“My love of consistency with my own doctrinal views is not great enough to allow me knowingly to alter a single text of Scripture. I have great respect for orthodoxy, but my reverence for inspiration is far greater. I would sooner a hundred times over appear to be inconsistent with myself than be inconsistent with the word of God.” —Charles Spurgeon (more via Randy Alcorn, Spurgeon’s Theology: Embracing Biblical Paradox) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Consistent & inconsistent", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2009/10/27/consistent-inconsistent/" });

On the heals of thinking deeply about God’s sovereignty — His creative control and our experience in His Story, exploring the depths of this profound mystery — I’d like to put forth a handful of songs that capture a glimpse of the glory God has revealed to us. I’ll call these “Songs of Sovereignty,” as they help us to sing truth to our minds and captivate our hearts as we interact with this Story of Sovereignty. With all the freedom God has given you, sing out to Him! While some of the songs will be well-known (new and old), let’s start with a yet-to-be-recorded...

A friend asked if I would join in a “Sovereignty of God blog series” this Summer, giving no set boundaries other than to ask us to share how we interact with God’s sovereignty from a theological and personal perspective. On the docket are lots of well-known bloggers, and then me. Oh yeah, and he scheduled me to go first. Humbling. My post “A Story of Sovereignty” is up now It’s a bit longer than a normal blog post. Won’t blame God for that … (The revised version posted is a bit shorter than the full version I’ll start posting here tomorrow,...

In conversations I often find supposed "Christians" playing with the notion that there are other paths to God. Or, at least, He will accept us if we try really hard. Isn’t God gracious and forgiving? Doesn’t God believe in us? As if Christ came to set an example, and nothing more. He gave His life away for others, and that pleased God. So we need to serve others too. Do what Jesus would do. The problem with such reasoning is three-fold (at least): First, it makes Jesus merely a good person Second, it rests on the notion that we are good people too Third, it makes Jesus sacrifice...

I may be the only man ever to receive for a wedding present from his new bride the complete works of Henry Scougal. I read the book on our honeymoon, and have been greatly impacted by the short earthly life and long-lasting passion of this godly man. The Scottish Scougal (1650-1678) (whom I’ve mentioned before) died of tuberculosis at 28 years old, yet his enduring legacy through from his most well-known book: The Life of God in the Soul of Man. The book is a description of Christianity to a friend with additional spiritual counsel for daily life. The title alone — that God’s...

Yesterday I shared a bit of our story — and realize their are so many gaps I left out. Since this really isn’t about us , but rather about Christ and His worth, those gaps will have to be like the cracks in a clay pot that reveals the excellency and worth of the object inside ( 2 Cor. 4 ). Please look past us and see the beauty of God. Here are the top five lessons I (think I) have learned over this past 50 month journey and beyond. All are interconnected: People are more important that what they do. Personalizing it: I am not what I do . That is, my identity is rooted in...

The most important thought you will think is a thought about God, for it will determine every other aspect of your existence. How do you think about your Creator? And what do you feed your mind? SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Most important", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2008/10/20/most-important/" });

"… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ( 1 Thess. 5:18 ) What is God’s will for my life? That has always been one of most frequent questions I’ve heard, and asked. How can I know what He wants me to do, who He designed me to be? God’s will is multi-faceted, yet He is strangely easy to please, as our caring heavenly Father. He has given some specific instructions as to what His will for us is. Trusting wholly in His Son is His direct command for all of us ( Acts 17:30; 1 John 5:13 ). Abstaining...

Boredom is a disease. A contagious one. Can’t remember the last (only?) time I caught it. Too busy … thinking, doing, praying, serving, living. A friend of mine says one of his biggest day-to-day fears is that he will get bored. Perhaps some people are more apt to need constant motivation to pursue new things, to thinki, to serve, to be un-bored. Christ is the cure to all boredom. Don’t get me wrong, solving our boredom issues is NOT the primary reason Jesus came. He came to satisfy the wrath of God and redeem a people who treasure God as the fountain of all joy. In Him is infinite...

Never been able to make it to a Desiring God conference . This year’s conference ended today, and it looked to be an insightful time in God’s Word. Look forward to perhaps working through the audio recordings and become a better communicator of God’s glorious wonder. ————— The DG Blog has some recent posts summarizing the messages, with audio links and some notes either from the speaker or from an attentive listener Some of the posts: Pray More than You Criticize (about Mark Driscoll’s message) 3 Ways Singing Serves the Word (from Bob Kauflin’s...