Prince Caspian Review

Shaun Nolan writes a great review of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian over at Reformation 21.

One More Way to God Than I Deserve

Justin Taylor writes a great article about the exclusivity of the gospel.  There is only one way to God, and it is through Jesus Christ.  Click here to read the article.  Included in the article is a video by R.C. Sproul which can be seen below.

Quote of the Week

Here is the quote of the week for May 12.

“Here is found the most fundamental difference between liberalism and Christianity – liberalism is altogether in the imperative mood, while Christianity begins with a triumphant indicative; liberalism appeals to man’s will, while Christianity announces, first, a gracious act of God.”

J. Gresham Machen

 

Salvation now Sold in a Bottle

MIAMI — The instructions are simple: Read the Prayer … Drink the Water … Believe in God! Believe in Yourself! Spiritual Water, the faith-inspired venture of two Sunrise, Fla., businessmen, offers its drinkers clearer focus, positive thinking and connection to a higher power.  Below is a quote from the article.

 

“You drink it, and you just feel like you are in church,” says Cecilia Joseph, a Sunrise real estate agent who liked Spiritual Water so much she became a distributor. “The pictures are so beautiful. You look at them and read the prayer, and it just feels good.”

It seems that the creators of this “spiritual drink” have mistaken the words of Jesus, just as the Samaritan at the well did in John chaper 4.  Salvation is by grace through faith.  There is no short cut or substitute.  Are you trusting in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and hope of eternal life?  He is our only hope, not some bottled water.

 

Jesus – Made in America

My friend Matt Hall has posted a great review of the new Stephen Nichols book titled Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Purtians to “The Passion of the Christ”.  Below is a quote form the review.

 

 

 

 

One suspects that evangelicals of every stripe will find something that makes them squeamish. But then again, perhaps that’s just what Nichols is going for here. If American evangelicals are to recover any cultural capital and religious credibility, they will likely have to dispense with their penchant for sentimentalized caricatures of Jesus and mass-marketed religion.

 

How to React to the Cyclone

Desiring God writes a helpful article on 6 ways to React to the Cyclone.

As the carnage from Cyclone Nargis moves toward 50,000 dead and beyond, there is a way to pray and act:

1. Be softened to the pain nearby.

The Good Samaritan knew nothing of the calamities in first century Burma, but was commended by the Lord for mercies at hand (Luke 10:25-37).

2. Pray for the followers of Christ in Myanmar:

• That they would be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10; 100:3).
• That they would be awakened from the illusion that this life is long or sure or the main point of eternal existence (James 4:14).
• That they would be given a new vision of the supreme value of Christ who promises his followers that famine, nakedness, and death will not separate them from his love (Romans 8:35).
• That God would meet their needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, so that they might have to give to those in need (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 4:28).

3. Pray for the millions of unbelievers near the calamity and far from it:

• That they would see the helplessness of man before the Power that rules the world and fly to Christ who alone delivers from the final cyclone of God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
• That they would not respond like the people in Revelation (9:20; 16:9, 11) who did not repent at the devastation but cursed God.
• That they would hear the best news in all the world—not the news of health, wealth, and prosperity in this world, but the news that Christ became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) so that in him we can be more than conquerors in every calamity of life (Romans 8:37).

4. Pray for those of us who live in the seeming security and prosperity of America:

• That we would see what is about to break over us in due time—either collectively as God removes the hand of his providential restraint, or individually as one by one we are whisked to the hospital, then wheeled to the nursing home, and then carried to the funeral home (Hebrews 9:27).
• That millions would be made to see this and repent from the adultery of treasuring anything more than Christ (James 4:4).

5. Give money to replenish the coffers of compassion “since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).

6. Muster a team from your church, and when the doors are open, be ready to go.

This kind of going always has the promise of a special, “I will be with you to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Tim Tebow and Gospel Realities

ESPN has a great article about Heisman winner Tim Tebow.   No, this isn’t so much about football stats, but rather how he has used his status to open doors to speak the gospel.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No matter where I am, if I’m preaching to Muslims or in a prison, if you’re in the will of God, that’s safer than driving down the interstate,” Tebow said. “That’s how I feel about it. He’s in control of whatever happens. I’m thinking more about their needs than my needs. They need to hear what I’m sharing, so I don’t think about any sense of fear. The Lord has it under control, and he’ll take care of me.”

One day, this [championship] ring is going to rust. There are only four things that are going to last forever: God, his word, people and rewards.

This young man is a breath of fresh air when it comes to a sports figure role model.  He knows that championship rings, money, and prestige will not impress God on judment day.  May our vapor like lives also be spent for the cause of the gospel.

Here is some more bio info on Tim Tebow from my friend Barry Joslin.