Ok I'm Back!

Well after a short break I am back and should be posting very soon regularly.

Apologetics Websites to Follow

There are a bunch of different websites out there that will conspire for your time but these are some that I highly recommend.

Stand To Reason - http://www.str.org/

Faith by Hearing - http://faithbyhearing.wordpress.com/

Xenos Christian Fellowship - http://www.xenos.org/index.htm

Out of the Salt Shaker Ministry - http://www.saltshaker.org/Book_Shelf/out_of_the_saltshaker.htm

Midwest Christian Outreach - http://www.midwestoutreach.org/

This just in from Fish With Trish.

If you have not seen this blog it is great and the people have the right attitude. Lord help me catch that fire.

Enter To Win a Copy of "The Atheist Bible"

Many of you are familiar with Ray Comfort's blog "Atheist Central" and it when I first heard about Ray coming out with The Atheist Bible I just had to laugh. Ray is so creative with coming up with new ways to reach skeptics and atheists with the gospel."The Atheist Bible" is the the Holman Bible Outreach" version, without any changes to the text. The only additions inside the bible are the commentary portions written by Ray.

Whether you are certain that there is no God, or you are not sure if God exists, this Bible is for you. It addresses several things:* Why Christianity?* Atheist arguments* “Contradictions” in the Bible* The ten most common mistakes atheists make* Questions atheists can’t definitively answer* When famous atheists met their Maker* A conversation with an atheistHere's a quick peek inside at one of the most common mistakes skeptics make.Matthew 7:1 says, ""Do not judge, or you too will be judged."And here's Ray's commentary on that verse:"Skeptics often quote this when confronted with their sin. But these words are directed at Christians who are judging each other. Notice the word brother used several times in this passage."Click here for the whole context of Matthew 7:1-6.Listen to this customer review, "my son is an atheist and this is the first book that I have found that I believe he will read. I even enjoyed reading it myself." --Jezebel***

Contest Rules:1) Comment here and some way for me to contact you if you win--email or blog link is fine (as long as there's an email address attached to the blog link).2) Get an additional entry for blogging about this contest or putting it on your website, facebook, twitter, or any other networking site you have. Then make sure you tell me where you've posted it.Note: You do not have to leave a comment to win. Winning isn't based on what you say. The winner will be drawn randomly...so, it's fine to simply leave your name and email.* No duplicate comments please.* Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.* You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.***If you are not able to post a comment, please send your entry to email [at] fishwithtrish.com. Comments will be opened through March 23, 2009 and I will announce the winner on the comment section of this blog on March 24, 2009. Open to U.S. residents only

Essentials on an Island

I have been thinking about this for sometime, if I was to be trapped on a dessert island or sent on a mission trip to Mars and could only take 5 books, which ones would I take? Well I said that I get one reading bible with no notes, just cross references and maps and a short introduction before each book. I like this one:
I let that be a gimme, so now I get the five books.

Here are the five I would take:

1. ESV Study Bible
2. NIV Study Bible
3. NET Bible
4. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible
5. Christian Theology by Millard Erickson

I can hear the questions now, why these books? Well first off with these study bibles I have more and better information than many scholars had 100 years ago. Second, I also have five major translations and one that has a short list of major textual issues (NKJV). Also these Bibles have a wealth of extra reading material that covers many different topics related to Christianity. And while there are many great systematic theology text books out there, Erickson's is the one that (right now) most closely matches where I am theologically. As long as I had a good supply of paper and pens and a ruler I would be set for life.

Another reason I have been thinking about this is that I suffer from full blown "BOOKITIS." It commonly affects seminary students and causes great harm to ones living space.


Do I REALLY need all the books I have or do I just want them to be able to say I have a large library like every one else? So in the next year I will be getting rid of books I will never read, reading the books I know I will only read once, and limiting myself to buying only those books that are needed for references and that address a few specific topics. For example, I do not need another apologetics book at all or another systematic theology or general christian doctrine book. I do need to start buying the few commentaries and references that I need for a life time. Another thing I would love to do is read that set of great books in western history that was edited by Mortimer Adler.

Here's the hard part what would the next 5 books be? What about you? What books would you take?

Book Review: The Decline of African American Theology

My BIGGEST sin exposed!

Has it been a year already since I last posted?
Yep!
What a way to to express what is my greatest sinful tendency..... sloth.
Lord help me, it even hurts to type the word.

Romans 12:10-13 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope;
patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

I can say that I have not been about my buisness lately. For those that care, please keep praying. For those that don't, I'll be praying for you.

The Bible was right all along!

Here is a story from the Associated Press:

7 Siblings Amass Nearly 400 Years of Marriage Experience

by RICK CALLAHAN

• ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 14, 2008

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Newlyweds could probably learn a few things from the five Estes sisters and their two brothers, who collectively have lived through 391 years of marriage. In an age when nearly half of new marriages are expected to end in divorce, the seven surviving children of C.M. and Minnie Estes have all been wed 50 or more years.In an age when nearly half of new marriages are expected to end in divorce, the seven surviving children of C.M. and Minnie Estes have all been wed 50 or more years.

The youngest, Sue Bass, completed the streak of golden anniversaries Saturday when she and husband Edwin marked their 50 years together in a laughter-filled banquet room, surrounded by Sue's six surviving siblings and many of the couples' 71 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren."We're the last. We made it," Sue, 69, said after the Basses' celebratory spotlight dance. Added Edwin, 73: "The others made it and we weren't about to get beat!"

In an age when nearly half of new marriages are expected to end in divorce, the seven surviving children of C.M. and Minnie Estes have all been wed 50 or more years. Read more here - http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/NEWS07/80214015/0/ENT04

Well all I can say is that this is inspiring and challenging. When you read the article the key in every case was that the women stayed home to raise their families and did not go into the work force. Proverbs 31, often misquoted by the women in the African American church, is a wonderful template to have but when misapplied it becomes a swamp mired in misplaced values. Women DO have value and worth and CAN contribute to the economic well being of the family but when financial gains becomes a means to and end, a biblical perversion has been established.

Do we have a place in our communities for a realignment of priorities. What would happen if we became more and more committed to our families and less committed to "bling bling." A new Lexus and a $300,000 home are wonderful gifts from God but at the cost of the spiritual, emotional and intellectual development of the children or the erosion of the marriage itself then the cost is too high.

Do we REALLY believe that God's way ids the best way or are we, in reality, trusting in ourselves? The end of Proverbs 31 says:

Pro 31:28-30 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Yes Christians are to submit to one another and submission does not means that women are door mats to men (Fathers, brothers, husbands). But because of the results of the Fall and many other social stimuli, many relationships in our communities are combative and dangerous. We must return to a biblical worldview with God at the center and "self" crucified on the cross with Christ.

This summer my wife and I will celebrate our ninth anniversary. I long to get her out of the work force, or at least feeling that the burden of finaces rests on her shoulders and free her up to be what God wants her to be. May God help us to recognize the truth of God's word and the high call on our lives, in relationship to each other.

Nine down and 50 more to go. :-)

Grace.