A Permanent Move

April 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Greetings to whoever is still listening to this conversation.  This is Joe here, back from a long hiatus, only to say goodbye again.  

As you know, the conversation on this blog has been a one-sided one for the last few months, due to my absense.  Essentially, I took the time to reevaluate my blogging desires.  I believe Larry had more or less done the same even a few months before that.  

During this time, we have come to the conclusion that this blog has run its course.  It ’s time to break up the band, so to speak.  Time to go our separate ways, never to communicate with one another ever again.  Ok, you know that is ridiculous because we live right next to each other!  What I am really saying is that we are now going to keep our own separate blogs.  

Larry can be found at redemptiongroanings.blogspot.com

He has been keeping this site for the last few months now.  I am sure you will continue to find much of the same sound insights he has up there now.  I will, of course, be a faithful subscriber and reader.  

I will be found at JoeCrispin.com

What you will find out here, well, that you never know.  For I have essentially chosen to blog in one place only, with whatever topic that comes to mind.  I hope it turns out to be enjoyable and encouraging.  

I must say to you Lar, that it has been a pleasure to have blogged with you for more or less a year and a half.  Before beginning this blog, neither of us were into the blog scene.  And now, I believe blogging is a part of our lives.  I am certainly learned much through keeping this blog, and I enjoyed doing so with you my good friend.  Even if our readership wasn’t huge, the dividends were great.  So I give thanks for your efforts and all who joined in.  

Of course, there may come a day when we return to this site and join up once again.  Maybe even with a few others.  I am not sure.  But until then, may the Lord grant us the grace to blog well in our separate spheres to His glory!  

Checking out for now,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings, Seeking Him 

Jesus Wants the Rose!

April 24, 2009 | 1 Comment

This video was my first exposure to the ministry of Matt Chandler.  Needless to say, I’ll be checking out some more of this sermons:

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Posted by Larry | Filed Under Seeking Him, Videos 

Cursed, In Hope

April 22, 2009 | 1 Comment

Cursed, In Hope

Today is Earth Day, and for me that is a reminder of both the curse of sin and the hope of redemption.

Last week I heard a message in which one of the most well-known Bible teachers in the world cited an evangelical statement of commitment to care for God’s creation. The statement said, ‘We commit ourselves to extend Christ’s healing to the creation.’ The Bible teacher then said, with great cynicism, ‘I’ve got news for you: He cursed it! He started all the weeds and disasters.’

After quoting another evangelical statement saying, ‘The cosmos in all its beauty, wildness and life-giving bounty is the work of our loving Creator,’ the Bible teacher continued, ‘What did they do, skip Genesis 3? He cursed it. God created it good, man sinned, and He corrupted it.’

This grieved me, because it seems to be a gross distortion of the Biblical teaching. Yes, some Christians have become so extreme in their commitment to preserve the environment that they seem to care very little about preaching the saving message of Christ crucified and risen for sinners. This is a grievous error. But it does no good to react to that error by plunging to error on the far opposite side of the pendulum, and doing it with great arrogance and smugness as well.

In reality, what this Bible teacher did was not distort the truth, but truncated it. Yes indeed, God did curse the entire created cosmos as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. But that is NOT the end of the story, as this Bible teacher seemed to suggest so adamantly. Sadly, the Bible teacher did not mention how Romans 8 fit into his scheme of good creation, sin, and curse. In that chapter, Paul writes,

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Yes, the creation was subjected to futility; it was cursed. But it was cursed in hope, that one day the entire creation will be set free from the curse of bondage and corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. The created world that God cursed is groaning for its coming redemption from that curse, as part of the glorious triumph of the Son of God over sin, death and hell on the Cross.

How a reputable Bible teacher could so casually, cynically speak of God’s curse on the creation without mentioning this verse is unfortunate. And whether this Bible teacher agrees with me or not, I believe that Earth Day is a day for Christians to both grieve and celebrate. To grieve, because our sin is what condemned this creation to its current state of bondage and corruption. But also to celebrate, because one day Jesus the Redeemer will set the entire cosmos free from the curse to the praise of His glorious, extravagant grace.

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation, Seeking Him 

What makes a person viable?

April 21, 2009 | 1 Comment

What makes a person viable?

In the debate about abortion, many people say that taking the life of this person is no problem, because he/she is not viable (meaning, capable of surviving outside the mother’s womb):

But I don’t know of anyone who would say it’s ok to take the life of this person, who is also not viable:

This is my daughter Halle, and while I love her to death, I was reminded this past weekend how non-viable she really is. Michelle went away for the weekend and I was left home alone with her. It dawned on me that if I chose to leave the house, lock the door and not come back, then Halle would be dead by the time Michelle returned home on Sunday afternoon.

Even at nearly two years old, Halle cannot survive without the care of adults. In that sense, she is not viable. Yet if I really did leave her alone in the house to suffer and die, our society would condemn my actions as cruel, inhumane and unthinkable. Indeed, it would be.

And it is equally cruel, inhumane and unthinkable to take the life of the child in the top picture who is, like Halle, also not viable.

Halle deserves to live, though she is not yet viable. So do the unborn.

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Random Musings, Seeking Him 

Do You Know Anyone Who Can Speak Badly of You?

April 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Sometimes when people pass away, one of the flattering things that people say about the deceased is, ‘You can’t find anyone who can say a bad thing about (insert name here).’

But it doesn’t seem like Jesus would be impressed with such a eulogy. He says,

‘Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.’ (Luke 6:26)

Christians ought to strive not to be liked by everyone, but to be faithful to Jesus. If we do that, some people will love us. And others will have plenty of bad to say about us.

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation, Seeking Him