Reading List - Books I'm going to read in October 2015

This is a new feature of my blog,  I hope to read a book each month and give you a review, and maybe some ideas.   Of course I have to start with one of my favorite pastors, Voddie Baucham Jr.,    If you've gotten to watch the G3 videos from last year,  this was a major topic of discussion.   Consider reading along this month.


Expository Apologetics: Answering Objections with the Power of the Word 
by Voddie Baucham Jr. (Author)
Click Below to order your copy
 

Gender Neutral is the Rule for today... and maybe tomorrow

Hello, everyone, no matter your born or assumed gender,  you are a person, unless you've decided upon an assumed species which is not human, then greetings to... well you!  The complex thing we call language is being even more corrupted with the addition of general neutral pronouns - such as em, Em, hum, pehm, per, thon, jem, ver, xem, zir, zem, hir, mer, zhim.   "Hello Spivak, Elverson, Humanist, and Peh.. I'm glad Eir, Eir Hus, Pheh Thons, Jeir, Vis, Xyr, Zir, Hir, Zer have all visited this page today"...  I think I got that wrong,  but I'm so confused...  gender confusion. 

You see, How do I actually meet people today,  Do I say "You" or do I say "It", which could be rude in both ways to two differnt... Things/People/Girls/Boys/Humanist/Women/Men..  again a confusion with pro-nouns.  

Next will be clothing,  I can see a day where only single gender clothing is available... one size fits all (can't discriminate there).. only come in one color (white of course, because we can't discriminate against the color blind)..  One style (because that would discriminant against the people (and other things) who, have and don't have style).   I'm so confused at this point, so here you go: non-gender shorts (of course without a fly, but fashioned after boxer shorts), tight form fitting spandex non-gender chest underwear (bra is forbidden, bare chest also forbidden) and to cover it all up a single sheet worn like a toga.     Of course at this point, why would we even bother going to Target, does it really matter?

I do know that for me, I'm currently male, and I plan to remain a male until I die.  I have a wife, who by my choice happened to be female (she's happy being female), and we are married.   You can refer to me as Mr., Sir., Him, Himself, He, or even You, or Them when in a group.  Please don't refer to me as it or any of the new pronouns, or I might become uncontrollably agitated, and then become a big green monster.  At that point you can call me IT.

What a Shock, Josh Duggar is a Wretched Sinner...

Josh Duggar is a filthy wretched sinner!  There I said it,  What's new, other than we all thought he was a pretty nice guy.   It's crazy how the media makes it seem like he was the only client of  Ashley Madison, they are like piranhas with a drop of blood in the water.   Slowly the truth is relieved, yes Josh has been unfaithful to his wife.   Yes, he is a filthy wretched individual, yes he deserves to go to Hell and suffer eternal torment for his actions.   That is the facts.   It could get much worse for Josh, I'm sure, but does it matter at this point?   What more can the court of public opinion do to Josh?

When we pan out from the tree and look at the forest, we see something even more disturbing.  Josh wasn't the only client of Ashley Madison, actually he was one of 37 million.  That's a lot of people on a website that is specifically designed for people to cheat.   Yes, this was Adultery Central for several countries, which only started in 2001.   Now I know people have been committing adultery for centuries, actually even back when Joseph was a slave in Egypt he was solicited.   Nothing new here.

Funny thing is, when people are asked about the ten commandments, those laws given to Moses by God, there was a line item about just this issue... "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14.   Yes, Josh broke this along with 37 million people, but it doesn't stop there...

Jesus said:

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."  - Mattew 5:27-30

Wow...  now Josh can be lumped in with a bunch of people... most red blooded men have actually done this, even if they didn't actually physically commit the act.   It's the condition of the heart!   

Now one thing for Josh is, well he hasn't murdered anyone...  Well hold your horses there...  Jesus also said:
"21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." -Matthew 5:21-22

So if you call a person a fool (even if you just think it and don't say it) you've committed murder in your heart!  Wow...  We just went from 1 to 37 million to the whole world and all of history.   Guess what, we are all bad people, we are all terrible wretched sinners, we all deserve Hell.  Is there anything we can do to save ourselves, the Bible is clear on that one also, there is nothing we can do in ourselves.

But the Gospel... how about that?   How about it?   Does Josh deserve the gospel?  Do those 37 Million cheaters deserve the Gospel?   Does anyone deserve the gospel... No!   We don't deserve it.   That's the point, the Gospel is all about grace.   Many people think it's about "turning over a new leaf", but there is nothing you can do to make yourself right before God.   So what is the Gospel?   Come back tomorrow and we will discuss this one!   Until then stew in the thought that Josh Duggar and Me aren't a whole lot different.  Actually... we are all a whole lot alike deep down inside.   We are all sinners and we all deserve Hell!
  

Echo might not be Human

I was listening today to The Briefing by Albert Mohler, who brought up a very interesting story of a couple in Canada who is going to raise their child named "Echo", not as a boy, but rather to allow him to choose his species. Yes, we've moved beyond gender selection, to species selection. Echo might not be human. I've seen children go through phases where they want to be a horse, so they gallop about acting like a horse. The fact is, most children realize at some point, by acting like a particular species doesn't make you a particular species. The real question is: are the parents who are taking this stance being abusive? Not physically abusive, but mentally abusive?
Our cat just gave birth to three kittens several weeks ago. Now our cat is starting to ween these kits, and in the process she's teaching them how to fend for themselves, teaching them to hunt, and climb trees, and do the things good outdoor cats should know. This is instinct, but it's also necessary, she's teaching them to be cats! I don't think these kittens even have a species crises, they are simply accepting the fact that they are cats. We do have a cat who's best friend is a dog, but she is still a cat, and still acts like a cat, and the dog acts like a dog, they just get along great!
Is it abusive to raise your child as something they are not? Boys are boys, and girls are girls. Your will doesn't change the fact. By thinking I'm a great artist doesn't make me an artist, by thinking I'm a cat doesn't make me a cat. Would it be cruel for my parents to raise me to be an artist even when it was obvious I had no ability or talent, leading me on to adulthood thinking I'm great, when in reality my talents were else where, never developing who I truly was.
Lastly, what's wrong with being male or female; being any ethnicity, being any nationality, or being human? This is plain and simple rebellion from God, the creator of each of us. He has a plan, and sorry to say, in Echo's case, his parents don't like it. I do hope Echo realizes it's wonderful to be a human boy, and that God made him so special that he doesn't need him to think he is anything other than what he thinks he is.

Opinion vs. Absolute Truth; where there is no gray

Ten Commandments at the Texas State Capital in Austin , Texas

I'm often astounded by people, brothers and sisters in the church who hold to anti-biblical views. Often they are swayed by the media, this is loving, and if this is loving you must embrace it. I see "Christians" flock to ideas like evolution, global warming, overpopulation, abortion rights and sexual perversions simply because they are shown in such a positive light on television. They don't see how this world view is actually a contradiction of a biblical or Christian worldview. But why should they?
Many of our churches are not centers of theology (Growing in a better understanding of God and His nature), but are simply a place to exchange "Warm and Fuzzy" feelings. We leave the "God who hates sin and is full of wrath for those who defy His Holiness" at the door. There is only a place for a God who loves and accepts everyone, sorta a god of our own making. Even the quote attributed to St. Augustine "Hate the sin love the sinner" could even be construed as being unkind and hateful. How can you separate a sin like homosexuality from a man? It's now his identity, and it's endorsed as "normal" by our media and now our government.
Today my pondering isn't about homosexuality. I'm sure I'll write more on that at a later time, but today I must write this to those who call themselves "Christians". Who take upon themselves the identity of Jesus Christ, who we believe is God in flesh. Theology must be our life, our desire, our everything. We must be daily seeking knowledge in God's word, to know how to live as a distinct and holy people. We need to learn how to live in a world, but not become part of a world. To see the world as God see's the world.
To many Christians choose to have an opinion that is anti-biblical, thus picking and choosing what parts of the Bible they feel is 'relevant', to today. What weight does an opinion have if its not grounded in truth? Our truth isn't pop psychology, new trends in philosophy, or even the current events, our truth is the total and whole word of God. Every last part of it shows a God who doesn't change, and who loves holiness and purity.
But what is holiness and purity, since most churches have all but taken the ten commandments down, and stored them in the closet fearing that they be seen as legalism. We don't even know the standards. How can we be sinful if we don't know what sin is? In the book of Judges, a common phrase "the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord" over and over again. This is very similar to our current era, maybe we could say "the Christians did evil in the eyes of the Lord". This standard was a comparison to God's law, they decided they knew what to do, and the standard slid. I know we aren't saved by keeping the law, no one can keep it perfectly. The law is like a ruler to tell us what is right and wrong. If we don't know that we are wrong, how can we every ask God to make us right? How can we be saved if we have no idea what we are saved from (like the wrath of God). We are commanded to keep the law of God with us, why? Because the law of God, whether we like it or not, is God's standard of perfection. Of course we can't keep the law, and we've each broken every one of the commandments, but Jesus did keep it, and he was perfect, how can we appreciate and love Him more if we don't know what He did for us?
In judges 21:25 it says - "Back in those days, Israel didn't yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion.", is that were we are today?
God's law is not an opinion, it's an absolute truth. The Facts are simple: God is Holy, we are not holy. When we try to find gray, we are actually "doing whatever seems right in our own opinion."

ASK RC yesterday on Twitter

.@david_a_sims Because that is not God’s plan of redemption.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@OhioCoastie I would say open theism, antinomianism, and the new perspective on Paul.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@DavidQaoud What could make us more humble than to be a recipient of such grace?

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@dereklanemelton When they have been grounded in the basic truths of the gospel.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@DILockridge No. If Christ died an atoning death for everyone, everyone would be saved.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@TonyReinke Very discouraged. There’s almost a total absence of the preaching of the wrath of God.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@SamanthaShaffer We must always obey unless they command us to do something God forbids, or forbid us from doing something God commands.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@TheProleOfficer Presumably, yes. Before prohibitions against marriages of consanguinity which become problematic medically only after time

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@dhermant Polygamy existed by God's patience and long suffering, not by His permission. Does your wife know you're thinking about polygamy?

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@ginagirl781 To demonstrate the authenticity of His identity.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@samuel_lovell Romans and Calvin’s Institutes.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

.@filipecbranco It is a symbol of the intercessory prayer of the saints for the sick. There is nothing in church history that abrogates it.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015

@Tantely_Rak It wasn't as hidden as if often supposed. People trusted Christ without a full knowledge of the details.

— R.C. Sproul (@rcsproul) March 25, 2015