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!