Rob French › Comments

The quote above gives flesh to the earlier statement that Christians should be "... praying in light of the Holy Spirit’s power and the Holy Spirit’s will." What does that mean? It means, as indicated above, praying because we're in relationship with a personal God. The relationship is Creator-creature, God-man, King-servant, and Father-son, but it's still a real, personal relationship and should be treated as such. "This is praying in line with God’s express desires and with the truth of His gospel." - Rob French

I may have bookmarked this before. Mics for harmonicas, including (I think) a link for a homemade version. - Rob French

I've so missed listening to Dr. Calhoun! A wonderful Christmas message... and listening to Dr. Calhoun is like listening to a kindly old grandfather (which, of course, he is) preach to you! - Rob French

Good things to know. The common platitudes we hear about Islam are false--which shouldn't really come as a surprise. - Rob French

"Many churches have replaced solid teaching with “practical lessons” celebrating the latest fad cure or relational techniques instead of the saving grace of God. Deprived of commitment to clear faith concepts, Christians end up being “carried about by every wind of doctrine” rather than falling in love with the God who alone can satisfy their deepest longings." Amen. You've got to love guys like Luther who kept it simple and real: the cross, the cross, the cross (okay, and the empty tomb with it!). The point being, could we do any better than to preach and live a simple gospel of Jesus dying on the cross for us, and us in turn offering our lives in the sincerest gratitude, rather than moralism, programs, ways and means? - Rob French

Amen! - Rob French

Amen! God is with us. - Rob French

"One of the signs that an object is functioning as an idol is that fear becomes one of the chief characteristics of life." -- Seen frequently in our all-too-common handwringing about politics, despite being Christians and claiming trust in God and His promises. - Rob French

Absolutely amazing sermon by Dr. Bryan Chapell. Especially listen to the section between about 11:00-16:00, where he describes the vastness of the sacrifices performed to atone for the sins of God's people, and the fact that those have culminated in Jesus. - Rob French

Pat Costello's free stuff, including How and Tao of Old-Time Banjo, Folk Guitar - Rob French

Clearly a must-get book for me... John Frame is a great theologian! Quotes: "Professor Joseph Torres summarizes Frame's view on acts of knowing in terms of the normative perspective (the perspective of the one knowing), the situational perspective (the perspective of the object of knowledge), and the existential perspective (the criteria by which knowledge is obtained). In theological terms, all our knowing is under the lordship of God: his authority is absolute, and we are subject to it; his control of history is axiomatic, and we need to acknowledge it; his presence in judgment or blessing belongs to our being made in his image, and we must be aware of it." "The principles of importance are Scripture over traditionalism, intelligibility in worship, the Great Commission and denominationalism." - Rob French

I've been toying around with CrossFit a bit. Hopefully this week I'll start getting on track. Squats today... booyah! - Rob French

Reference to theology of the cross vs. theology of glory. The gospel isn't something that necessarily needs translating into our customary language-the gospel may very well, and usually is, speaking -counter to our customary language. - Rob French

I especially wanted to jot down some authors and books for future reference: Edmund Clowney (former WTS president) Bryan Chapell (Christ-Centered Preaching, etc) Dennis E. Johnson "The Gospel according to the Old Testament" series Vern Poythress, "The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses" John Owen "The unique glory of Christianity is the gospel of God’s grace toward those who acknowledge, rather than strive to make up for, their moral failing—and this grace, as Owen poignantly explains, shines forth most luminously in the work of the Son." Valid Christocentrism: ---------------------- Hermeneutical Salvation-historical Homiletical Evangelistic Sanctifying - Rob French

Reasonable caveats to the perspicuity of Scripture. - Rob French

I won't remember just because I want to remember--I need to engage in liturgy, doxology, and repetition: means that God has ordained for his people to remember. "...it does not take a genius to assume that part of the immediate cause of this was their abject neglect of the means which God had established for keeping his name and his acts fresh in their minds." Trueman's message in this essay is oh-so-true. I appreciate his re-emphasis of the (local) church as the necessary context for the Christian life. Failing to remember this removes from our lives the necessary, God-ordained repetition used to keep us on the straight-and-narrow. I would add, as well, that forgetfulness here causes us to lose focus and become wrapped up in the distractions and worries of life in the world. "It is the same today. I have yet to come across a student who struggled with, or even abandoned, the faith, who did not, at some early point in their struggle, abandon the mundane routines of the Christian life:... - Rob French

"Would it be unduly cynical of me to suggest that most of us are more likely to feel troubled by something we have said or done that has upset a colleague or parishioner than by something that has dishonored God?" As Dr. Chapell said in a recent LC360, we don't love God enough. (The reminder here, of course, is not to "try harder" at loving God, but rather to learn more about how much God loves us.) - Rob French

Two books: "Prodigal God", "Christless Christianity" Unique and insightful idea: Debt always requires a repayment. If we forgive, someone still has to pay the debt--we do! Likewise, when God forgives our sin, someone still has to pay the debt--him! Deconstructing legalism--he made some point in there about deconstructing legalism, toward the end, but I can't remember it! - Rob French

"In other words, the historical criticism of the Bible shows us that we cannot look to a book as our authority--each person is their own authority and must decide for themselves what is right or wrong, true or false." A [rightly critical] book review. Interesting critique of a book that promotes the sort of idolatrous autonomy of self that I read about recently (did I bookmark that?). - Rob French

Possible alternative graphics driver for Thinkpad's Radeon card. - Rob French

More possible fixes for laptop display issues. - Rob French

One other possible fix for the laptop display. - Rob French

Some stuff for possibly fixing display issues on my laptop. - Rob French

Ouch. Touche. (a) This article confirms to me that I must commit to a local body. Perpetual membership in CCC PCA, no matter what a wonderful experience my time there was, is unhealthy. (b) Also reinforces my decision to stop blogging. "Now, I find myself very uncomfortable with this. I do believe that some professors, pastors, and laypeople are called to have regular ministries outside their immediate geographical locations; but I also believe that there are precious few thus called. Certainly, mere possession of hi-speed internet is not a divinely given sign of such a worldwide calling." - Rob French

"Ironically, as the new twist on sin focuses on the sinner's misplaced priorities, it suffers misplaced priorities of its own. By beginning with "good things" taken too far, sin becomes wrong because it puts things out of order--the good is made ultimate--and when we get things out of order, our lives go bad. With this idolatry slant on sin, God's glory is no longer the principal object of sin's robbery. I am. It's my world that suffers, my flourishing that flounders, my best that is missed. Defining sin as idolatry ends up doing what it decries. It skews the proper priorities. It pushes God, and the offense to God, to the side and brings me and my situation to the fore." Good thoughts. Good discussion of why equating sin with idolatry is not sufficient, and often wrong. Critique of the popular notion of identifying various "idolatries of the heart" in our current Western culture. If it's appropriate to identify an idol in our culture, it's "self". Things like money, power, sex, etc.... - Rob French

Need to add this book to my wishlist. - Rob French

Two books to check out: the reference to Charles Hodge, and the one excerpted in this blog entry. - Rob French

snippet: For their spiritual health, God’s people must honor his name, humble themselves, seek his grace, know his pardon, give him thanks, learn his ways, love his people, be his disciples, and walk in his peace. None of these “necessities” can be compromised without causing damage. Were any of these features of gospel health long absent from any believer’s life, spiritual progress would be stunted and eventually fail. - Rob French

Note to self, need to check out B.B. Warfield's "The Inerrancy and Authority of Scripture" (I think that's the correct title). - Rob French

Good point: "Though it should not be construed as a liturgical model mandated for the church, this pattern demonstrates again that the gospel forms its own container. Worship that intends to communicate this gospel story will also have this general pattern, even if particulars may vary." - Rob French