March 2004 Archive
Gibson’s Passion and Mary "Co-redemptrix" (03/31/04 - 39 Comments)
Dr. Mark Miravalle has written a fascinating article for the Catholic Information Network that speaks about Mary's portrayal in The Passion of the Christ. Miravalle is Professor of Theology and Mariology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, so obviously something of an expert on the subject. Here are some interesting quotes: In a recent interview with Mel Gibson, Christianity Today referred to Gibson as a traditionalist Catholic who "likes the Tridentine Latin Mass and calls Mary...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Thirty One (03/31/04 - 1 Comments)
This is the thirty first and final part in this study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study has been to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that limited human wisdom can never compare with God’s unlimited perfect wisdom. I also saw that though nature proclaims that God exists, it is only through His Word that I can really come to know Him. Finally I saw through several...
The Passion's Porn Connection (03/31/04 - 9 Comments)
I am going to approach this matter with caution and brevity, for I certainly do not want to cause anyone to stumble. Several people have inquired whether or not I can verify the claims some people are making that many of the actresses cast in The Passion of the Christ have been involved in pornography. Since the movie’s launch rumors have abounded that this is true but few have had it proven to their satisfaction....
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Thirty (03/30/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part thirty in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that I need to keep my mouth and emotions under control lest I be proven foolish by my words or actions. I also saw the importance of maintaining moral purity when in a position of leadership, where political, church or family leadership. Chapter 30 is...
A Quote (03/30/04 - 6 Comments)
I'd like to get some thoughts on the following quote, pulled ruthlessly and free from all context from John Eldredge's book Wild at Heart. Too many Christians today are living back in the old covenant. They've had Jeremiah 17:9 drilled into them and they walk around believing my heart is deceitfully wicked. Not anymore it's not. Read the rest of the book. In Jeremiah 31:33, God announces the cure for all that: "I will put...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Nine (03/29/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty nine in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that confession is a critical aspect of having a deep, intimate relationship with God. Failing to confess sin to Him will build barriers in our fellowship. I also saw the value of trusting God to guide me through life rather than depending on myself....
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Eight (03/28/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty eight in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Because today is Sunday this will be an abbreviated look at the chapter. Yesterday I learned that since God is in full control of the future I need to ensure I am not presumptuous about what is to come. I also read powerful words that described the...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Seven (03/27/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty seven in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that no proverb will apply to each and every situation, so I need to be careful in their application. I also saw that I need to be wary around foolish men for they are, because of their foolishness, untrustworthy. Finally I saw examples of...
This & That (03/26/04 - 3 Comments)
Congratulations to my little sister Susanna and her new fiance, Rick, as they got engaged just a few hours ago. Rumor has it they may be looking to get married as soon as this fall! Susanna is the middle one of my three sisters and, appropriately, the second to get engaged. Note to Susanna and Rick: I know I don't really get a vote, but if you want my input, I'd recommend getting married in...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Six (03/26/04 - 2 Comments)
This is part twenty six in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned the value of being humble. It is far better to begin humble and be exalted than to begin proud and be brought to shame. I also saw that wisdom will teach moderation. There is so much wisdom in...
Spiritual Gift Assessments (03/25/04 - 8 Comments)
A friend recently asked me for my thoughts on spiritual gifts and particulary, on spiritual gift assessments. I had taken these assessments in the past and, though I found them interesting, found they had little impact on my life. I found that they just discovered the obvious (yes, I like to teach and no, I generally do not visit the elderly and widows). I had to admit, to my shame, that I had never...
Most-Read Articles (03/25/04 - 0 Comments)
Someone recently asked me which articles on this site are the ones that get read the most. I consulted my site statistics and found out that some helpful soul at Verio's technical support center had decided to erase all statistics from 2002 to February 2004 so I have to rely on memory and post-February statistics. Based on that, these are the most popular articles: The Passion of the Christ According to Emmerich. I believe it...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Five (03/25/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty five in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that wise people surround themselves with trusted, godly counselors and then heed the counsel of these people during tough times. I also saw that I am to show equal love to both friends and enemies and never rejoice in anyone’s trouble. Chapter twenty five...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Four (03/24/04 - 1 Comments)
This is part twenty four in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that riches are fleeting, so to work myself to exhaustion in order to acquire them is foolish. I also learned that sin is addictive and though initially it provides joy, it always ends up bringing sorrowful consequences. I should avoid sin, trusting that with...
Book Review - The Murder of Jesus (03/23/04 - 3 Comments)
While I admire John MacArthur for his doctrinal orthodoxy and his willingness to stand for Biblical truth, however unpopular that may make him, what I most admire about him is his remarkable ability to teach from the Scriptures. I have found few people who are better able to carefully and accurately exposit God’s Word. Because of this ee has become one of my most trusted teachers. The Murder of Jesus showcases exactly what I most...
Purpose Driven vs Hard To Believe (03/23/04 - 8 Comments)
Bob DeWaay has published an excellent examination of The Purpose Driven Life in his Critical Issues Commentary. The article examines The Purpose Driven Life and often compares it to John MacArthur's "Hard to Believe – The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus." Here are a few excerpts: A few months ago a friend phoned to ask if I had ever heard of Rick Warren. “Yes” I replied. “Why are you asking”? He said,...
Passion-Related Deaths (03/23/04 - 1 Comments)
Pastor Dies Watching 'Passion of Christ' Mar 23, 2004 BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (Reuters) - A Brazilian pastor died of an apparent heart attack while watching the Mel Gibson film "The Passion of the Christ," witnesses say. Jose Geraldo Soares, a 43-year-old Presbyterian pastor, had reserved two movie theaters at a Belo Horizonte shopping mall on Sunday afternoon to see the film with his family and the congregations of two local churches. But halfway through the...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Three (03/23/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty three in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that God makes no partiality based on wealth – all men are equal in His eyes and will be judged by the same standards, regardless of their riches in this world. I also saw that if I train my children in the way of...
Book Review - Six Battles Every Man Must Win (03/22/04 - 3 Comments)
There are few things I like less than Christian books and programs that offer easy answers, for nowhere does God promise that living for Him will be easy. It seems, though, that the Christian world just laps these books up. Those dealing with Christian living seem to be particularly prone to “easy-answerism.” Fortunately bestselling author Bill Perkins avoids this concern in his new book entitled Six Battles Every Man Must Win. Based on the Biblical...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty Two (03/22/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty two in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that God is in complete control - Every person, whether great or small, believing or unbelieving, must do God’s will, whether he realizes he is doing it or not. I also saw that the path to destruction begins with greedily desiring things but not...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty One (03/21/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twenty one in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that though any fool can begin an argument it takes a wise man to know when and how to apologize and cease fighting. I also learned that discipline, though it may be painful, should serve to force me to examine my life and see...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twenty (03/20/04 - 7 Comments)
This is part twenty in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned that family relationships offer not only the greatest opportunities for blessing, but also the greatest opportunities for pain. I have to be a wise father to ensure that my children are raised in wisdom so they do not prove...
Comment Spam (03/20/04 - 6 Comments)
Lately a lot of spammers have decided to start peddling their wares by using the comments section of this site. I apologize if you have seen some pretty nasty comments attached to the various articles. I have tried to remove them as quickly as I am able but a few may have escaped my notice. I have recently installed some software I hope will drive some of these people away. Let's hope it works!...
The Makings of A Good Weekend (03/19/04 - 3 Comments)
Today I received an advance copy of Bill Perkins' new book Six Battles Every Man Must Win. That put finishing touch on what I am hoping will be a very relaxing weekend. The plan is to spend plenty of time on the couch. I'll be watching a bit of golf, watching a bit of March Madness (every March I try and ultimately fail to learn to like basketball), sipping Coke and reading my new book....
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Nineteen (03/19/04 - 2 Comments)
This is part nineteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I continued to learn one of the predominant themes of this book – I need to guard my lips and choose my words carefully, whether I am in a position of judgment or simply listening in order to give advice. Also,...
The Passion & Saddleback (03/18/04 - 7 Comments)
Since The Passion of the Christ was released I have been waiting to hear from Rick Warren to learn about Saddleback’s involvement with this movie. On Tuesday Christianity Today published an article where he describes just that. You can read the article here. There are a lot of things I would love to say about this article, but to do so would not be constructive. I wish to point out only two things that grabbed...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Eighteen (03/18/04 - 3 Comments)
This is part eighteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned that God uses difficult times in my life to shape and mould my character and that during these times I need to have a peaceful soul and restrain my tongue. I also learned the value of avoiding strife at...
Take This Cup Away From Me! (03/17/04 - 6 Comments)
Jesus knew when and how He was going to die. The day before He was to die was the Passover. The Lord spent the evening with his disciples honoring the Old Testament laws pertaining to the final celebration of the first and greatest of the feast days. When they had eaten their meal and shared in the first celebration of the new feast, the Lord’s Supper, Jesus led them to the Garden of Gethsemane, a...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Seventeen (03/17/04 - 2 Comments)
This is part seventeen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned about God’s omnipotence – that He has full and complete control over this world and all that happens in it. I learned again the great value in having a humble, teachable spirit, for pride leads only to destruction. Finally,...
The Passion of The Christ - Results? (03/16/04 - 43 Comments)
In the days leading up to the release of The Passion of the Christ we heard time and again how this movie was going to provide the best outreach opportunity in the past 2000 years. We heard church leaders telling Christians to support this movie to ensure that Gibson did not lose his $30 million investment. Thousands of churches bought blocks of tickets, hundreds or even thousands of them, and gave them away to their...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Sixteen (03/16/04 - 4 Comments)
This is part sixteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of the study is to learn wisdom and discernment from this portion of God’s Word. Yesterday I learned of God’s omniscience, that He sees and knows everything, and I saw what a comfort this is to those who love Him. This passage also reinforced the value of having a humble spirit so I can learn to accept rebuke and correction...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Fifteen (03/15/04 - 1 Comments)
This is part fifteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of the study is to learn wisdom and discernment from this portion of God’s Word. Yesterday I learned the importance of heeding wisdom’s call as soon as I hear it, for after a while she will forsake me forever. I also saw how contentment in my heart is important to every area of my life – my physical health, my...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Fourteen (03/14/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part fourteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Because today is Sunday, this will be an abbreviated look at a couple of key points from today’s passage. Yesterday I learned that I need to labor diligently to obtain things I want rather than just waste time dreaming about them and...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Thirteen (03/13/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part thirteen in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned that I need to be willing to face correction and be willing to correct others. I also learned that I prove my character by how I treat God’s creation, including animals. Finally, I need to choose my friends carefully,...
Behold Your Mother (03/12/04 - 11 Comments)
I do not often answer questions directly on this site, but since this one fits the theme of the crucifixion which I have been writing about this week, I thought I would post it publicly. Question: Why did Jesus “give” his mother to John when He was hanging on the cross? Answer: A very good question. The passage relevant to your question can be found in the book of John. Now there stood by the...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Twelve (03/12/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part twelve in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned that God is the source of wisdom and justice and in order to please Him I need to exhibit those traits. I also learned that acquiring wisdom should not lead to arrogance but to humility. Finally, I have to...
Pilate's Surprise (03/11/04 - 2 Comments)
In the wake of The Passion of the Christ I have seen several discussions about why Pilate showed surprise that Jesus died so quickly. These discussions are based on the gospel of Mark where we read: Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Eleven (03/11/04 - 1 Comments)
This is part eleven in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of the study is to learn wisdom and discernment from this portion of God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that wisdom is often best expressed in silence, for the more I speak the more likely I am to sin. My lips will express what is in my heart, so I need to fill my heart with purity so my lips have...
Truly This Was The Son of God (03/10/04 - 1 Comments)
Every believer carries a measure of the guilt for Jesus’ death. If it were not for our willful disobedience to God’s perfect Law, we would have no need of a Savior. We acknowledge in song that it was our hands that drove the spikes into His’ and sometimes speak about driving the nails into Jesus’ hands every time we sin. We speak figuratively, of course, knowing that although we were not present at the time...
31 Days of Wisdom - Day Ten (03/10/04 - 0 Comments)
This is part ten in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of the study is to learn wisdom and discernment from this portion of God’s Word. Yesterday I learned that wisdom and folly both call for my attention and in so-doing they often use similar methods to try to gain my attention. I also learned that a wise man will appreciate being rebuked but a foolish man will hate anyone who...
