A Christmas Testimony: Newness of Life in the Face of Death

On Friday, December 23rd, a retired South African minister by the name of Dr. Francis Nigel Lee died in Australia (where he lived) at the age of 77.

Dr. Lee offered a stirring account of how God in 1994 used him to bring salvation to a man who only days before had been arrested for the robbery and murder of Dr. Lee's own 85-year-old father in his home in South Africa.

Here is his personal testimony of what happened, as the event unfolded.  It's a perfect example of what the Christmas story is really about.  The reason why Jesus came to this earth, to be born of a virgin, and to die.  It is what biblical Christianity is all about: the power of God to convert an unregenerate, lost sinner, to open his eyes, grant him repentance, give him a new heart and a new mind, and give him everlasting life and joy and peace, by grace through faith.

I've read this testimony once before.  It is as moving and powerful to me now as it was the first time I read it...

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The Sovereignty of God in the Salvation of My Father's Slayer

By the Rev. Prof. Dr. F. N. Lee

In April 1994, I was invited to fly round the world and expound the Lord's Prayer in the U. S. A. during September. Having acquired the plane ticket, as an only child I was much looking forward to visiting my parents in Barrydale (near Swellendam in South Africa) on my way from Australia to America. 

However, in July 1994, my father (almost 86) was robbed and left for dead in his home. My mother (having lost her mind and the use of some of her bodily functions) was permanently hospitalised. One week after being assaulted, my father died in hospital and went to be with the Lord.

Upon my arrival in South Africa in September, I headed for Swellendam (where my mother is still in hospital). There, I was amazed that the police had apprehended a young man in connection with the death of my father, and that the young man had signed a statement alleging that he alone had attacked my father. I also learned that my father, before dying, had given a description to the police of the young man (which description is altogether in harmony with the appearance of the accused) and that the latter was being held in jail precisely in Swellendam, while awaiting his preliminary trial just one week after my own arrival there. 

I immediately contacted the jail, requesting permission to come and speak to the accused (of whom it is alleged that he had killed also someone else even before attacking my father). The police warmly supported my request, but informed me the accused had the right to refuse to see me. He, however, being told who I was, agreed and even requested to meet with me. 

On the 15th of September I went to the jail, where I was told to surrender my camera and tape-recorder and any firearms I may have been carrying. I was escorted to a room where three armed policemen and their officer were doing clerical work. One minute later, the accused was brought through the door into the room and stood there in front of me. 

He was a strongly-built medium-sized man, answering exactly to the description given by my father to the police. He stood there, just looking down at the ground. I silently prayed to God for guidance as to what to do next. Then I got up from my chair; addressed him politely by his full name; greeted him with a handshake; thanked him sincerely for granting me the interview; and requesting him to sit down before I again did so. 

I then said: "Mr. W., are you getting enough to eat here?" He replied: "Yes, thank you." I said: "Have you peace of mind here?" He replied: "Sir, I am very unhappy. I have been praying to God in my cell for the last three nights, but it's as if my prayers bounce back off the ceiling and don't get through." 

I then said: "Mr. W., I am the only child of the old man who was left for dead behind the front door of his house in Barrydale on the 10th of July whom you are accused of having assaulted. I had been looking forward to spending a week with him in September, but as you can see this is now impossible." The young man nodded; looked down; and said nothing. 

I then continued: "Mr. W., my father was not a Christian many years ago, but there came a time in his life when he turned from his sins and received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. That is why he is now in heaven, and waiting for me to join him. 

"I assure you Mr. W., that if you make your peace with God – whether you die right now of a heart attack; or are to be put to death for murder; or die naturally later on – you too will go to heaven. I also assure you that my father, whom you are accused of having murdered, will then be the first to welcome you there. However, Mr. W., if you do not repent and if you die in your sins, I assure you that you will spend eternity in hell-fire and damnation forever! 

"Mr. W., whether you repent and become a Christian, or you harden yourself and die in your sins, know for sure that if found guilty by the court I would want you to receive the maximum penalty. 

"I will plead no leniency whatsoever for you, even if you become a Christian, but I am offering you everlasting life in heaven after you die, if you will repent and come to Jesus. 

"Mr. W., three men died on a little hill called Calvary. Two were guilty robbers; but the One in the middle, the Lord Jesus, was innocent. Robbers, as you know, include those who go around beating up old people and leaving them for dead after stealing from them. Both of those robbers jeered at the innocent Jesus crucified between them. 

"But then one of the robbers repented, turned to the other, and said: 'We are being condemned justly. For we are receiving the punishment due, for our deeds. But this man (Jesus) has done nothing amiss!' Then the penitent robber said to Jesus: 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!' So Jesus said: 'Truly, I tell you, today you shall be with me in paradise!' 

"Mr. W., do you not see yourself as one of those two robbers next to Jesus on Calvary? Will you die in your sins and go to hell like the impenitent robber? Or will you, like the other robber, repent of your sins; receive Jesus as your Lord; and be assured by Him that you will go to heaven when you die 

"Mr. W., if you wish, I will leave this jail right now. But if you prefer, I would be privileged to show you right now how you too can become a Christian. Which is it to be?" 

Mr. W. then tried to look in my eye. He said: "Sir, would you please show me how to become a Christian?" I then realised that the four policemen in the room had all put down their pens; had stopped working; and were straining their ears, listening to us. So I said: "Officer, could you kindly get us a Bible?" 

The officer went galloping out of the room, and immediately returned with a Bible and put it on my lap with great respect. I opened it at John 3:16, and asked Mr. W. if he could read. When he so indicated, I handed him the Bible, and asked him to read it. Loudly and clearly, he read it out, and then said: "I am too big a sinner!" But I replied: "Mr. W., it says here: 'whosoever'; and that includes you too, if and when you put your trust in Jesus."

The atmosphere was electric. All in that room felt the awesome presence of God the Holy Ghost. The silence was terrifying. Then I said: "Mr. W., will you come to Jesus?" He replied: "I will!" 

So, two wicked hell-deserving sinners Rev. Prof. Dr. Nigel Lee and his father's slayer Mr. W., then went down on their knees in that jail together. I put my arm around his shoulder, and prayed first. I thanked God for our meeting; (re)confessed all my own fresh sins to the Lord; and then asked Him to have mercy on Mr. W., for Christ's sake. 

Mr. W. then prayed. He said: "Lord, I'm a miserable sinner! Please don't let Satan destroy me! I am sorry for all my sins. Forgive me, for the sake of Jesus who died for people like me!" 

We then got off our knees. I assured him: "Mr. W., if you really meant that, you are now my brother. In that case, here is my right hand of fellowship. I will help you in any way I can. Here is my address in Australia. If you write to me, I promise to reply to every letter you may write, for the rest of my life. When is your trial?" 

He replied: "Thursday 22nd September." I promised to pray for him on that day (when I would be overseas), that justice would be done and that he would continue to receive God's grace whatever the outcome. I then again shook his hand and left the jail to the astonishment of both the grateful police and the bewildered convicts there who just kept on staring at me in amazement. 

Driving back to Barrydale, I praised God and sang His Psalms the whole time – realizing anew that God is not dead but very much alive on this great planet earth. For God had revived my soul – and, I trust, those of all in that room in the jail. 

Four days later, I visited the jail again. This time Mr. W. was waiting for me with a smile. He had been reading the Bible since I last saw him, and claimed to have peace. I urged him to speak to the other prisoners about what had happened to him; to tell the full truth at his trial. 

I also urged him to work and witness for the Lord for the rest of his earthly life (be it short or long). He then prayed for both of us; thanked God for my visits; and boldly asked the Lord to bless me wherever I went (that same day to England, and thereafter to America).

God heard his prayer. In London, the Lord spoke powerfully even through my there relating the above events. In America, the effect was electrifying, and the tape-recording of my account is spreading like wildfire and producing awesome enquires and results. I used it there, as an illustration, while preaching on the fifth petition in the Lord's Prayer: "And forgive men their debts, as we forgive our debtors!" 

My fellow sinner, how stands it with your soul? Are you certain you are right with God for time and eternity? For Jesus assures us: "If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses!" 

O that God would melt the heavens and come down, and touch and revive His hard-nosed children here on earth! Do you have the certainty that all your sins have been forgiven, for Christ's sake? If not, settle this matter forthwith! 

Sincerely in the Lord's service, from a sinner saved by grace 

(Rev. Prof. Dr.) F. N. Lee, 

Queensland Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Ret.

Brisbane, Australia.

http://www.fpcr.org/blue_banner_articles/slayer.htm

Why the Christian Faith is Really a Covenant

In some non-reformed circles, Christianity tends to be a man-initiated, man-centered arrangement.  A private transaction.  A deal struck between the Holy Spirit, the Father and "the prospective Gospel recipient." A bargain negotiated with the consent of both parties (God and man) with the expectation that the "acceptee" will be entitled to certain rights, privileges and benefits -- all of which are highly desirable, and worth a lot more than what the world esteems as "valuable" -- things which, in fact, are priceless.  Like eternal life, peace with God, assurance of everlasting happiness, and total, utter fulfillment of our human existence in the world to come, the promise of a vibrant, living, personal relationship with the Creator God of the universe in this world, etc..

Well, I can tell you from personal experience -- and from my reading of the Bible -- you do get all of the above.  But, it is GOD who initiates it, not man.  God sets it in motion, man, by God's grace, receives it through faith (Heb. 11, Eph. 2).  Man is the beneficiary and the subject of it, but it is GOD who does all the "heavy lifting" necessary to ratify, enforce and make effectual this special covenant of his grace.

And none of this happens casually or informally.  God binds himself with an oath and a solemn promise: a promise to perform all that is necessary to make it happen.  And he employs a rather graphic, "hands-on," too-real-to-ignore visual to illustrate just how solemn and severe the matter really is, as Tim Maughan relates in his message last Sunday at Redemption Church - Gilbert, on God's Covenants.  The ritual slaying of a live animal, the verbal pronouncements over and between the parted remnants of it, all symbolize emphatically just what is at stake.  The immortal souls of God's children, which cannot be redeemed, the Scripture says, without the shedding of blood.  The salvation of his people.  The rescue of the human race.  That's what is at stake.  The Fall in the Garden was the problem.  God's sovereign, unmerited, voluntarily instigated redemption of sinful man is the solution.  HIS solution.  From beginning to end.  GOD is the Author and Finisher of our faith, in every way, shape, manner and form.

This is another powerful and exhilarating example of the simplicity and perfection of the Gospel when it is applied by God's Spirit to the minds and hearts of those whom he chooses.

I encourage you to watch this video in its entirety.  The truth and beauty of God's Word are plain enough for even the most "doctrinally challenged" among us to see and understand (and believe)....


Doctrine #6- Covenant: God Pursues from Redemption Church on Vimeo.

Thank you, Tim.  For your awesome preaching (and teaching!).

How God Used a Little Book Called 'Power for Living' to Save Me 28 Years Ago

Most of you have probably never heard of a little book called Power for Living.  It was first published in 1983 -- the year President Ronald Reagan declared as "the Year of the Bible" -- and ran through several editions through 1998.

The first edition came out in October of 1983.  That's the edition I read, and that was when I read it.  The book had been commissioned by the Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation, to celebrate the Year of the Bible, and was published by American Vision.

It was advertised on TV and in magazine ads at the time, so my mom ordered a free copy.  It arrived and sat around the house for a few days.  Maybe a few weeks.  But eventually I picked it up.  And I read it.

And I'll tell you right now, it was the evangelistic tool that God used to finally open up my heart and give me the saving faith I needed to take the all-important step of acknowledging my sins, realizing that I was completely incapable of providing for myself what I really needed to get out of the spiritual malaise I was in -- and the eternal misery I was headed for -- and admitting my need for a personal and readily available Savior (whom I already knew was JESUS CHRIST the Lord)!

First Step in a Lifetime Journey

That first step involved doing what every repentant sinner needs to do: ask God for immediate forgiveness of all sins, past, present (and future), and to beg Him for one more chance, an opportunity to "start over fresh" with a new life, which would commence just as soon as I would ask His Son Jesus to be my all-sufficient Redeemer and Lord of my life, and renounce the tyranny of Satan and his "reign of error" that I had, until that moment, voluntarily placed myself under.

It's not an understatement to say that reading that book and doing what it said totally changed my life.  Forever.

Deja Worldview

Why do I mention Power for Living now, almost 28 years later?

Well, because it's a good example of how God seemingly uses an isolated event in your life to bring you to saving faith and knowledge of Him, and then, months or perhaps years later, He brings you to a place where you come "full circle" with that event, and reconnects you with it somehow. 

Let me explain.  But, first, a little background.

Power for Living, Extreme Makeover

The first edition of Power for Living was written by a team of authors that, I later learned, were Calvinistic in their theology.  Which means the book reflected a "Reformed" view of salvation, discipleship and Christian living, one that was God-centered, comprehensive and systematic in its approach to helping the new believer cultivate and nurture a "biblical-worldview" as part of this life of walking with Christ.

Well, for whatever reason, the tone and content of the book didn't sit well with some of the folks who were underwriting the Power for Living project, so that first edition was scrapped.  The book was then completely (and quickly) rewritten by a different author -- with a more Arminian, evangelistic tone and focus -- and a second edition was issued (one month after the first one) in November 1983.  And to my knowledge this "revised version" became the basis for all subsequent edtions of the book.)

Full Circle to a Full-Orbed Faith

The prevailing perspective in evangelical Christianity back then was (and still mostly is) Arminian.  So, consequently, that was the first "school of Christ" I encountered and embraced as a new believer.

But, after my walk with God had passed through its first six or seven years, I lost my taste for man-centered, Arminian theology and was drawn to the more satisfying, biblically consistent doctrines of Reformed theology, mainly because of its unsentimental yet deeply devotional quality and its Christ-centered, sovereign-God-honoring, practical approach to Christianity.

After a few years of being a Reformed Christian, I came to discover that THREE out of the FIVE authors who originally wrote that first edition of Power for Living -- David Chilton, Gary DeMar and Ray Sutton -- were Calvinist writers that I had become familiar with and highly respected -- YEARS after I had unwittingly read their book!

Lesson Learned

Sometimes, God uses a moment like that in our lives to "lock us in" to our faith, and then He brings us back to it later on, somehow, to use as a spiritual reference point to gauge "how we're doing" and whether or not we've grown in grace and in our knowledge of Him.

And revisiting the roots of my "salvation experience" along with the origins of the book God used to bring that about, causes me to appreciate even more, his sovereign working in my life, and maybe explains why I sort of "came home" to the Reformed faith after spending a few years trying to find a theological safe haven for myself.  But, enough about me. It's all about HIM!

For More Information...

If you're interested in learning more about this obscure little book I've been talking about, here's a helpful article on the nearly three-decades-long history of Power for Living.

Update: it looks like the book is no longer available from the Arthur DeMoss Foundation, but you can find it used at Amazon.com and through other online resellers.

My prayer is that God will continue to use this little book however He sees fit, to bring other sons and daughters to glory in Christ in the same mysterious way He did me, and enable those of us, unworthy sinners whom He has called and chosen to be redeemed by His grace, to glorify and enjoy Him forever!

Boasting About Tomorrow: James 4:13-17

James is an extremely practical book.  The lessons contained in it seem to hit us right where we live!

Last Sunday, our executive pastor Tim Maughan (Redemption Church, Gilbert), taught on James, finishing chapter 4, verses 13 - 17.

If you haven't had the opportunity to see (or hear) Tim preach, now's your chance!


James #10 - Boasting About Tomorrow from Redemption Church on Vimeo.

Tim's message focuses on how even Christians can become "practical atheists."  Meaning, they profess to believe in God and trust in Him and call themselves followers of Christ, yet they can still, at times, be guilty of living their lives, making their plans, thinking about the things they want to do and how they want to do them, and how it'll all turn out -- without giving a second thought to what GOD might have to say about it, or even that the outcome depends on HIM!

James warns us not to "boast" about what we'd like to do, whether now or in the future ("we'll go into such and such a city to buy and sell and get gain") because the reality is, we really don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, next year or even in the next five minutes, because none of that is within our ability to control, it's in God's.

Tim cites some personal examples from his own life (including a serious car accident that nearly left him dead), that convinced him in a powerful way that all of us, no matter how godly or spiritual we think we are, sometimes take life for granted and presume that things will turn out exactly the way we think (and hope and plan) that they will -- because it's what we want -- and we forget just how fragile, temporary and transitory (like a "vapor") life is.  We forget that GOD is the absolute, sovereign authority in and over our lives, and it's Him who governs and directs everything that happens to us (and through us), as well as how it all happens, and why it all happens -- for our benefit and for His glory.

Watch this video, from beginning to end (it's that good!), and you'll learn some amazing truths from God's Word about His infinite wisdom, mercy and goodness towards us who are His children (through faith in His Son).

Warning Against Worldliness: James Ch. 4

Last Sunday, my pastor Tom Shrader (Redemption Church, Gilbert) continued preaching on the book of James.

Here's the video of his message, James 4:1-12:


James #9 - Warning Against Wordliness from Redemption Church on Vimeo.

A key theme that Tom talks about, which runs through the entire book of James, is that if we've been redeemed and saved by grace through Jesus Christ and our hearts have been changed and our minds have been changed and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then our lives should (and will) "look" differently from the world.

So, if we find ourselves constantly caught up in quarrels, arguments and conflicts with others -- spouse, co-worker, overly sensitive gym rat (one of Tom's illustrations!) -- clearly the problem is with us, not with them!

The Word of God (as James says) is like a mirror to show us how we REALLY are, not how we think we are.  (Here, take a look!....)

What John 3:16 Really Says--and What It Really MEANS

"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (KJV)

Today is "3/16" (March 16th), so it seemed like a fitting occasion to take a fresh look at a very familiar verse of Scripture -- the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16 -- a verse that even people who never crack open a Bible or call themselves Christians or go to church (except for weddings and funerals), are acquainted with.

Unfortunately, a lot of people who do go to church and do call themselves Christians and do read the Bible -- and do have everlasting life as a result of this verse -- still sometimes misinterpret it.

Here's a helpful video from Pastor Jim McClarty of Grace Christian Assembly in Nashville, Tennessee, dealing with the subject of a correct understanding of what John 3:16 says and what it means.

Now, this is not a detailed exegesis of the passage -- though he does touch on the Greek just a little for a few of the words -- but it is a helpful treatment of a sometimes difficult (for some) passage in John's Gospel.



His point is this.  John 3:16 does not teach universalism (i.e., that the whole world will be saved) and it does not teach Arminianism (i.e., that man, not God, determines who will believe and be saved, and who will not).  Most importantly, it does not teach anything contrary to what the rest of the Bible says about God's sovereignty in salvation.

What it does teach is simply what the rest of the New Testament teaches, i.e., that all those who believe and ONLY those who believe will receive the benefit promised, i.e., salvation or, "everlasting life." Moreover, ONLY those who believe will be the ones who DO NOT perish -- everyone else will.  (See v. 18 and v. 36 of John chapter 3 for confirmation of this.)  The heaviness of that truth places even more urgency and an even greater responsibility on those of us who do believe and are saved, for sharing the Gospel with a world around us that is perishing!

Watch the video for a "Reformed" take on this all-important verse dealing with an all-important doctrine!

An Evening of Eschatology: A Millennial Discussion Among Brothers in Christ

If you like theology -- at least enough to know a little something about eschatology (doctrine of "last things") and you're interested in the different positions regarding the Second Coming of Christ and the nature and time of the Millennium (Christ's "thousand year" reign, Revelation ch. 20) -- you might like this.

In Sept. 2009, John Piper (Desiring God Ministries) held an "Evening of Eschatology" at the church he pastors in Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Baptist Church.

He invited three learned, respected and godly men (all pastors and teachers) to come and spend a lively, impassioned yet friendly evening with him, discussing before a live audience the issues surrounding an important theological subject -- eschatology -- and the three major millennial views that are held within the orthodox evangelical Christian and Reformed churches.

This video was a sheer delight for me to watch!  Three Christian men (actually four with Piper as moderator), deeply committed in their positions on a matter of vital biblical teaching. Yet the brotherly affection, love, kindness and respect shown between them is obvious, demonstrated throughout the discussion and very encouraging to watch.

Watch for yourself and see if you agree.

It's scintillating theological conversation that radiates a love for the Lord Jesus Christ and a reverence for the Word of God.

When you're ready, you can click on the link below.  This will take you to Desiring God's website and the page where this video is hosted from their online resource library.

Watch the presentation here:

An Evening of Eschatology

John Piper, B.D, D. Theol., is senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church. The three gentlemen accompanying him are: Jim Hamilton, Th.M., Ph.D., associate professor of Biblical Theology at Southern Baptist Seminary, pastor of Kenwood Baptist Church, representing the premillennial position; Doug Wilson, M.A. Phil., pastor of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho, founding board member of Logos School, trustee, senior fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College, editor of Credenda Agenda, representing the postmillennial position; Sam Storms, Th.M., Ph.D., pastor of Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, OK, president of Enjoying God Ministries, past professor at Wheaton College, representing the amillennial position.

By the way, this discussion is a perfect example of brothers in Christ differing in opinion while loving and serving the same God of the Bible and the same Savior, Jesus Christ!

Watch it all the way through. The conclusion is especially gratifying.

Then let me know what your thoughts are (watch it a couple of times!)....

An Evening of Eschatology

Is God's Love for His People Really 'Crazy?' Francis Chan Says It Is...

Have you read Francis Chan's 2008 bestselling book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God?

My home group from church is currently studying its way through it.

The book probably never would have made it onto my radar screen, except that it was highly recommended by several of the pastors at our church last year.  So our group took a vote, and decided to read-and-discuss our way through it.

So far so good!

I'll save my "review" of Crazy Love for after we finish reading it.  in the meantime, I'll say it has fostered some good discussions.

It's written in a very laid-back, southern-California style (Chan formerly pastored Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California), but, make no mistake, Chan puts forth some very un-laid-back accusations and Holy-Spirit-convicting points that are directed at lukewarm, comfort-loving, affirmation-and-approval-seeking (from man), AMERICAN Christians!

You know something is afoot just by looking at the chapter titles:

"Stop Praying." "You Might Not Finish This Chapter." "Profile of the Lukewarm." "Serving Leftovers to a Holy God." "Your Best Life... Later." And so forth.

In any case, the book has amassed 381 overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon.com and is currently (as of this writing) #48 on their top 100 books, and climbing.

I'll give you my overall impressions and observations once we're done.

Why American Vision's "National Prophecy Conference" in June Will Not Be Preempted by a Rapture in May...

It was, no doubt, providential that my first "content" post on this site should be about the Rapture. But I happened to spot this brief promo video today of Gary DeMar announcing American Vision's National Prophecy Conference, slated for June 2011 to follow Harold Camping's heralded prediction of the Rapture of the Church on May 21st.

Not to be cynical or disrespectful about it, but dispensational premillennialism has been promising a rapture for going on 200 years now. Each new generation sees another crop of teachers and "prophets" prognosticating about an event that Jesus told us we have insufficient data about which to prognosticate.  But each new generation sees another crop of adherents who embrace this system of prophetic interpretation that provides fertile ground for date-setters.

I've never been a big fan of "prophecy," though briefly, during the mid to late 1980s (1986-1989 to be exact), when still a fairly new and theologically impressionable Christian, I fell victim to the extra-biblical paramours of certain Bible teachers and preachers and embraced the school of thought known as dispensational premillennialism.  But after the deflating disappointment of Edgar Whisenant's failed prediction of the Rapture in 1988, I then emigrated to historic premillennialism and then later, during the mid-1990s, after ruling out what was, to me, the uninspiring position of amillennialism, I began to embrace wholeheartedly the optimistic eschatology of postmillennialism -- largely through the influence of John Calvin, the 17th century Puritans and modern-day Calvinists like R.J. Rushdoony, Gary North, David Chilton, Kenneth Gentry, Gary DeMar and others.

In any case, the specter of dispensational premillennialism is still haunting the Church well into the 21st century. And this latest announcement by Harold Camping is the latest manifestation of that specter.

Pray for the success of American Vision's upcoming conference, that it will give many Christians a glimpse into real, honest-to-goodness, biblical prophecy.  And pray of course, for Gary DeMar.  (God bless you, Gary!)

Redeemed and Reformed's Inaugural Post

After giving Wordpress a try with numerous blogs, both free and hosted versions (I'll call them blog attempts), as well as several on Google's free Blogger platform, I've decided to launch this new, theologically-driven site using Blogger.  I'll probably write a separate article discussing why I chose Blogger over Wordpress for this one.  Stay tuned.

REDEEMED and REFORMED will focus on the intensely practical doctrines of the biblical Christian faith (not that I'm an expert or even a pastor because I'm neither) and look at how they apply to the myriad and sundry issues, questions, situations and problems of life--providing answers and solutions as only God's Word can--and it will do so, by design, from an explicitly and self-consciously Calvinist, Christian worldview, since that's the worldview that I hold.

Of course, this doesn't mean that I won't write about, post or share content that does not fit this perspective. Because I certainly will.  God's kingdom is more inclusive than man's denominational and theologically-imposed boundaries. (It's going to end up filling the whole earth anyway!)

Well, with the above as "full disclosure," let me invite you to come back and visit as we begin to build this blog into something substantive, enduring and, hopefully, long-term.