Gettysburg

Had a monster workout today, plus got in 21,000 steps. So if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna rewatch the movie Gettysburg. Yes, all 4 hours and 31 minutes of it 😊

Take It from Me

Excess body fat is a problem you can literally run from. 

Another Completely Boring Blog Report

Feel free to skip. 

Thank you, Lord.

Think Thin

Do you remember the opening scene in Alfred Hitchcock's classic movie North by Northwest? It's where the character played by Cary Grant tells his secretary to write down two words in his day planner:

"Think thin."

I used to laugh at that line. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to me. Here's something you might want to try. 

Write down your goal weight on a piece of paper. Then imagine yourself at that weight. Let your mind's eye create a picture of you at that weight. Be sure to write down a number. It doesn't even have to be a realistic number. The only thing that matters is that you want to become thin(er). Then let the power of imagination propel you forward to your goal. 

About 6 months ago I did just that. I weighed 240 pounds. Then I said, "Lord, if possible, I'd like to get down to 215 pounds. Or maybe 210 pounds. Or -- and I know I'm asking for the moon here -- 205 pounds." 

Today I weigh 208 pounds. 

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ever ask or even imagine. That's his promise to us. 

Just wanted to share this thought. If it can help you -- that's great! 

P.S. Do you know how old Cary Grant was when he filmed North by Northwest? He was 55. Sure didn't look it. Biological age and physiological age are two completely different things. 

Hay, Hay, Whaddya Say?

We've begun getting up hay. So much fun!

Prayer AND Fasting? (Mark 9:29)

Dwayne Green has done it again with this excellent video.

I thought of it while going through Mark 9 in my Bible time this morning. 

The question is this: In Mark 9:29, did Jesus refer to prayer and fasting, or just prayer? The answer should be obvious at once. Even the most cursory examination of the textual apparatus will reveal that both the external and the internal evidence overwhelmingly support the inclusion of the words "and fasting." And yet some scholars insist that indecision is the best solution to the problem. (The ECM of Mark lists this variant as "splitlined." Unbelievable.) My friend Keith Elliott once referred to the "hypnotic effect of Aleph and B." Nowhere is this more clearly seen than here. And note: Once again, the Byzantine text gets it right. 

As I read Jesus' words, I recalled Bill Bright's famous dictum about fasting:

"I believe the power of fasting as it is related to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord Jesus has given us to destroy the stronghold of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world."

Powerful indeed. I hope to practice it more. 

Sneak Peak at a Conference on the Bible

These words of A. W. Tozer ring true:

The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God -- not an echo of what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice.

Today there are methods of biblical criticism that are undermining this essential distinction between the authentic word of God and man-made voices. When I am told that the goal of textual criticism is no longer the recovery of the original text, how can I know that what I am reading is the word of God? I am more convinced than ever that we when enter the field of New Testament textual criticism, we are entering a battleground. You cannot pick and choose from the Bible what you want to believe is inspired, original, and authoritative. If you do, you'll wander and follow every stray voice. Your whole life will be "recalculating." 

Some in the guild are, thankfully, waking up and realizing what is happening. They are awakening and reacting appropriately. This fall a conference on textual criticism will take place in North Carolina (details to come shortly). It will reaffirm our belief in the concept of "original text," and insist that our churches must believe the word, teach the word, and hold scholars accountable to the truths of the word. Otherwise, we're just playing religious games. 

Stay tuned ....

Hard Is a Good Teacher

I like hard. Hard is good for us. Since I started being active I have completely changed as a person. The change I'm speaking of is much more than physical. I have learned to think of myself as someone who doesn't give up. 

When we do hard things we know that when life goes south we can do hard things again because we did hard things in the past. Doing hard things has made me tougher. I need that toughness not only in my life in general but, yes, in getting older. When I'm in the middle of something that I think is way over my head, I realize when it's over that accomplishing those challenges is what life is all about. 

In my training today I tried to do something hard. I arrived at the gym dead set to perform a pull up with a pause at the top of every rep. 

Talk about hard. Some call this an isometric exercise. It's suppose to improve not only your strength but also your stamina -- and I'll need both in spades when I try to climb the Riffelhorn this August.  

You can see that my arms are literally shaking trying to hold myself up at the top. This was so hard I almost peed my pants. But I'm not giving up. I've got a long ways to go but that's half the fun. When we do hard things we gain a hard-won confidence. We know we can do hard things again. Not just physically demanding things, but things like heartache, betrayal, loss, even overcoming trauma. 

I want so badly for my grandkids to learn that lesson. 

I think we are well on the way. 

Yes, Inerrancy Still Matters

Today I was interviewed for the Bible and Theology Matters podcast at Dallas Theological Seminary. Paul Weaver, the podcast's host and a professor of Bible exposition at DTS, wanted to know why I wrote my book Why Four Gospels? The Historical Origins of the Gospels -- which espouses Matthean priority. (It's a position Dr. Weaver also espouses, by the way.) During our conversation (which should be online in about a month), we rejoiced that we are both part of faculties and institutions that love strong, biblical exhortation and practical application. But we quickly added that the so-called "battle for the Bible" isn't over. It never will be. 

Thankfully, our schools aren't alone in the struggle against the tide. In addition, many evangelical churches have awakened to the threat. You may be surprised to know that the main reason I wrote my book on the gospels was not to defend Matthean priority (although it does attempt to do that). Rather, my main goal was to defend the historicity, apostolicity, trustworthiness, veracity, inerrancy, and dependability of the four Gospels. Without constant, ceaseless effort to defend these truths, erosion will takes its toll on our churches and seminaries. We can't for a single moment take our hands off the wheel or our eyes off the road. 

God bless Dallas Theological Seminary (and others schools like it) for its courage and faithfulness to teaching and preaching the word. The apostle Paul was consistently faithful to teach the word with accuracy and integrity, and as a result the message of the gospel spread as congregations grew both deeper and larger. Ultimately, all of Satan's attacks against the church are assaults against God's word. Erosion will happen if churches fail to heed the warning. But (I repeat), where Satan is active, God is equally active. Christ is building his church, and he will honor and bless any plan that upholds truth and promotes his word! 

WARNING!

If you want to start exercising for fun, fitness, weight loss, or for any other reason, you are to be commended. But be warned:

Exercise may become addictive. Participation in exercise may cause feelings of improved self-confidence, an increased sense of personal accomplishment, and overall good health. Prolonged exposure to exercise may even cause endorphin highs to course through your veins and make you feel generally better about your life.

Still, I hope you'll give it a try! 

It's True

By refusing to spend a few hours each week on health and fitness, you're basically saying, "I don't care about the temple of the Holy Spirit." 

Family and Farm

There is joy in small things. Like a Chinese buffet after church.

And a baby saying "water."

And trying to look at your own hair without a mirror. 

And a cozy house to come home to. 

Once again, I am thankful for family. And for the farm. Not just geographically, but the feeling of the place. Family and farm in all of their simplicity make me feel alive and help restore me. 

I hope you had a great Sunday! 

Martin Luther the Bodybuilder?

In commenting on Gal. 6:2, Martin Luther wrote, "Christians must have strong shoulders and mighty bones." 

Luther the bodybuilder?

No. He's obviously referring to the fact that one of the ways Christ bears our burdens is through other human beings. By such "mutual burden-bearing" we fulfill the law of Christ -- that new commandment he gave us to "love one another" (Gal. 5:14). 

Luther's analogy is a reminder that the strengths we possess (be they physical or spiritual) are intended to be put to use in encouraging and helping others. When we see an elderly person carrying a heavy object, we offer to carry it for them. Likewise, when we see someone with, say, an emotional or financial burden, we must be prepared to share their burden. We can't help everyone, but we can help someone. And to do this requires "strong shoulders," shoulders that are sturdy enough to carry heavy loads.

So this is one way God lightens our burdens -- through the companionship and encouragement of a friend or a loved one. Thus Paul could write, "But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus" (2 Cor. 7:6). I love that expression "by the arrival of Titus." 

It refers not only to his arrival but also to his presence. Titus was there for Paul, and so should we be to others who could use a word or deed of encouragement.

I can't thank you enough for your words of encouragement as I faced the loss of my spouse or when I went through my health crisis in 2020. It means more than you know. I especially need to thank my friends and family who provided so much support to me during those tough times. Sometimes when you're in the thick of a difficult experience, you can't see your way out of it, but the people around you can. They help you know that there will be bright days again. Because there will be.

By the way, we must be humble enough to let others share our burdens. It's okay to be vulnerable. Have the courage to not be perfect and show the weak side of your life to others. One of the things that makes us human and so relatable to others is that we're not afraid to share our struggles and challenges. This doesn't mean you'll have a pity party or play the victimhood card. It means that when life gets hard we let others in. We're not afraid to say that we're discouraged. Don't be unwilling to say you're afraid of poor health or getting older or failing to achieve a goal. Connecting with others is the way God builds us up and gives us permission to be a bit easier on ourselves.

Have a wonderful day!  

First Cutting of the Year :-)

The 2025 haying season has begun 😋

Who's stronger than Papa B? 

Anybody Can Do It

Here's the coolest thing about working out for the past several years. Not only have I seen differences in my body but I also saw differences in my mindset. I was no longer training for aesthetics. I was no longer training for weight loss. I was no longer thinking about what I was eating all the time. I was training because I loved it and because I was seeing so many benefits from training. 

My passion was just growing and growing and quite frankly I was driving my friends and family crazy with how much I was ranting and raving about my love for the gym and for fitness in general. I started working on new skills, and from there my strength and  passion grew even more. 

As you know, eventually I was actually able to do one unassisted pull up. I can't describe to you the feeling of accomplishment. I worked so hard, and all that hard work had finally paid off. I saw improvements in my other exercises as well. But the biggest change I saw was in my happiness. I was so happy doing my exercises and was training because I loved it not because I had to or for the way it made my body look. Losing weight was just an added bonus. I was losing body fat and replacing it with muscle. I was starting to look leaner and stronger and that's when all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle just seemed to come together. 

I now understood that nutrition, exercise, and sleep were working together perfectly to give my body exactly what it needed. And the best thing about it all was that I was loving it. I have experienced the benefits of training in all aspects and I truly believe it was one of the best things I could have done after retiring from fulltime teaching. 

And the good news is that anybody can do it. Overweight people can do it. People who have never been able to do a pull up can do it. I feel like I am a testament to that because I've been through all of these experiences myself and I've come out on the other side with the best hobby and the best passion and hopefully with the ability to help others achieve the same thing. I really think the journey I've been on is the one thing that's kept me moving forward in my older years and to strive for. I am a living testament to the fact that you can lose weight and get fitter and stronger regardless of your age. I've learned so much about myself on the journey here. You'll learn about your own preferences and about what works for you and that might change in the future. But that information is invaluable in creating the freedom you want in the future. 

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you found this post useful in some way. 

(All photos from today's workout.) 

Surfing Sandy's

Yes, I'll be here in a month. Lord willing 😌

The Mighty Appomattox

Today it was back to the High Bridge Trail for a run, the highlight of which is always the bridge over the Appomattox itself.

10 miles. 😏

It's a good way to get in my steps and burn off some calories. 

Something to remember: People who are interested in getting fit aren't super-humans with special knowledge or insights. They've simply made health a priority. And that's something all of us can do. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Are You Less of a Christian If You Don't Know Greek?

As a Greek prof, I endorse this message.

The 3 Keys to Effective Bible Study

1. Open Bible.

2. Read.

3. Close Bible. 

Why Exercise?

Exercise to celebrate the body God has given you, not to punish yourself for enjoying pizza. 

Worship Wars

The Baby Boomer who complains that "Contemporary praise songs have too much meaningless repetition" is someone who's never heard Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." 

Two Questions

Do I want to read my Bible today? No.

Is that a reason not to read my Bible today? No. 

Pray

Let's never forget that Bible study is a spiritual matter. So be sure to begin your daily Bible reading with prayer. Just pray a simple little prayer like, "God, thank you so much for your word. May your Holy Spirit reveal the truth to me today. Not yesterday, not last year, but today." And he will. 

My Song Is Love Unknown

Today's workout playlist included this beautiful hymn:

Here might I stay and sing --

No story so divine!

Never was love, dear King,

Never was grief like thine.

This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise

I all my days could gladly spend.

This performance is sublime, and the accompaniment was perfect. I for one can't help but replay it over and over again.

Thank you, dear King, for thy love. 

A Simple Marriage Hack

It's easy to get excited when a mate's project excites you too. Most often, however, you need to be excited because they are excited, even if the idea doesn't thrill you. 

Try it!

Marriage, Partnership, and Greek Videos

When I met Becky in the cafeteria line at Biola, I knew immediately she was special. The more I got to know her, the more I realized I had never met a more selfless, compassionate, giving person. 

She was quick to laugh, quick to smile, quick to forgive, and quick to serve. She had an ability to make people feel important, and when she smiled, her face glowed.

In 2004 I was on sabbatical so we decided to do something we had long wanted to do -- visit the land of her youth, Ethiopia (which her dad called Utopia). We never planned to make more than one visit. That trip ended up being the first of 17 trips for me and 14 for Becky (eventually her cancer prevented her from returning). 

Her gifts of organization amazed everyone, including her husband. It was on our trip in 2005 that I was asked to teach 6 weeks of beginning Greek at the theological college there in Addis Ababa. Of course I said yes. Then Becky came up with an idea. "Why don't we videotape your lectures so we can make them available to a broader audience?" At once I agreed. It was Becky who organized all that. She hired the videographers in Addis, then had the videos professionally edited in Dallas, and finally had them published in New York. For years they were sold to help fund our mission trips, but several years ago I decided to put all of them online for free. Eventually the videos were dubbed into Mandarin for the church in mainland China. Still today I get many emails from people who've found these videos useful in conjunction with the use of my beginning grammar. I never read an email without thinking back to Becky's vision to tape these lectures. 

Happiness in marriage is elusive. You can't directly attain it. It appears to be the byproduct of living a caring, loving, and sacrificial life. Certain events can make you feel happy (like the birth of a child), but happiness in such instances is temporary. The one thing that lasts is living for something bigger than yourselves and your marriage. I am so glad for the way God used our marriage despite all of our flaws as a married couple. Human love is a reflection (a pale one, to be sure) of the eternal, selfless love of God himself, revealed on the cross. Marriages provide many opportunities to do just that. 

Here, by the way, is a picture of our class in Addis showing the videographers at work. 

And here are the 25 students who finished the 6-week course. 

We presented each one with their own copy of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament. They had worked hard for it! Again, this was (unbelievably) 20 years ago. And all because of Becky's foresight and imagination. 

Oops -- almost forgot. Here are the videos. 😊

The Value of Gym Trainers

Never underestimate the value of a good gym trainer. They are there to help not only their own clients but other gym members that ask. Especially if you're new to lifting, hiring a trainer will help to make you more confident in performing your exercises. Some gyms will give you free sessions when you sign a membership contract. See if it works for you. 

I can't speak too highly of the four trainers we have at our local Y. It's been fun trying to get stronger with their help. Today one of them gave me some very helpful advice on how to do neutral grip pull ups correctly. He told me, then he showed me, then he videoed me, and finally he critiqued me. He really knows his stuff. 

A good trainer is absolutely a Godsend. Thank you, Jordan! 

What Did You Train Today?

So, guys and gals ...

Today's workout was soooo good. 

I did the following: 

-- Lat pull downs

-- Standing dumbbell curls

-- Pull ups

-- Hammer curls

-- Incline dumbbell press

Oh, and a 2-hour treadmill walk afterwards!

What did you train today? Remember, we're in this together. Let's lock in, lift each other up, and make some awesome progress this month! 

Congratulations, Jayden!

Did you happen to see this? Seems an Arkansas student earned a perfect score on the National Spanish Exam. Way to go, Jayden! 

I'm so happy for you. Keep growing and excelling, young man. 

Introducing "The Bible Professor" YouTube Channel

Mel Winstead is one of my former Ph.D. students. He wrote an excellent dissertation on the famous warning passage in Hebrews 6. He currently serves as Professor of Biblical Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte. Recently he began a YouTube channel called The Bible Professor. I think you'd enjoy perusing it. There you'll find videos like:

• Science Proves God
• Discernment Is Our Duty
• Pastors Should Know Apologetics
• Equal Treatment for the Unborn
• Why Salvation Is by Faith Alone

Recently he interviewed yours truly. That interview was posted today in case you'd like to view it. 

Mel has outstanding gifts both as an apologist and a teacher which are enriching the church. To me he personifies the combination of enthusiasm and intellectual rigor, and I thank God for him. 

Thank you, Mel, for the honor of being on your channel!