"Hallelujah Day"

Some folks like to think of this day as Halloween. Originally "All Saints' Day," I found out that it supposedly originated in Ireland of all places. But, regardless of its history and what it has come to mean in our culture, this day has been officially renamed "Hallelujah Day" in the Milnes fam because it marks the birthday of the Admiral (Rebekah). So, 'Happy Birthday, dear girl!'

Ethiopia

WORLD Magazine reports in last week's issue of a "new jihad" as attacks on Christians in Ethiopia -- the Horn of Africa -- may mean a new African conflict.
Here are some quick facts about Ethiopia to think about:

Population

77,431,000

Capital
Addis Ababa; 2,723,000

Area
1,133,380 square kilometers
(437,600 square miles)

Language
Amharic, Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic

Religion
Muslim, Ethiopian Orthodox, animist

In addition to the jihad, the CDC writes if present trends continue, that by 2008, 1.8 million in Ethiopia will be lost to AIDS. 1.8 million people... that's 1.8 million souls between heaven and hell. When will we wake up to see that all that matters is sharing Jesus with others? Oh, that He would be high and exalted in Ethiopia. Even now.

Horatius Bonar

I read this quote earlier today off of Josh Harris' blog, and I've been thinking of it since. A 19th Century Scottish pastor and author named Horatius Bonar had this to say about the power of the cross:

The secret of a believer’s holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety, and his daily [communion] with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labor, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers which accompany a clear view of the cross. False ideas of holiness are common, not only among those who profess false religions, but among those who profess the true. The love of God to us, and our love to Him, work together for producing holiness. Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspense brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to God’s favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this.

This is as true today as it was in the 19th Century. I want to "dwell at the cross" as Bonar writes.

Happy Birthday, iPod

Over at WorshipMatters, Bob Kauflin writes a post in honor of the 5 year birthday of the iPod. As always, Mr. Kauflin tempers his post with Biblical wisdom as he graciously writes of the great benefits the iPod has, but also of the potential for isolation, temptation, and deception. He also writes of the effects and importance of music meditation and includes a great little checklist one can use to see how one is doing in the area of self-control (with some good pointers for parents). Read his post here.

Also, over on his blog, Dr. Albert Mohler also writes an honorary post of "The Little White Box that Redefined Cool."

Psalm 49

This morning as I was enjoying my quiet time with the Lord, I read:

"No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him -- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough -- that he should live on forever and not see decay. For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves...
But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to Himself."
~Psalm 49:7-13, 15

I am so thankful for the cross. In the great mystery of the mercy of God, He killed His own Son so I, the guilty party, could have redemption. The payment of the blood is enough for my ransom. And because of that, I will live forever and I will not see decay. How my heart desires this for my many unsaved fellow University students who live in the fraternities and sororities not one street away from me. Oh, that God would draw hearts to Himself and that there would rise up such a cry and hunger for Him.

The Gang Celebrating Christine's BD after ICF!

My Car Adventure

The other night, as I was leaving a prayer meeting over in the Bellevue area, I noticed that one of the tires on my car was starting to look a little more flat than the other three. Now, picture the scene: it's 10:30 at night, dark and drizzling. And, as I looked at the pathetic tire, I felt despair coming over me. Now, the tire wasn't that flat -- just a little. But, for a girl who considers re-filling the windshield washer fluid container as the extent in her expertise of "fixing" a car, things were bad. Now, not as bad, mind you, as when I drove around St. Petersburg in a lada that felt like cardboard taped together. And, I've had some fun car adventures with my precious friend, Bet, in the car we affectionately named "Poncho" and drove around in upstate New York last summer... Poncho, I'm afraid, has since kicked the bucket. But this situation the other night was different. I was by myself. And, I still needed to get over the 520 bridge. Thankfully my dear friends, Andy and Christine, were willing to go with me to the local 76 station to solve the problem. (Andy is a structural engineer building architecturally sound buildings in downtown Seattle... so putting a little air in a tire -- no problem!). But, I must say that the look on people's faces when I retell the story now is priceless: "you do not know how to put air in your tire? Are you that dumb???" Well, you know... bike tires are no problem. But, car tires?! Now that is a different story all together. You see, my great fear has always been that I would put too much air in the tire and blow the whole thing up -- leaving me with not just a flat tire, but no tire at all! But, now.... should the need to put air into my tire ever rise again, I now know what to do! So, the whole reason for this little post is to say, "kudos to the fellow who came up with the idea of putting a gauge on the little air thingie so you know how much pressure is in the tire without blowing it up!"

Building His Kingdom

Andrée Seu delivers yet another insightful essay in WORLD Magazine this week. "Plucked out of the Burning" was encouraging for me to read -- the Kingdom of God is not dependent on me having it "all together" in order to be a member. He takes me as I am. But hallelujah -- He doesn't just stop there -- He then imprints the glorious image of His Son on our soul as He perfects Christ in us and causes Christ to flow out. Amazing.

"...Firebrand preachers and lackluster husbands. Men of both prayer and clinical morbidity. Women of wisdom given to gluttony. Samson making shipwreck of his life but taking the prophets of Dagon down with him. How do you tally the sum of this? Where do you put the coordinating conjunction? "Wesley was a great soul winner, but he sure was a lousy husband!" or, "Wesley was a lousy husband, but what a soul winner!"
...Out of such raw material God is pleased to build His kingdom, the better to show the power is from Him.
The Lord will judge. And when He does (on that Day when no flesh shall boast), I know His weights and measures will be fair, and tempered with a better love than mine, and that the Wisdom who was by His side when He established earth and sky will cast His judgment in our favor."

Read the rest of Seu's account of the Kingdom that is made up of those "plucked from the burning."

I may be in Portage Bay...

I have been told that if I don't start calling a Bodhran drum a "bodhran" instead of my endearing title of "water-drum," I will be "actively caber-tossed into Portage Bay..."
You know, while it is the greatest privilege, being a worship leader can be a dangerous job sometimes.


(Picture courtesy of Wikipedia)

A Portrait of the Human Heart Apart from Christ

One of my plans during our family vacation this past summer was to get some serious reading time in (not homework related), which, amazingly, happened. One of the books that I read was The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Not a book that I would recommend by any means (so don’t waste your money), but it is brought up in discussion so often in my lit classes here at the UW, that I thought I better have an idea of what it is that these folks who sit next to me day after day are always talking about. And, sure enough, it’s only two weeks into the quarter and Dorian has already made his appearance.

Wilde’s book is full of worldviews currently found within our culture. It's a study in which pleasure is the ultimate mean, “art is more important than the artist,” life is made up of all of these subjective experiences, and sin is overwhelmingly embraced. Basically, the theme of the book is that life is made up of pleasure, and pleasure is made up of subjective experience minus morality. With the removal of conscience and moral law, man is free to act as he sees fit in order to experience the most subjectively.

For a quick overview: The story begins with a handsome and rich youth, Dorian Gray, who is having his portrait painted. During the session, a man named Lord Henry makes his appearance, and holds a curious fascination for Dorian Gray. It is this Lord Henry who plays the key role in the formation of Dorian’s view and understanding of pragmatic pleasure. The two form a friendship which will last throughout the book.

Due to a rash wish made during this portrait session, Dorian Gray faces life without seeming to externally bear any of the consequences of old age or the hardening of his sinful lifestyle, while the portrait of himself that he stores in his attic evolves and hardens over the years, depicting the hideousness of his own sin. A sort of visual picture of the soul. At first, Dorian finds great delight in “watching” the downfall of sin to his soul. And, as he delights in sin in his own life, he brings all who come into his intimate circle of London friends further into unrighteousness with him.

But, as the years go by in the novel, Dorian’s portrait becomes more and more frighteningly hideous as it visibly bears the consequence of his sin. Fear that someone might “see” the wretchedness of his own soul not normally visible to the human eye affects every part of Dorian Gray’s life. Interestingly, it is fear that others will see him as he truly is, and not remorse for the presence of evil within that drives Dorian in the latter chapters of the novel. As the portrait becomes more and more awful, Dorian himself retains his youthful handsomeness. Finally, though, the consequences of sin catch up with Dorian, but he is to be pitied. Guilt is real, but moral law and repentance is cast aside. And, in a truly terrible scene near the end of the book, as Dorian Gray is faced with the opportunity to repent as his friend (the voice of conscience) desperately begs him to pray, remembering Isaiah 1:18: “though your sins be as scarlet they will be white as snow,” Dorian refuses.

Some have said that The Picture of Dorian Gray is a sort of autobiography of Oscar Wilde. Perhaps that is true. It could be the autobiography of anyone. I hope, though, that someone spoke to Mr. Wilde about grace and mercy. All I could think as I read was that this is a “portrait” of the evil found within each one of us apart from Christ. It is a reflection of the horror of sin without the entrance of grace. Salvation by grace through faith alone and original sin is completely discarded in Dorian's world. But, for you and me, although iniquity seems endless, the grace of God is far greater. May we be quick to repent as we hear the gracious words: "though your sins be as scarlet they will be white as snow.”

Life cannot be made up of merely subjective experiences – for, it is only as my sinful heart is aligned with the Truth found in knowing Jesus and the Word of God that my emotions, my way of thinking and my subsequent actions are brought into "rightness." Pleasure is not my ultimate mean. Knowing Him and making him known, bringing honor to Him and delighting in the One who brings the greatest pleasure to my soul is. Funny – it’s only when we lose our lives that we find them.

The Name of Jesus

"... and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."
~Luke 1:31

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
~Acts 2:21

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
~Acts 4:12

"I come to You in the all-prevailing name of Jesus, with nothing of my own to plead -- no works, no worthiness, no promises."
~The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

"...enable Your servants to speak Your Word with great boldness. Stretch our Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your Holy Servant Jesus."
~Acts 4:29-30

"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
~Philippians 2:9-11

It is the name of Jesus that saves. It is the name of Jesus that brings salvation. It is the name of Jesus that is full of power. It is the name of Jesus that changes hearts, lives, and destinies. It is the name of Jesus that I cling to "with nothing of my own to plead." Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Esther in the Theaters

I had the privilege of having "tea" with Tommy Tenney's mother last summer. At that time she had shared with me a little of how her son's book, "Hadassah -- One Night with the King," on the story of Esther was being made into a film. Besides being its writer, Mr. Tenney was also the film's co-producer. According to the site, the film is due to be in theaters on the 13th of this month, and it sounds as though it would be a good family film.

Tommy Tenney is the founder of the ministry "Godchasers.Network," and has authored books such as "The God Chasers: My Soul Follows Hard After Thee," "The God Catchers: Experiencing the Manifest Presence of God," "God's Dream Team: A Call to Unity," and "God's Favorite House."

"Christian Apologetics in the 21st Century"

Justin Taylor, who has one of the coolest blogs in the whole blogsphere, had a list of lectures available from the Maclaurin Institute today. In the list was a lecture from one of my hero's, Ravi Zacharias, who I and 2,000 other students had the privilege of listening to at the UW last November. The lecture, entitled: Christian Apologetics in the 21st Century, is worth listening to sometime during your day. Click here to listen.