My Most Controversial Tweet

"To believe that God is NOT soveriegn over all,

one must place their own intellect above either

Scripture or God"

written July 12, 2009 at 10:47 pm

What led me to this thought was a quote I heard:

"Calvinism is intellectual rape."

-a well known Arminianism and Philosophy Professor

My first thought was, "is that a problem? isn't God outside of our intellect, outside our proverbial box and actual time, space, and nature laws?"

so still I don't see a problem with this. but let me still clarify myself for the number of people that either read into my statement or felt that my head is stuck so far up my Reformed butt I don't understand what I'm saying.

What I am trying to say by this statement is that God is bigger, more powerful and smarter than us. After all, he did create everything that is, including us, and our intellect. I am a firm believer that we are wicked by nature, as C. H. Spurgeon once said:

"There is nothing a person behind bars has done that I am not also capable of doing." (paraphrased a bit)

in today's culture we are encouraged 'to see the best in people' and to 'look past one's faults' and I do, but I need not be surprised when people sin, after all that is our nature. And looking at my life, the good decisions that I have made were truly not from me. I'm pretty sure where i would end up if not for the Providencial hand of God. Although young, I have attempted to Live my Own Life, and to look out for me and that quickly leads to horrible and dark place. I am sure that if anyone examines themselves and their choice, we will choose what is wrong.

All of that to set this, We would not and could not choose God. As I look back at the story of Noah, I felt that from my Sunday School learnings I knew it pretty well, I am struck by the language that I had missed:

"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth and it grieved him to His heart. So the LORD said "I will blot out man whom I have created fromt the face of the land, man and animal and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD."

-Genesis 6:5-8

Please note that it doesn't say that Noah was a righteous man so God chose him to do his work. But note that every intension of man's thought were only evil continuously. Also, Noah remained in sin even after God literally saved him, in Genesis 9: 20-23 is the account of Noah becoming drunk off the wine of his new vineyard, and he "became uncovered in his tent." The Implication here is much worse than what we might think. And God used this man to repopulate the world.

Again, All of that to say, within ourselves there is no good, and last time I checked No still means No, which is nothing. And so, if I am not able to define, capture, graph, and mark out every thought, goal, and purpose of God I am comforted to know that God in control, and he has been using people to work out his plans for thousands of years.

and as my good friend once wrote me:

"If God be truly sovereign then we need not worry, and continue forward."

I rest in that truth.

An Update on the Gear at Rancho

With all the changes happening on campus we had to make some changes with to the tech gear. The Robo Cams are off the walls, the Center Projectors are gone, and all the Intelligent lights are above the stage. All of it safely out of the way of stray basketballs, volleyballs, the occasional Frisbee, me on the scissor lift not paying attention, or anything that could hit and damage them.

There are of course some pros and cons to moving this gear around.

Robo Cams:

Pro

They will still work correctly

Con

There is no longer an easy way to record events

we can't see what's going on in the side wings when the walls are closed

i can no longer get funny pictures and video of people on stage

Center Projectors:

Pro

we didn't use them much

they will also still work correctly

having content on the Lobby screens is a lot easier with less hassle

Con

we can't projector onto the largest section of the stage

i can't put the Logo or lyrics up there for a cool effect

Intelligent Lights only on stage

Pro

they won't get hit and will continue to work

we have so much more control over the lighting

the Epicness goes up at least 8 points (and if we had our hazer it would have gone up 16 points)

Con

none

This was short run down of everything I've been doing for the past 2 weeks. Making all this happen, and justifying why it was a good idea, besides of course the sports breaking them.

Some might say that i am having too much fun at VBS, this might be true, but making these new bible points really made it even more fun. With some help from Mike Johnson, Alex McLean, and Daniel Murphy

Why Twitter is Better

I have way too many people ask me: "What's up with this twitter thing?" which is quickly followed by: "It sound like Facebook, and why do i need another thing to check?"

First, it is nothing like Facebook, everything is ran on outside links, Blog/notes, Pictures, and all around boring crap isn't going to take up my entire home page.

For Example: with Twitter i don't have to see 60 new pictures of your "cute new kitty" and if for some reason you want to post them, there's only a link to somewhere else.

Second, 140 characters, so there is no blogs in your Status Update.

Finally, Twitter can go everywhere...updating all the other Social Networking sites, even sending text updates to and from any mobile phone. (Perk of this: text in update to updates twitter page, it will update Facebook, a Blog of yours, and even send it to friends on their phones.)

In Conclusion, Twitter is superior!

http://twitter.com/bdoghowl

Photos From Promenade

A friend of mine, let's call him Frank, mostly cause that's his name, is an awesome DJ that only plays Christian music and really enjoys dancing. He has been putting on dances for quite some time. they just started this Prom Alternative called Promenade.

Wanted to put up some pictures from this event. We had a blast, I had 2 other photographer helping me out; that made it so easy and a lot more fun.

This is Jonathan, one of the other Photographer.

He rocks on Portraits

Stan set down his camera to play a bit.

What we did was set the Flash to fire at the end of the shutter,

hence ghostly "shadows"

John Piper From the Resolved Conference

These were the notes from John Piper's Sunday Night Sermon. it was fantastic! i would love to discuss anything about this sermon.

Resolved Conference 2009-06-15

John Piper

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Sin work together for good, including your sin

What is the good?

Genesis 50: 20 “You meant it for evil, God meant it for good”

Good why? everything is being conformed to His Image

Ephesians 1:4-6 - “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

The universe was set up for Golgotha/ Calvary

What shall we learn from Israel having a King?

1. God is the King of Israel

2. All human kings will fail

3. The King had to be God, and had to die

In their Treason they brought about their salvation in their demanding a king

Christ Never Says “oops”

Temptation of Jesus was to keep Jesus off the Cross

Jump off and they’ll make you king

Satan would have made him king

Why Satan did what he did about the cross

Satan hates Jesus

Sin is irrational

Where was God?

God was ruling in heaven to fulfill dozens of prophetic scriptures

Jesus predicted down to the beard pulling and spitting

Without God’s sovereignty over all; Sin, Pilate, Jews, Satan, The Fall, Babel, Treason, Denial, Nails, suffering; you cant have the Gospel

Romans 8: 28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose

Ephesians 1: 6- “to the praise of his glorious grace”

My Dear Friend Jameson

I met Jameson at church, I knew him as: "The Jew that loves Jesus." He had an amazing ability, to love people, and to bring joy to other. Shortly there after we started working together at a machining and assembly place, he was joy work with, he found the most happiness and contentment in the smallest things. Unfortunately i enjoy teasing him for that, but we did have a blast, the other workers and i would regularly quote from Anchorman. Usually something along the lines of "I ate a big red candle" cause he would make the most random and off the wall comments.

Jameson has effected my life and ministry more than anyone! First, the Joy in Christ, while going through a lot of bad thing, that i wish i understood more, and the willingness to serve others sacrificially. Second, for ministry, i learned through him not to take any opportunity for granted, even a short visit can be so encouraging, and can be used to touch some one's life. Also, not avoid asking people how they are really doing, I had no idea that he was in to what he was. Not that i hold myself at all responsible for what happened, but i wish i could have help.

I wish i could have told him how much he has changed my life, but that will have to wait until i see him again.