Here’s a question to consider:
According to Genesis 1:11-30, the Lord created the vegetation, plants, trees, etc on the third day. Genesis 1:26 says that God created man on the sixth day.
But Genesis 2:5-9 says that the Lord created man before there was vegetation. So, which came first- the vegetation or the man?
There is a reasonable explanation… discuss.
“May you be a wall and not a door {Song of Solomon 8:9},
may men treat you as their sister, in all purity {1st Timothy 5:2},
may older women train you to be godly {Titus 2:4-5},
may your heart exult in the Lord {1st Samuel 2:1},
may you be a worthy woman {Ruth 3:11},
and may you be a woman who fears the Lord {Proverbs 31:30}.”
Before the action began.
Heather and Tabitha, post-action.
Zech and Tabitha.
Jamin and Tabitha.
Asher and Tabitha.
Happy Daddy, not so happy Tabitha.
Our midwife Jane.
The Lord was good to us this morning. At 8:01 a.m. Heather safely delivered our 4th child and 1st girl: Tabitha Ella Monet Magness. Mom and baby are doing great. Heather went natural as well! Truly the Lord has been good!
Thanks to ALL of you who have been praying.
My birthday was last week, so I finally got my birthday present. I knew I wanted this when I heard it was coming out. Today I got it: A Reader’s Hebrew Bible. You can find out more about it by clicking here. But I read one of the author’s {Bryan Smith} preface and was struck by his words. He commented on hearing a sermon by John Piper about Martin Luther and the importance of keeping up on the study of the original biblical languages {Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek}. You can find Piper’s message here.
Smith quotes Piper as saying, “I find myself, by reading these kinds of things, pricked in my conscience and awakened to revive and renew my efforts with Hebrew. Greek is not a problem for me because I had a chance to teach it…I never taught Hebrew. And so I’ve struggled with it ever since seminary days…Knowing the languages can make any devoted preacher a better preacher…I want to make my Hebrew better in 1996 so that I will be more faithful in my exposition of the Old Testament.”
Smith, who majored in Old Testament Interpretation, goes on to recount that even he had lost some of the most common vocabulary he once knew so well. He began by working his way through the Psalms using a page of A Reader’s Hebrew Bible alongside his English Bible. By the time he finished working his way through the Psalms he could read Hebrew as fast as English.
Smith concludes by saying, “Because of this valuable experience, I can say with confidence to all those with pricked exegetical consciences, ‘If you want to make your Hebrew better in the coming year, A Reader’s Hebrew Bible is a tool that will not disappoint you.’”
If you took Hebrew in seminary and it has slowly drifted away, this might be the tool you need. I’m sure you spent too many dollars and too many hours trying to memorize paradigms and vocabulary to just let it go. Besides, it will make you a more faithful expositor of the Old Testament. And in the end, isn’t that what we all long to be, a faithful expositor?
Pick up a copy today, I’m glad I did.
Denny Burk has a great post on the issue of egalitarianism and complimentarianism, highlighting a DFW church who has recently turned egalitarian on their stance concerning women in ministry. Well worth the read.
I am complimentarian and think the Bible teaches this as well.
Martini and Jopparelli are continuing their “mission of spreading reggae vibes for people who still don’t even imagine how good reggae music can be.” Check out there 25 essential reggae tunes.
The new Mac are hilarious. Watch them here.
Another great reason: read this.
I turned 36 today. But one of my musical heroes died today: Eddy Arnold. Singer, performer, songwriter…back when country was cool.
Here’s to you Eddy… I’ll always think of you on my birthday, the day you died.
For you “American Idol-ers” out there {I work with 3}, there’s a great interview with some of the contestants who are Christians at ChristianityToday.com.
The simple answer is that we are selfish. Kids equal money and that means we have to buy school clothes for them, and toys, and food, and cars, and college and it means that we can’t spend the money on ourselves for our third car, second home, clothes, flat-screens, etc, etc.
That’s why the world hates children. People would rather spend their time and their money on themselves. Unfortunately, this is rampant in the church today too. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people speak so negatively of their children. You would think that their children were a cancer, a burden, something to be thrown off as they wait for the day when they finally move out so the 2 selfish parents {if you can call them that} can spend more time with one another. Trust me, these people never would have survived in the Old Testament days nor in any society where you are dependent on the ground to provide food for you and not the grocery store. Their tune would change if they found themselves in a third world country where family is valued.
Harry Chapin has something to say to you. See the video below and listen to the words.
I’m ranting today because I read this report- “Harvard Professor: Children Can Send Marriage Into Downward Spiral.”
And I read this by Pat Buchanan- “The Way Our World Ends.”
People in the West don’t want babies anymore…too much responsibility.
But the East is affected just as well, as pointed out by Al Mohler- “The Land of Disappearing Children” — Japan’s Population Crisis”
See also this article- “Why the Baby Bust?”
or- “Is God Dead in Europe? A Vision of the Future, Coming Fast”
or- “More Abortions Than Births in Russia”
I’m not saying you have to have 80 kids. Maybe all you have is one or none or two or twelve. But if you think of your children as a burden and they are interfering with “your life”- well, i feel sorry for you. And sorry about the rant…
Watch this video as I anticipate our 4th child entering the world any day now…
May you be scared to death by these words.
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin’ ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say “I’m gonna be like you dad
You know I’m gonna be like you”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home dad?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play
Can you teach me to throw”, I said “Not today
I got a lot to do”, he said, “That’s ok”
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then
Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
“Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head and said with a smile
“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then
I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you”
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then
The Harris boys at TheRebelution.com have complied some great resources on sexual purity/lust. They link to many great articles on this topic as well as many others. Worth checking out, especially John Piper’s strategy for fighting lust {ANTHEM}.
My friend and fellow pastor Heath Taylor is blogging now {about stinkin’ time, Heath!}. Check out his blog: The Pulpit and the Pew.
Yesterday as I was sitting in Clark’s office, this lizard traipsed in {yes, lizards traipse}. Matt, Clark and I were unsuccessful in capturing it, so we had to seek out professional help: I grabbed my son Zechariah from his music class at school and the traipsing lizard was soon a prisoner.
The traipsing lizard was seen around the church campus all night during AWANA. I’m sure there’s a sermon illustration here somewhere.
