May I Direct You To...

Hey everyone! It's been ages since I've posted here. That's mostly because... you ready?... I've been posting over here at Berkommentary.com.

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Photos from Our Adventures in Zion National Park

I've been remiss in posting some more photos from last month's adventures in Zion and Bryce National Parks. Below are a number of captioned photos for your perusal. We had an absolute blast! I hope you enjoy these shots.

Utah 2012: Canyons, Arches, & Emerald Pools

We're having a great time down here in Zion NP! I'll write up more detailed posts later, but in the meantime, enjoy some photos from the past few days.

Kolob Canyons. This place was incredible!

This would have made an ideal campsite. Partially because it would have cut our hiking time in half!

We camped here instead (well, this was the view from our campsite). Breathtaking!

The Kolob Arch. It's the second longest natural freestanding arch in the world. And we saw it. Booyah!

Stormy weather rolled in this morning.

The Upper Emerald Pools

The sheer cliffs around the Upper Pools

The quintessential view of Zion Canyon (featuring The Watchman on the left)

Utah 2012: First Day in Zion National Park

Ever since our trip through Utah last year, Jonathan and I have been itching to get back down here. So we did. Chelsea and Mike are along this time and we're down here for about 8 days to hike, backpack, and just enjoy the outdoors. This is a quick update from Zion Lodge (I've got internet!).

We pulled in late around midnight last night, but thankfully we had already reserved a campsite so that wasn't a concern.

Today, we hiked about 10.5 miles up to Observation Point, including a detour into Hidden Canyon. The canyon called for some scrambling and I got to experience the unpleasant feeling of losing my grip on a sandy, slick rock face, and just about sliding off an 8-foot drop-off into a pool of water. Jonathan grabbed me before I fell and Mike was down below to help catch me. Fun times!

Tomorrow, we're planning to head out into the backcountry to hike the West Rim Trail. That will be an overnight trip. We'd appreciate prayers for safety. So far, so good!

I'll type up more detailed reports when I get home. Enjoy a few photos from today below.

Echo Canyon 

View from Observation Point

Hidden Canyon - scramble or be scrambled

In Which We Brew Heaps of Tea for the Thirsty Masses

Our church hosts a lady's tea every now and then. Since they spend so much of their time cooking and preparing things for the men in their lives, it was determined that the guys should assume the role of waiters.

Two quick things: ladies, you certainly drink a lot of tea! And guys, we're not very good at this whole waiter thing, are we?

I was tasked with overseeing the tea brewing process and making sure that things went smoothly back there in the kitchen. This sounded pretty easy to me. Little did I know... In hindsight, I should have at least taken 5-10 minutes to come up with a strategy, but instead I decided to just show up and wing it.

Here's how it all went down.

I got there 30 minutes before everything was supposed to start, and quickly got debriefed on the situation.

There were 10 tables, each of which seated about 8 people. Each table had 2 – sometimes 3 – teapots. There were 8 waiters, excluding myself, so that meant that two of the guys needed to handle two tables and the rest could serve just one each. So far so good.

There were 6 different varieties of teas, 4 black and 4 herbals, which presented the first difficulty. How were some of the less initiated tea-totaller waiters supposed to remember names like "Black Currant" or "English Breakfast"? They needed tea lists to refer to. Done.

Now here's where it got difficult. Each table had two teapots, remember? Those two teapots had to stay with the table they came from because they were brought by folks who specifically wanted to use their teapots. No mixups allowed.

What would happen when those teapots made their way back to the kitchen and I began taking orders? How was I supposed to know who brought in which pot and which tea(s) their table had requested? I tried to solve this by writing the names of the waiters on a sheet of paper and telling them to jot down their order under their name so I could tell who needed what. That idea quickly disintegrated. I couldn't keep track of what had been brewed and what hadn't. Did Seth get his Earl Gray? Was it Gabe or Ethan who needed the Lemon Ginger?

On top of that, we were brewing loose leaf tea, which meant that we didn't have those handy little labels to identify which tea was which – they all looked exactly the same! I decided to write out labels for each variety and, when each pot was beginning to brew, place them next to the label for the tea they contained. That sort of worked...

To further complicate things, most teas need to be brewed for a specific length of time or they'll become bitter, so I had to try to keep track of how long each pot had been brewing. No easy task. Through it all I was dreaming of an iPad/iPhone app that would help us manage all the details. Surely someone has programmed something like that...

It was a fun, albeit slightly stressful, time. Guys you did a great job! Sure, we're not naturally adept at this kind of thing but it's good to get out there and help the ladies have a nice time. Next time, though, I think we'll need some new strategies!

The "Resume" Matters

How many of you have gone job-hunting before? If you have, you know that most employers are looking for certain baseline requirements — a degree, several years of experience in the field, etc. They will likely advertise a number of “secondary” qualifications too, things like, “ability to work well in a fast-paced environment,” or “able to manage multiple projects at once.”

Companies can’t afford to be naive about who they decide to hire. They have goals and they need the right people to help them achieve those goals. You probably won’t even get an interview unless you meet their minimum requirements. And I think that’s perfectly fair (though regrettable sometimes for folks with fledgling resumes!).

Marriage has “baseline” requirements too. Considered Biblically, marriage is definitely not a “freestyle,” “whatever-suits-you” kind of institution.

With the re-emergence of the practice of courtship in some circles, we have seen, simultaneously, a renewed interest in what the Bible states as requirements for those considering marriage. This is good news! But what that entails may not excite many young men today. Some guys would have preferred things to stay the way they were in their parents' generation.

I think it’s fair to say that all of us, at one time or another, find ourselves wishing that things were a bit “easier” and simpler. Is the resume really that important? Can I almost qualify and still be OK?

When these questions begin to confront you, remind yourself of what we’re talking about; this is marriage, the foundational institution of all society and the closest human relationship in existence. Would you expect something of this magnitude to be easy or have a low barrier-to-entry?

You know the answer. God makes it very clear in Scripture that you must possess certain qualities and abilities to enter marriage. Don’t just acknowledge this fact — embrace it! You have a challenging road ahead, but it’s not impossible with God’s help.

Are you lost, bewildered and without a map? Turn to Titus 1 and read the requirements that Paul lays down for elders (and every Christian man). Read the psalmist’s exhortation to young men in Psalm 119. Consider the portrait of the Proverbs 31 husband (yes, you read that right).

You might also ask yourself the following questions regarding your future family:

1. What am I doing right now to prepare myself to be my family’s provider?
2. I must protect them someday. Am I protecting myself right now?
3. I must be the priest of my home. Do I know the Word? How is my relationship with God today?
4. I must be the family prophet. Can I instruct, disciple, and discipline? How am I preparing myself for those duties?

Don't think that I'm speaking from a pedestal here. I'm right there beside you guys and I need to hear this as much as you do — probably more.

The Factuality of Scripture: Part 1

I recently received a comment from a gentleman named Phineas on my post It Really Happened, which I found interesting and which provided the spark for this series of posts. The factuality of Scripture is an important topic and one that, I fear, Christians consider far too seldom. Here's an excerpt from my post:

We tend to be shortsighted toward the future and toward the past, living in the moment, allowing our sense of identity and place to slip away unchecked. Let’s take some time to consider where we fall in God’s redemptive history. Consider the reality of what He did through Christ’s incarnation — what that event meant for the human race. I must admit that, oftentimes, I take Scripture as a strictly theological resource (it certainly is that!) and forget that it is also intensely historical.

These things actually happened in time and space. Christ was born of Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and rose again that I might be reconciled with God; what a glorious reality!

In order to give you some additional context for this discussion, here is Phineas' comment:

Do you really expect anyone to take your blog seriously? Okay, except for the band of fundamentalists, who'll likely agree with your every word and take it, pardon the expression, 'as gospel.'

You cite theology as a personal interest. Perhaps so. But that is certainly not what you're doing here. No discerning theologian — and I have known plenty — would ever unequivocally state the contents of the Bible as fact, historic or otherwise. Any reasonable theologian, and even many believers, are wise enough to understand and accept the undercurrents of belief. To wit, belief and fact, and indeed reality, are not synonymous.

I'm not writing to be critical of your belief system. I'm suggesting that you temper your language to reflect actual facts, where they occur. Believe it or not, it will make you a stronger advocate. And it will show wisdom. People respect that, even when they may disagree.

A couple years ago, a friend asked me what time of day Jesus was crucified. After some initial embarrassment that I didn't already know, I did a little research. I answered thusly:

"According to Bible,..."

That's quite a bit different than simply saying: "3 pm. That's a fact."

As hard as it may be to do, you have got to rid yourself of the notion that the Bible 'proves' itself. That is not, by any measure, among the methods we use to constitute proof.

If His indeed is the glory, He won't mind you having enough doubt to make journey to him an authentic one.

Best of luck in that journey.

Come back soon as I begin to deal with his arguments and take a closer look at the factuality of God's Word. We'll be taking a look at the following topics (though not necessarily in this order):

• Whose Word is it?
• What is theology?
• What is belief?
• What is fact?
• What is reality?
• Does the Bible prove itself?
• What is proof? How can we prove things?
• Faith and doubt

Quotes from Martin Lloyd-Jones

We recently began a sermon series at church on the Sermon on the Mount, so I've decided to dig into Lloyd-Jones' Studies in the Sermon on the Mount to compliment that study. Even in the first 20 pages, I've found a number of excellent quotes. Here are a few which I think are good to ponder as we embark on this new year:

...Merely to read the Bible is not enough in and of itself. It is possible for us to read the Bible in such a mechanical manner that we derive no benefit from doing so... It is a good thing to read the Bible daily, but it can be quite profitless if we merely do so for the sake of being able to say we read the Bible daily.

The Sermon on the Mount is nothing but a great and grand and perfect elaboration of what our Lord called His 'new commandment.'

The Lord Jesus Christ died to enable us to live the Sermon on the Mount... He made this possible for me.

I am never tired of saying that what the Church needs to do is not to organize evangelistic campaigns to attract outside people, but to begin herself to live the Christian life. If she did that, men and women would be crowding into our buildings. They would say, 'What is the secret of this?'

Tomorrow Never Comes

If I were to pick a motto (and I would have several), one candidate would probably be "tomorrow never comes."

Why would I say that? Isn't that kind of depressing?

Well, the idea isn't exactly original to me. A sentence in J.C. Ryle's excellent little book, Thoughts for Young Men, keeps coming back to me over the years, where he expresses this idea very well:

Tomorrow is the devil's day, but today is God's. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow... When death comes, it will be vain to talk of tomorrow, you must go at once. (J.C. Ryle,Thoughts for Young Men, chapter 1)

Tomorrow never comes. Live your life today as though it were your last, and if it isn't, thank God for another day and then live it the same. Love those around you as though it were your last few hours with them. Forgive — there's no longer time for bitterness. Rejoice — Christ has gained the victory and there is nothing left to fear. Share the love of Christ with those around you — they too are fragile.

This is not a spirit of fear, but of confidence and hope!

For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:19-26 ESV)

On the Incarnation

Jonathan posted this excerpt from Athanasius' On the Incarnation this morning, and I wanted to share it with you all.

"For this purpose, then, the incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God entered our world. In one sense, indeed, He was not far from it before, for no part of creation had ever been without Him Who, while ever abiding in union with the Father, yet fills all things that are. But now He entered the world in a new way, stooping to our level in His love and Self-revealing to us... He saw that corruption held us all the closer, because it was the penalty for the Transgression; He saw, too, how unthinkable it would be for the law to be repealed before it was fulfilled...He saw how the surpassing wickedness of men was mounting up against them; He saw also their universal liability to death. All this He saw and, pitying our race, moved with compassion for our limitation, unable to endure that death should have the mastery...He took to Himself a body, a human body even as our own...

He, the Mighty One, the Artificer of all, Himself prepared this body in the virgin as a temple for Himself, and took it for His very own, as the instrument through which He was known and in which He dwelt. Thus, taking a body like our own, because all our bodies were liable to the corruption of death, He surrendered His body to death in place of all, and offered it to the Father. This He did out of sheer love for us, so that in His death all might die, and the law of death thereby be abolished...This He did that He might turn again to incorruption men who had turned back to corruption, and make them alive through death by the appropriation of His body and by the grace of His resurrection. Thus He would make death to disappear from them as utterly as straw from fire." (emphasis added)

Amendment

I sometimes like to read over my previous posts to check for errors, and, in my recent perusal, I discovered some things that needed clarifying in the post I wrote a few days ago, entitled "Skipping Church to Celebrate... Jesus' Birth?"; please allow me to clarify.

When churches decide that their celebration of Christmas can, and even ought, to preclude normally scheduled Sunday worship, it's clear that they have their priorities skewed.

First, here's what I'm not saying. I don't mean to argue that churches ought to disregard Christmas in order to observe regular Sunday worship.

The way I see it, the conjunction of Christmas and Sunday worship is a wonderful thing! What better time and place to commemorate the birth of Christ? What I failed to say in my post was that, when I referred to peoples' celebration of Christmas, I was referring to the "traditional," "material" things. I was talking about people who would rather stay home and open gifts than allow their festivities to be interrupted by church.

If what we are really celebrating is Christ's incarnation, then why the reluctance (for some) to go to church? The two overlap (i.e. Christmas and worshipping God) – they're not mutually exclusive!

It Really Happened

Sometimes the reality of something takes time to “hit home” with me. The reality and significance of another sibling getting married, for instance… We live in such a fast-paced fleeting society that the significance of things often fails to “stick.”

That’s not necessarily a problem. But it certainly can be!

We tend to be shortsighted toward the future and toward the past, living in the moment, allowing our sense of identity and place to slip away unchecked. Let’s take some time to consider where we fall in God’s redemptive history. Consider the reality of what He did through Christ’s incarnation – what that event meant for the human race. I must admit that, oftentimes, I take Scripture as a strictly theological resource (it certainly is that!) and forget that it is also intensely historical.

These things actually happened in time and space. Christ was born of Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and rose again that I might be reconciled with God; what a glorious reality!

 Try not to get caught up in trite symbolism this Christmas. Celebrate Christ and what He did for us!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7 ESV)

Skipping Church to Celebrate... Jesus' Birth?

I don't know about you, but I enjoy Christmastime. The whole season. It's kind of hard not to, especially when your family has observed Christmas your entire life. This year, many churches and church-goers will be faced with a choice — something which, not too many years ago, would have been moot to most Christians. How will churches deal with the fact that Christmas falls on a Sunday this year?

 I can't decide whether to laugh or cry.

But some churches aren't treating this lightly. This is serious business for them. After all, they have to consider how best to use their staff and volunteer resources, as Cally Parkinson, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek Community Church, said back in 2005 when faced with this "dilemma."

"If our target and our mission is to reach the unchurched, basically the people who don't go to church, how likely is it that they'll be going to church on Christmas morning?" she said. (quoted from USA Today)

Huh? Come again? These types of arguments are sad, but also sadly predictable. When churches decide that their celebration of Christmas can, and even ought, to preclude normally scheduled Sunday worship, it's clear that they have their priorities skewed. Not to mention the insinuation (in the above) quote, that the church's "target and mission" is reach the unchurched... What about ministering to the believers who attend?

It's not just a problem with churches though. The blame rests equally on the churchgoers who decide to forego Sunday worship in order to celebrate... Jesus' birth? I sense a glaring disconnect here.

Thinking about this prompted me to ask myself some questions:

1) What exactly am I celebrating here? Am I truly celebrating Christ and what He has done? Or has "the season" become an idol?

2) Do my actions line up? Am I more eager to give or to receive? What did Christ model for me?

3) How can I spread the light of the Gospel this time of year? Is it not a golden opportunity for us to share what Christ has done?

4) How often will I think about or give thanks for Christ's incarnation throughout the rest of the year? Is it possible that I've allowed the Christmas season to become the only time I consider Christ's birth?

White River Canyon & the Beginning of "Adventure Season"

It should come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog that I’d be excited with the onset of winter and the outdoor opportunities it brings. The weekend before last, we kicked off “Adventure Season” with a nice 5-mile snowshoe hike at the base of Mt. Hood (down in OR).

We decided to hit White River Canyon and make it a church-wide invitation, so folks who hadn’t been snowshoeing before could get the experience. We were blessed with fabulous weather, low-risk avalanche conditions and great group of 13 intrepid adventurers, young and old(er). I would describe this hike as leisurely. There was one significant climb near the end, but once we reached the top we were treated to an area that was chock-full of great sledding slopes and excellent views of Mt. Hood.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the hike (click through for captions and more details).

I Will Prepare... Eventually

Guys, I know most — if not all — of you would like to be husbands and fathers some day. It’s a high calling for sure — something that you cannot afford to take lightly. Have you spent some time asking yourself, “what’s it going to take?” Have you considered what Scripture has to say about it?

The Bible is definitely not silent on this issue. There are a number of passages addressing what God requires of husbands (and potential husbands); if we would devote some quality time to studying these, we would find them immensely helpful as we prepare.

Sadly, too many otherwise promising young men decide to squander their time being goofy. “Eventually,” they reason, “I’ll shape up and develop the character I need to become a godly husband.” And they get noticed! Just not for the right reasons.

Guys, don’t kid yourselves. You won’t magically become a godly man when the time is right. Moreover, you can’t expect marriage to “solve your problems.” If you’re character is lacking, marriage will simplify amplify that fact! Think about it. Let’s say you enter marriage with a lack of self-sacrifice. You’re selfishly pursuing the things you like without regard for others. Do you honestly think that placing yourself in a position that demands a high level of self-sacrifice will automatically fix your problems in that area?

Don’t be naive here! Who you are today in relation to your family and friends is largely who you will be in relation to your wife and children. Am I saying that marriage won’t shape and change you? No — of course it will. But remember, the Bible has standards which, if you fail to meet them when entering into marriage, will be no less challenging to meet once you’re married. Either way, you have your orders. God has told you what He expects. Will you prepare now or will you push it off?

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8 ESV)

Build Your House on the Rock

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)

Often we are told that the difference between the two men represented in this parable is that “one heard,” and the other “didn’t hear.” But no, they both heard the same thing! The difference is that the first man heard Christ’s words and did them whereas the second man heard His words and did not do them.

You see, the difference between life and death is often not what you know, but what you do with what you know.

He Turns the Hearts of Kings

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. (Proverbs 21:1 ESV)

Artaxerxes

God is sovereign and does what He pleases. It’s abundantly clear throughout Scripture that no earthly power can thwart or withstand His will. Consider Ezra’s testimony concerning Artaxerxes, after the king made a decree strongly supporting the rebuilding of the temple and the establishment of God’s law (and the law of the king – see Ez. 7:26) in Israel:

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:27-28 ESV)

Cyrus

Earlier in the book of Ezra (and in 2 Chronicles), we read a similar narrative about Cyrus, king of Persia:

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (Ezra 1:1-2 ESV)

Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar made a similar declaration after his humiliation described in Daniel 4:

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34-35 ESV)

God is Able

As the One who grants authority and power to men, God is fully capable of ‘turning the hearts of kings.’ This holds true even in the midst of political tumult and national apostasy.

A Little Encouragement this Monday

The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
(Psalm 28:8-9 ESV)

The Cascade Challenge

Be First recipients Greg Stafford, Will Fain, Cole Iverson and Rex Shepard — the Cascade Challenge Team — undertook a 1,000-mile multi-sport expedition to bike, hike, climb and ski over 14 mountains in the Cascades...

This looks extreme. And awesome. Read the story »

Prayer for a Hurting Land

"Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress." (Nehemiah 9:32-37 ESV, emphasis added)