It is good to know that my kids aren't the only ones who like to play under desks.
Showing posts with label Just for fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Just for fun. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Under Daddy's Desk
It is good to know that my kids aren't the only ones who like to play under desks.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Encouraged
I received some specific and helpful encouragement after Sunday's sermon. I am a blessed pastor with people who love me and love to hear God's Word proclaimed.And, the most meaningful encouragement came from my 5 year old daughter in the form of this picture she drew of me preaching (Christ Baptist folks will immediately recognize the stage and red curtain behind me). When I asked her why I had a rainbow over my head, she replied, "Because you are the best preacher."
And, no, I don't preach from a yellow Bible (just in case you wondered).
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Provide An Appropriate Caption
Please leave a comment with an appropriate caption for this picture.
Mine: "Honey, I told you to lock the suitcase..."
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
A Tour of the Office/Study (in pictures)
I've been wanting to give you a tour of my study for a few years now. For the 2 of you who care, here you go:
This is what you will see when you walk in the door. I've got a great window that allows plenty of sunlight and access to all sorts of birds and creatures that don't know I'm watching them.
I always put the commentaries of the book I'm preaching through right on my desk for easy access. We are doing a summer series through Psalms right now.
I've turned my closet into a prayer closet. This is a custom prayer bench I had made about 5 years ago. I have a copy of our church prayer directory there and try to pray through it twice a month.
I have my books arranged in categories. The left shelf is biographies, preaching, bible study, theology, marriage, etc. The other left shelves are arranged alpha by author. The 2 right shelves are all my commentaries arranged by book of the Bible.
A closer view of one of the shelves. Works of Owen and Bunyan.
The commentary shelves are directly across from my desk.
These pictures are the most popular aspect of my office. They are clearly visible when you walk in and everyone wants to guess who they are. Top: Calvin and Luther. Bottom: Edwards and Tyndale.
The Piper shelf (that is no longer able to hold all my Piper books).
Books on the Cross, the church, and Piper overflow.
Our church covenant signed by the first members of Christ Baptist.
And no office is complete without a "snack drawer." This is my kids' favorite part of my office.
So, what do you think? What am I missing?
This is what you will see when you walk in the door. I've got a great window that allows plenty of sunlight and access to all sorts of birds and creatures that don't know I'm watching them.
I always put the commentaries of the book I'm preaching through right on my desk for easy access. We are doing a summer series through Psalms right now.
I've turned my closet into a prayer closet. This is a custom prayer bench I had made about 5 years ago. I have a copy of our church prayer directory there and try to pray through it twice a month.
I have my books arranged in categories. The left shelf is biographies, preaching, bible study, theology, marriage, etc. The other left shelves are arranged alpha by author. The 2 right shelves are all my commentaries arranged by book of the Bible.
A closer view of one of the shelves. Works of Owen and Bunyan.
The commentary shelves are directly across from my desk.
These pictures are the most popular aspect of my office. They are clearly visible when you walk in and everyone wants to guess who they are. Top: Calvin and Luther. Bottom: Edwards and Tyndale.
The Piper shelf (that is no longer able to hold all my Piper books).
Books on the Cross, the church, and Piper overflow.
Our church covenant signed by the first members of Christ Baptist.
And no office is complete without a "snack drawer." This is my kids' favorite part of my office.So, what do you think? What am I missing?
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Just For Fun: An educated guess at some T4G books
I have no idea which books will be given to those who attend Together for the Gospel. But, that doesn't stop me from guessing. Next week, we'll see how I did.
1. Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology (T4G -'08 book).
2. What Does God Want of Us Anyway? (Dever)
3. What is the Gospel? (Gilbert)
4. It is Well (Dever)
5. A Sweet and Bitter Providence (Piper)
6. The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love (Leeman)
7. The Gospel for Muslims (Thabiti)
8. New version of Ashamed of the Gospel (MacArthur)
1. Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology (T4G -'08 book).
2. What Does God Want of Us Anyway? (Dever)
3. What is the Gospel? (Gilbert)
4. It is Well (Dever)
5. A Sweet and Bitter Providence (Piper)
6. The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love (Leeman)
7. The Gospel for Muslims (Thabiti)
8. New version of Ashamed of the Gospel (MacArthur)
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
10 Things I'd Like to do in the next 10 years
My friend Justin Nale asked if there was anything I'd like to do in this life. I have found that if I don't put some sort of time frame on it, I won't be very serious about it. So, in order to challenge myself to actually do some great things (with the help of the Spirit of God) here is something of what I would like to do in the next 10 years (in no particular order):
1. Preach through the book of Romans (Its not going to take me 10 years to preach through Romans; I just would like to preach through it sometime in the next 10 years).
2. Pay off my house.
3. Visit Israel (this may have to wait 'till the kids are out of the house).
4. Adopt a child.
5. Lead my church to plant another church.
6. See my kids trust in Christ.
7. Read 500 books (about 50 books a year).
8. Beat my dad at golf.
9. Write a book.
10. Get certified as a Biblical counselor.
Would love to hear what goals/desires you have.
1. Preach through the book of Romans (Its not going to take me 10 years to preach through Romans; I just would like to preach through it sometime in the next 10 years).
2. Pay off my house.
3. Visit Israel (this may have to wait 'till the kids are out of the house).
4. Adopt a child.
5. Lead my church to plant another church.
6. See my kids trust in Christ.
7. Read 500 books (about 50 books a year).
8. Beat my dad at golf.
9. Write a book.
10. Get certified as a Biblical counselor.
Would love to hear what goals/desires you have.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Just 5 Books
I am delighted that Lisa, one of my church members is going to Russia for about 3 years. She will be extending the mission of Christ Baptist half way across the world. We can't wait to see all that God does.
Lisa is packing and preparing for this trip and send me an e-mail with this question: "I'm still wresting with book choices. If you only had five non-scholarly/non-commentary books with you during the next three years what would you choose?"
My mouth salivates at questions like this. This question is like lobbing a huge beach ball to Albert Pujols and saying, "Hit it."
At first, I thought about answering with a complicated formula with several, "It depends" scenarios. But, I finally decided to answer as straighforwardly as I could. I pressed myself with this more specific question: "Justin, if you were leaving for 3 years this afternoon, which 5 books would you actually take? Only 5!"
Here was my answer:
Assuming you can access the ESV Study Bible and all Piper books online:
Personally, I would take:
1. A Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent
2. The Great Exchange by Bridges
3. Bible Doctrine by Grudem
4. John G Paton Autobiography
5. Communion with the Triune God by Owen
I couldn't just leave it at that, so I included a bit of an explanation:
1. A Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent (as a means of preaching the gospel to myself daily)
Or, something a little deeper that could help me grow in my knowledge of the gospel:
The Apostle’s Doctrine of the Atonement by Smeaton
The Message of the Cross by Tidball
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by Murray
2. Something that God has used to stir my affections for Christ. Something that I could go to at any time and find refreshment.
One Thing by Sam Storms
Living the Cross-centered Life by Mahaney
Bookends of the Christian Life by Bridges
The Great Exchange by Bridges
Knowing God by Packer
3. Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem (as a resource for a variety of theological issues as well as devotional material).
4. John G Paton autobiography (in order to challenge my soul to take risks for Christ).
5. Communion with the Triune God by John Owen (I would make it a goal to master a classic like this over the next three years).
Lisa is packing and preparing for this trip and send me an e-mail with this question: "I'm still wresting with book choices. If you only had five non-scholarly/non-commentary books with you during the next three years what would you choose?"
My mouth salivates at questions like this. This question is like lobbing a huge beach ball to Albert Pujols and saying, "Hit it."
At first, I thought about answering with a complicated formula with several, "It depends" scenarios. But, I finally decided to answer as straighforwardly as I could. I pressed myself with this more specific question: "Justin, if you were leaving for 3 years this afternoon, which 5 books would you actually take? Only 5!"
Here was my answer:
Assuming you can access the ESV Study Bible and all Piper books online:
Personally, I would take:
1. A Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent
2. The Great Exchange by Bridges
3. Bible Doctrine by Grudem
4. John G Paton Autobiography
5. Communion with the Triune God by Owen
I couldn't just leave it at that, so I included a bit of an explanation:
1. A Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent (as a means of preaching the gospel to myself daily)
Or, something a little deeper that could help me grow in my knowledge of the gospel:
The Apostle’s Doctrine of the Atonement by Smeaton
The Message of the Cross by Tidball
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by Murray
2. Something that God has used to stir my affections for Christ. Something that I could go to at any time and find refreshment.
One Thing by Sam Storms
Living the Cross-centered Life by Mahaney
Bookends of the Christian Life by Bridges
The Great Exchange by Bridges
Knowing God by Packer
3. Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem (as a resource for a variety of theological issues as well as devotional material).
4. John G Paton autobiography (in order to challenge my soul to take risks for Christ).
5. Communion with the Triune God by John Owen (I would make it a goal to master a classic like this over the next three years).
Thursday, April 23, 2009
You Thought Your Day Yesterday Was Eventful
I've been a baseball fan my whole life and I've never seen anything like this. An illustration on being ready in season and out of season.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, November 17, 2008
Funny Story from John Piper
From a sermon in 1991:
I was eating at Pizza Hut under the television with Dan Chalmers, one of our missionaries to the Philippines. It was just before the fund raising campaign to build this building. The campaign was called SPAN the Nineties—Spreading Praise to All Nations.
I was struggling with the implications of spending three and a half million dollars on buildings here when thousands of people groups all over the world have not even heard the good news of the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life in a way they can understand. I said to Dan, "I want my life and this church to be on the cutting edge of finishing the Great Commission in these last years of our century. Do you think this new sanctuary is a good investment in that cause?"
Dan opened his missionary wallet, pulled out this $20 bill and threw it on the table and said, "John, go for it!" So I wrote across the bill, "Go for it. Dan Chalmers. May 3, 1988." And I held it up before the church the next Sunday and said, at least one missionary who knows our vision believes that authentic worship in a new sanctuary will prove itself in obedience to the Great Commission in spreading praise to all nations.
Then to show you that God has a wonderful sense of humor in the midst of really serious things, I learned that morning that defacing a $20 bill is against the law. And of all the mornings in my ministry there was in the congregation that morning an agent from the FBI. He stopped at the door after the service and said, "You know it is against the law to do that, don't you?" I said, "Really?" And then he pulled out his card and gave it to me. And on the back was written, "This is an official pardon for writing on the $20 bill. Go For It!"
And so with the endorsement of a missions visionary and the FBI and, I believe, the Lord Jesus himself, we went for it. And here it is, by his grace and for his glory.
I was eating at Pizza Hut under the television with Dan Chalmers, one of our missionaries to the Philippines. It was just before the fund raising campaign to build this building. The campaign was called SPAN the Nineties—Spreading Praise to All Nations.
I was struggling with the implications of spending three and a half million dollars on buildings here when thousands of people groups all over the world have not even heard the good news of the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life in a way they can understand. I said to Dan, "I want my life and this church to be on the cutting edge of finishing the Great Commission in these last years of our century. Do you think this new sanctuary is a good investment in that cause?"
Dan opened his missionary wallet, pulled out this $20 bill and threw it on the table and said, "John, go for it!" So I wrote across the bill, "Go for it. Dan Chalmers. May 3, 1988." And I held it up before the church the next Sunday and said, at least one missionary who knows our vision believes that authentic worship in a new sanctuary will prove itself in obedience to the Great Commission in spreading praise to all nations.
Then to show you that God has a wonderful sense of humor in the midst of really serious things, I learned that morning that defacing a $20 bill is against the law. And of all the mornings in my ministry there was in the congregation that morning an agent from the FBI. He stopped at the door after the service and said, "You know it is against the law to do that, don't you?" I said, "Really?" And then he pulled out his card and gave it to me. And on the back was written, "This is an official pardon for writing on the $20 bill. Go For It!"
And so with the endorsement of a missions visionary and the FBI and, I believe, the Lord Jesus himself, we went for it. And here it is, by his grace and for his glory.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thursday, October 09, 2008
An ESVSB Freed from its Captivity
I've got a friend named Jeff, who had me laughing today. He lives in Chicago and has connections so he was able to get his hands on some ESV Study Bibles today (envy is a sin).
He sent me these pictures with this note: "I thought I would send you off a picture of one in the wild- liberated from it's bondage of the warehouse!"
They are real. And soon, they will all be released to flouish in the wild.
He sent me these pictures with this note: "I thought I would send you off a picture of one in the wild- liberated from it's bondage of the warehouse!"
They are real. And soon, they will all be released to flouish in the wild.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
One Reason NOT to Use Hand Written Sermon Notes
Your 9 month old son may mistake them for a chew toy on Saturday afternoon!
I was just too shocked to think about taking a picture for you.
I was just too shocked to think about taking a picture for you.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The People Have Spoken.
The Best Chicken Sandwich.
To celebrate the unanimous vote, I enjoyed a juicy Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich.Monday, August 11, 2008
What Does Justin Do On Mondays?
Noah was a preacher of righteousness. No one would listen to his sermons, so he preached to the animals (and his submissive wife, joyfully sitting on the front row).
My daughter and I set up the "pews" before we started putting the animals out. We set out a few too many and once all the animals were sitting attentively waiting for Noah to read the text, my daughter was distraught that there were empty chairs. I tried to help her understand there there are always empty chairs at church. She wanted each and every chair to be occupied. Don't we all?
My daughter and I set up the "pews" before we started putting the animals out. We set out a few too many and once all the animals were sitting attentively waiting for Noah to read the text, my daughter was distraught that there were empty chairs. I tried to help her understand there there are always empty chairs at church. She wanted each and every chair to be occupied. Don't we all?
Did you notice the God-glorifying diversity of Noah's church?
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Do You REALLY, REALLY Love Jesus?
Friends, some things deserved to be mocked. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal. Paul mocked the Judaizers in Galatia.
Have you ever received one of those e-mails that give you instructions as to how to show Jesus you love Him and are not ashamed of Him. Just in case you live in a cave and have never seen such an e-mail, below is a sample from an actual e-mail I received this morning. After a picture of clouds that look like a hand and a weird picture of Jesus and some mountains, it says:
Jesus Test
This is an easy test, you score 100 or zero.
It's your choice. If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow the directions.
Jesus said, 'if you are ashamed of me, I will be a shamed of you before my Father.' !
Not ashamed Pass this on ... only if you mean it.
Yes, I do Love God.
He is my source of existence and Savior.
He keeps me functioning each and everyday.
Without Him, I will be nothing. Without Him, I am nothing but with Him I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Phil 4:13
This is the simplest test. If you Love God, and are not ashamed of all the marvelous things he has done for you. Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you!
Question: Since when does love for Jesus manifest itself in hitting the forward button? I thought Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Praise God that Jesus scored 100 in my place!
Now, if you REALLY, REALLY love Jesus, you will forward a link to this blog post to 483 friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors. And, if you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to earn favor with God, you should wait around for the next e-mail telling you how to REALLY show your love for God.
Have you ever received one of those e-mails that give you instructions as to how to show Jesus you love Him and are not ashamed of Him. Just in case you live in a cave and have never seen such an e-mail, below is a sample from an actual e-mail I received this morning. After a picture of clouds that look like a hand and a weird picture of Jesus and some mountains, it says:
Jesus Test
This is an easy test, you score 100 or zero.
It's your choice. If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow the directions.
Jesus said, 'if you are ashamed of me, I will be a shamed of you before my Father.' !
Not ashamed Pass this on ... only if you mean it.
Yes, I do Love God.
He is my source of existence and Savior.
He keeps me functioning each and everyday.
Without Him, I will be nothing. Without Him, I am nothing but with Him I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Phil 4:13
This is the simplest test. If you Love God, and are not ashamed of all the marvelous things he has done for you. Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you!
Question: Since when does love for Jesus manifest itself in hitting the forward button? I thought Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Praise God that Jesus scored 100 in my place!
Now, if you REALLY, REALLY love Jesus, you will forward a link to this blog post to 483 friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors. And, if you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to earn favor with God, you should wait around for the next e-mail telling you how to REALLY show your love for God.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Some Funny Stuff
Yesterday, Tim Challies (and Jason Sessoms) posted a link to a video by comedians Rhett and Link. I was glad to see these links because I am a long time (3 years?) Rhett and Link fan. I first encountered them when I was doing youth ministry and continue to watch their videos regularly. They are very funny and always very clean (a combination you rarely see).
I knew I was going to like them when I saw this video of Rhett with Al Mohler.
My all-time favorite Rhett and Link video is Pimp My Stroller.
Anybody else heard of these guys?
I knew I was going to like them when I saw this video of Rhett with Al Mohler.
My all-time favorite Rhett and Link video is Pimp My Stroller.
Anybody else heard of these guys?
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