in honduras

I have this friend who is a missionary in Honduras. She is not allowed to talk about the things going on down there because her mission organization said so. I, however, am free to talk about anything I want.

The big problem with everything going on down south in Honduras is that the media and the world are portraying it much different than it actually is. There are a couple of reasons this might be the case:
1. They are misinformed.
2. They are absolute morons.
3. They are diabolical, war-mongering, chaos-driven jerks.

Let's hope for all our sake that they are not the third option.

The truth is that Honduras ousted it's President because he was a nutcase (much like Hugo Chavez, a good friend of his.) He was, by all known means, trying to change the constitution to allow for a dictatorship.

Obviously, the Congress and Supreme Court of Honduras (what? a third-world democracy?) didn't approve. So, when Zelaya attempted to overtake these oppositions by firing a bunch of the folks under him, the Supreme Court ordered his arrest. They didn't want a crazy, power-hungry dude ruling over them.

Since Zelaya being in the country would not be so good, the military escorted him out to Costa Rica and a new President was made by the chain of succession.

At this point the world condemned the democratic government of Honduras for staging a coup and said that they support Zelaya AND Hugo Chavez. The US jumped on the bandwagon and said that the actions taken by the other two branches of the Honduran government were wrong and wouldn't be tolerated.

Outstanding. The world at large (which claims to value democracy) has denounced a fellow democratic country for following legal procedures to remove a President who has overstepped his boundaries and become a threat to their society.

For an enlightening take on the situation from the eyes of a Honduran, go here.

the goats that had bloat

The Goats That Had Bloat
By: Dr. Chevon

My neighbor, the farmer, has a big farm.
With chickens and tractors and pigeons and barns.
It has pickles and carrots,
It has sickles and parrots.
He keeps pigs and cows and bottle-necked sheep
All penned in their places, at night they would sleep.

Over all of these things their dog makes sure
That nothing can harm them, not even a bur.

Over tractors and parrots and barns he keeps watch
Checking pickles and carrots and sickles for spots
He herds chickens and pigeons and bottle-necked sheep
Keeping cows, pigs and piglets all safe in their sleep.

There are many things funny you find on a farm
but only a few are cause for alarm.
One of the things that may happen at times
Is a serious thing that makes for good rhymes.

Occurring in mammals, this thing that we discuss
Within one of the species it really makes fuss.
This thing that I speak of is known of as "bloat"
The beast that most gets it is known as a goat.

And thus, my dear friends, the story begins
In a field on a farm right next to the hens.

You see, my good neighbor had just received
(as a gift from my grandpa on All Hallow's Eve)
A goat with three horns and one with but two
And wouldn't you know it, they both had the flu.

Luck'ly for them, the bottle-necked sheep
Are real good at nursing; they revived in a week.
But just one month later a new sickness fell
Leaving both of those goats not feeling too well.

You see, those poor goats had gotten the bloat
From something they ate while drinking a coke.

They ate flubber and gibbards
And fake rubber lizzards.
They had green chimichangas
And wallaby bongas.

Bee bumbles and struddles they ate with a smile
Slurping and burping their cokes all the while.

"Why, don't they know?", you will cry out and ask,
"That doing such things will make you pass gas?"

Well, what you don't know is the poor brothers goat
Had never passed grade school and learned about "bloat."
So they ate and they drank and got all gassed up
But then something happened, they seemed to be stuck.

They felt the gurgling burgling deep down below
But nothing they did would cause them to blow.
They tried pills and drinks that promised a fix
and ended up worse, and then got the fits.

Now the fits are just bad, if you don't know
They make you grab needle and thread and sew.
(Now sewing isn't bad if you like to make dresses
But for goats with the bloat it just adds more messes.)

Well, the three-horned goat, whose name was Mo Miley
Decided to go to the doctor, Bill Highly.
Bill prodded and poked and looked down his throat
And said "You, good sir, are down with the bloat!"

Now Mo was just angry at the doc's diagnosis,
he already knew that very prognosis.
But his two-horned brother, who lived by the dam,
said "Don't worry, my brother, we'll get fixed by Shazam."

Shazam was the monkey at the Round Barn Golf Course
(who lived next to Grumpy, the crazy pole horse)
He made a living by making gray goo
That gets rid of the bloat but makes you turn blue.

So the two brother goat, who were sick with the bloat
Went down to the golf course, (the one with the moat)

When they got to the bridge to get to Shazam
Who might have the thing that could cure them, Ka-blam!
They fell in the water, those goats with the bloat,
And wouldn't you know it, away they did float.

They floated on down the Tippecanoe
And down the Wabash to the St. Louis zoo.
And now those poor brothers are on display
As "The Goats With the Bloat That Won't Go Away."

be thankful on the 4th

I hope you have a great 4th of July. Be thankful that God has been gracious to us in so many ways.

-joe

friday things

The latest in free stuff:
Ligonier Ministries is giving away stuff (if you review a book.)
Challies weekly free stuff.
Still a chance to sign up for the Cal.vini.st giveaway.
I think Jared is still giving some books away.

Weirdest new blog: Fancy Fast Food (HT: Challies)

A little something funny.

July 4th is tomorrow, the Pyros remember our freedom.

Something deeply serious and disturbing...keeping a child's gender a secret. (HT: Challies)

Church discipline working gloriously in three parts: #1, #2, #3. With a little extra commentary from Timmy Brister (who attends the church.)

I've been hearing a lot about Sojourn music...and they are good.

And, another music one (HT: Josh Harris):

latest book

About a month ago I was the winner of Challies giveaway. I won several books, one of which bore the title Get Married: What Women Can Do to Help It Happen.

Last night, after some conversation with a few women my age, I decided to buckle down and read it to offer them a review and summary. Although my summary was somewhat sarcastic I think it represented the basic ideas of the book.

Despite its slightly off-putting title, it was a book that set marriage in its right place: that most people are meant for marriage and should take the matter seriously. If you'd care to read my short chapter summaries, I've included them below (realize that I read and wrote this in about 1.5 hours and finished at about 12:45 this morning):
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Chapter 1: It's good to be married. Don't think you have the "gift of singleness" just because you're not married. Unless you are using all your "single time" to work for the Kingdom, then you're probably either not fulfilling your call to singleness or you're supposed to be married. Marriage helps make you holy.

Chapter 2: There are a lot of people who lived single lives for God's glory in Scripture: Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Paul and especially Jesus. Outside of Scripture: Mother Theresa (I think there were others too...but i don't want to flip around). They all esteemed marriage, though. We rarely think highly enough of marriage, even though we're constantly told that we shouldn't make it an idol.

Chapter 3: Marriage is being belittled because of divorce and other problems. We think the problem is marriage, when it is actually the fact that men (and women) are sinful. The church perpetuates the problem by offering "singles" groups that rarely address marriage and, instead, tell singles to work hard for God and marriage will happen if it is supposed to.

Chapter 4: God is ultimately in control but He's given us free-will (I wish she wouldn't use that word.) We have to take initiative because God's normal means of working in this world is through our actions.

Chapter 5: It's good to get people involved in your romance life. Especially your parents. If they are unwilling, enlist some quality mentors who will give you solid advice and determine if the person you are interested in is quality or not. Try and get your church to invest time in marriage counseling before engagement.

Chapter 6: There are lots of single Christian guys to date (especially in Bozeman, MT. Good thing I've lived there. Which means I'm one of the most eligible Christian bachelors...haha) The problem is that many of them are wimps. Man them up by giving them respect and helping them dream big and go after big goals.

Chapter 7: Sometimes you have to "pull a Ruth." Because our society has so few social structures for dating/courtship/engagement and men are sinfully passive, sometimes you need to call them out a little and ask them to lead the way. Sometimes it'll end well, with him responding in leadership, and sometimes he'll abandon the relationship. Hopefully, you'll know if it'll be the good kind beforehand. (This chapter is hard to sum up in a paragraph. Easily the best chapter so far.)

Chapter 8: Work hard at being a good steward of money and avoiding sexual sin. Don't put off marriage because you think someone better will be along soon. Don't set your expectations so high that no man can match them (think someone who will faithfully serve the Lord, love you, and provide for the family rather than Prince Charming.) Avoid becoming too independent that you can't accommodate someone else in your life and don't be afraid of risking your heart.

Chapter 9: Pray boldly for a husband. Pray boldly for a husband. Pray boldly for a husband.

Afterword: Candice's (the author) husband, Steve, gives a short recount of their relationship. Nothing really new, just him retelling it.

Appendix: An FAQ that's got some good questions (and some rather bland ones that were answered throughout the book) with some thoughtful answers.
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Being a guy, it was a bit sappy for me...but I imagine that it is useful for the woman who, as the intro says, "for all the women who long for marriage but are afraid to admit it, embarrassed by their deepest desires, or concerned that maybe they want it too much."

week two in colossians

Yesterday evening the youth and I discussed the second half of Colossians 1.

The Preeminence of Christ
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul’s Ministry to the Church
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.(ESV)

And some questions to think about:

1. Why is it important to understand that Christ is "the image of the invisible God"? How does this relate to the second commandment (Exodus 20:3-6) and Romans 1:21-25?

2. What is the meaning of "for him" in v. 16? How does this relate to salvation in Ephesians 1:11-14?

3. What does it mean for Christ to be preeminent in all things? For him to hold all things together? As head of the church? Firstborn of the dead?

4. What is the gospel of reconciliation here? (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:11-24)

5. How does the phrase "if you continue" relate to John 6:35-40? Does it mean you can fail at continuing?

6. What does it mean to "fill up what is lacking"? Was Christ not sufficient in all things?

7. What is the great mystery and glory that is revealed?

8. How does this change how your view God?

9. How does this change how your view yourself?

10. What does this lead us to do?

-joe

church today

It was a busy day. I preached today on Luke 8:40-56 and we had a youth fundraising lunch.

Thankfully I left the planning of that up to several ladies in our church and it went flawlessly. I called on Saturday night to check on things and they had it all set up and ready to go for today. Fantastic. I'm so glad the body of Christ has room for idiots like me who can't plan a dinner at home, let alone a dinner for a church.

And, I'll end the day with the Senior High tonight...going through the rest of Colossians 1. Good stuff.

Here's a link to the sermon and a quick outline if you're interested:

Jesus miracles teach us things about Him and what He came to do. The two miracles in Luke 8 show us that:

1. You must be cleansed of your sin
2. You must be raised from the dead
3. These two are intertwined and cannot be seperated

For those who don't know Christ as Lord and Savior the text is there for you to hear the Gospel and believe.

For those who've experienced the grace of salvation it is there to lead us to fearful worship.

-joe

christian hedonism via furniture world?

Working at the family furniture store, I get to read a lot of furniture magazines. Some of them are quite enjoyable (if you like reading about mattress marketing techniques and the latest in fabric lawsuits.)

One magazine that consistently puts out good information is Furniture World. Their latest issue has a column written by The Traffic Guys: Brett Kitchen and Ethan Kap. I've seen their ads for years in the magazines we get...but I think this is my first time reading an article they've written.

I was struck in the opening paragraphs by the hedonsitic nature that they cling to in order to make effective advertisements. Read this and tell me if it sounds familiar:

Indeed, as you think about why you buy anything, take any action, or move in a specific direction, you will probably find that it's for one reason and one reason only...your own self-interest.

... For most people, if they stop on the side of the road and help a stranger who's car is out of gas, that's not self interest right?

Well, why do we (with the exception of saints and bodhisattvas) do such a thing in the first place? Of course we stop because we want to help, but deep down it's because helping that person is going to make us feel better, it's going to do something for us emotionally. Plus, not stopping is going to make us feel guilty.

So deep down, whether it's to make us feel good or avoid feeling of guilt, we are doing those things that will ultimately serve us.

These guys are serious about using this drive to get people in the doors of stores...and another fellow is serious about this drive in the world of Christendom.

John Piper has coined the phrase "Christian Hedonism" to help us understand that it is not bad to want to be joyful in something, but the only thing that can make us truly joyful and happy is Jesus Christ.

In his own words, "We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—-pleasure in him."

Now, whether or not the Traffic Guys are Christians...I have no idea. But I do know that their idea of what drives people is well-known and can be used to make God look glorious.

Take pleasure in Christ and Him alone and become a Christian Hedonist today.

-joe

links of the week

Sorry I missed last week, I was so stoked about the wedding I went to that I forgot. My apologies.

Free stuff: It must be the week for kids stuff: Challies is giving away homeschooling curriculum, Tony Kummer is having a giveaway of Children Desiring God curriculum and stickies, Z is giving away Bruce Ware's new systematic theology for kids.

Also up for grabs is an autographed copy of How to Argue Like Jesus.(HT: Crossway) and a fiction book by Randy Alcorn.

You can also still sign up for a chance to win Bibleworks from Cal.vini.st or Jared's new book.

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Thought provoking things:

John Piper on TV and movies.

Kevin DeYoung and
James MacDonald on why they love the Bible.

Pyro post on prayer.

An article on sharing the Gospel.

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After all those heavy articles, here are some things to cool off your brain:

My sister posts some pictures that prove my nephew, Josiah, is awesome.

And, the scariest thing you'll read all week.

Now for some youtube:

The Princess Bride proves Calvinism (HT: Andy)

my latest with wildlife

It seems that those crazy critters that roam around Rochester have made it their goal to hit me these last few weeks. And so, true to form, on my way back from Chicago one of the big guys decided to take a shot at my trusty Ford.

I got to spend last Friday night and Saturday hanging out in Chicago for my good friends' wedding. (Congrats Nate and Emily!) Well, due to peer pressure (and because I like to hang out) I stayed in Chicago until about midnight. That means that I would be getting home to Rochester at about 4am Indiana time...I lost an hour coming home.

I stopped off near Valpo to catch a quick 20 minute nap because I was really struggling to stay awake. Then, I decided to grab a snack a little while later because it helps me stay awake.

At this point I've been up for about 18 hours, which we all know is like driving drunk. Or maybe only I know that because I research sleep to sell beds. Maybe.

I'm really struggling about 10 miles from home but I'm so close that I decide to push through. At about the 4 mile mark I pass a deer and say a quick "Please, don't let me hit a deer" prayer. Apparantly, God really wanted the opposite.

I remember passing Olson Road and then I remember waking up (about 100 yards down the highway) to a thud and the hoof of a huge (and I do mean huge) deer smacking my windshield.

Ordinarily people snap to alertness and start to freak-out when these things happen. Not me. I woke up, thought "I just hit a deer going 55mph" and then I drove home. I didn't even hit the brakes.

The next morning I found that my trusty Ford had suffered only a busted grill. Thank God that it wasn't worse. Here's a pick of the damage and a video of the Turdy Point Buck that I hit.

colossians 1

Over the summer I'm taking both the senior high and the junior high through the book of Colossians. Today we went over the first 14 verses.

Greeting
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

My friend, Sarah Costa, recently posted some thoughts on Facebook on the importance of theology in discipleship. And here, Paul, makes the same case.

His prayer for the Christians in Colossae (and for all believers) is that they would be filled with all knowledge and wisdom so that you may be "fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work." He is clear that right teaching affects behavior. He is also clear that the right teaching is the gospel: "redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Our prayer for believers should be grounded in this. Praying that we would all continue to increase in knowledge of the God who saves so that we could live a life that glorifies him. Amen.

-joe

the unbelievably awesome rbf

It's Round Barn Festival time. And, thanks to my friend, Kira, I get to post some of the most awesome (and I do mean awesome) photos from the parade. Don't scroll too fast, you're gonna wanna savor these babies. (Notice the hillbilly speak.)

Without puttin' it off any longer:

We start with the most important (though not the greatest) part of the parade...the tractors. First the Deeres and then the Farmalls.

You can't have a good RBF parade without a creepy clown (who is a wrestler):

"Wanna be in the parade?" says the Grand Marshall.
"You betcher hound dog I do" you respond.
"Welp, ya gotta have a reason" he tells you.
"Reason...welp, we got ourselves a camo truck and an ATV, that reason 'nough?"
He says "Welcome to the RBF parade."

And now, the countdown to the best float in the history of mankind.

Please, take your time. I promise the number 1 is absolutely worth the wait. I guarantee you've (in the words of John Piper) "never, never, never, never,..never, never, never.....never, never, never, never, never" seen anything like it before. But don't skip down. These others aren't too shabby either.

Number 3, the guy who wanted to sell his truck (seriously, that was his his reason):


Ever seen a man on a toilet?
Ever seen a man on a toilet in a parade?
Ever seen a man on a toilet on a float that says "When your vehicle takes a dump call Wilson's"? (By the way, Wilson's is where I get all my auto-body work done.)


And, the number one, absolute, without a doubt best float that has ever graced the world. From the girl scout float (no other words needed):


There is no way that you can beat a bear hanging by a noose in a tent on a girl scout float. No way.

-joe

short story

go here and read it. i promise it's worth it.

-joe



HT:kevin mccarthy

links a'plenty

Free stuff: Cal.vini.st is giving away Bibleworks software, free album from Re:Sound at Noisetrade (which has free music all the time), a free copy of Your Jesus Is Too Safe by Jared Wilson, Discpleland children's curriculum giveaway, Crossway is giving away a new Bible, and your chance to win with Challies. (If you can't find the original language grammars...let me know and I'll tell you.)

Something to pray for: Myanmar famine.

The Gospel

And...some crazy Youtube videos I found last night:









Don't forget, you can always subscribe to my shared items here.