Wow... I like these people already

That there's a site like this one - with huge money poured into it and so much content dedicated to it makes me happy. I want to curl up under warm blankets and depart into my dreams for a while, without guilt. Hey! I'm not lazy after all! People are paid to promote the importance of such things!

Love at First Bite [The Publisher’s Ring]

Are these people for REAL? What in the world is wrong with the people in the world, and why is it that white people come up with some of the most bizzare ideas of love? Hollywood was bad enough, now reality takes it to a whole new level. Love at First Bite [The Publisher’s Ring] will shock you and send you into the other room screaming for mercy. They call this love. Oh my.

EDIT: Apparently, it's an April Fools joke, but in extremely bad "taste". And also, sort of hard to decipher considering the content and purpose of the site is about self-mutilation in more acceptable forms.

Worship Matters: Idolatry on Sunday Mornings, Pt. 3

Worship Matters: Idolatry on Sunday Mornings, Pt. 3

Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Ministries fame has really hit upon a gem of a series - a three part posting about the Idols that we put in front of ourselves on Sunday Mornings when we should be worshipping God.

The whole thing is worth reading, but here's a snippet to whet interest

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, idolatry can be active in my heart even as I’m outwardly worshipping God. That’s a sobering thought. Whenever I think I can’t worship God unless “X” is present, I’m making a profound statement. If “X” is anything other than Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, I’ve moved into idolatrous territory.

Instant Gratification

Pandora Radio

Have you ever been in the mood for a specific kind of music, and nothing seems to fit the craving in your inner soul? Well, here's a resource that lets you listen to songs with styles that you dictate. Very customisable, and infinitely user friendly. I imagine site this is going to be my home page for a long time.

What an excellent idea! This is really cool, and best of all it's free.

From the Faq:
Q: What is Pandora?

Pandora is a music discovery service designed to help you find and enjoy music that you'll love. It's powered by the Music Genome Project, the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Just tell us one of your favorite songs or artists and we'll launch a streaming station to explore that part of the music universe.

Q: How do you decide what to play?

We take your input (artists, songs) and feedback ("I like this", "I don't like this") and use the Music Genome Project to create stations that play songs that are musically similar to what you've told us. That's it; only the music counts. We don't care how popular the artist is, who's backing them, and we don't care which genre bin they usually belong in. Only the music matters.

Only the music matters. I hear anthems ringing in my head as I read that. What wonderful times we live in.

Proving the existence of God

People say that it's a circular argument that us "fundamentalist Bible believing" Christians use to talk about the existence of God: Why do I believe In God? The Bible says so. Why believe the Bible? Because it's the Word of God. What makes you so sure God wrote it? Because, ultimately, the Bible says so - that's a circular argument all right, but I don't think that a Christian needs to be ashamed or guarded about it.

Sure, the Bible can be historically verified is internally consistent. Sure scriptural prophecies have stood times test. But for someone does not believe, what good does all of that do? Because some of these discussions are so far back in time that no one of us was there - all we have is the Bible - God's word that it happened.

"Faith comes by hearing the word of God". Ultimately, discussions away from the Word of God will lead nowhere, and the danger is that the authority of Scripture is undermined, traded for the wisdom of man - much of which is helpful, but just not Divine Decree.

It's hard to comprehend from an outsiders perspective, how such an approach is inviting or even desirable for anyone who does not have the same presuppositions. But I believe we have no reason to apologise, or rationalise or be diffident about the claims of God on men. There is definitely a measure of gentleness and love and compassion and understanding and relevance - this piece is not about those issues - Francis Shaeffer has got good things to say about the right approach in "taking the roof off" someone's worldview. Ultimately the only word that will save is the Word of Power - and only God's Word, Scripture, the Bible, has power to save.

ESV, Romans 1:16-17
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, [4] as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Who speaks from a position of power? Is man justified in his questions about God? Let's get our perspectives right. God owes no man:

ESV, Romans 1:19-20
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Circular arguments are OK, in my book, when they are backed by the clear mandate of God's word. It's not God who has to explain himself or prove himself. It's man who stands judged, because what is plain to him, he has suppressed, and has left himself no excuse.

Holy Spirit Revival

We've been going through 1 John, and reached chapter 4, and the discussion about the experience of the Spirit from the end of Chapter 3 has sparked some thought.

John Piper on the Holy Spirit
This is why Paul can say in Acts 19:2 when he meets the confused disciples of John the Baptist, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" What would a contemporary Protestant evangelical say in response to that question? I think we would say something like, "I thought we automatically received the Holy Spirit when we believed. I don't understand how you can even ask the question." How could Paul ask that question? He could ask it, I think, because receiving the Holy Spirit is a real experience. There are marks of it in your life. And the best way to test the faith of these so-called disciples is to ask them about their experience of the Spirit. This is no different than what Paul said in Romans 8:14, "All who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God" (see 2 Cor. 13:5 and 1 John 3:24; 4:12-13). I sometimes fear that we have so redefined conversion in terms of human decisions and have so removed any necessity of the experience of God's Spirit, that many people think they are saved when in fact they only have Christian ideas in their head not spiritual power in their heart.

Something I'm trying to understand. Coming from a cessationist, non-charistmatic, non-sign gifts background, and now trying to understand these things in light of scripture, and interesting issue is raised about the experience of the Spirit. I don't know if I agree with Piper fully, but he does have some good things to say.
What's the connection between tongues and the Spirit? As soon as you start talking about an experience, people start to get uneasy and think oh no, this guy is going to start speaking in Tongues or something. No! Piper again:

So you see, the real issue the Charismatics raise for us is not the issue of tongues. In itself that is relatively unimportant. The really valuable contribution of the Charismatic renewal is their relentless emphasis on the truth that receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is a real, life-changing experience. Christianity is not merely an array of glorious ideas. It is not merely the performance of rituals and sacraments. It is the life-changing experience of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord of the universe.

Not dead faith, but vibrant passionate, even (hold on to your hats) emotional faith that is filled with the truth of God and expressive of the glory of God. Piper helps a little with defining the "experience" of the Spirit.

We could talk for hours about what that experience is. In fact, most of my messages are just that—descriptions of the experience of the Spirit of God in the life of the believer. But I'll mention two things from the book of Acts—things that mark the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit or of receiving the gift of the Spirit. One is a heart of praise. In Acts 10:46 the disciples knew the Holy Spirit had fallen because "they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling (or magnifying) God." Speaking in tongues is one particular way of releasing the heart of praise. It may be present or may not. But one thing is sure: the heart in which the Holy Spirit has been poured out will stop magnifying self and start magnifying God. Heartfelt praise and worship is the mark of a real experience of the Holy Spirit.

The other mark I'll mention is obedience. In Acts 5:29 Peter and the apostles say to the Sadducees who had arrested them, "We must obey God rather than men." Then in verse 32 he says, "We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God gave to those who are obeying him." ("Gave" is past tense; "obey" is present ongoing tense.) It is inevitable that when the object of your heart's worship changes your obedience changes. When Jesus baptizes you in the Holy Spirit, and infuses you with a new sense of the glory of God, you have a new desire and a new power (1:8) to obey.

Fighting Entropy

Some people bring immense change to the world. And when such people start blogging it is a notable effort to make this world a better place. Dilbert has a blog!!

Here's what said world changer has to say in his defense:

MY OWN DILBERT BLOG
===================

When I see news stories about people all over the world who are experiencing hardships, I worry about them, and I rack my brain wondering how I can make a difference. So I decided to start my own blog. That way I won't have time to think about other people.

People who are trying to decide whether to create a blog or not go through a thought process much like this:

1. The world sure needs more of ME.
2. Maybe I'll shout more often so that people nearby can experience the joy of knowing my thoughts.
3. No, wait, shouting looks too crazy.
4. I know - I'll write down my daily thoughts and badger people to read them.
5. If only there was a description for this process that doesn't involve the words egomaniac or unnecessary.
6. What? It's called a blog? I'm there!

The blogger's philosophy goes something like this:

Everything that I think about is more fascinating than the crap in your head.

The beauty of blogging, as compared to writing a book, is that no editor will be interfering with my random spelling and grammar, my complete disregard for the facts, and my wandering sentences that seem to go on and on and never end so that you feel like you need to take a breath and clear your head before you can even consider making it to the end of the sentence that probably didn't need to be written anyhoo.

If that doesn't inspire you to read my blog, I don't know what will. You can find the Dilbert Blog at http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/

Gas or Gold?

One positive product of high gas prices in the United States is humor. And by gosh, that's always welcome.
check out this site for some comics about the pain of gas (I'm not talking about the day after Tandoori Chicken).

Marriage on the Mind

Surely, marriage is an economic contract to provide for children and to take care of mothers while they bear kids and bring them up--but it is much more than that. It is the means this animal, Homo Sap., has evolved--quite unconsiously--for performing this indispensible function and be happy while doing so.
Robert A. Heinlein, Time enough for Love

Science Fiction is an amazing source to me of the world's mind. Sometimes, things that I read in these stories just stick out at me and help clarify some of the places reason takes man, without God.

This passage above seems like a reasonable statement (evolutionary theory aside). But there's so much missing. When I move into the Biblical realm, I see that marriage is not just an association for convenience and propagation. Marriage is a sacred ordination by God himself. And why is it sacred? To us who believe, the love of a husband and a wife is a profound illustration (or should be, Eph 5) of God's love for us. So marriage, God's way, is so much more than Mr. Heinlein outlines. More than just to make oneself happy, even more than just to make the other spouse happy. It is that God is exalted and explicitly seen as glorious through the union of two redeemed hearts.

And there's so much more.

Taking informality to an arrogant extreme

I have nothing but love for Americans, but listening to the Albert Mohler program(a great segment on Biblical relationships by the way), a little tidbit he gave on american teenage informality cracked me up:

Apparently NorthWestern University's winning Lacrosse team was invited to the oval office, and some of the girls on the team wore flip flops!

Now Americans are said by people across the world to be arrogant and to disregard any kind of norms (a general opinion based on some truth) but it's funny to see this caricature find root in examples from reality.

I can just imagine - 'clickety click' (sound of said girl walking up in flip flops to the premier) "whassup, George".

It's like they're itching to provide an already provoked world with ammunition for mockery. In India we call flip flops "bathroom slippers".

2 Samuel 22

31 "As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

32 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

33 It is God who arms me with strength [h]
and makes my way perfect.

There is a wider context to what David is singing about, in relation to why God is His refuge, and the reasons why God is faithful: David qualifies God's faithfulness in perspective of his(Davids) own pursuit of righteousness - very interesting. However today this part of the passage screams out at me.

There is no where else to turn! With assurance like this for the days ahead, I rest in my Lord, Holy is his name.

Great Psalm - 62

from vs. 5 (ESV):

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
Selah

Some things stand out to me from these rich words: for God alone I must wait. Reason: He is the originator, not just the focus of hope.

And I love the result that David reaches after contemplating the steadfastness of God: He calls the people, because God is faithful, not just to trust in Him, but to pour out our hearts: open the floodgates of our hearts before him.

And I thought my problems were big. Lord teach me to wait for you alone, not for the fulfillment of my whims, however justified they may seem.

The Piper pipes a haunting tune

Want to be shaken about how casually we take the matter of sexuality? John Piper is a man who'd do you in. Found a couple of sermons from the desiring god website that blew me away. Especially in the context of western culture and the "freedom" that seems to be the demand of the day, we need to step out and see things for what they are in light of God's word.

(MP3 Links)

Sex and the Supremacy of God (part 1)

Sex and the Supremacy of God (part 2)

(though I hastily add that this is an issue that pervades all cultures equally, not just the west)

Give me Grace

When my feet don't step
where my head will lead
when the future is unclear;
when control is not forthcoming
and there's a penchant for fear
give me Grace to follow
in the knowledge that you guide
to trust my feet to your goodness
you are right here by my side

When the coming dawn
brings unwelcome days
when I get what I don't ask
When I wrestle with submitting
with disfavor I cannot mask
give me Grace to bend my knees
knowing full well in the end
that your eternal plan is yet unfazed
ever wiser than I intend

When tomorrow turns
to yesterday
when all is said and done
when the rigmarole and balderdash
of my normal life's begun
give me Grace to jog my memory
looking back into the past
drawing strength for the next tomorrow
for in your faithfulness I stand fast

Talk Like A Pirate Day - September 19

Arrrr.. it be that time of the sun cycle to growl and roar and howl at the wenches, at least for a day...


Sail over to the site

Orisinal : Morning Sunshine

Feeling like wasting your life away? Here's a site that will take weeks to get old - one of the most creative flash creators around, and I've been visiting this place for years now, way before it was so famous - so why not post a blog about it, eh?

Room Noise: Did anyone get it? Guess not.

I've been listening to this song (see bottom of post) by a band that was popular when I was still pre solid-food, physically speaking. They sure knew how to write back then!

Ironically, I had this track as part of a playlist containing Contemporary Christian Music, including some of the new commerical worship music that's out there - and sure, I like a lot of it myself. Somehow though this song became more poignant in that context.

For example, a band who's music I love sang the following:

Take control of the atmosphere
Take me far away from here
There is no better loss than to lose myself in you
In a parachute to glide, I am captive in your sky
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

I can contrive some meaning from that, but only relative to my interpretation of those words. Or another band sang this:

Praise Him under open skies
Everything breathing praising God
In the company of all who love the King
I will dance, I will sing
It could be heavenly
Turn the music loud, life my voice and shout
From where I am
From where I've been
He's been there with me
He's built a monument
His very people
So let his people
Sing, sing, sing

Again, nothing incorrect necessarily, but there's a certain lack of solidity that makes it appealing to my generation, I think. Actually, scratch that - maybe not it's the lack of solidity that makes it acceptable, but the lack of depth in my generation that makes fluffy lyrics such as these the norm. We're in the age of "Hallmark"esque Christian lyrics, and I believe people are too quick to say "that's deep".

Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for Contemporary Christian Music to start singing "A Mighty Fortress" to a death metal tune. I don't think you have to be Shakespearan to have substance. Or even say the name Jesus every third line (though it would help to mention your Lord and master some of the time) - you can be solid, boldly Christian by being serious about the content of your words - guard your mouth and raise the standard of your lyrics before a Holy God. Look at Petra. Even someone like Keith Green, who I think gets a bad rap sometimes. They said something. It's sad that the so much good music we find these days is from people who regurgitate the old - I'm sure there are Christian Musicians today who seriously have something to say for the glory of God and the enrichment of the Church.

I could go on and rant and rave, but that's not my point really - I wanted to point out that this is not an old issue - people one generation before me struggled the same way, and here's a song to prove it:

Room Noise
2nd Chapter of Acts

No more Conversation
No more idle words
Pitter pitter patter
words fall from your platter

Pseudo Gospel music
Music everywhere
but not a single drop
to drink anywhere

I don't want to be room noise
generically speaking
I don't want to be room noise
no one will stop and hear me, hear me...

Down on bended knees
Doing what you please
As you say
"Gospel Gospel music's an alternative"
Then you never have to
change the way you live

Idle, Idle lyrics
floating through the air
Invisible acting
emotional snare

I don't want to be room noise
Generically speaking
I don't want to be room noise
No one will stop and hear me, hear me...

Down on bended knee
doing what you please
PHARISEE!

I don't want to be room noise...

Twenty something years later, is someone listening?

QDB: Top 100 Quotes

Bash never fails to amuse me. [some quotes can be crass]

Edit: Well, going back to some of the other posts maybe I should say Bash sometimes fails to amuse me, infact aggravates me.

From Albert Mohler's Weblog

Check out this review on Pornified: How Pornography Is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families.

Put simply, porn is now considered cool. As Paul argues, "Pornography is wildly popular with teenage boys in a way that makes yesteryear's sneaked glimpses at Penthouse seem monastic. For teenagers, pornography is just another online activity; there is little barrier to entry and almost no sense of taboo. Instead pornography has become a natural rite and acceptable pastime."

Wow. We in the Church need to guard ourselves and our brothers - I don't think any of us, single or married, old our young, are invulnerable. I know I'm definitely susceptible. It's a shame that still, topics like this are awkward and remain un-discussed in the Church.

Monday Night at Morton's - 12/20/03

Ben Stein's last article for e-online. I normally don't care much for celebrity talk, but this guy surprised me - I only knew him for his cynicism on TV. Here's a healthy dose of it myself: Hope he means it.

Edit: Reading some of his older articles, it's interesting to see that his ideas on God don't seem to take him very far practically... very postmodern.

The Blog Site - In The News - Blogging will be "trendy" in 2004

Seems like everyone is hopping on the blogging bandwagon and this article made my day. It's a nice feeling to look down my nose at those dilettante bloggers who've just woken up to the world. You all are so... 2004.

Here's a first for Skinniyah: being aware of something before it became cool. Wow. I must be a fully culture-relevant kinda dude. Who'd've thunk it.

Still living in the 20th Century? Let UrbanDictionary enlighten you.

In Defense of Pat Robertson

I care nothing for Pat Robertson or his comments myself, but this article sure if a breath of fresh air in the midst of the journalistic mob.

I especially like how the author, Richard Kim, manages to get his point across without really being nice to Robertson. And how in his conclusion, he compares Robertson with Jack Nicholson's Col. Nathan R. Jessep in A few Good Men. Love it.

Hugging Time!

Hey World! Hey Stranger! Here's some love, from me to you.

southpaw :: Baby Got Book

LOL. Unless I have totally read him wrong, the man is serious.

Thompson Chain with the big red letters, NIV with the ribbon bookmark... sort of sticks in your head, doesn't it?

And the girlfriend looks pregnant. Wow.

And there's more?! Check out this lyrics page. That's the site where you can find out all you want about the musical genius of Dan "Southpaw" Smith.

Engadget 1985 - Engadget - www.engadget.com

Flashback to the days of cutting edge technology.

Hilarious, yet eye-opening. We've come a long way, baby!

episode iii, the backstroke of the west [language]

Tell me this isn't true!

In actual fact, I thought the dialogue in the star wars series was bad enough as it is, this takes things to a whole other level.

Grown Up Thoughts

What is being an adult? What is being immature? Where is the line between youth and manhood drawn without arbitrary lines being made? It hit me yesterday.

That microscopic moment of attitude when one switches from an obsession with trying to be and settles into the acceptance of being, is when the crucial transformation into adulthood has begun.

Maybe that makes no sense... well, I'm still trying.

Life, Written

I write.

I write because it makes me talk the way I cannot in normal speech. Inflections, pronunciations, pauses for thought need not discount the intelligence of what I say. A judgment will never be made before a proper account has been given, or after, for that matter.

I write because it frees me up to be able to express myself in ways that I never could otherwise. I write because it is the easiest way to think, to ponder, to hold discourse, to discuss. A debate with ones own mind; yes, verdict can be reached in such a dialogue.

I write because I can say things to a sheet of paper or a blank screen which cannot be uttered to the world, even a heedless world simply because it is not proper to mutter; yet, in written form I make a declaration of my opinion without hindrance or embarrassment.

I write because before me I can idealize the perfect woman, dream an idyllic meadow, create an adventurous journey, and envision the state of the world as I want it to be. I write because of the places I can take myself simply by thought, because of the loves I can love simply with a wish, because things don't have to be as they are but as they need to be, when written. Maybe this reveals in me the image of my Creator, the desire to create.

I write because in writing if find an attentive listener, one who always hears, always knows, always identifies, always “gets it.” There is no better thrill for a writer than a perpetually excited fan.

Galatians 5:6

Touching Bible Study. What good is faith, what good is belief, if it does not lead to compassionate action? Here's a song/poem I wrote this morning. I think it was St. Francis that said "Preach the Gospel at all times, when necessary with words".

We have believed in your message, O Lord
We have been set free, we have been forgiven
We have been made whole
Grace you have given, more than we need
yet, one thing we lack, and this is our plea:
Lord we have forgotten the touch of your Son
Teach us to Love

To reach out a hand, to touch the broken,
To show your example lived, more than spoken
Lord open our eyes, break open our hearts
Teach us to Love

We have become rich with your Word, O Lord
We stand for Truth, We stand in judgement
We have grown cold
This world is dying, fading away
Our eyes do not weep, our knees do not pray
We love our lives, this is not your way
Lord, teach us to Love

To open our purses, to show not just tell
Teach us to deny not them but ourselves
Jesus you gave, Jesus you died
Teach us to Love

At the Coming of the First Rains

Water falls from the sky
and I pause to ponder
unrelenting blessing on you, O my soul
numbered among sinners
yet standing under the banner of righteousness

What Grace is this?
it pours freely, abundantly
more than I can bear to ask for
sufficient in its cleansing
overwhelming in its content and its rushing tide

I can only watch the rain in silence
as it cleans the earth from the stains of a season
and look up to the Source
unable to comprehend His ways and yet
grateful for Grace

Another India note

This one's a great article - another outsider's perspective on the fascinating land that is my home: India.

Girl Power in India