What are the "things of men"?

31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Mark 8.31 - 38 (NIV)

The "things of men" are the things that do not reflect the gospel of God's grace. These are the things that occupy our hearts and minds for self pleasure and enjoyment which do nothing to point our hearts back to Jesus. They can be as sedated as frivolous thought or extreme as blatantly popular spirituality - anything which obstructs or distracts us from attributing our existence to God's grace, faithfulness, mercy, love, holiness, perfections, etc. . . . those things we must avoid like the plague. "Those things" are the hybrid false idols of our age. Again, if Jesus Christ is not our starting point, wherever we attempt to head towards will only gain distance between us and God.

The Hansen Report: 5 Myths about Emerging Adult Religion | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders

All the idealistic navel gazing of the past decade of a middle class liberalized evangelical movement has been found out by the sociologists.

The Hansen Report: 5 Myths about Emerging Adult Religion | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders

The Analogy of Faith

Analogy of Faith (according to Dr. Graham Cole; professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School). A rule of thumb - dating back to the Reformers - for interpreting the Bible; hence protecting you from heresy and the like)

- Use Scripture to understand Scripture
- Never use Scripture against Scripture
- Plain Scripture to understand obscure Scripture
- “When we put a text, in its context, in its argument or literary unit, in its book, in the canon, in the light of the flow of redemptive history.”

Props to Dann Huff

Alright, if I gots Shawn Tubbs on here I'd better get some Dann Huff too . . .



One the primo session Nashville players . . . off the hook.

Props to Shawn Tubbs

Shawn Tubbs is sick . . . real sick.



Listen to the guitar workshop he gives on the Strength album from the Violet Burning (this was back in '92). Chosen is available for free download right now.

Consumer Spirituality (part 1 "Spoiled Rotten")

Information and services have never been so accessible to humanity in all of history. Perhaps seen in previous generations under the guise of something else, we now have a new breed of mutant evangelicals who feed their conference junkie, virtual responsibility, shallow spirituality, realistically immature souls. Men no longer want to be men, women no longer want to be women with men who don't know how to be men, people don't want to be people, fathers don't want to be fathers, husbands don't want to be husbands, pastors don't want to be pastor . . . we can pay to "just pretend." Go to this conference, attend this boot camp, go to that workshop, go to this seminary. People who aren't called to be fathers, husbands, or pastors and pretend to be fathers, husbands and pastors. Justification for fornication, justification for identification, justification for ordination? What seems to be missing here? God? Jesus Christ? At the most basic level, submitting one's life to Christ/the gospel, God's word and His grace - completely and utterly absent. If we can pay for it, we deserve it and damn it we will have it. The overkill of information and services has created so many micro-levels of confusion and blur that even the village idiot can now get up to the pulpit and preach. We have migrated far from being "sinner's saved by grace through faith" (historical orthodoxy) to "good people - since I paid for the premium product labeled 'goodness' - who need to mine out our potential and self-deserved privileges and status" (neo-humanistic, post-evangelical, neo-liberal heresy).

Matt Chandler, a Jesus loving prophet and leader from within the movement, has this to say to a generation of IPOD carrying, MAC identifying, Facebook twitting, wifi hunting, expensive food & coffee slurping, branding infatuated, fabricated identity creating, 21st century evangelicals . . . essential a pack of spiritual posers who identify with each other and reinforce the pack mentality.

"I think that what we are doing here is a little dangerous . . . not in the 'save the world for Jesus' dangerous . . . dangerous in terms of a constant gathering of information with no real effort or ability to apply that information. So then you create this weird Christian subculture where you got your heroes, you got your preachers, you got your . . . and everyone keeps coming to the same conferences over and over and over again . . . and it kinda reminds me of the Old Testament somewhere where God says 'I hate your gatherings.'" (Matt Chandler, Advance '09 from his intro "Preaching the Gospel to the De-churched")

"Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can't stand your evil gatherings. I can't stand the way you celebrate your New Moon Feasts, Sabbath days and special services. I hate your New Moon Feasts and your other appointed feasts. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it. You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I will not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I will not listen to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered. So wash your hands. Make yourselves clean. Get your evil actions out of my sight! Stop doing what is wrong! Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Give hope to those who are beaten down. Cheer them up. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows. 'Come. Let us talk some more about this matter,' says the Lord. 'Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are deep red, they will be white like wool. But you have to be willing to change and obey me. If you are, you will eat the best food that grows on the land. You must follow me. You must obey me. If you do not, you will be killed with swords.'" (Isaiah 1.13 - 20 NIV).

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6.20 NIV).


God, have mercy on me.

"Christ the Only Way" (Dr. R.C. Sproul)

Comments on the Future

"Evangelical angst about its current state and future prospects. Evangelicals are trying to figure out who they are and who they should be. We see that in the 'Evangelical Manifesto,' the Gospel Coalition, in This We Believe. There are all these movements trying to define who evangelicals are and what evangelicals should be. Since evangelicalism is the only growing segment of American Christianity, its angst and future will matter deeply to the church in North America."

Ed Stetzer, editor, president, LifeWay Research

"A widespread abandonment of Christian doctrinal commitment — even doctrinal knowledge. Forget the rising number of people with no religious identity; the news to me is the vast number of self-identified Christians who have no real knowledge of, or deep commitment to, a specific Christian faith. You could say they were watering down Christianity's teachings, but I question if they even know those core teachings."

Cathy Lynn Grossman, religion reporter, USA TODAY

Truly remarkable, truly uncensored, truly prophetic words for the church of Jesus Christ to digest.

The Prosperity Gospel

The Prosperity Gospel from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

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Chuck Norris is Cool

The world of Chuck Norris info just keeps growing and I can't get enough of it! For example, did you know:

. . . Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
. . . Chuck Norris doesn’t need a weapon. He is one.
. . . When Chuck Norris does push-ups, he isn’t pushing himself up. He’s pushing the earth down.

Sometimes, I really want to be like Chuck.

Grade 1 Fun

"One for all and two for one . . ."

"No sweetheart, its 'one for all and all for one'"

"No Daddy, that's how my friend taught me."

So I overheard my kids playing and attempted to correct them on their obvious misuse of the phrase made popular by the Three Musketeers . . . but apparently I was wrong. I guess this is what happens when East Indian and Chinese kids start playing together . . . the collision of centuries old cultures "activate" the deep rooted cheapness in their genes.

Sowing & Reaping

Some bad late night television . . . very bad late night television . . . oh so bad . . . (yes, I'm talking televangelist). This was a segment done by an Australian show highlighting the "worst of late night tv." Good grief.

I will never forget . . .

What I'm listening to . . . and wish had more time to . . .

Not enough time in the world for everything, but in my ideal world I would make time to audibly digest the following artists:

Adrian Gruning (Ibanez Signature artist - Argentinian jazz bassist)
http://www.myspace.com/adriangruningmusic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J9LSFb6Y6E (yes I have a SR300 as well)

Gabriela Montero (Venezuelan Concert Piano Diva - Improvisation Specialist)
http://www.gabrielamontero.com/

Lenny White (freaking Jazz drummer extraordinaire)
http://www.lennywhite.com/
http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/lennywhitereturnforever.html (Clark, Di Meola, Corea & White - make me soil myself)

Gregory Charles (the music man)
http://www.gregorycharles.com/
Was my Sunday morning drive talk show guy . . . until CBC 2 Radio pulled him ("In the Key of Charles"). Read here for the CBC layoffs and cuts. Guy would be on the piano doing "live hosting" playing and singing whatever the show's theme was. Crazy amount of musical knowledge and actual chops that were legit! Always the man in my book, always gonna be.

How Bing bankrolled Bill's Korean mission

Amidst the emotion and tears of the return of Laura Ling and Euna Lee . . . there seems to be another story. Not the one about American celebrity host Lisa Ling going on television to leverage the American public - something the North Koreans are sure to love. Not the story about how two employees of Al Gore's Current TV Cable television outlet somehow ended up in the custody of the North Korean border patrol. Not the story about former President Bill Clinton's ability to get the job down of securing the release of Ling and Lee. Not the story of Clinton's wealthy friend, Steve Bing ~ the guy who owned the "white jet" the girls stepped off of ~ financing the "rescue" mission. Not the story about how an American private jet carrying a former US president, a team of US Federal Secret Service agents, and members of Clinton's staff could even land in North Korea without being shot down . . . those stories would be worth researching.

No, the other story that got to me was the reminder of those who intentionally bring the gospel subversively into lands that are hostile to Jesus. The ones who don't just report across the river of danger, but cross over then journey deep into the land of danger. As followers of Christ, the reality of our faith is suffering . . . not comfort, not convenience, and certainly not copping out. I am reminded to pray for those who suffering, being tortured, even killed daily for the gospel . . . even American missionaries die for Jesus . . . that's expected.

A hint of this suffering can be found at "The Voice of the Martyrs" ~ a global perspective of the persecution of God's children. Open Doors ~ a ministry which serves the persecuted church worldwide ~ also has a word ("No Pardons for Thousands of North Korean Prisoners") for the church of Jesus Christ amidst the release of Ling and Lee, it can be found here.

Jesus once said this, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5.10 NIV). This is the story I am reminded. God's peace and grace to you Laura Ling and Euna Lee . . . God's mercy to all of us.

Christopher Yuan's Testimony

The testimony of a former homosexual, HIV-positive, passionate follower of Jesus Christ.



For anyone who has chosen to hate others, to hate God, and even themselves. This is the word of the Lord for you, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2.20 NIV). This is the hope and confidence we can have only through Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins and have faith in Jesus Christ.

Gender Wars

Does the Bible have anything to say about gender or gender roles? I thought Genesis 2 was sufficient - man and woman, man created as incomplete and in need of help; equal nature and likeness but distinct in gender roles (man is neither more/pig or less/spineless).

One recent argument I read pits the doctrine of the trinity against itself: a hierarchial view of the trinity VERSUS a mutuality view of the trinity. On top of this would be the less than sola scriptura hermeneutic which presupposes certain 1st century Palestianian household codes (as found in Ephesians 5, Colossians 3 and 1 Peter 2) were used to structure family businesses for maximum profitability. Hence, lateral movement of such principles would violate biblical principles - family as business? Also, to superimpose such principles would simple reflect the fallen nature of humanity; hence, egalitarianism.

I know, I'm the dumb guy . . . here it goes. God is the Father - the Son refers to Him as such and relates to Dad as such (hierarchy?). Nowhere in the Bible do I see a conspiracy theory where the Holy Spirit takes lead in the Trinity either . . . that I know of. Aside from the fact that the Son is okay with the knowledge of certain events known exclusively only by the Father. Just as a note, I am not a subordinationist (members of the trinity are less than one another in nature and essence - this heresy would suggest that God is the nose tackle, Jesus is the linebacker, the Holy Spirit is the free safety ~ in terms of power structure) . . . I hold to what Millard Erikson describes as "economic subordination" ~ one godhead existing eternally in three persons, all three persons (hypostasis) of the trinity are equal in substance (ousia) but distinguished by their roles (economic).

As far as the family household code/family business protocol . . . yikes. Husbands are to be the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. Isn't Paul just reflecting on the headship as taught in Genesis 2? Is that analogy a business model? Is Jesus the CEO/CFO of the "biz"? What the freak? So Paul's take on wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters . . . not unpacking a certain power structure that needs to be maintained in order for harmony to occur? I'm seriously confused. If anything, this is a good example of prima scriptura . . . starting point is something in addition to the bible, not just the bible itself. A different kind of fidelity - faithfulness to the bible . . . kinda . . . and a bunch of smart dudes with degrees . . . and views that can only be afforded by a western nation that finances it's institutions towards neo-radical liberalism. I think.

JI Packer Gets the Boot

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near'." (Matthew 4.17 NIV)

JI Packer was recently kicked out of the Anglican Church of Canada when he told his denomination to repent of their sin of condoning same-sex marriage. Because they did not repent, Packer went on to call them heretics. Now, for some of us, this is a big and weighty word with power behind it. Mark Driscoll asked Packer, “Why did you call them heretics?” This is Packer’s response (paraphrased by Driscoll):

“Heretics don’t call people to repent of sin . . . all you need to do to be a heretic is accommodate sin, tolerate sin, bless sin, sanction sin, excuse sin, not oppose sin . . . the first word of the gospel is ‘repent’ that is what Jesus preached. Anyone who does not call their people to repent, does not love them, does not love the Lord, does not love the word.”