The Question of Multiverse

I received the question on POC blog a while back - I thought it worth an entry:

Question Do you think God Created any other universes? If he could create this one in seven days I think he would have done several others? "Great question. THe hard part about the question of multiverse is that it is impossible for us to verify. Let me explain. Say God did create a bunch of other universes, lets for example say 10 of em. These universes would have their own space/time fabric, perhaps different physical constants etc. The problem is that we could have no knoweldge of them. We could not observe them because they would be uterly other. If God did create them, he would have to 'tell us so' because we could not infer them from this created universe. And to my knowledge God has not spoken in such a manner. 'Hey Reid, Universe ZENON is cool' - I have never heard anything like that from God - and if I did, I would think I was crazy before I believed it was God talking. What I do know is this - this universe has been created. Before it existed, prior to the big bang, nothing existed - then all things were brought into existence. So in my book, the cause of this universe must be: 1) uncaused 2) personal - decided to create 3)powerful and intelligent - well, look at this universe 4) timeless or eternal - for the creator existed before ther was any time - that is hard to even say - but 'before' here is metaphysically or logically before time. This God, visited this universe in the person of Jesus of Narareth (Read John 1) and revealed"

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Pray for our Indian Brothers and Sisters

Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan has called for worldwide prayer for an Indian pastor and his family after Hindu radicals took over their home and church building. "It is the first time in the history of Gospel for Asia that a Christian place of worship has been taken over by radical Hindus and turned into a temple," K.P. said. "This is a very serious matter, and one for which Christians all around the world need to be praying and fasting." To continue reading...Hindu Extremists Desecrate Church - Gospel For Asia

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An Ancient Meditation on the Incarnation

"Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. Let us become God's for His sake, since He for ours became Man. He assumed the worse that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich; He took upon Him the form of a servant that we might receive back our liberty; He came down that we might be exalted; He was tempted that we might conquer; He was dishonored that He might glorify us; He died that He might save us; He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were lying low in the Fall of sin. Let us give all, offer all, to Him Who gave Himself a Ransom and a Reconciliation for us. But one can give nothing like oneself, understanding the Mystery, and becoming for His sake all that He became for ours."

Gregory of Nazianzus, c. AD 330 - 390, from the "Easter oration"

HT - Sandy Young

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Pregnant Skydiver Survives Face-First Fall

This is a crazy story - BREITBART.COM - Pregnant Skydiver Survives Face-First Fall HT (JivinJehosophat)

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Stand to Reason Blog: No Church on Christmas?

Melinda Penner over at Stand to Reason Blog weighs in on the Christmas issue... Link - No Church on Christmas?

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Na - Recommended Singles Conference

Now for those who know me, I'm not a big fan of certain types of "singles" ministry that goes around in some parts. You know, "Hi I want to get married, lets all act weird now" sorts of gigs. But this looks like a great conference for Singles...plus, they people behind it are pithy. This is from their "Save the Wheel" Campaign:

Like the wheel, Truth never changes. You can’t reinvent or improve on Truth. This is the Wheel: unchanging Truth established by God.

Here is the skinny on the conference: * History * Speakers * Travel & Lodging * The Details * Register * Testimonies * The Stuff ...

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God Moves in a Mysterious Way

A great poem and hymn by William Cowper (1731-1800)

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.

To hear the hymn see William Cowper - God Moves in a Mysterious Way

• Other Works by Cowper
• Bio on Cowper

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Plantinga on Fundamentalism

Oh Alvin - you silly fundamentalist. See a pithy treatment of the word "fundamentalist" by renowned philosopher Alvin Plantinga. HT The A-Team Blog :: Plantinga on Fundamentalism

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TIME.com: The Fight Before Christmas

Time Magazine is running a piece on their web site on the recent discussions about closing church on Sunday - Christmas Sunday. Link - TIME.com: The Fight Before Christmas HT - Justin Taylor - Theologica

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A Nauseating Blessing

I want to begin this post by saying that I am thankful for Christian bookstores. It is an unbelievable blessing to be able to purchase Bibles and good books with such ease and convienience. But then again, there is something that makes me a little nasueas when I walk into some of these places. Usually I am an online book buyer these days - but today, I needed two books of Christian biography. Usually I would guess that the bookstores would not carry much in the way of biography, theology, biblical studies, etc. But this person, Jim Elliot, is a big name so I took my chances at the local bookstore. Thankfully, they had the two books I needed - so again, I’m thankful for the Christian bookstore. But then…I was nauseated a bit. When I look at the stuff the Christians are reading today, it makes me want to bang my head into the wall. Such me centered stuff that says so little about God - his excellencies, his works, his beauty, his calling, the radical call to suffer and have hope in a great mission of making disciples, living in communities of depth and truth and compassion so that God is glorified in his church. Here are some of my observations:

• There was a Purpose Driven life book bound in leather, with gold pages, looking just like a Bible. Makes me wonder if some have actually made the switch
• There is so much junk out there in the name of Jesus. Did he say “Go forth and be consumers of Jesus Junk” - We are so American that I fear we all get drowned in all the stuff we buy - even in Jesus name.
• One of the top selling Bibles at this store was “The Message - Remix” - Praise God for Eugene Peterson and his labors, his works are a great gift to the church. Yet the Message is not even a translation of the Bible. It is a devotional paraphrase, not the word of God. I am thankful for such an uplifting paraphrase in our day - but nauseated that it is actually a best selling “Bible” - at least at this store it was.
• We seem to be addicted to Max Lucado (no offense to Max as his books have blessed many) while Jonathan Edwards or the works of Thomas Aquinas or Augustine or Bunyan or Spurgeon are scarecly found. I can’t say anymore about the light weight reading we do. We in American evangelicalism appear to be joined to easy, how to, self-improvement, just smile at Jesus, how much the universe is about me…literature. How can such a church suffer for great and precious promises and a mission amidst broken people?
• T-shirt section - Well let’s just say that I prefer not to even write about what I saw there.

So, I thank God for bookstores, the freedom we have and the ease of access of Christian Literature (even Jim Elliot biography)…but God help us that we would not be a consumeristic, trite, trivial, light weight, and silly people. Lost in such a morass is silence, solitude, meditation, prayer, study, thought, growth in virtues such as patience, longsuffering, self-control - and when these go - so goes our transformation, the reorientation of our desires, the joys unspeakable, and the hope of eternity. And the mission labors and sputters and chokes amidst our trivialities. …  

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A Tame Movie

My friend Dale Fincher at Soulation has a great article up on the new Narnia flick. Dale is as well read on Lewis as any I know and has a keen mind for dramatic works. He offers a great perspective to the movie that I have yet to see among the rave reviews. His perspective is that the movie is good, but the Aslan of the film is a bit two-dimensional and sorely lacking compared to the Lion of Lewis. And even more so in comparison with the Lion of Judah. A good read - just rotate the PDF once opened. A_Tame_Movie.pdf (application/pdf Object) ...

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Narnia, Reviews, Reviews, and more Reviews

There are several reviews up on the Narnia film now that it is "officially out" - Here is a line up of a few of them:

• Rotten Tomatoes
• Christianity Today
• Hollywood.com
• Tim Challies
• Chuck Colson
• HollywoodJesus.com

I probably will not have a chance to see it any time soon. Too much going on on the other side of the wardrobe I suppose. People in need, a cousin's wedding to do, my sick children to care for. But maybe Kase and I can slip out for a date some time soon. It would be a refreshing thing to go to a movie with my lady. ...

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Sorry, We're Closed

Justin Taylor has an interesting discussion on the phenomena of Christian churches not holding services on Sunday morning, Dec 25th. Many out there are making a huge deal about this, Taylor's post links to two sides on the issue... Link - Between Two Worlds: Sorry, We're Closed ...

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Trite Slogans will not Do - Colson on the Dark Night of the Soul

Chuck Colson writes a short post on how many of evangelicalism optimisms are misplaced in a world of suffering. Colson would like to know that many younger believers have punted long ago on "the perfect life" this side of eternity. This cursed world is cursed, and dark. It hurts - this generation knows this well. Oh, that only we would find shelter under the wing of God who has cursed this world because of our sin. In Him we find freedom from our depravity and hope in every darkness. For after the last of the tears have fallen - redemption of all things will come. It will not be winter forever - the promised resurrection awaits. Link My Soul's Dark Night - Christianity Today Magazine

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From Vampires to Christ the Lord

Many are familiar with the vampire novels written by Anne Rice. Some of you may have heard of her recent return to the Roman Catholic Church out of decades of wandering in existential thought and unbelief. There is an interesting interview with her on Christianity Today's Web Site. ...

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Uncommon Descent » If only people knew more science . . .

There is an interesting post over at Uncommon Descent on the relationship of science to the humanities. Is our culture scientifically ignorant due to the teaching of the humanities or is or culture scientifically ignorant due to its anti-intellectual, anti-truth, anti-knowledge worldview that has flowed from the educational establishment. For one, I would argue that our culture is woefully ignorant of both science and the humanities. We don't know calculus and we do not know Plato and we do not know Shakespeare. We know the bus (aka Jerome Betis), playdo, and Britney Spears. It is not a high time for the American intellectual. Secular, Christian, or otherwise. Link - Uncommon Descent -- If only people knew more science ...

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Light in the Darkness, Cultural Warriors and the Mission of Christ

I am writing in response to Al Mohler's recent commentary Darkness At Noon: A Post-Christian Age. Mohler's essay is a reminder of the world we live in today. A world where truth is maligned, Christ ruled illegal, pop culture is base and perverted, and lives live huddled behind locked doors, clinging to stuff we do not need. In reading the essay, I could not help but cry out. "Yet brother, we have a blessed hope." So many who are embroiled in the culture wars need to remind us all that we do not live in a universe ruled by darkness, ruled by secular encroachment, ruled by post-Christian powers. No, our universe in ruled by a good and Sovereign God. Dr. Mohler has reminded us all of this in many ways. I just want to encourage everyone that God is not thrwarted by secularism, that the light of Christ still shines brightly, ever more brightly in the midst of the darkness. He still rules, converts, leads and transforms souls. He uses his people to love the hurting, care for the oppressed, preach good news to the captive. Here is our call to alert. It is this: Love them! Share Jesus with them! Bless the Cities and Highways and Byways with the fragrant aroma of Christ. To some, it will be the smell of death...yes, even to the cultural warriors arrayed on many fronts. But to others, even to the cultural warriors arrayed on many fronts, it will be the aroma of Life! Yes, there are dark signs today. Yet there have been dark clouds since the ship wreck which happened in Eden. There are dark signs in every age - ours included. But the redemptive purposes of God shall stand through every age. The time of the church triumphant is not yet at hand, nor will it be brought about by politics or rhetoric, but only by the moving of a gracious God. To Him we pray as we yearn, think, study, preach, love, serve, work, and are ever hopefull...while it is still called today. ...

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Theological Education That Transforms, Part Two

More on the importance of loving God with our minds. Link - Theological Education That Transforms, Part Two ...

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This is going around a bit - so why not

The Sevens are going around the blogsphere... Seven things to do before I die (in no particular order)

1. Plant a bunch of churches

2. Perform both my daughter's weddings to decent men

3. Stay married to my wife

4. Write a big thick book - I mean a really big, thick one - not a boring one, but one with some girth

5. Teach the gospel to some of my friends' kids

6. See Va Tech win a national title in football - and not fall into idolatry

7. Own a Harley

Seven things I cannot do

1. Speak Esperanto - but I know those who have attempted to learn

2. Bench 400lbs

3. Drink Coffee (unless Caramel Frappuccino counts)

4. Laplace Transforms

5. Wear pants with a 32 inch waist

6. Travel through worm holes to other galaxies

7. Stop eating pizza

Seven things that attract me to my spouse

1. Her quiet wit

2. Her tenacity (in sports, in shopping for a good deal, in quietly matching me in an argument - man I love that - or do I hate it...no, I love it!)

3. How cute she is coaching soccer

4. She is smokin good lookin

5. She is kind to our girls when they are sick...and me too.

6. She has a sharp mind

7. She accepts my complexities

Seven things I say most often

1. Crud!

2. I'm a fat piece of $^^#%# (hang ups from my wrestling days when I was 4% body fat)

3. Using the word "Jacked" with 5 different meanings

4. Daddy loves you

5. Heavy sighs when I am burdened (well, not exactly words, but it counts)

6. Let me read you something

7. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that

Seven books or series I love

1. Desiring God by John Piper

2. The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

3. Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton

4. ESV

5. The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards

6. On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt (a great piece of philosophy by a Princeton Prof)

7. Proslogion by Anselm of Cantebury

Seven movies I would watch over and over again (no particular order)

1. Braveheart

2. Lord of the Rings - any of em

3. Star Wars - any of em, even Attack of the Clones

4. Its a Wonderful Life

5. The Sound of Music - yeah, but only because my Mom hooked me on it

6. Fletch

7. My Big Fat Greek Wedding - in honor of my buddy Jim Krouscas

Seven people I want to join in too (most don't have blogs...)

1. John Hardie

2. John Piper

3. Sandy Young

4. Jim Krouscas

5. Doug Gotcher

6. Mark Driscoll

7. Jeff Schulte

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Book Review - Humility: True Greatness by CJ Mahaney

CJ Mahaney, Humility: True Greatness (Sisters: Multnomah Publishers, 2005)

In a little book of 174 pages (it is one of those small-sized books, I read it in a little over an hour) CJ Mahaney has given us all a great gift. Mahaney in a fun self-depricating tone goes about his task of writing a book on being humble. After all the "expert" on humility seems disqualified to write upon it. The many people who know this man speak of the reality of his life as one rightly tested and seasoned to write such a book. The first part of the book is refreshingly theological. Now, for those who are afraid of the "T-word" do not be alarmed. The tone is pastoral and the writing very approachable here...don't expect a boring dissertation. Part I deals with the wonderful quality of humility and contrasts it with the insidious nature of pride. Chapter 2 - The Perils of Pride, is a gracious cutting into the soul, revealing to us the sickness of pride that lurks, erupts and deceives all of us. The second part of the book looks at the greatest person of humility in history - the person of Christ. Mahaney writes as one close to the person he is describing from the pages of the Bible. He is not a distant observer of the humble servant King, but one who has walked with the Savior for some time. It is such a refreshing thing in our day of sound bites and religious slogans to see one love Christ with heart and admiration...as well as respect for the Cross. His writings on the cross in other places echo here as well. During the first two parts I just felt. "CJ, I'm with you dog, I get it, I hear you, I am a sick prideful dude...and Jesus is our solution, his cross is the great pride defeater...so I need some practical help, I need to know some stuff I can do to fight the beast of Pride!" Well, if I had purused the table of contents I would have know that Part III was called The Practice of True Humility This third section of the book is a gem of practical example and council along with a simplicity that is missing today. So ofter we think the solutions to the issues of our soul are found in counseling, working through issues, etc. Now, these have there place, but what concerns me is the neglect of "Prayer, study of Scripture, Christian Friendship" as great formers of the soul. Mahaney goes to great steps to give us the goods from his own life...how he tries to walk humble with his God. As I made it through the final chapters I kept thinking "Man, it would great to have a little cheat sheet summary of this stuff" Well, wouldn't you know they provided just that with a summary listed on pages 171-172 under the title How to Weaken Pride and Cultivate Humility (Links and parentheticals are mine).

Always

1. Reflect on the Wonder of the Cross

As Each Day Begins

1. Begin each day acknowledging your dependence on God and need for God
2. Begin each day expressing gratefulness to God
3. Practice the Spiritual Disciplines - Prayer, study of God's Word, worship. Do this consistently each day, at the day's outset if possible
4. Seize your commute time to memorize and meditate on Scripture (spoken from an author who lives in the Washington DC metro area)
5. Cast your cares (worries, etc) on him because he cares for you.

As Each Day Ends

1. At the end of the day, transfer the glory to God
2. Before going to sleep, receive the gift of sleep from God and acknowledge his purpose for sleep.

For Special Focus

1. Study the Attributes of God - Go here for a starter
2. Study the Doctrines of Grace - Go here for a starter
3. Study the doctrine of Sin - Go here for a starter
4. Play Golf as Much as Possible - (Well, I will have to pass on that one, but some of you will delight)
5. Laugh often, and laugh often at yourself

Through Your Days and Weeks

1. Identify evidences of grace in others
2. Encourage and serve others each and every day
3. Invite and Pursue correction
4. Respond humbly to trials

More than anything, I needed to read this book at this time in my life. God's timing I suppose. I can be so caught up in me sometimes it is just sickening. Many thanks to CJ as he points out our sickness and offers the Scriptural remedy:

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5-7

Sola Deo Gloria ...

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