You can't make your own internet out in the field :)

Finally got a chance to hop on the internet again. My family and I have been out in the field doing training for our summer missionaries. This is the start of week two of training for them and the week that they have their practice clubs. After two weeks of teaching we'll be headed to camp where I will be the guest speaker.

Each morning during chapel the summer missionaries (made up of Jr. High/ High School students) have been going through a basic understanding of the Christian faith. Our men's counselor, Joe, has been leading this and doing a great job. He's also really been hitting on Total Depravity. If only people could grasp the fact that we are such depraved people. Some of the students are beginning to get it.

We think way to highly of ourselves. The truth is, we were lying lifeless on the ocean floor, dead in our trespasses to sin, lungs filled with water, and Christ dove in, pulled us out and breathed life into us. He's not a vaccine to a disease, a cast for a broken arm or a solution for a more peaceful way of life. He is the way, the truth and the life. We are dead. We can do nothing. Christ did it, and He did it all. We merely recieve. Thanks be to God!

Jesu Juva,
Soli Deo Gloria

"The Great Exchange" coming July 2011

"The Great Exchange" is coming this July, kicking off with a 5 part audio podcast series on: Law and Gospel, Doctrine of Man, The Atonement, Means of Grace and Glory Vs. Cross Theology.


Here's the current promo video.


Untitled from The Great Exchange on Vimeo.
 

Memorial Day McDonald's Drive-Thru

Frustrated I wait five minutes to give my order at the drive-thru menu and then wait 7 minutes in the line. 2 more cars to go so I'm blogging on my phone.

So I'm sitting here frustrated at the not so fast "fast food". Then I remembered that today is Memorial Day and that I'm a very blessed man who has a loving family, is not much for want and has such a convenience as fast food. This is in part thanks to the generations of armed servicemen and women who have helped made it such. Many are overseas diligently working in the vocation that God has called them to while in safety I'm able to proclaim the Gospel to children in the vocation God has called me into.

So thank you, our servicemen and women, law enforcement, emergency services and the like, current and former, who diligently serve our country and communities. Through your vocation God has blessed us. You are remembered and you are in our prayers. Thank you. May God protect you.

Jesu Juva,
Soli Deo Gloria
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Teaching Kids: Isn't that the church's job? Part the Third

(Note: The intent of this short series is not to be exhaustive, but to give us somewhat of a "bird's eye view" as to whom is responsible to see to the Christian Education of your children. It is not meant to undermine parents or the Church. It is not meant to be condemning, but, for some, quite possibly could be. Remember, the Law, as much as it may be uncomfortable and hurt, must be preached in full sternness that we may receive the Gospel in its full sweetness.)

Focus Verses: Deuteronomy 31:9-13
Moses tells the nation of Israel to assemble everyone together; men, women, children (which is “taph” in this text, meaning “toddlers to adolescents”) even the sojourners (foreigners, guests, strangers) that are with them. They were to do this every seven years. (v. 10) Within this assembly they were to not only hear (the “shama”) but learn to fear the Lord that they would do all the things the Lord commanded. They were to do this so that their children (“ben”) who have not known it would also learn to fear the Lord. Here we see a mandate that they should instruct the nation of Israel (as this mass body of believers, as opposed to at the family level) every man, woman and child. In this way there would be no children who did not know of the instructions and mighty works that the Lord of Israel had given and done in the future generations of Israel.

Summary and Conclusion for "Part the Third":  Here we see the Lord establishing time, frequency, and location for instructing the nation of Israel with the "Law" (in this case meaning "the scriptures" as opposed to our use of the word in "Law and Gospel") The entire nation (regardless of age) and all who is with them were to be instructed as a mass body once every seven years. Here, in this case, it is the instructed responsibility of the church to see to the children's Christian Education.

ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL : Crossway Bibles, 2008 

e-Sword
Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
TLSB. St. Louis, MO : Concordia Publishing House, 2009
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary
Matt Richard

Jesu Juva,
Soli Deo Gloria

Teaching Kids: Isn't that the church's job? Part the Second

(Note: The intent of this short series is not to be exhaustive, but to give us somewhat of a "bird's eye view" as to whom is responsible to see to the Christian Education of your children. It is not meant to undermine parents or the Church. It is not meant to be condemning, but, for some, quite possibly could be. Remember, the Law, as much as it may be uncomfortable and hurt, must be preached in full sternness that we may receive the Gospel in its full sweetness.)

Deuteronomy 11

First Focus Verses:  Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Again Moses reiterates that they people are to fix (set or establish) God’s words on their hearts and minds and to teach (“lamad” in Hebrew. “to diligently train…instruct”) them at all times and places (v. 19 “…talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.). They are to keep the word visible on their persons and their households. In other words, there lives were to be a living testimony of the Lord.  With compliance of this condition God would bless them and their children for eternity. “The sense is: ‘Keep the covenant faithfully, and so shall your own and your children’s days be multiplied as long as the heaven covers the earth.’ The promise of Canaan to Israel was thus a perpetual promise, but also a conditional one.” “The words, “as the days of the heaven above the earth,” i.e., as long as the heaven continues above the earth, - in other words, to all eternity”

Second Focus Verses: Deuteronomy 11:1-2 ff

The nation of Israel is instructed to love the Lord their God and to keep everything He had commanded them always. Then Moses says in verse 2 "And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it)..." In other words, pay attention, listen, this is important. Remember what that Lord has done and what you have seen Him do. This is important because their children had not witnessed these mighty works of the Lord. It's not just for their sake that they do this, it's for the sake of their children as well so that they might know just how mighty and awesome God is, as well as how terrible His wrath is ( vs. 16-17) that they would continue to follow Him.

Summary and Conclusion for "Part the Second": For the sake of themselves, as well as their children, the Israelites are told to remember all that the Lord has done and to keep His commandments. They are to know them well and to take teachable moments as they come to instruct their children the things that they witnessed and have been commanded. Here, in this case, it is the instructed responsibility of the parents to see to their children's Christian Education.

ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL : Crossway Bibles, 2008
e-Sword
Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
TLSB. St. Louis, MO : Concordia Publishing House, 2009
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary

Jesu Juva,

Soli Deo Gloria

It be May 21st and we still be here...

Dear Mr. Camping: This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

I offer up for consideration the concept that you only pursue preaching Christ and Him crucified. I believe you will find much less media controversy and will do a much better job of not making the whole of Christendom look like morons. Also, you should wish me a happy anniversary. My wife and I have now been happily married 7 years. I would also suggest that you bone up on "Confession and Absolution".

Sincerely,
Leif E. Halvorson Christian
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

May 21st, 2011: The end of the world (or sanity) as we know it?

(WARNING! I will seem a bit snarky in this post due to the fact that I am going to be a bit snarky this post. Let's chalk it up to me being weak on sanctification today :) )

(If you've got a copy of the 4th Movement of Shostakovich's Symphony number 5, please begin to play that now....)

Yeah, I know, I've heard it too. May 21st is truly going to be some "special" day.

I've just about heard it all now. Someone's claiming things supposedly based upon when the flood was and yet once again we've got people taking liberties with the verse 2 Peter 3:8 about how a day to God is a as a thousand years and so forth. (Though I don't know Greek, yet, pretty sure it means that as God is the creator of time that he is outside of the constraints of time.)

Well, if you're fretting about it, don't. Here's a verse these "gurus" keep overlooking that deals with their supposed insight on May 21. Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." (ESV) That's right folks, we don't know, and guess what, that's ok that we don't know. What do we know for sure? That at some point the end will indeed come where people will either spend eternity in Heaven with our Savior or eternity in Hell. However, as sure as I am that the top two missing wrenches on many farms are 1/2" and 7/16", May 21st will definitely be a special day, but not because "it's the end of the world as we know it."

May 21st is going to be special for 2 main reasons. #1: It's my 7th year wedding anniversary to my beautiful bride. #2: Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (ESV)

So instead of fretting about "the end" on Saturday, May 21st, a day that the Lord has made and is my wedding anniversary, spend that time finding a solid church that preaches Christ and Him Crucified on Sunday, May 22nd. Though I'll be gone to a graduation ceremony this weekend, I'm looking forward to listening to the podcast of my Pastor's sermon, because he will preach a sermon on Sunday.

Until my posts next week.....

Jesu Juva (Jesus help me)
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)