A Footing for Kingdom Thinking

"Man was created to know God. Every fact in the universe speaks of its creator and is open for us to discern. In addition, the image of God in us means that we know ourselves only as we know God, and know God only as we know ourselves. God's eternal power and divine character can be discerned from nature, which includes humankind. Man in the image of God communicates by word, and this reflects the fact that God is one who communicates by word. The first word of God to man indicated the relationship that God established between himself and man and between man and the rest of creation. (Gen. 1:28-30). God spoke to Adam and told him what he needed to know about himself and his relationship to God. Thus, every word from God to man interprets the meaning of reality."

Graeme Goldsworthy explains the basis for Christian Theism in his book "According to Plan".

Click on the Monergism link to the right if you'd like to buy this excellent book.

The Perfect Bedtime Story

For bedtime tonight, the kids and I sang "Create in Me a Clean Heart" by Keith Green, and you should have seen their faces when I told them the story behind the song. Read it here and here.

It went something like this:

Dad- "The guy that wrote that song was King David, and he wrote it after he did something really bad."

kids- "Oh yeah, David. We know him, what did he do?"

Dad- "He killed somebody. He saw the guy's wife and wanted her to be his, so he took her and killed the guy."

*thorough horror on all faces present*

Dad- "And this song is right after the prophet came to him to tell him that the punishment was going to be that the baby David had with the lady was going to die."

*continued horror and utter silence... somewhere in the distance a dog barks.*

Dad- "But they had another baby, and his name was Solomon. And he had a baby, and then they had a baby, and so on, and so on, and so on... and then there was a very special little baby born that came from David and his stolen wife Bathsheeba. His name was Jesus. And He was the reason that God could forgive David for wanting that woman more than he wanted God."

Gospel discussion with a seven and two five-year-olds ensues.


I can't simply tell my kids to "go, be like David", because he was an adulterer and a murderer. And even worse, if I only show them the David who killed lions, bears and giants, by the time I get to the cross I may have galvanized them into works-righteousness so deep that they don't know why they need Jesus as anything more than another good example to emulate. But oh, the beauty of raunchy David is that he screams the mercy of God. David is not just a character to idolize, but one in which we can find ourselves even if are little kids. I got to preach the Gospel to my kids tonight, and it was not by saying "we should all go be like David", but by saying "we already are all like David, and we desperately need someone to save us from it". That's what my kids need to hear.

Spring clean-out

I was rummaging through the dusty attic of my inbox the other day to clean it up a bit. Ya know, organize, erase, and otherwise... And I came across an email I sent to a good buddy of mine. He had suggested I post it months ago, but I thought it might offend. I guess I wiser back then...

Hear now the final word on the Egalitarianism vs. Complimentarianism debate:

Egalitarianism= BAD Complimentarianism= GOOD Here's why...

Do you know what egalitarianism means? let me break it down for you...

E- stands for the internet, spreader of bad things in general: Porn, Wikepedia, Disney email chain letters, Joe the Plumber, etc.

Gal- indicates a heavy connection with the fairer sex, another sign of trouble.

I- and you know anything that puts I in the center can't be all good. There's no "I" in team whatsoever...

T- the one bright spot here, hopefully Irish Breakfast. I prefer mine with a little cream and sugar. My wife thinks it's gay, so I drink it with shot of vodka to give some man balance.

Arian- We all know that's a bad word.

Ism- That's just how you end such a big, complecated word that no one knows the meaning of. It lets you say, "Hey, I bet you don't even know what E-Gal-I-T-Arian- is, M?

And on the other side, everybody likes a compliment...

Case closed, have a nice day.

Sovereignty on a First Grade reading level Part 2- Double Predestination

Emma: " We're like God's toys, He can do whatever He wants with us, right?"

Dad: "Yes, Em, He can do whatever He wants with us."

Dad: "You know Emma, you know when you play with your toys and have them fight wars, you make some good guys and some bad guys? Well, that's kinda like how God does with us. The only difference is that we ALL start out as bad guys. God chooses some to stay bad guys and some to make into good guys, and it's all because that's the way He wants it. Does that make sense?

Emma: "Yeah Dad, it does."

If a six year old can handle God's complete and total sovereignty over EVERYTHING, then why is it so hard for us adults?

Please let my love and concern for people be clear when I say: If you should read your Bible objectively and thoroughly and still come away convinced that God does not choose, then so be it. But God forbid you despise the doctrines of grace because you will not bow the knee to a God who chooses, for it may be there that the idolatry of the self has its strongest grip on your life.

Ask yourself, "Am I prepared, if convinced the Bible teaches it, to accept that God chooses life and death, heaven and hell, prosperity and poverty, every second of existence, and that to HIS pleasure and glory?" If the answer is no then ask why, because you may have a very serious problem on your hands.

Sovereignty on a First Grade reading level

Emma: "Dad, God picked me special, didn't He?"

Dad: "Yes Emma, God picked you special.
Emma: " We're like God's toys, He can do whatever He wants with us, right?"

Dad: "Yes, Em, He can do whatever He wants with us."





Dad: "Emma, is there anything that you can do to make God love you any less or any more?"

Emma: "No Dad."

Dad: "If you died right now and went to heaven, and they asked you why they should let you come in, what would you say?"

Emma: "Because I believe in Jesus and He's my King."


Things are so simple when we're kids, huh? I hope she never grows up to the point that these things offend her sense of self-worth, self-image or self-esteem.

God grant us the grace to fall on His merit, and crush every speck of self that rears its ugly head, especially the self that puts itself in the center of redemption, history and God's affections.