Quote of the Day

I am not a fan of church signs with message boards, but the message I saw today made me pause and think:

We teach what we know but we produce what we are.

What are we producing?

African-American Genocide?

CNSNews.com:

Abortion kills more black Americans than the seven leading causes of death combined, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2005, the latest year for which the abortion numbers are available.

Abortion killed at least 203,991 blacks in the 36 states and two cities (New York City and the District of Columbia) that reported abortions by race in 2005, according to the CDC. During that same year, according to the CDC, a total of 198,385 blacks nationwide died from heart disease, cancer, strokes, accidents, diabetes, homicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined. These were the seven leading causes of death for black Americans that year.

Read the full article here.

Breaking Pornography Addiction

CCEF (Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation) has posted a great two-part article by David Powlison on breaking the bonds of pornography addiction.

These articles are a must-read for anyone that has even a minor struggle with lust or are trying to minister to someone who does.

The articles are detailed, so take time to read them slowly.

Part 1
Part 2

Should Christians Say That Their Aim Is To Convert Others To Faith in Christ?

John Piper answers this important question here.

AW Tozer

For those of you who are AW Tozer fans, here is a site where you can download some of his sermon series on audio.

Don't Fight the Bloggers

Here are some good thoughts from Perry Noble, Pastor at Newspring Church, regarding how to deal with those who call themselves Christians but don't like us.

Letterman and the Crucifixion

Quote of the Day

Think about this one:

"A sin is two sins when it is defended." - Henry Smith

Chinese Christianity

For those of you who are interested in learning more about China and the growing church there, check out ChinaSource, especially this article from Brent Whitefield (Professor at Valparaiso University and Pastor at Calvary Church).

A Separation of Church and Sports?

Here is a great post by Kevin DeYoung on a recent article in USA Today regarding evangelical athletes/

U2's 360 Tour

Andy Crouch has an interesting commentary on U2's recent show at Soldier Field. You can read it here.

Charlatan or Man of God?

Fox News asks the question about Benny Hinn. If you have ever watched him on TV, you know the answer.

Finding Time for God

True Woman has a good post for busy moms (I realize that is redundant) on finding time for God in the midst of the chaos of everyday lives.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

For those of you who have asked this question yourselves, here is one theologians take. If nothing else, it provides some good historical info on the origins of Halloween.

30 Years for Piper at Bethlehem

Here is a great post by Justin Taylor on the 30th anniversary of John Piper's call to become the Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Don't Waste Your Retirement

Here are some great words from Alex Chediak for retirees or those close to it on how to maximize the kingdom impact of your retirement years.

Forgiveness Quiz

Chris Brauns is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the publishing of his book Unpacking Forgiveness (great book) with a new forgiveness quiz and potential prizes for those who participate. Take the quiz here.

Kevin DeYoung on Rob Bell's Boston Globe Interview

Kevin DeYoung has a sharp critique for Rob Bell in this recent post. As DeYoung points out, Bell's influence is significant, and I believe, dangerous.

Mark Driscoll on Nightline

If you missed it, Mark Driscoll was interviewed on Nightline last night. Watch it here.

New Young Married Blog

Young Marrieds, check out this brand new blog by Focus on the Family: http://www.youngmarriedlife.com/. Looks like it could be a good resource.

A Real Clunker: Cash for Clunkers

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting review of the government's Cash for Clunkers program in which they claim that the program made the country $1.2 billion dollars poorer. Here's the heart of it:

The basic fallacy of cash for clunkers is that you can somehow create wealth by destroying existing assets that are still productive, in this case cars that still work. Under the program, auto dealers were required to destroy the car engines of trade-ins with a sodium silicate solution, then smash them and send them to the junk yard. As the journalist Henry Hazlitt wrote in his classic, "Economics in One Lesson," you can't raise living standards by breaking windows so some people can get jobs repairing them.

The first sentence holds an economic (read stewardship) lesson for all of us.

Are "Christian" and "Rap" Mutually Exclusive?

IX Marks ask a thought-provoking in this interview between Mark Dever and Shai Linne.

Carson on the Kingdom

Here is a great clip of D.A. Carson answering a question about the Kingdom of God.

David Letterman, Extortion, and The Gospel

Russell Moore has an excellent post regarding the extortion plot against David Letterman. Here's the best part:

The Scripture says that Satan’s reign over this present order is by holding us captive through the slavery of the “fear of death” (Heb 2:15). And why are all humans afraid of death? Because, like Letterman’s letter in the back of the car, our conscience is pointing us to judgment, with a “black box” of evidence of our guilt (Rom 2:15-16).

That’s why the gospel is such good news for blackmailed creepy people like us.

Jesus says of Satan, in one of the most remarkable passages to me of all of Holy Scripture: “The ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me” (John 14:30). Jesus’ calm is the same as if I were asked to take a DNA test to prove that I’m not the father of one of Michael Jackson’s children. I know there’s just nothing there.

Jesus knows that, as the one sinless human since Adam’s catastrophe, Satan has no evidence of guilt in Jesus. He’s been tested, and he’s still standing.

Jesus doesn’t fear Satan’s accusations because he has nothing to hide, from the demonic watchers, from his Father, from himself. He is truth, and the truth makes him free indeed. With his tranquil conscience, Jesus marches right to the pole of slaughter, paying the wages of sin for those in the satanic slavery.

That’s why our Lord Jesus shows us, through our brother John, that “the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Rev 12:10). And how do those in Christ triumph over this accusation? It’s “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Rev 12:11).

Satan has nothing left to accuse because at the Place of the Skull “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). If you’ve already been exposed, you can’t be re-exposed. If you’ve already been damned, you can’t be re-damned.

Friday Night Meditation

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

Isn't it amazing that the God of the universe desires us -- sinful, frail, humans -- to enter into His presence. The big question: are our heart's like David, responding to our Father's offer and seeking what He seeks?

Six Study Essentials

Here is a helpful post by Mark Driscoll on six study essentials for every believer.

That's My King

Great video.