Ray Fowler .org

R.C. Sproul answers the question: Does prayer change things? “Does prayer make any difference? Does it really change anything? Someone once asked me that question, only in a slightly different manner: ‘Does prayer change God’s mind?’ My answer brought storms of protest. I said simply, ‘No.’ Now, if the person had asked me, ‘Does prayer change things?’ I would have answered, ‘Of course!’”

Glenn Reynolds responds to reports of various political supporters losing faith in their candidates. “Don’t people wind up feeling this way every four years? Which isn’t to say they’re wrong. As for me, I haven’t liked a candidate enough to be actually disillusioned by one in … well, ever, really. The good news is that the guy you don’t like usually fails to live up to your fears almost as much as the guy you like fails to live up to your hopes…”

Ray Ortlund discusses our real problem. “The good news of the gospel begins with some really bad news. Our sins only provoke a bigger problem: the wrath of God. Our real problem is not our sins but God. He is angry, he isn’t going away, and there is nothing we can do about it. If God is against us, who can be for us? But here is the good news. God has made God our salvation. He did it at the cross. God has provided a way of escape from God: in God. We run from his wrath by running toward his grace in Christ. And if God is for us, who can be against us?”

Tullian Tchividjian quotes Cornelius Plantinga on human yearning and hope. “The truth is that nothing in this earth can finally satisfy us. Much can make us content for a time but nothing can fill us to the brim. The reason is that our final joy lies ‘beyond the walls of this world,’ as J.R.R Tolkien put it. Ultimate beauty comes not from a lover or a landscape or a home, but only through them. These earthly things are solid goods, and we naturally relish them. But they are not our final good. They point to what is higher up and further back…” (from Engaging God’s World, pg. 5-7)

Scott Nehring gives a great movie watching tip on the treatment of religion in film. “When you see a religious figure on screen, note how they’re treated, how they’re presented. Then look at the followers of that religion you’ve met in real life. Does the real people and their presentation in film match up? If not, if say the believers are shown to be violent, wild-eyed fanatics and the real people you’ve are generally good people not given to theocratic impulses, ask yourself why the filmmaker would create a disproportionate image of those people. Is the misleading image the result of bigotry or ignorance? This is good to do any time you see a specific social group presented in film.”

Jesse Johnson encourages believers towards lifestyle evangelism. “For Jesus, evangelism was a way of life. When He crossed paths with people, He seized the opportunities to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins. In fact, much of Jesus’ evangelism took place in conversations with individuals … Evangelism in the book of Acts follows Jesus’ example. Peter, Stephen, and Paul did not stand on street corners and shout. Instead they seized whatever opportunities God gave them, and implored people to be reconciled to God. There are at least 15 examples in the book of Acts of Christians going about their daily activity, and then getting involved in evangelistic conversations with individuals with whom they came in contact.”

Justin Childers quotes Jim Eliff on the centrality of the cross in heaven. “One is taken aback by the emphasis on the cross in Revelation. Heaven does not ‘get over’ the cross, as if there are better things to think about … Heaven is not only Christocentric, it is cruci-centric, and quite blaring about it.”

John Mark Reynolds reflects on his son going off to college. “My son is at college. He is doing something, somewhere, and I don’t know what. I shouldn’t know. I wish I did know. I am glad I don’t know. Losing your child while gaining an adult son is confusing and clarifying. It is confusing to any attempt to cling to old ways and clarifying to the better self that loves God’s ways of organic growth and change.”

Justin Taylor tackles the question, How could God command genocide in the Old Testament? “The question is about what happens in the book of Joshua when God commands Israel to slaughter the Canaanites in order to occupy the Promised Land. It was a bloody war of total destruction where God used his people to execute his moral judgment against his wicked enemies. In moving toward an answer it will be helpful to think carefully about the building blocks of a Christian worldview related to God’s justice and mercy.”

Mark Roberts appreciates Michael Card’s use of original languages in his teaching ministry. “What I experienced with Michael Card this past weekend at Laity Lodge was a powerful reminder of why it’s so important for Ministers of Word and Sacrament to know and to use Greek and Hebrew (even if with the helpful crutch of a computer). Translations, no matter how good they might be, only get us so far in the task of biblical interpretation. One who can investigate the original languages has an unparalleled chance to find deeper truth.”

Tim Challies quotes Alexander Strauch from his book, Love or Die on the topic of love in the local church. “Christians cannot develop love by sitting at home alone on the couch watching TV preachers or by attending a weekly, one-hour church service. It is only through participation in “the household of God,” the local church (1 Tim, 3:15), with all of its weaknesses and faults, that love is taught, modeled, learned, tested, practiced, and matured. By dealing with difficult people, facing painful conflicts, forgiving hurts and injustices, reconciling estranged relationships, and helping needy members, our love is tested and matures.”

Hugh Hewitt offers up some encouraging words on the seventh anniversary of 9/11: “Prayers for the souls of those who died and for the comfort of their loved ones. Praise for the courage of the passengers on United Flight 93. Thanks to the first responders who immediately rushed to the Towers and the Pentagon, and to the tens of thousands from across the country who followed to help. Thanks to the men and women of the United States military and their civilian counterparts who have fought so hard and sacrificed so much to prevent another such attack.”

James Lileks’ words from the second anniversary of 9/11 are also worth repeating. “The picture at the top of this page is a sliver taken from a 9/11 camera feed. It’s the cloud that rolled through lower Manhatttan when the towers fell. Paper, steel, furniture, plastic, people. The man who took the picture inhaled the dust of the dead. Somewhere lodged in the lung of a New Yorker is an atom that once belonged to a man who went to work two years ago and never came back. His widow dreads today, because people will be coming and calling, and she’ll have to insist that she’s okay. It’s hard but last year was harder. The kids will be sad and distant, but they take their cues from her, and they sense that it’s hard - but that last year was harder. But what really kills her, really really kills her, is knowing that the youngest one doesn’t remember daddy at all anymore. And she’s the one who has his eyes.”

Andrée Seu explains why more miracles are never the answer. “The solution to stubborn unbelief is not miracles. There are never enough miracles; there is always another request. Another objection. … I have often asked God for miracles to prove his love. But nowadays I ask for spiritual eyes to see what He has already made clear.”

Chris Rice eulogizes the Cartoon song which he retired from concerts in 2004. “I want to do excellent work. I want my work, my REAL work, to reach a wide range of people. This song purposely has no excellence — it was intended as a joke. I never meant for it to be popular, or to be taken seriously. I have heard all sides of the reasoning for and against the Cartoon song — literally thousands of times — and it is a song not worthy of this much attention.” (HT: FilmChat)

Rick Moran remembers why the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb. “How could we have done it? Much of the world to this day asks the question, ‘Wasn’t there another, less cruel way to end the war?’ The decision to drop the bomb will always be controversial because the answer to that question is yes, there were other ways we could have ended the war with Japan. Some would almost certainly have cost more lives than were lost at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

Josh Etter quotes A.W. Tozer on the problem of tinkering with your soul. “While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves - blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ, the very thing he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him.” (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God)

Mark Shead recommends taking a memory nap to increase productivity. (You may want to check with your boss first.) “Studies suggest that your memories are solidified while you sleep. Your brain does a lot of work during your rest–almost like it is busy filing and making sense of everything you’ve discovered while you were awake. When you’ve learned a new concept or information that you want to retain, consider taking a nap or reviewing it right before going to bed. This will give your brain the best chance to assimilate the new information.”

Skye Jethani from Leadership Journal warns pastors against the danger of rooting our identity in ministry rather than in Christ. “Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives. Something’s wrong. In a world saturated with fear, insecurity, and stress, we are to show a different way. And yet those at the center of the church are burning out and leaving ministry at a rate of 1,500 per month. If that’s what’s occurring at the heart of the church, why would anyone on the fringe want to move in closer?”

Nancy Beach is still marveling over the Olympics Opening Ceremony. “Anyone who has produced any event at any scale had to marvel at what the Chinese director and his cast of 15,000 pulled off. I’m still scratching my head that those rectangular tubes, so perfectly choreographed to music, culminating in the lovely wave of pink lotus flowers, were actually activated by humans! HOW DID THEY DO THAT????? … The next time any of us has to orchestrate 10 people or 100 people or even 300 people to craft an experience, we should learn something from the Chinese about aiming high, about the power of beauty, about the pay-off for excellence and how inspiring it is to the human heart.”

Abraham Piper had a fun discussion over at his blog on “What do you call your in-laws?” “For four years, I wasn’t comfortable calling Molly’s dad ‘Dad’ or ‘Bob.’ So I’d just start talking and hope he was listening.”

Tony Kummer gives some great tips on how to read the Bible aloud for children. “Bible reading is one of the most important activities you can do with children. I believe that every Sunday school session, family devotion and children’s church meeting should include a time of Bible reading. Since the Bible is God’s Word, we should do our best to listen to it.”

Vern Poythress warns against the potential idolatry of technology. “I love science, because it displays God’s wisdom (Proverbs 8:22-31). I love technology, because it shows what great gifts God has given to us, and what great human capacity God has given us to exercise dominion (Genesis 1:28-30). But I see hopes placed in science and technology that they cannot fulfill.”

Trent Hamm at The Simple Dollar shares about the single biggest money mistake he ever made. “The single biggest money mistake I’ve ever made was the day I decided that my future self would pay for stuff that I wanted (not needed, but wanted) now … This one choice, the seemingly simple decision to go for it and buy something I wanted without really thinking about the long term consequences, shaped my life in a negative fashion for years.”

John MacArthur gives his answer to the question: If God is sovereign, is He responsible for evil? “God is certainly sovereign over evil … It did not take Him by surprise. It is not an interruption of His eternal plan … But God’s role with regard to evil is never as its author. He simply permits evil agents to work, then overrules evil for His own wise and holy ends. Ultimately He is able to make all things–including all the fruits of all the evil of all time–work together for a greater good (Romans 8:28).”

Jim Martin encourages parents to give your children time. “One elementary school teacher told me recently about watching some parents pick up their children after school. The parents wait in line in their cars at the school until they get to the designated pick-up spot. Then the children can get in their car. This teacher told me about the number of parents who are talking on the telephone as their children get in the car. They continue talking on the phone as they drive away. This after not having seen their children the entire day. Children need time. There is nothing that a parent can buy that will substitute for giving a child time and attention.”

Josh Etter quotes William Temple on salvation. “All is of God; the only thing of my very own which I contribute to my redemption is the sin from which I need to be redeemed.”

Tullian Tchividjian quotes Nicholas Berdyaev on beauty in the world. “All beauty in the world is either a memory of Paradise or a prophecy of the transfigured world.”

Jon Bloom looks at the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand. “When Jesus performed this wonder, he was giving Philip, the disciples, the boy, the crowd, and us a crucial lesson in kingdom supply-side economics. Namely, that God will supply every need of ours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). If we really believe this, our worries are over.”

Jeana shares ten things that don’t make sense to her. Here are the first few on her list. “1. How having four children quadrupled the love I have for my kids instead of dividing it into four. 2. How focusing on meeting my husband’s needs results in my needs getting met. 3. Why having a lot of ‘me’ time tends to make me more self-centered, not less. 4. Why serving other people makes me more content, not less.”

Justin Childers challenges you to figure out one intentional way to serve your church today. Here are a couple of his suggestions. “1. Call a member of your church that was not at church on Sunday (for whatever reason). Tell them you missed seeing them and summarize your pastor’s sermon for them. 2. Call or e-mail a family in your church with young children and offer to babysit for a few hours 3. Call an older member of your church and offer to bring lunch over to their house tomorrow.”

Michael Patton at Theological Word of the Day provides a helpful definition for theism. “Worldview that believes that an eternal God freely created all of existence (time, space, matter, celestial realms and bodies) out of nothing (ex nihilo) and that he continues to act within the creation in varying degrees. This is to be contrasted with atheism (the belief that there is no God), pantheism (the belief that all is God), polytheism (the belief in many gods), and deism (the belief that God does not interact with creation).”

Joe Carter reflects on celestial teapots, flying spaghetti monsters, and other silly atheist arguments. “Why exactly we are to prefer an unintelligent designer to an intelligent one is one of the questions that remains unanswered. Obviously, not all atheists believe that arguments must be intelligently designed; but that does not mean that arguments for intelligent design are without merit. Perhaps if they used their noodles for something other than creating spaghetti creatures they’d see that obvious point for themselves.”

Ken Keathley relates the interesting story concerning Jesse James and church discipline. “Jesse was a member in good standing when he led the first daylight bank robbery in Liberty, Missouri, a town about ten miles away. The church minutes record that deliberations to discipline Jesse were complicated by the concern that he might burn down the building … Two deacons were selected to go to confront him according to the guidelines of Matthew 18. The minutes of the next business meeting report that, for one reason or another, the deacons never could find the time to visit the notorious bandit. Then the minutes report that Jesse himself arrived at the meeting, and wishing to cause no embarrassment to the congregation, requested his name be removed from the roll. The church obliged.”