Winston Broad wrote a delightful article about 12 months ago containing all the information you will need to make a timeline of human history with that special little person in your life. He calls it the Big Picture Worldview Project.

“As my grandchildren reach upper primary-school,” writes Winston, “I book a special day with them to carry out a specific project: we make a TIMELINE of human history since Creation.”

Just like a bought one (Winston with his grand daughter Maddi)

Some time last year I actually bought a commercially available timeline; an extremely sophisticated hardbound version by nineteenth century scholar Sebastian Adams – very much like this one – which folds out to about eight metres. And while it will likely come in handy as an excellent source of information for these kinds of projects, I’m sure that the time taken to complete the hand-made version will prove to be far more satisfying for you and that special little person in your life than a bought one.

The theme of the Summit youth camp hosted by my local church earlier this year was The Cross of Christ. Inspired by its message, some of the youth leaders made a video that shared and captured their passion for the cross and Christ, to the tune of Lecrae’s rap song ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’.

If you’re like me you probably don’t usually listen to a lot of rap, even though it has developed for the better (IMO) over the years from the raw record-scratching street-style rhythms to find a niche in the mainstream with its combination of melody and rhyme that I think deserves to be called “music”. But if, like me, you are not normally inclined to listen to any kind of rap, can I ask that you make an exception in this case. Pay attention to the lyrics and I think you might see rap music in a whole new light, as I did. That is, a God-given gift that finds its true purpose when it is used to glorify Him!

As far as I am able to tell by some reports, Lecrae’s motivation for this song comes from John Piper’s book of the same name. Yet during the song John MacArthur gets a notable mention, so go figure?

Shot, Edited and Produced by Tim Hiatt
Featuring Jordan Collier and Ben Jackson
Special Thanks to: Amelia Smith, Georgia Hiatt and Emily Robinson
Music By Lecrae.

My own thanks also to Jordan for help in identifying some of the lyrics. Any errors are, of course, entirely my own.

Let’s go.
Don’t waste your life man

Verse 1:
I know a lot of people that are scared they gon’ die
Couple of ‘em thinkin’ they’ll be livin’ in the sky
While I’m here livin’ man I gotta ask why
What am I here for I gotta figure out
Waste my life, no I gotta make it count
If Christ is real then what am I gonna do about
Everything in Luke 12 15 down to 21 ya really gotta go and check it out
Paul said if Christ aint resurrected we wasted our lives
Would that imply that our lives drift around Jesus being alive
Everyday I live I try to show the world why
Christ is more than anything I’d ever try
Better than pretty women and sinning and living to get a minute of any woman and men that you admire
It aint no lie!
We created for Him
Out of the dust he made us for Him
Elects us and he saved us for Him
Jesus comes and he raised us for Him
Magnify the Father, why bother with something lesser?
He made us so we could bless Him (Bless Him)
To the world we confess Him
Resurrects Him
So I know I got life
Matter fact better man I know I got Christ
If you don’t see His ways in my days in my nights
You can hit my breaks you can stop my life
Man I lost my rights, lost my life
Forget the money, cars and toss that ice
The cost is Christ
And they could never offer me anything on the planet that’ll cost that price

Don’t wanna waste my life [echo]

Verse 2:
Armed and dangerous
So the devil just can’t hang with us
Christian youth they must stand wid us
Livin’ n driven, given a vision, fulfillin the commission he handed us
London to Los Angeles
The rap evangelist
Ma daddy wouldn’t abandon us
“I gotta back pack fulla tracts and I keep a Johnny Mac”
So are you ready to jam with us
so lets go
Gimme the Word and lets go
Persecution lets go
Tribulation lets go
Across the nation let’s go
Procrastination let’s go
Hung on the cross in the cold
Died for da young and the old
Can’t say you never know
Heaven knows
How many souls are going to hell or to heaven so we gotta go in and get ‘em

Don’t wanna waste my life [echo]

Verse 3:
Suffer, yeah, do it for Christ
you’re trying to figure out what to do with ya life
you make a lot of money hope your doin’ it right
Because the money is God’s, you better steward it right
And stay focused, you ain’t got no ride
Your life ain’t wrapped up in what you drive
The clothes you wear, the job you work
The color your skin, nah you’re Christian first
People get their living for a job
Make a little money start living for a car
Get em a wife, a house, kids and a dog
Then they retire, they living high on the hog
But guess what? They didn’t ever really live at all
To live is Christ, and that’s Paul I recall
To die is gain and for Christ we give it all
He’s the treasure you’ll never find in a mall
See your money, your singleness, marriage, talents, your time
They were loaned you to show the world that Christ is divine
That’s why its Christ in my rhymes
That’s why its Christ all the time
See my whole world is built around Him
He’s the life in my lines
I refuse to waste my life
He’s too true to chase that ice
Here’s my gift and time
’cause I’m constantly tryin’ ta be used to praise the Christ
If He’s truly raised to life
Then this news should change your life
And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights
YES!

Don’t wanna waste my life [echo]

(Gotta give you one hundred Lord
Even when the day is done Lord
Gotta live for, for something Lord
…There’s something coz you don’t wanna waste my life)

Last week, I posted an article for the Aristophrenium entitled Was Mary Sinless?, which was a critical examination of the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Therein I compiled various pieces of biblical and historical evidence showing why Mary could not be regarded as immaculately conceived. Now, I deliberately chose to publish the article on the 26th of August because on the 28th of August, Dr. James White had a debate on this very topic against Christopher Ferrara, Roman Catholic lawyer from the American Catholic Lawyers’ Association. I chose to publish my article two days before the debate so that it can serve as a sort of “pre-emptive strike” that will equip other Christians beforehand so that they would know what arguments to expect. The interesting thing is that Ferrara quite predictably went to Luke 1 and egregiously misinterpreted the verses in it. He also threw up a few arguments that I didn’t address in my article. Of course, Dr. White was more than capable of refuting those arguments, but I think it’d be worth going through a couple of these arguments.

Read the rest of this entry

Introduction

Because of the atmosphere of ecumenicism that has pervaded the Christian Church in recent decades, many Evangelical Christians are ill-equipped to properly handle the distinctive doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Mariology is one particularly sticky topic. Many misconceptions abound, and there are relatively few Evangelical writings that adequately handle this topic.[1] As such, it is necessary to tackle the Roman Catholic Marian Dogmas with care and accuracy, and this will hopefully be accomplished in this analysis of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Although the Immaculate Conception has an interesting history that goes back to the Middle Ages, it is one of the more recent of the Marian dogmas to have been officially declared a dogma by the Roman Catholic Church. It was declared as such by Pope Pius IX during 1844 in the apostolic constitution entitled Ineffabilis Deus. It is worth looking at the text of this constitution to see how Rome defines this dogma:

From the very beginning, and before time began, the eternal Father chose and prepared for his only-begotten Son a Mother in whom the Son of God would become incarnate and from whom, in the blessed fullness of time, he would be born into this world. Above all creatures did God so loved her that truly in her was the Father well pleased with singular delight. Therefore, far above all the angels and all the saints so wondrously did God endow her with the abundance of all heavenly gifts poured from the treasury of his divinity that this mother, ever absolutely free of all stain of sin, all fair and perfect, would possess that fullness of holy innocence and sanctity than which, under God, one cannot even imagine anything greater, and which, outside of God, no mind can succeed in comprehending fully.

And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should be ever resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that she would triumph utterly over the ancient serpent. To her did the Father will to give his only-begotten Son — the Son whom, equal to the Father and begotten by him, the Father loves from his heart — and to give this Son in such a way that he would be the one and the same common Son of God the Father and of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was she whom the Son himself chose to make his Mother and it was from her that the Holy Spirit willed and brought it about that he should be conceived and born from whom he himself proceeds.[2]

Read the rest of this entry

The Plumb Line Collective – Repent For the Glory of God

Are you right with the God who’s righteous
‘Cause the dangerous duty of delight is
Binding ‘cause his beauty’s the brightest
If you search the Scripts you’ll find this
He’s holy and beautiful! See the Throne!
Wholly inscrutable, ‘cause he alone
Is solely immutable! It’s irrefutable
Indisputable: delight is dutiful
So in response to the King’s royalty
It’s suitable to give supreme loyalty
Adoringly; lay low at his say-so
Elohim’s authority!
You’ll perish with inferior pleasure
‘Cause you don’t cherish the superior Treasure

The gates of Heaven I would never make it in
With a holy God who is forever hating sin
Used to love always committing the same sins
Then I got saved and I ain’t been the same since
Yeah I’m joyous that I’m saved but I’m still grieved
‘Cause I got friends and family that don’t believe
But I wanna cry for them, wishing I could die for them
Praying 2 Timothy 2:25 for them
Praying one day you’ll hate your sin
Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-10
God is sovereign, but it’s a choice you make
So please don’t wait until it’s too late
I don’t wanna leave you with the wrong conclusion
‘Cause God might send you strong delusion
Don’t think he won’t do it—man, that’s erroneous
For the record, just check it in 2 Thessalonians

Bow to the Way! Love to hate sin!
Now is the day of salvation
Don’t follow Satan; he’s the Great Deceiver
You don’t wanna repent; he don’t want you to either
Repentance is the the main thing you need to ask for
Heed what Peter was pleading in Acts 4
Stay up all night praying ‘til you pass out
‘Cause all who come to him he’ll never cast out
Revelation 3:19—tell us what he meant
He loves with rebukes; be zealous and repent
Is there anything we gotta tell more
‘Cause there ain’t nothing on Earth that’s worth going to hell for
Gotta chance to repent so you better take it
You wanna wait another day, but you might not make it
Please consider these 16 lines
Don’t be those in Revelation 16:9

Matt Redman — Nothing But the Blood

Your blood speaks a better word
Than all the empty claims
I’ve heard upon this earth
It speaks righteousness for me
And stands in my defense
Jesus, it’s your blood

What can wash away our sins?
What can make us whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can wash us pure as snow?
Welcomed as the friends of God
Nothing but your blood, King Jesus

Your cross testifies in grace
Tells of the Father’s heart
To make a way for us
Now boldly we approach
Not by earthly confidence
It’s only by your blood

What can wash away our sins?
What can make us whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can wash us pure as snow?
Welcomed as the friends of God
Nothing but your blood, King Jesus

(Todd Friel replayed an old episode this afternoon on Wretched Radio, from back when it was Way of the Master Radio, and a clip of this song was featured at some point. I forgot about this song and how much I like it.)

There was apparently a rally in Dearborn, MI, yesterday (Monday) protesting the arrests of the Acts 17 Apologetics team, organized by Dearborn attorney and Republican candidate for Congress Majed Moughni, who is not only concerned that their constitutional rights were violated but also that it might hurt the image of Dearborn. “Their arrests should never have happened,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “We respect the Constitution. No one should be afraid to come here and speak.” He said the rights of the missionaries ought to be respected even if the people being addressed don’t agree with the message. “It’s like the KKK walking into an African-American festival,” he said. “You can’t arrest them just because you disagree with their views.”

Behind him was a large sign that he had designed which read, “USA: Free Speech For Everyone!” Moughni is also a Muslim well-known for organizing a silent protest along with 150 other Muslims following the Christmas Day terrorist attack on Detroit-bound Northwest Flight 253 (for which he received a death threat).

Supporters for the protest rally at Dearborn City Hall had come from Monroe County, Taylor, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Brownstown, Woodhaven, and even the state of Arizona, Moughni said. “Our biggest battle today is fighting for the freedoms of others in order to protect our freedoms. If we succeed, we all win!”

• “Rally in Dearborn backs arrested missionaries.” Niraj Warikoo. Detroit Free Press. 27 July 2010.
• “Muslim candidate leads rally in Dearborn for Christian evangelists arrested at Arab Fest.” Jonathan Oosting. Michigan Live. 27 July 2010.
• “Muslim attorney leads rally for Christian missionaries in Dearborn.” Edward Brayton. Michigan Messenger. 27 July 2010.
• Dearborn Area Community Members (Facebook.com).

My name is Luis Dizon, otherwise known by my pen name, “Fisher.” I am a Canadian of Filipino descent who is aspiring to become a historian, theologian and apologist, and who is learning to live according to the calling of God in the service of His Kingdom and His Gospel. I am a Conservative, Evangelical and Reformed Christian by conviction. I believe strongly in the Bible as our final and infallible authority on matters of faith and morals, and I strive to do everything according to the principles set forward in God’s Word.

For over a year, I’ve been writing articles for a little theology blog that I run called Epagonizesthai. The blog name is based on the Greek word επαγωνιζεσθαι that appears in the epistle of Jude which is translated as “[to] contend earnestly” (Jude 1:3, NASB). This relates to the primary purpose that I have for blogging, which is to apply my theological studies in that most honourable of endeavours known as Christian Apologetics. I have written many articles on various apologetic topics, plus I have also recorded many of the various dialogues and debates that I have had over the past year. I have had encounters people from all sorts of religious groups, including Ahmadis, Atheists, Eastern Orthodox, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter Day Saints, Roman Catholics, Sunni Muslims, and various other such groups. My motivation for entering into this kind of discussion stems from the doubts that I previously held before I became a Christian, not to mention the various challenges that I have been faced with from various opposing groups after I came to Christ. It is my firm conviction that God is calling me and many other budding young Christians who are of a similar background as I have, in order to build us up into preachers, missionaries, evangelists and apologists.

Now, I have in the past month become good friends with my fellow Canadian David Smart (whom you all know as Ryft) via #ProsApologian, the IRC chat channel of Alpha and Omega Ministries. It is he who had invited me to join the Aristophrenium as a part of its staff. So I accepted the invitation, and that is why I am now here as a contributing writer to the Aristophrenium. It is truly an honour to be able to work along with my brothers in Christ in the defense and confirmation of the gospel (Philippians 1:7, NASB). am very much looking forward to contributing to this blog. Most of my articles will be concerning matters of church history, systematic theology and apologetics, especially towards Muslims and various religious cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Latter Day Saints. I have done extensive research on these religions, and have conversed with many who belong to them in order that I may be able to better understand their beliefs and provide a response to the challenges that they pose to Biblical Christianity. Hopefully, this will be an excellent opportunity to bring glory to our sovereign Lord, edify the saints and be a witness to the lost world that we all live in.

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Romans 1:7)

Some of the things I’ve been reading this week:

• Peter Jacob with the Daily Times looks at the UN and its Defamation of Religion resolution.
• Brian Riedl, writing an opinion article for the Wall Street Journal, says that runaway government spending, not declining tax revenues (e.g., Bush tax cuts), is the reason the U.S. faces dramatic budget shortfalls for years to come.
• The "religion of peace" threatens a woman into terrified seclusion for the sake of her life.
• Washington Post staff writers Greg Miller and Thomas Erdbrink tell of how the U.S. paid Iranian nuclear scientist $5 million for aid to CIA.
• Phil Johnson at Pyromaniacs compares the stories of Crying Wind and Ergun Caner and evangelicalism’s history of celebrity frauds.
• Mark Lamprecht explores why it was so deeply incongruent for Liberty University to invite Glenn Beck to give the Commencement speech.
• H. David Schuringa, with the Crossroad Bible Institute, writes a brief but poignant article asking, "Can Atheism Create a Virtuous Society?" (PDF)
• If getting a tattoo is forbidden in the Bible, then so are bowl-cuts. And no, this is not comedy.

And on the lighter side:

• The world’s most awesomest tree house evar. It’s called the Minister’s House, built by Horace Burgess in Crossville, TN.
• The Galactic Empire must be really strapped for cash!

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings.

As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read “Girls I have liked.” I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named “Friends” was next to one marked “Friends I have betrayed.” The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. “Books I Have Read,” “Lies I Have Told,” “Comfort I have Given,” “Jokes I Have Laughed at.”

Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: “Things I’ve yelled at my brothers.” Others I couldn’t laugh at: “Things I Have Done in My Anger”, “Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents Often there were many more cards than expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived.

Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked “TV Shows I have watched,” I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked “Lustful Thoughts,” I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me.

One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards…
But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it. The title bore “People I Have Shared the Gospel With.” The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes.. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.
Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. “No!” I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, no,” as I pulled the card from Him.. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive.
The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Written by author Joshua Harris, senior pastor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. “The Room” was originally published in the Spring, 1995, issue of Harris’ “New Attitude” magazine and was re-printed in April, 1997 as part of Harris’ 1995 book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. He says it was something that he put on paper as the result of a dream he had while in Puerto Rico for the 1995 Billy Graham Crusade and published in his magazine the same year.