Jace | Jenny | Joshua

$5 Christmas CDs

2010-12-01T12:12:00.003-05:00

Monthly, Amazon offers a new set of 100 albums for $5 each. For December, they're also offering 100 Christmas Albums for $5 each!

How Much Time Do You Need to Get Your Email Inbox to Zero Each Day?

2010-12-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

David Allen (of "Getting Things Done" fame) answers:

For people who have 50+ emails a day, I’ve noticed that it takes an average of about 30 seconds each to process (decide what it is, delete it, file it, respond to it quickly, or defer it to an “action” folder or list.) For someone with 100 emails a day (more and more common) that’s 50 minutes just to get through a day’s email load. That doesn’t count all of the other input you get as well, including phone calls, voice mails, conversations, and meetings.

A typical professional these days must factor in at least an hour a day and an additional hour at the end of the week (for a Weekly Review.) And not as “It would be nice if I could…”—but as an absolute requirement to manage their life and work with integrity.

HT: What's Best Next

Lewis on not loving

2010-11-13T13:57:00.001-05:00

C.S. Lewis: "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to be sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable." [as quoted in Darrin Patrick's "Church Planter", 175-176]

Kill or be killed

2010-11-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

One of the most significant quotes ever penned, regarding the battle against sin.

"Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you."
- John Owen, Mortification, 9

Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Colossians 3:5 - Put to death therefore what is earthly in you

1 Corinthians 9:27 - But I discipline my body and keep it under control [Gk: I pummel my body and make it a slave], lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

John 15:2 - Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Sin and Temptation

2010-11-10T07:40:00.004-05:00

This classic work by John Owen was my favorite read at the PC. I recently started working through it again.

Owen's thesis is this:

"The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin." [mortify = kill]

His key text being:

Rm. 8:13b - if by the Spirit you put to death [mortify] the deeds of the body, you will live

Chapter 1 is then a brief exposition of this text.

if - It is a conditional sentence ("if you ____, then ____ will happen"... "if you mortify the flesh, you will live")

by the Spirit - If it is not done by the Spirit, then it will not be done at all.

"Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world." [p. 6]

you - Though mortification is carried out by the Spirit, yet we have a responsibility to see this work carried out in ourselves.

put to death - Mortify.

"To kill a man, or any other living thing, is to take away the principle of all his strength, vigour, and power, so that he cannot act or exert, or put forth any proper actings of his own; so it is in this case. Indwelling sin is compared to a person, a living person, called “the old man,” with his faculties and properties, his wisdom, craft, subtlety, strength; this, says the apostle, must be killed, put to death, mortified – that is, have its power, life, vigour, and strength, to produce its effects, takes away by the Spirit." [p. 7]

the deeds of the body - This is what we're to be killing. Body is our flesh; the seat of our corruption and depravity. -It is where our indwelling sin lies; from which our corrupted lust arise.

you will live - If we perform our duty, of mortifying the flesh by the power of the Spirit, then this is the end gained. If you live according to the flesh, you will die (Rm. 8:13a), yet if you put that flesh to death, you will gain life. This being the spiritual life we have in Christ. Life gained for eternity, but its essence being enjoyed now.

Gal. 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

"The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh."

Monkey man sighted...

2010-11-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

The Great Pumpkin(s)

2010-11-06T20:07:00.000-04:00

A little late, but without further ado...

Jace's commute

2010-11-05T22:56:00.001-04:00

Taken via phone camera.

Long Story Short

2010-11-01T20:31:00.001-04:00

A small release party that New Growth Press put on for Marty Machowski (a pastor at CFC), celebrating his new book Long Story Short. New Growth was gracious enough to invite the pastoral team and to give us advance copies of the book!

Long Story Short is a family devotional designed to explain Gods plan of salvation through the Old Testament. 10 minutes devotions for five days a week. Simple and sweet.

What others are saying about Marty's book:

This is simply an outstanding book, and Christian families need it right now. I have never seen a devotional book that is so well suited to family devotions and to children, even as it is faithful in relating biblical truth. This book will help any Christian parent lead family devotions that will be memorable, faithful, and practical for Christian living. I'll admit this too parents will find that they love the stories, illustrations, and learning suggestions along with their children. Marty Machowski has written a wonderful book.
--R. Albert Mohler, Jr. President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Long Story Short is the best material for family devotions I've ever seen. If you re looking for something careful, creative, and Christ-centered without being corny, confusing, or condescending look no further. Pastors would be wise to buy this book by the boxful and get a copy into the hands of each family in their church.
--Justin Taylor Blogger (Between Two Worlds); managing editor of the ESV Study Bible

Jace's Birthday

2010-10-31T13:52:00.002-04:00

My birthday was a few days ago and Jenny, Joshua, and Melissa put on a wonderful party for me!

The table set.

A fantastic chocolate cake! Amazingly made Jace-friendly, by my clever wife.

Jeff and Nick stopped by to sing to me (and eat some cake).

Me (being me) with Joshua.

Joshua got me (with the help of his mom) a book to read together, someday. The Indiana classic, Bears of Blue River.

One of the presents Melissa got me was a "how to book" on officiating marriages. She's hilarious! Jenny and Melissa had me "practice" a Lutheran service. Very high church.

I didn't get a good picture with Jenny and her presents, but one of them was the following book, While Shepherds Watch Their Flock. (A must read for all pastors, according to CJ)

Happy Reformation Day!

2010-10-31T09:44:00.003-04:00

95 Theses
by Martin Luther

Out of love and concern for the truth, and with the object of eliciting it, the following heads will be the subject of a public discussion at Wittenberg under the presidency of the reverend father, Martin Luther, Augustinian, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and duly appointed Lecturer on these subjects in that place. He requests that whoever cannot be present personally to debate the matter orally will do so in absence in writing.

When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one's heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.

As long as hatred of self abides (i.e. true inward repentance) the penalty of sin abides, viz., until we enter the kingdom of heaven.

The pope has neither the will nor the power to remit any penalties beyond those imposed either at his own discretion or by canon law.

The pope himself cannot remit guilt, but only declare and confirm that it has been remitted by God; or, at most, he can remit it in cases reserved to his discretion. Except for these cases, the guilt remains untouched.

God never remits guilt to anyone without, at the same time, making him humbly submissive to the priest, His representative.

The penitential canons apply only to men who are still alive, and, according to the canons themselves, none applies to the dead.

Accordingly, the Holy Spirit, acting in the person of the pope, manifests grace to us, by the fact that the papal regulations always cease to apply at death, or in any hard case.

It is a wrongful act, due to ignorance, when priests retain the canonical penalties on the dead in purgatory.

When canonical penalties were changed and made to apply to purgatory, surely it would seem that tares were sown while the bishops were asleep.

In former days, the canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before absolution was pronounced; and were intended to be tests of true contrition.

Death puts an end to all the claims of the Church; even the dying are already dead to the canon laws, and are no longer bound by them.

Defective piety or love in a dying person is necessarily accompanied by great fear, which is greatest where the piety or love is least.

This fear or horror is sufficient in itself, whatever else might be said, to constitute the pain of purgatory, since it approaches very closely to the horror of despair.

There seems to be the same difference between hell, purgatory, and heaven as between despair, uncertainty, and assurance.

Of a truth, the pains of souls in purgatory ought to be abated, and charity ought to be proportionately increased.

Moreover, it does not seem proved, on any grounds of reason or Scripture, that these souls are outside the state of merit, or unable to grow in grace.

Nor does it seem proved to be always the case that they are certain and assured of salvation, even if we are very certain ourselves.

Therefore the pope, in speaking of the plenary remission of all penalties, does not mean "all" in the strict sense, but only those imposed by himself.

Hence those who preach indulgences are in error when they say that a man is absolved and saved from every penalty by the pope's indulgences.

Indeed, he cannot remit to souls in purgatory any penalty which canon law declares should be suffered in the present life.

If plenary remission could be granted to anyone at all, it would be only in the cases of the most perfect, i.e. to very few.

It must therefore be the case that the major part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and high-sounding promise of relief from penalty.

The same power as the pope exercises in general over purgatory is exercised in particular by every single bishop in his bishopric and priest in his parish.

The pope does excellently when he grants remission to the souls in purgatory on account of intercessions made on their behalf, and not by the power of the keys (which he cannot exercise for them).

There is no divine authority for preaching that the soul flies out of the purgatory immediately the money clinks in the bottom of the chest.

It is certainly possible that when the money clinks in the bottom of the chest avarice and greed increase; but when the church offers intercession, all depends in the will of God.

Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redeemed in view of what is said of St. Severinus and St. Pascal? (Note: Paschal I, pope 817-24. The legend is that he and Severinus were willing to endure the pains of purgatory for the benefit of the faithful).

No one is sure of the reality of his own contrition, much less of receiving plenary forgiveness.

One who bona fide buys indulgence is a rare as a bona fide penitent man, i.e. very rare indeed.

All those who believe themselves certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.

We should be most carefully on our guard against those who say that the papal indulgences are an inestimable divine gift, and that a man is reconciled to God by them.

For the grace conveyed by these indulgences relates simply to the penalties of the sacramental "satisfactions" decreed merely by man.

It is not in accordance with Christian doctrines to preach and teach that those who buy off souls, or purchase confessional licenses, have no need to repent of their own sins.

Any Christian whatsoever, who is truly repentant, enjoys plenary remission from penalty and guilt, and this is given him without letters of indulgence.

Any true Christian whatsoever, living or dead, participates in all the benefits of Christ and the Church; and this participation is granted to him by God without letters of indulgence.

Yet the pope's remission and dispensation are in no way to be despised, for, as already said, they proclaim the divine remission.

It is very difficult, even for the most learned theologians, to extol to the people the great bounty contained in the indulgences, while, at the same time, praising contrition as a virtue.

A truly contrite sinner seeks out, and loves to pay, the penalties of his sins; whereas the very multitude of indulgences dulls men's consciences, and tends to make them hate the penalties.

Papal indulgences should only be preached with caution, lest people gain a wrong understanding, and think that they are preferable to other good works: those of love.

Christians should be taught that the pope does not at all intend that the purchase of indulgences should be understood as at all comparable with the works of mercy.

Christians should be taught that one who gives to the poor, or lends to the needy, does a better action than if he purchases indulgences.

Because, by works of love, love grows and a man becomes a better man; whereas, by indulgences, he does not become a better man, but only escapes certain penalties.

Christians should be taught that he who sees a needy person, but passes him by although he gives money for indulgences, gains no benefit from the pope's pardon, but only incurs the wrath of God.

Christians should be taught that, unless they have more than they need, they are bound to retain what is only necessary for the upkeep of their home, and should in no way squander it on indulgences.

Christians should be taught that they purchase indulgences voluntarily, and are not under obligation to do so.

Christians should be taught that, in granting indulgences, the pope has more need, and more desire, for devout prayer on his own behalf than for ready money.

Christians should be taught that the pope's indulgences are useful only if one does not rely on them, but most harmful if one loses the fear of God through them.

Christians should be taught that, if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence-preachers, he would rather the church of St. Peter were reduced to ashes than be built with the skin, flesh, and bones of the sheep.

Christians should be taught that the pope would be willing, as he ought if necessity should arise, to sell the church of St. Peter, and give, too, his own money to many of those from whom the pardon-merchants conjure money.

It is vain to rely on salvation by letters of indulgence, even if the commissary, or indeed the pope himself, were to pledge his own soul for their validity.

Those are enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid the word of God to be preached at all in some churches, in order that indulgences may be preached in others.

The word of God suffers injury if, in the same sermon, an equal or longer time is devoted to indulgences than to that word.

The pope cannot help taking the view that if indulgences (very small matters) are celebrated by one bell, one pageant, or one ceremony, the gospel (a very great matter) should be preached to the accompaniment of a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

The treasures of the church, out of which the pope dispenses indulgences, are not sufficiently spoken of or known among the people of Christ.

That these treasures are not temporal are clear from the fact that many of the merchants do not grant them freely, but only collect them.

Nor are they the merits of Christ and the saints, because, even apart from the pope, these merits are always working grace in the inner man, and working the cross, death, and hell in the outer man.

St. Laurence said that the poor were the treasures of the church, but he used the term in accordance with the custom of his own time.

We do not speak rashly in saying that the treasures of the church are the keys of the church, and are bestowed by the merits of Christ.

For it is clear that the power of the pope suffices, by itself, for the remission of penalties and reserved cases.

The true treasure of the church is the Holy gospel of the glory and the grace of God.

It is right to regard this treasure as most odious, for it makes the first to be the last.

On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is most acceptable, for it makes the last to be the first.

Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets which, in former times, they used to fish for men of wealth.

The treasures of the indulgences are the nets which to-day they use to fish for the wealth of men.

The indulgences, which the merchants extol as the greatest of favours, are seen to be, in fact, a favourite means for money-getting.

Nevertheless, they are not to be compared with the grace of God and the compassion shown in the Cross.

Bishops and curates, in duty bound, must receive the commissaries of the papal indulgences with all reverence.

But they are under a much greater obligation to watch closely and attend carefully lest these men preach their own fancies instead of what the pope commissioned.

Let him be anathema and accursed who denies the apostolic character of the indulgences.

On the other hand, let him be blessed who is on his guard against the wantonness and license of the pardon-merchant's words.

In the same way, the pope rightly excommunicates those who make any plans to the detriment of the trade in indulgences.

It is much more in keeping with his views to excommunicate those who use the pretext of indulgences to plot anything to the detriment of holy love and truth.

It is foolish to think that papal indulgences have so much power that they can absolve a man even if he has done the impossible and violated the mother of God.

We assert the contrary, and say that the pope's pardons are not able to remove the least venial of sins as far as their guilt is concerned.

When it is said that not even St. Peter, if he were now pope, could grant a greater grace, it is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope.

We assert the contrary, and say that he, and any pope whatever, possesses greater graces, viz., the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as is declared in I Corinthians 12 [:28].

It is blasphemy to say that the insignia of the cross with the papal arms are of equal value to the cross on which Christ died.

The bishops, curates, and theologians, who permit assertions of that kind to be made to the people without let or hindrance, will have to answer for it.

This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult for learned men to guard the respect due to the pope against false accusations, or at least from the keen criticisms of the laity.

They ask, e.g.: Why does not the pope liberate everyone from purgatory for the sake of love (a most holy thing) and because of the supreme necessity of their souls? This would be morally the best of all reasons. Meanwhile he redeems innumerable souls for money, a most perishable thing, with which to build St. Peter's church, a very minor purpose.

Again: Why should funeral and anniversary masses for the dead continue to be said? And why does not the pope repay, or permit to be repaid, the benefactions instituted for these purposes, since it is wrong to pray for those souls who are now redeemed?

Again: Surely this is a new sort of compassion, on the part of God and the pope, when an impious man, an enemy of God, is allowed to pay money to redeem a devout soul, a friend of God; while yet that devout and beloved soul is not allowed to be redeemed without payment, for love's sake, and just because of its need of redemption.

Again: Why are the penitential canon laws, which in fact, if not in practice, have long been obsolete and dead in themselves,—why are they, to-day, still used in imposing fines in money, through the granting of indulgences, as if all the penitential canons were fully operative?

Again: since the pope's income to-day is larger than that of the wealthiest of wealthy men, why does he not build this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of indigent believers?

Again: What does the pope remit or dispense to people who, by their perfect repentance, have a right to plenary remission or dispensation?

Again: Surely a greater good could be done to the church if the pope were to bestow these remissions and dispensations, not once, as now, but a hundred times a day, for the benefit of any believer whatever.

What the pope seeks by indulgences is not money, but rather the salvation of souls; why then does he suspend the letters and indulgences formerly conceded, and still as efficacious as ever?

These questions are serious matters of conscience to the laity. To suppress them by force alone, and not to refute them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christian people unhappy.

If therefore, indulgences were preached in accordance with the spirit and mind of the pope, all these difficulties would be easily overcome, and indeed, cease to exist.

Away, then, with those prophets who say to Christ's people, "Peace, peace," where in there is no peace.

Hail, hail to all those prophets who say to Christ's people, "The cross, the cross," where there is no cross.

Christians should be exhorted to be zealous to follow Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hells.

And let them thus be more confident of entering heaven through many tribulations rather than through a false assurance of peace.

The pumpkin I forgot

2010-10-29T21:40:00.002-04:00

Here he is. The ugliest pumpkin we ever did come across.

Picking Pumpkins

2010-10-28T22:33:00.001-04:00

Took a trip to Linvilla Orchard on Monday, to pick our pumpkins!

Soon we'll post pictures of a carved pumpkins.

He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven

2010-10-27T23:24:00.000-04:00

A favorite poem of Jace's, by William Butler Yeats.

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

The squirrel has left the basement

2010-10-18T11:01:00.002-04:00

Finally!

For the last few days, our basement has been inhabited by a rabid squirrel (note: the squirrel actually being "rabid" has not been independently verified but we're sure that's why he was hissing at us!).

The squirrel saga began only a few days ago when we heard noises coming from our supposedly empty basement (both Jenny and I at one point thought that someone was in our basement!). On Saturday morning Jenny entered the basement only to find that something had raided her flour, sugar, popcorn, and rice (Jenny was so angry she started to turn green and to grow in size... Jenny Hulk... I wish I could have snapped a picture for you!)! As she tried to figure out what had happened, some thing scurried along the piping above her head. And that's when she first cited our squatting squirrel.

(notice the small dark spot just above the flour... that's a puddle of pee)

The animal shelters were closed and we weren't able to reach our landlord. What were we to do? We removed the remaining food, hoping that his hunger would drive him out of the basement via the way he got in (we have one spot where we guess he maybe could have somehow got in... but we're not sure).

By Sunday night, he hadn't left. We think he was getting desperate. Plastic was getting chewed on, there was scratching at the door leading to our kitchen, and there was poop everywhere!

(yes he was trying to eat this, and yes those are little pieces of poop littered around it)

With the help of Melissa, I (being Jace) pressed the squirrel into a corner (though he was hissing and cussing at me) and opened a small window in the basement (don't ask why we didn't do this sooner!). We then placed a trail of bread crumbs from the window ledge out into the backyard. The bait was set. All we could do was wait and watch.

Monday morning. Upon awaking, I made my way to basement. Had he gone? Did he take the bait? No. The window was wide open, the bread still sitting there, and a hissing squirrel remained perched upon our pipes. Okay, seriously. We're starting to get desperate.

Desperate situations call for desperate measures. Which of course means we turned to Google to help us figure out what to do.

(come on Google, don't fail us now)

Ahh.. Google provided the answer: sunflower seeds. Apparently squirrels love them (tuck that tid-bit away, in case you ever have a squirrel invasion). As it happened, Jenny had some sunflower seeds at hand, so we made a little mound of them outside the window and made a trail leading to the backyard (a.k.a. squirrel freedom).

I kid you not, it took less than five minutes. I happened to be sitting by a window when I saw the squirrel emerge from the basement, cheeks full of seeds. I flew to the basement and slamed the window shut! Phew!!

(Jenny snapped this great shot of the actual squirrel vacating our premises)

Adventure over. Our collected losses: a few supplies (when all was said and done, about two bags of flour, a bag of sugar, a bag of popcorn, a bag of rice, and a box of tea) and a few messes to clean up (besides the food, there were little droppings of poop and a few puddles of pee).

Upon further meditation, I think it was worth it though. It turned out to be worshipful, in its own way, as we were given a chance to exercise our God-given authority, to "have dominion over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth". Score one for God and the good guys!!

But though the adventure is over, the case is not closed. Questions remain. How did the squirrel get in our basement? And since we haven't figured that out and there then remains a way for him to get back in, does that mean he'll be back?

To be continued???

Joshua bouncing

2010-09-27T20:25:00.001-04:00

2010-09-27T09:02:00.001-04:00

Who's Giving?

2010-02-18T09:55:00.001-05:00

Jace | Jenny | Joshua

$5 Christmas CDs

How Much Time Do You Need to Get Your Email Inbox to Zero Each Day?

Lewis on not loving

Kill or be killed

Sin and Temptation

Monkey man sighted...

The Great Pumpkin(s)

Jace's commute

Long Story Short

Jace's Birthday

Happy Reformation Day!

The pumpkin I forgot

Picking Pumpkins

He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven

The squirrel has left the basement

Joshua bouncing

Who's Giving?

Zwingli's Charge

Creations calls us to wonder

Uncharitable Judgement

Mark Twain on parenting...

Apostles and Missions

PC Quote

On Haiti

Christmas Warning

Means of Grace

Glory in God's Glory!

The Present Reality of Justification... that is, the need to realize justification everyday.

Jerry Bridges' Soap Box

Joshua Mikel Hudson

I think the Prosperity "Gospel" is wicked

The image of God in man

Ninety-FiveTheses

How willingly do people go to hell?

A wife's support

Tower Oaks Lodge

Due Date: Oct. 30, 2009

When God Wants to Drill a Man

Is Christianity Good For the World?

Let worship be the fuel for missions flame

Called to pastor?

Grudem, Ethics, & Triangles (also angels and demons)

Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray...

The Debate over Abortion

Jeff Purswell

Neutral euphemisms commonly used for sin

The Youngs Visit!

Why study Greek?

To take the soul to task

Get at the HEART

The American Prosperity Gospel

WSJ: The Stimulus Didn't Work

The cross dominates everything

The Voyage of Life

Burger Time?

$100,000,000 Date

Sean & Candice Visit!

A date to Old City Arlington

Let us wonder...

Dave Harvey Quote

First week of classes

PC Class of 2010

Why did God give us the Bible?

Psalm 119:130

PC Orientation

PC Tidbits

Humility is the gift that receives all things as gifts

PC Tidbits

Conflict's Slippery Slope

New Church / New School

PC Wives' Luncheon

Between Two Worlds: Powerful Video on Missions

A Christian, called to study the Word of God, must give his best

DC Trip - Supreme Court

DC Trip - Library of Congress (across from Congress)

DC Trip - Lunch

DC Trip - Folger Shakespeare Library

DC Trip - Metro & Union Station

American Idolatry