The Sieve 2/3/10

THE MOHLER REVERB
Al Mohler's recent post regarding pornography and it's current availability...very good post. I've been trudging my way through the most recent Family Research Council's Research Synthesis on the effects of pornography on marriages, individuals, families, and communities. Mohler's post goes well with it. I'll link to both.

Hijacking the Brain — How Pornography Works

EN-VIRAL-MENTAL-ISTS
The recent post by The Foundary works through a new paper published by the journal Environmental Science & Technology regarding the consumer choices being effected by environmental policies. The specific choice covered in the article is regarding schools.

School Choice Bad for the Environment?

FUNDITUS PRAVUS
Ray Ortlund's quick post this morning is excellent regarding our perspective of others. Must Read!

Companions in a common misery

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Obama is in serious trouble; stuck between the Pro-Life people foaming mad that his agenda pushed for healthcare reform that would force them to pay for abortions via tax money and the Reproductive Rights people foaming mad he didn't get it done. I could give you examples of seathing articles from both sides but I like this one the best. It's from the Pro-choice side of the isle.

""He can't make eye contact with abortion," an observation those of us in the reproductive justice movement can't help but agree with. His failure to stand up for the human rights of women -- and to trust us -- began to make me wonder about his commitment to those of us who were his core constituents and helped elect him. He's like the prom date I had last night who can't remember my name this morning." 
from RHRealityCheck.org by Loretta Ross

Read the rest:

(VIDEO) Obama Can’t Make Eye Contact With Abortion Rights

POLITICS
This is a good article from The Foundary regarding the fight for Obama's health care reform. It maps out the procedural strategies and tactics of the Republicans and Democrats very well. It's a back and forth battle from super-majority (democrats) to filibuster (republicans) to nuclear option (democrats) to unlimited amendments (republicans). This outlines the progression!

Fighting the Nuclear Option

BEST ARTICLE TITLE OF THE DAY
I thought this was the best title I've seen in a while...you can also read the article too. It's by the Family Research Council.

Obama's HOPE Is That He Gets All of Your CHANGE

GOOD OL ARTICLE
I'll through this short one in...very good by Douglas Wilson!

Nostalgia Is Not An Eschatology

The Sieve 1/20/09

Al Mohler Reverb
This is a new dedicated title in the Sieve for Al Mohler's Blog. I've never read his blog without profoundly walking away changed. Today is no different:

How Will They Hear Without a Preacher?

The Superbowl is Coming

Here are a couple good short post regarding the up coming media frenzy:

Enjoy Those 11 Minutes This Weekend

Football Player to Feature in Anti-choice Super Bowl Ad

A Great Private Enterprise

For those of you who enjoy firearms and all the cool stuff that goes along with it...you'll enjoy this article. Trijicon - Founded on Christian principles is under scrutiny!

Gunsights' biblical references concern US and UK forces

Raising Children

A blurb on the Ligonier site:

Evangelizing Our Children

All this talk about "RIGHTS"

Whether on news cast, blogs, legislation, or any other communicable platform the elevation of "rights" has become a force for pushing agendas along. Here is a good post from the Pure Church by Thabiti Anyabwile:

The Gospel, Love, and Rights

Politics

The new 2010 Index of Economic Freedom released recently by the Heritage Foundation is another huge nail in the coffin of the current government regime. Worth Reading!

The U.S. Isn’t as Free as It Used to Be

The Sieve 1/19/10

MISSIONS
Here is good info regarding missions from THE GOSPEL COALITION. Here is a taste of the article:

They should also cause us to consider the sacrifice that will be necessary to reach Muslim countries with the gospel. Muslim nations have the fewest Christians and the most persecution.  For example, eight out of the top ten countries on Open Doors’ World Watch List are Muslim nations.

The kind of Christian who gets offended when a clerk at Target says “happy holidays” rather than “merry Christmas” when checking out, probably won’t consider moving to a city where Christians are gunned down on Christmas Eve or shot at a wedding. Yet that is exactly what needs to happen.

Read the rest here:

Doing Missions When Dying Is a Distinct Possibility

PRO-LIFE RALLY TODAY IN OLYMPIA

The general public will be marching with the Silent No More Awareness Campaign today. This march for awareness...It's estimated that 25,000 woman each year have an abortion in Washington State!

Read the rest here:

Silent No More Set to March

PUBLIC EDUCATION

Thank GOD for the home school movement...it's literally the salvation to redeeming education for our children. Sorry for those of you who are public school teachers you are fighting against all odds to educate children. You won't get my child!

Read this regarding head start program:

Head Start: A $150 Billion Failure

Also Obama's RACE TO THE TOP program! Major tax money in the form of grants for those states willing to make major change to their school systems. 30 states will sell their souls to this program. Texas, the largest opponent to the program, turns down millions of dollars to keep the feds from mucking around with their curriculum. I can hear the country song in my head right now...God bless Texas with his own hand!

Read this from the Washington Post:

Obama to seek $1.35 billion more for Race to the Top program

Read this from THE FOUNDARY:

Why Texas Skipped the “Race to the Top”

POLITICS

Today's a big news day include the race for the Massachusetts Senate seat. This could lead to the destruction of the filibuster proof majority the democrats enjoy at this moment. This definitely could throw a monkey wrench in the health care situation for the demon-crats. 

Read this from the Associated Press via Yahoo News:

Coakley, Brown cast votes in closely-watched race

GREAT MEN

From Ortlund Jr. Blog...A tribute to Richard Baxter via J.I. Packer. Very short and good!

Read here: 

He made Christianity attractive

The Sieve 1/18/10

POLITICS
This coming weeks work for the House and Senate:

The House and Senate Cloakrooms: Jan. 19 – 24

This also from THE FOUNDARY welfare!

Government Welfare: Cell Phones for the Poor

Finally a couple of good words from Doug Wilson on politics.

A Conservative What?

Whatever You Do, Don't Reify Nothing

OBAMA-TICs

More regarding Obama's promises...can anyone blow as much hot air up someones skirt more than HE!

Fathering Confusion

WORK PLACE

Good post on Justin Taylor's site on the work place. 

The Only Christian Work Is Good Work Done Well unto God

LORD'S DAY 

Again Doug Wilson on how we worship in song. Intentionality, Intentionality, Intentionality!

The Heart and Musical Vocabulary

Tim Challies writes some weighty quotes regarding how we listen the God's Word on the Lord's Day.

The Responsibility to Listen

ENVIRO-MENTALIST

I often keep track of the environmental seen via blogs and websites. It is one the easiest exercises of discernment to see that the cause is more than a cause but a religion and its supporters those who are followers of that religion. Al Mohler once again says it better than most on the Gospel Coalition site.

Thinking Green — The New Religion

The Sieve 12/29/09

The Lighter Side
For you hunters out there...here is a snippet from Ray Ortlund's Blog: The Lordship of Christ over the whole of life

The Heavier Side (Parental Advisory)
See this story on Abortion from Kevin DeYoung's blog: Why I Made a (Small) Year-End Gift to a Crisis Pregnancy Center, and You Should Consider Doing Something Similar
Take some time read it and look at some of these other articles regarding the temprature of this issue in our country right now!
Senate votes for massive funding for elective abortions
President Obama Signs Budget, Which Lifts DC Abortion Ban
 Women Speak out Against Stupak Amendment
And this story from a dear friend and relative of mine: Some "life" reading

Quote for the Day - Politics
The president said that the health care package that cleared the Senate was the most important social legislation since Social Security. Which was, as my daughter Rachel put, like saying we haven't had weather this good since Katrina. - Posted by Douglas Wilson on BLOG and MABLOG

Emergent Noise
Scot McKnight of Jesus Creed Blog on Universalism via Tony Jones blog: Talk of Universalism

The Sieve 12/22/09

Christmas

That's Christmas
This from Justin Taylor's Blog:
An evangelistic short film (10 minutes) from St. Helen’s Bishopgate in London on whether or not the Christmas story happened and what it means—featuring New Testament scholar Paul Barnett:


That's Christmas (Short Film) HD from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

Also this from The Gospel Coalition regarding Christmas by Tullian Tchividjian "The Great Reversal"
Here is a snippet:

We who believe the gospel will enjoy sinless hearts and minds along with disease-free bodies. All that causes us pain and discomfort will be destroyed, and we will live forever. We’ll finally be able “to enjoy what is most enjoyable with unbounded energy and passion forever.”

Christmas is the celebration of this process begun and the promise that it will one day be completed.

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Prayer

Here is the link to a series on prayer from the resurgence site. The latest installment -- Intercessory Prayer: Standing Between Two Extremes by Winfield BevinsActs 29 Pastor - Outer Banks, North Carolina. Here is a snippet:
Jesus the Ultimate Intercessor
There are numerous examples of individuals in the Bible who accepted the challenge to intercede on behalf of others, but the greatest example of intercession can be seen in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

Jesus still sits at the right hand of God and continually makes intercession on our behalf. Jesus' intercession isn't just a prayer that he prayed, but the life that he lived. Everything he said and did was for us! The essential meaning of the cross is Christ's mediation for all who would be saved. The Bible tells us, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). True intercession begins by following Jesus' example of self-giving, and then flows into fervent prayer for the lives of others.
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Politics

While it is true that most all democratic senators don't care what is in the health care bill. It is more clear they don't believe in it, proven by the fact the last of the holdouts leveraged to be exempt from many of it's provisions. It this is toted to be the best piece of legislation emerge in American History then why do they want to be exempt from it? It's worse than that! While some surface dwellers say that these Senators were just serving there constituents but an article by The Foundary reveals they are worse than their democrat counterparts. Read Michigan And Nebraska: The Senate Leadership Has Got A Deal For You! .

Also a Political Christmas Jingle:

The Sieve 12/8/09

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY:
See the resurgence blog for Mark Driscolls exerpt on Daddy's being prepared for the Christmas Season. Good stuff Dad's and very practical...get your stuff together men. I finished Driscoll's book "Pastor Dad" last night so I thought this was good application for my life.

16 Daddy Christmas Tips
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COP15:
Copenhagen climate summit is all over the news, youtube, and every other social networking site in the world. It could be said that Climate is God by sheer volume of bandwidth being used. Regardless of what side of the isle you are on something is wrong with the whole view of man's role in nature. For sure man's arrogance, folly, and struggle for power are on full display. Discern for yourself, it's a major issue of policy and will (is) effect(ing) you. The following is the opening vidoe played at the summit followed by a link to an article from the heritage foundation.

Please help the world - COP15 opening film
Morning Bell: Obama the Czar-Maker Becomes the Ultimate Czar

These verses come to mind for so many reasons
Prov 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
Isa 45:7 I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.
Prov 8:14-16 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
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CHURCH:
You have heard this before from our Elders but this is a chance to hear it again! Tim Challies has much wisdom regarding the responsibilities of listeners (church services). Please take the time and read this post.

Being a Diligent Listener
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
I robbed this off of Doug Wilson's blog

A European proverb tells the story -- "if envy were an illness, the world would be a hospital."

Reagan once said that socialism would only work in two places -- in Heaven, where they don't need it, and Hell, where they already have it.

The Sieve 12/7/09

CHURCH POLITY:
Here is an interesting series of discussions between a few credible blogs regarding Senior Pastor's vs. Plurality of Elders.

Should churches have a “senior” or “lead” pastor?
Dave Harvey on the "The Principle of the Presiding Elder"
Can Someone Who is 29 Years Old Be a "Senior" Pastor
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POLITICS:
I want to get a few stories some more attention. There are two things our government is putting it's time into currently. The first is climate change and the second is heath care. I will link to a story from the Heritage Foundation regarding climate change. I won't comment on it too much because it is so ridiculous and costly that it makes me smokin mad! But, there are two more stories that can't be ignored. Today and tomorrow the senate will be discussing and important part of the health care bill and that is whether abortion will be covered! What...you heard me. So I will break it down simply: Behind closed doors in a democrat caucus the democrats, in full power, will be voting on an amendment to include or not include coverage for abortions in the bill. Therefore if it is included and the heath care bill passes you will be required by law to have health care by the government or go to jail. What this means in the end is, whether by your tax dollars or some other form, you will support abortion or go to jail.

Article Links:
Washington Post Obama presses Democrats on health-care bill
Wall Street Journal Abortion Emerges as Top Bill Threat
The Foundry The Copenhagen Climate Comedy

Let us pray that our government will repent for their folly and do something constructive.
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THE STATE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH:
Here is a good article by Dr. Mohler.

NewsNote: When “Gracious Restraint” Fails — The Real Anglican Tragedy
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
I have two today one from Timothy Keller via Reformation 21 blog and one from Ray Ortlund and quotes from The Lord From Heaven, pages 11-12.

Marital Conflict
The latest issue of New York has a generally positive article on Redeemer Presbyterian Church's Tim Keller and his ministry to New York City. The article includes this gem of a quotation from Dr. Keller, which echoes the whole stream of biblical teaching on spiritual adultery: "God is in the longest bad marriage in history."

Truly, truly, he said to us
“The rabbis spoke from authority, Jesus with authority. . . . ‘Thus says the Lord’ is typical of the Old Testament, but Jesus’ characteristic expression is ‘Truly, truly, I say to you.’ The difference is significant. Jesus appealed to no other authority as He spoke to men of the deep things of God.”

Leon Morris, The Lord from Heaven, pages 11-12, italics his.
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The Sieve 12/5/09

POLITICS:
I just ready two outstanding issues of imprimis both clearly attributing a right view of human nature to the greater subjects of the articles. The november issue by Victor Davis Hanson regarding Western War history and future...very good.
https://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/archive/issue.asp?year=2009&month=11
The second I just received in the mail by Larry P. Arnn the current president of Hillsdale College regarding Education, Economics, and Self-Government.
http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/archive/issue.asp?year=2009&month=12
If you are not a subscriber to Imprimis please go to the Hillsdale College website and sign up! Very good publication in conservative thought.
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Here is a quote from site that claims they are "voice of the experts at Environmental Defense Fund"

If we don't enact a cap soon, international negotiations will fail. Without a limit on U.S. emissions, China and India will never agree to cut their global warming pollution. That means our slow-motion, real-life disaster movie continues, and we probably shoot past the environmental tipping point scientists have warned us about. That’s why President Obama endorsed the bill and said “delay is no longer an option.”
Brutal!
http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/
Well that's enough political blogging!
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ADVENT
Noel Piper wrote a good little snippet regarding advent. Something to put in our heart today as we go through this advent season!
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2128_advent_standing_in_the_middle/
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ABORTION
Sorry to blog about this after good perspective of advent...but it makes it all the more potent. I don't celebrate his murder at his Kansas church or the one who took his life but I thank God that the work of his hands has ceased. I wished is was under different circumstances other than his brutal murder. I pray God would be with his family and impact them for the love of the gospel and the sanctity of life.
As we celebrate the coming of a babe the abortion folk have been celebrating the death of a physician who killed babes. It's the equivelant of me blogging on the life of King Herod with warm sentiment and asking you to post your comments, condolences, and personal memories. Here is the caption below the picture of this phyiscian.

We continue to mourn the loss of our friend and colleague, Dr. George Tiller. Dr. Tiller was a dedicated physician who provided quality abortion care to women, at great personal sacrifice and risk. He is truly a hero to his fellow abortion providers and his patients. Dr. Tiller’s office is filled with letters from women, thanking him for the excellent, compassionate care he provided. Many of these women say Dr. Tiller saved their lives.

Since his tragic death, we have received messages from some of his patients and from people around the world who are saddened and outraged. We feel it is important to share these words and tributes to our beloved colleague and friend. For the first time, we will enable comments on our blog so that all of you can share your condolences or offer memories of Dr. Tiller. We invite you to join us in honoring a true American hero, Dr. George Tiller.
http://www.prochoice.org/blog/
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN
ndwilsons suggestions for literature as gifts for children!
http://ndwilson.com/blog/?p=261
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THE SAINTS
Here is link to an update on Matt Chandler's surgey on Justin Taylor's blog!
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/12/05/chandler-update/