RonaldWright.org

Five months ago I blogged here about a very precious man named Rev. Ronald Wright who turned me upside down with his passion for Christ and His Word. He has had a larger impact on my life for Christ than anyone else (save the biblical authors themselves). In that post I spoke about digitizing the tapes from his classes, making them mp3s, and hoping one day to start a website in his honor.

Well, I am posting today about my dear professor because through a series of providential events (also something I must post about later) I met a man, Jim Milligan, who happened to be president of blueletterbible.org and a close friend of a former student of Ron's.

Well, this blessed man has just put the finishing touches on the initial stages of ronaldwright.org, a memorial website dedicated to the life and teaching of Prof. Wright (I'm getting choked up as I type). As of last night, he has uploaded here for free mp3 download the first two classes -- the Prison Epistles of Paul (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians & Philemon) and Theology 1 (God, Man, Sin, Christ, Salvation).

If you're tired of the sappy, sentimental, man-centered teaching and preaching that is so rampant in our day, you will do yourself a great disservice if you decide not to listen to the rich, God-centered, Christ-exalting teachings of this wonderful, relatively unknown but eminently faithful servant of God.

What's in it for God?

I came across this quote from Dr. Michael Horton's book Made in America, and had to share it here:

"The older theology tended to produce character. By the end of the twentieth century, we have become God's demanding little brats. In church, we must be entertained. Our emotions must be charged. We must be offered amusing programs. We give up a lot to become Christians and what little teaching we do get must cater to our pragmatic, self-centered interests. Preaching must be filled with clever anecdotes and colorful illustrations with nothing more than passing references to doctrine. I want to know what this means for me in my daily experience. Have we forgotten that God is a monarch? He is the king, by whom and for whom all things were made and by whose sovereign power they are sustained. We exist for his pleasure, not he for ours. We are on this earth to entertain him, please him, adore him, bring him satisfaction, excitement and joy. Any gospel that seeks to answer the question, "What's in this for me?" has it all backwards. The question is, "What's in it for God?"

I have nothing to say in response except I think he's dead right.

Cults Are Invading Russia!!!

I spent my evening at a fund raiser for the Russian arm of the Centers for Apologetics Research (CFAR). We heard about the dozens and dozens of western and eastern cults (many of which were "born" here in the U.S., which the founder, Paul Cardin, called the greatest exporter of error on the planet today) that are flooding the former Soviet Union.

Having come home from Ukraine two months ago, I was truly moved, even to tears, when Mr. Cardin told us about this invasion and then told us that CFAR is the first and ONLY evangelical countercults ministry in the former Soviet Union. And, I spoke with the Russian brother Pasha who heads up the ministry in St. Petersburg who told me that the cults are MORE active in Ukraine than Russia because Ukraine has more freedom (for instance, the Mormons are building their first temple in the former USSR in Kiev, Ukraine's capital city).

Ron Rhodes, noted author, scholar and countercult evangelist, was the keynote speaker who gave us "10 Keys to Witnessing to the Cults," and I want to share them with you here. These keys come from his many years of evangelism to cultists:

1. Don't Assume All Cultists Believe Exactly the Same Thing -- for example, all Jehovah's Witnesses don't agree so instead of telling them what they believe and why you disagree (which I've done), ask them what they believe and THEN dialogue.
2. Know Your Bible -- and, keep taking them back to it over and over again
3. Know that Cultists Are Trained to Answer Your Objections
4. Always Check Their Scripture References -- and NEVER take their interpretation of a passage as true
5. Always Define Your Terms -- because they use the same words we do, but with totally different meanings
6. Ask Strategic Questions -- force them to think (just like Jesus did with His questions)
7. Be Loving -- Arrogence always undermines your right answers, and make sure you love the cultist after God saves them because they'll likely loose all community
8. Demonstrate Jesus' Deity -- know what the Bible teaches on this (e.g., Isa 43:11 --> Titus 2:13-14 = Jesus is Savior and God)
9. Emphasize God's Awesome Gospel of Grace -- in a works-righteousness religious systems where people are earning their salvation, they are often overcome with guilt, frustration & despair, and need to hear of the grace only found in the biblical Gospel
   
10. Give Your Testimony -- and focus on God's specific grace to you
    

As I sat there, my heart was further breaking for the church I went to in Zhitomir, and knowing what I do about the conditions in that church, I know it is just ripe to be decimated by a cult.

Ministries like CFAR, and there aren't ANY in the former USSR but CFAR, need our help. Please, please, please think about supporting them by clicking here.

Thoughts from the Valley

I wanted to share this part of a prayer called "Spiritual Growth" in The Valley of Vision:

"Give me a tender, wakeful conscience
that can smite and torment me when I sin.
May I be consistent in conversation and conduct,
the same alone as in company,
in prosperity and adversity,
accepting all thy commandments as right,
and hating every false way.
May I never be satisfied with my present spiritual progress..."

Ch 2: Desire vs. Delight

I read this sentence, and it is SO true for me. I see this in me and I think about it all the time, and it makes me just sick of myself. Dr. Piper writes:

"We kick ourselves that our cravings for lesser things compete with God as the satisfaction of our souls. ... We know that we have tasted pleasures at his right hand, and that our desires for them are pitifully small compared to their true worth" (28).

I LONG for the day when this will no longer be true of me, when what I know is truly valuable in my mind (God) will match what is actually valuable (God) in my whole being--my emotions and will seamlessly acting in perfect harmony with my mind.

Until then (which will probably only happen at death), I'm still praying for this grace while being SO thankful that God even awoke a taste in me for Him.

Thoughts from The Valley

I read this in a collection of Puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision today and had to share it here:

"Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities, burning into me by experience the things I know ... Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to thee, that all else is trifling" (235)

I need these reminders constantly, daily.

I thank God for this book, and the riches compiled therein.

Thoughts from The Valley

I read this in The Valley of Vision today and had to share it here:

"My trials have been fewer than my sins."

For those, like me, who often think bad things happen to me because of bad things I do, I need to hear this.

My life, trials or not, is so saturated by grace all I should do, all day, is thank God.

If you don't have this book, buy it. If you don't have the money, sell something and buy it. You will never regret it.

Sovereignty & Suffering

Thank you to Between Two Worlds for posting this convicting and inspiring video. Take 7 minutes and watch it.

I get angry when there's traffic, or my order isn't right at a restaurant, or there's too much noise in the office. I fail to see all of these things as the gracious hand of sovereign providence in my life for my good and to advance God's glory.

I am so convinced by this man's testimony, and so grateful for the Savior who saved me from this constant sin in me.