Last Friday I worshipped at Redeemer Church of Dubai and then spent the rest of the day with Pastor Dave Furman and his wife Gloria (read A Day in Dubai). Saturday morning I got up early (along with Murray Robinson, who is traveling with me) and headed to the airport to continue the journey east. We arrived at the airport to find that the flight was overbooked and that our seats had been given away. It took some pleading, but eventually the good people at Emirates managed to find two empty seats and put us aboard.

The flight from Dubai to New Delhi was just a little bit over three hours long and entirely uneventful. We passed quickly through immigration—a process in which not a word was exchanged between the immigration officer and me—and after finding our luggage were met by Prasoon Goel. Prasoon is the pastor of one of the congregations associated with Delhi Bible Fellowship (DBF is an English-speaking Evangelical church that has seven congregations throughout the city). To that point Prasoon and I had only ever communicated via email and Skype, so it was a joy to put a face to the name.

We bundled into Prasoon’s car and hit the roads of Delhi. For all its charms, Delhi does not make the best first impression. Driving is every bit as entertaining as I had heard. While there are lines painted on the roads, they seem to be suggestions at best as no one pays them the least attention. If a car can fit into a space, it will inevitably squeeze in there. You would look in vain for a car that doesn’t have at least some scratches and dents. Horns are used constantly; they signal intent or warning and are rarely meant as an expression of anger. The roads are shared by cars, trucks, autos (three-wheeled taxis), bicycles and endless numbers of motorcycles—motorcycles carrying televisions, motorcycles carrying entire families, motorcycles everywhere. Pedestrians walk through it all, always at a constant pace so the cars can properly gauge when to go honking past. At some intersections little children approach the cars, looking sad while they mimic eating food. Except on the major roads, cows wander at will, snarling traffic and eating whatever they find lying around.

Even more notable than the traffic is the smog. New Delhi is known for its smog problem and it is especially bad this time of year when the air is still and when there is little rain to wash it all away. It is a smog you can smell and taste. It gets in your eyes and nose and mouth and just won’t go away.

Traffic and smog are the first impressions, but, of course, the city has its charms as well. We bunked down at Prasoon’s house on Saturday night and on Sunday headed straight for church. Worshipping with Delhi Bible Fellowship was every bit as much a joy as worshipping with Redeemer Church of Dubai.

DBF, like Redeemer, is extremely multi-cultural, drawing not only native New Delhians, but also a lot of ex-pats and foreign workers of various stripes. A church of around 300 people, they meet in a rented facility and have two identical services each Sunday morning.

This is the tenth installment in a series on theological terms. See previous posts on the terms theology, Trinity, creation, man, Fall, common grace, sin, righteousness, faith, pride, and election.

Revelation refers to the revealing of something that was previously unknown. In the case of theology, revelation refers to the revealing of the knowledge of God’s character and ways.

The Bible presents two types of revelation.

1) General revelation refers to the knowledge of God that is revealed in creation. This is spoken of in Scripture in places like Psalm 19:1-2:

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Scripture teaches that, because of what is evident in creation, every human being has received enough knowledge about God to be justly condemned before him for their sinful rebellion against his rule. As Paul says in Romans 1:18-20,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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.

2) Special revelation refers to the knowledge of God that comes to us supernaturally through prophetic words. Today it refers most particularly to the words of prophecy that have been recorded for us in the Bible. Paul speaks of this kind of revelation in 2 Timothy 3:14-15:

But as for you [Timothy], continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Scripture teaches that, apart from a new, supernatural word from God, every human is consigned to the condemnation they have received through General revelation.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)

Despite humanity’s sinful rejection of him in general revelation, God has graciously, mercifully sent another Word, one of mercy and reconciliation through the death of his Son. And all who receive and rely on this revelation will be saved.

It must have been almost a year ago that I received an email from a pastor in India, asking me if I would consider traveling all the way to New Delhi to teach at his church and to meet some of the Christians in that country. I thought about it, prayed about it, and talked to my fellow elders at Grace Fellowship Church and together we decided that I ought to go. A few other pieces fell into place and it soon became a trip to Dubai, New Delhi and the province of Uttar Pradesh.

On Wednesday evening I jumped aboard a plane and headed to Dubai—my first time in the Middle East.  We (Murray Robinson, an elder at the church who is traveling with me) arrived in Dubai on Thursday evening; that was 13 hours of flying time, but 22 hours when factoring in all the time zones. 

Dubai is a city that has long fascinated me from afar. It is no less fascinating on the ground. The first impression was of the airport—a big, busy airport with people of every race and nationality bustling around. It was kind of like Toronto, but a bit more so. It took us about a half hour to clear customs, something that required a photograph and a retinal scan. We were met by Dave Furman who pastors Redeemer Church of Dubai. A short cab ride took us to the apartment where he lives along with his wife Gloria (who blogs at Domestic Kingdom) and their three children.

This morning was Friday (NOTE: I wrote this yesterday but am posting it today), and since this is a Muslim country, Friday is the first day of the weekend and the day set aside for worship. It’s kind of different having the first day of the weekend set aside for worship. Redeemer Church meets in a beautiful hotel ball room and several hundred people call the church home. Dubai is a city of ex-pats and Redeemer is comprised almost entirely of people who were born elsewhere and migrated to Dubai to work. Redeemer is an evangelical church very much in the Reformed stream and meets here with the assent of the government. They love the gospel and they love one another. The worship service, from the songs to the sermon and the prayer, could have been lifted straight from Grace Fellowship Church. The people were delightful and very welcoming.

One week from tomorrow I will be heading east. Way east. Along with Murray Robinson, one of my fellow elders at Grace Fellowship Church, I will be heading to Dubai and then to India. I am going there to meet fellow believers, to teach them and to learn from them. It promises to be rather an interesting trip and one I hope to be able to share with you through the blog.

We will be leaving late in the day on November 7, hopping aboard a flight to Dubai, and arriving late on Thursday. That’s 14 hours of flying plus a whole lot of time zones. For those who care about such things, this will be a direct flight on the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger jet. Of course I’m guessing the economy class on the world’s largest passenger jet isn’t a whole lot different than economy class on any other plane, so I doubt it will be too exciting. We will spend a couple of days with Dave and Gloria Furman and attend Redeemer Church of Dubai with them on Friday. (Because United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country, the Christians worship on Friday instead of on Sunday.)

On Saturday Murray and I will fly over the Arabian Sea to New Delhi, India where on the Sunday I look forward to speaking several times at an English-speaking congregation there. Monday and Tuesday I will be meeting with, speaking to, and learning from youth groups, couples, interns and pastors. A bit later in the week we will head to the province of Uttar Pradesh and visit Christians in what is a predominantly Hindu area. We will head home by the end of the week, leaving us with a trip of about ten days that will something like 16,000 miles. All-told, I anticipate speaking between ten and twelve times, teaching about Christian maturity and discernment and doctrine and yes, even technology.

I am not yet sure how the trip will effect my blogging. I do plan to maintain my daily blog post, many of which will be of the travel journey variety, I’m sure. I would also like to be able to maintain A La Carte, though the posts may come out in the morning Delhi time rather than North American time. I also hope to make a rare foray into photography, by taking photos as I go. Because some of the areas I am traveling to have deep religious divides and very little Christian witness, I may not be able to give a lot of details. I know that few of us have ever travelled to India, not to mention spent time with Christians there, so as much as possible I’d like to introduce you to brothers and sisters there, along with the work they are involved in.

I would be very grateful if you would pray for Murray and me as we travel, that we would remain safe and healthy, and that I would be able to be a blessing to the people I am able to speak to. Pray also that we can learn from the Christians there and enjoy true fellowship in the Lord. And please pray for our families while we are away from them for a little while.

Today we will be introduced to the next big thing—the next next big thing, that is. This afternoon, in one of Apple’s much ballyhooed events, they will take the wraps off what most expect to be the iPad Mini, a scaled-down version of the iPad. The iPad Mini will be smaller and less expensive than its older sibling which will allow far more people access to a device that, to this point, may have been out of reach. It will open up a whole new market for Apple, thus generating even more revenue. Or such is the hope.

Whenever the next great device is unveiled it comes with promises that it will bring with it a higher quality of life. It will bring greater satisfaction and greater contentment. It will increase efficiency and double productivity. Whatever it brings will be good. It has to be this way, right? Why else would we allow it into our lives?

Our gadgets reflect our priorities. Apple’s job—and Microsoft’s and Google’s and every other company’s—is to just give us what we want. They feed us these devices and convince us that our lives will immediately be that much better. But is this actually the case? Do they really make us more productive? Do they really help us accomplish more?

Though I wrote about this a little bit in The Next Story, I really like how Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon put it in their book The Art of Neighboring (which, I just realized, is free on Kindle today). Here is what they say:

Think about it. Even fifteen years ago, you’d never have dreamed that in the near future you’d be able to:

• Make phone calls while riding in your car.
• Send mail electronically while riding in your own car, while you are making phone calls.
• Own a machine that allows you to record your favorite TV shows so you can watch them whenever it’s convenient for you—and you can even fast-forward through the commercials.
• Turn on your computer and be able to see on the screen the people you’re talking to. There’s no longer a need to travel for meetings.

Your reaction most likely would have been, “Wow! What am I going to do with all of my free time?” Maybe you would have started dreaming about a four-hour workweek. You’d be planning for all those extra tee times on the golf course. You’d be dreaming about spending time with your family or simply lying on a hammock in your backyard.

The fact is that’s what technology could have enabled us to do. But instead of having more free time, we’ve added more things into our already crammed lives. Even though we get more and more done, we still pile up the tasks. Our calendars continuously stay full, no matter how many time-saving devices are invented.

If the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “You also must help us by prayer” (2 Corinthians 1:11) so that he could endure the hardships of ministry, how much more do you think your local church pastor needs your prayerful support? I’ve been noticing a lot (an awful lot!) of articles lately that call on people to do this very thing. What interests me is that nearly all of these have been written by pastors. The point is clear: Pray for your pastor!

Pastors see the reality of the spiritual battle they face and they long for prayers—your prayers. Here are just a few of the articles that may help with the specifics of what you can pray about:

1. “How to Pray for the Pastoral Staff” by John Piper

2. “Praying for Your Pastor” by Ligon Duncan

3. “How To Pray For Your Pastor As He Steps Into the Pulpit” by Stephen Altrogge

4. “How to Pray for Your Pastor” by ReachLife Ministries

5. “How to Pray for Your Pastor” by R. W. Glenn

6. “31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

7. “Praying for Your Pastor” by Joe Thorn

8. “Please Pray for Your Pastor” by Julian Freeman

9. “How to Pray for Your Pastor” by Todd Benkert

One of the thoughts that has been bouncing around my mind over the past few weeks is this: So much of what I do in life, so many of the decisions I make, are driven primarily by considerations of my own comfort. I do what I do because it is more comfortable than the alternative; I choose to go this way instead of that way because the opposite looks like it may just bring too much discomfort. I’m kind of a coward, I guess, and kind of consumed with keeping life safe and easy. Just like Jesus. Or not.

I think it’s more than coincidence that as I’ve been considering my own comfort, I’ve kept coming across the story of the twelve Israelite spies who were sent to scout out the Promised Land (Numbers 13). You know the story, I’m sure. Moses commissioned these twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and told them,

Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.

For forty days these men did just what Moses asked. They scouted the land and returned with encouraging reports: The land was “flowing with milk and honey,” and was flush with produce. It was every bit as rich and verdant as the Lord had promised. Each of the twelve men agreed on this. But then ten stepped forward and said, “There’s just one problem: We could never take this land. The people there are strong and scary and will destroy us.” Obviously when God had promised them the land, he had forgotten to account for the people who lived there—people who weren’t quite ready to give up their homeland without a fight.

Only two of the twelve, Joshua and Caleb, took a dissenting view and said "The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."

Despite what Joshua and Caleb claimed, the people of Israel believed the other ten spies and grumbled against the Lord. The Lord responded with justice, saying that of that entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb would ever enter the promised land. The rest would be forced to wander until they died; only when the generation was gone would God allow them to cross the river.

I can identify with this kind of fear. It’s the fear that comes when God’s promises seem to conflict with the evidence before us. Each of us encounters times in life where we are forced to decide whether we will trust God despite what appears to be evidence that his way just won’t work, that it’s foolhardy, that it’s impossible. Before us we have the giants and the promises of God; we respond with fear of the giants (which is to say, with comfort) or with faith in the promises.

There is etiquette that surrounds the disposal of a flag. According to VFW, the dignified way to dispose of a tattered or soiled flag is to burn it, but to do so with discretion and to ensure that it has been entirely consumed. The reason flags are treated with respect is that they are symbolic. They are far more than just silk and dye, but actually represent a nation and what that nation stands for. To treat a flag with respect is to honor that flag’s nation.

One of the readers of this site recently asked me, “How should Christians dispose of old Bibles?” It is a good question. Is disposing of a Bible similar to disposing of a flag, a ritual surrounded by rules and etiquette, or is it just like disposing of yesterday’s newspaper? Maybe it is a little bit of both.

Christians are people of the book, people who honor the Bible. However, when we say that we honor the Bible, it isn’t the paper and ink and leather and binding that we reverence, but the words. There are some churches where the worship service begins with a processional that may include a person carrying a Bible to the pulpit. That Bible may be ornate, but it is not the book itself—the form—that is reverenced. The ornate covering is meant to symbolize the value of what that book contains.

As Christians we believe that the Bible is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword; we believe that all of the Bible is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching and reproof and correction and training in righteousness. But when we affirm these things, we are referring to the words, not to the form. This is why a Bible app on the iPad, or the Bible memorized and recited, is just as much the Bible, just as much holy Scripture, as the paper and ink. The Lord works through his words in whatever way they are communicated.

October is here and to ring in the new month I’ve got great new desktop wallpaper for you to download. This month’s wallpaper was designed by Mark Priestap. I asked Mark to introduce himself: 

My wife Meredith and I have one girl (10) and two boys (8 and 4) and we’ve been married since ‘99. We live in Monclova, Ohio and attend Peace Reformed Church in Napoleon, Ohio where we’ve been attending since ‘09. I’m a ‘97 graduate of The Ohio State University and have been working as a designer and front end web developer almost ever since. From 2010 to 2012 I had the privilege being part of the Desiring God web team that redesigned/developed the DG website and created the DG iOS app … and they even let me write some articles. Afterwards, I joined on as the Creative Director of Forge Apps, developer of the DG app and the John Piper Daily Devotional app.

A few notes: Your desktop or laptop may take any of the sizes, depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. You can click here to see what your resolution is. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

Mark says, “These wallpaper designs are in commemoration of how God, despite our stiff-necked opposition to his Law and Gospel, poured out his Holy Spirit on Europe in the 1500’s, opening our eyes afresh to Christ and his gospel, causing the Protestant Reformation. May these help you reflect on God’s mercy and what our terrible hopeless condition would be outside of his grace. Nothing can be added to what he has accomplished and nothing can be added to the Word through which Christ and his benefits have delivered us and continue to nourish and strengthen us! He alone is sufficient and he alone is worthy of glory and honor.”

With Calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

Without Calendar: iPhone, iPhone 5, iPad 1 or 2, New iPad, 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1900x1200, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

Government is one of the facts of life in this world. All of human history has shown that we need to be governed. Not surprisingly, the Bible speaks to government. Here are five things the Bible teaches us.

Every government is put in place by God.

Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” (John 19:11)

There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13:1b)

God uses even sinful governments to do his will.

Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. (Jeremiah 25:8-9)

Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you [God] anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Acts 4:27-28)

We ought to pray for those who govern us.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

We should honor and submit to those who govern us.

Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him. (Mark 12:17)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1-4)

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17)

All human governments will eventually end and Jesus will reign over everyone forever.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
(Isaiah 9:6-7)

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. … From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11, 15-16)