and experiences of the Saints that often speak to our life situation. a Kempis has done this for me. He has spoken to my soul.

Piper and Lewis have also spoken of the importance of reading the Christian classics. C.S. Lewis said that for every modern book on Christianity, we should read two Christian classics. Piper whole heartedly agreed, and said it would help keep you from error.

a few quotes from a Kempis

"The greatest, and indeed the whole impediment is, that we are not disentangled from our passions and lusts, neither do we endeavor to enter into the perfect path of the saints. When any small adversity meets us, we are too quickly cast down and turn to human consolation."

"At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done."

Lew & Brandi

These are two of my friends, Lew and Brandi. They are serving the Lord in Uganda, spreading the gospel. Lew and Brandi just had a cute little girl named Elisabeth.

When I need a good laugh...

It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile but it doesn't take any to just sit there with a dumb look on your face.























When you earnestly believe you can compensae for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to the things you can't do.



















Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.




















There is no greater joy than soaring high on the wings of your dreams except maybe the joy of watching a dreamer who has nowhere to land but the ocean of reality.




















If we really cared for the customer, we'd send them somewhere better



When I need a good laugh, I go to this site, and chuckle untill I cry. Knock yourself out!

A man I respect, and some helpful info...

This is Andreas Kostenberger. He is a professor at Southeastern BTS, who has written a great deal on the family, roles of men and women, egalitarianism, etc. He has also given us not a few resources that you might find helpful. Dr. Kostenberger's blog can be accessed from the link on the sidebar of this blog. You might also want to check out his list of favorite Biblical Studies Resources, and favorite New Testament Commentaries.

Standing for truth often knocks you on your hiney...

Dr. Albert Mohler has found himself in the middle of a firestorm ever since he wrote
this article talking about the dangers and issues of the Genetic Diagnosing of unborn children. In this article, Mohler notes that "science" has" presumably" shown that there are biological factors that could determine a child's sexual orientation. He then goes on to note that even if there are biologic factors that point a person toward homosexual behavior, then they are still morally culpable for the sin. The Associated Press released reports on the article misquoting, and using this misunderstanding of Mohler's arguments. Dr. Mohler has since issued this article clearly restating his argument, and describing the issues at hand. You see Mohler rightly understands, and wishes to show all of his Christian readership that there are many issues at stake with enutero testing of Babies. Mohler wants us to see that even if a biological link to homosexuality is found, it is because of the devastation of sin upon mankind, and that people who practice homosexuality are still morally culpable for their actions. He also wants to show us the moral responsibility we must take to protect the lives of unborn children. Read these articles for yourself, and discern the truth of this situation.


P.S. There is a great lesson for us to learn from all of this. 1. We can and should expect to be misunderstood by those whom we call our allies. Christians of all sorts attacked Dr. Mohler for making strong statements that they did not understand. We should expect that as well. When you make a statement, there will be those who misunderstand what you are trying to say, and will crucify you for saying it.
2. The lost, and those with set agendas will rail against the truth of God's word, and will do so with more and more fervor and invictive since they have the nation's, media's, etc's ear. Expect them to be lost, for them not to understand, and even to hate you. All of these tribulations will be dealt with by our Righteous and Just God, in Hell or On the Cross.

Whether in Hell or on the Cross...

Too often I take things into my own hands, even so far as stepping into God's role. I was reading Piper last night when he stepped on my toes about this habit of mine. Piper was writing about humility, when he said: "Humility does not feel a right to better treatment than Jesus got." You see, much of the time, we feel as if we that right to not be treated poorly. We have the right to everyone fulfilling our needs, whims, etc. We feel like we have a right to good service, a right to be treated with respect, a right to not be talked down to, the right to be treated well, etc. But you know, no servant is greater than his master, and our master Jesus Christ, was treated horrendously. Who are we to think that we deserve anything better? Piper went on to say that we should assume that we will be mistreated, and that we should not be indignant when we are treated poorly. This is Christlike humility, that we do not think too highly of ourselves, and that we esteem others more highly than ourselves.

So what do we do when we are wronged and treated horribly? After all, none of us like to be disrespected. Piper answers that question by pointing us to God and his greatness. Piper gives us this advice: "Peter (1Pet. 2:1-23) and Paul (Rom 12:19) give us great moral assistance in this difficult task by reminding us that God will settle all accounts justly and that temporary injustice will not be swept under the rug of the universe. It will be dealt with - on the cross or in hell. We need not avenge ourselves. We can leave it to God." So the next time that person speaks to you condescendingly, leave it to God. The next time you are reviled and put down for your beliefs, leave it to the just and righteous one. The next time your girlfriend or wife says something that "insults your intelligence" remember that the Son of God, the I Am through whom the world and wisdom was created was treated the same way; and let God handle it on the cross or in hell.

p.s. This thought of all of our hurts being taken care of on the cross or in hell really should force us to our knees in praise and thankfulness to God that our sins have been taken care of on the cross. But it should also send us to our knees in repentance for the lack of care we have towards those whose sins will be take care of in hell. May it be that when we are sinned against, we see a sin and a sinner whose transgressions might be accounted for in hell. May this knowledge compel us to tell them to flee God's wrath against sin, and run towards salvation by God's grace through faith in Christ Jesus.

Brothers/Sisters, we are not professionals...

I have been reading John Piper's: Brothers, We are Not Professionals. In this book, Piper calls all pastors/leaders to: "abandon the secularization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry." It is a call that I plan to embrace, and encourage you to do so as well. But that is not the point of this post. In his work, Piper quotes C.H. Spurgeon on the devout prayer warrior Jerome. Spurgeon says:

That was a grand action by Jerome, one of the Roman fathers. He laid aside all the pressing engagements and went to fulfill the call God gave him, viz, to translate the Holy Scriptures. His congregation were larger than many preachers of today, but he said to his people, "Now it is necessary that the Scriptures be translated; you must find another minister: I am bound for the wilderness and shall not return until my task is finished." Away he went and labored and prayed until he produced the Latin Vulgate, which will last as long as the world stands. So we must say to our friends, " I must go away and have time for prayer and solitude." And though we did not write Latin Vulgates, yet our work will be immortal: Glory to God.

I want to encourage you, make time for prayer. It is the only power we have to effect the change of heart in other's lives which we wish to see. It is the only way that we can bring Christlikeness to our own hearts, and to the hearts of those in our congregations. And after all isn't that what people need, and deep inside want? Piper said it this way: Are not our people really yearning to be around a man who has been around God? From my experience, that is just what they are looking for, and just what they deserve in a pastor; a man who has been near God.