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Author Archives: barrydean

I’m back, and I’m packin’ an Android now.

Much has happened since my self-imposed hiatus from blogging. I had actually considered stopping completely for lack of time and effort. But most things you like and wish to engage in take some time and effort. I notice when I am contributing to the blogosphere my writing skills are bettered. Not only the writing, but my studying and researching skills are enhanced as well. It takes an effort to publish something truthful and right.

First, I’d like to thank my spiritual brother Jacob for encouraging me to blog again. Rawk On Jacob!

One thing in my life that has changed is my smart phone. I have cast off the iPhone crutches to pursue a more technologically gifted side iron. The weapon of vast reward is my new Motorola Atrix Andriod powered phone with a very powerful 1GHz Dual Core processor. AT&T brags that it is the “world’s most powerful smart phone “. I am not certain of this but it does do multi-tasking well and the HD videos fly, especially when connected to a WiFi network.

the world’s most powerful smart phone

One of the first apps I downloaded is the YouVersion Bible software. The app is free for Android and has 50+ reading plans for reading through the bible. I even use this app during church sometimes.

Note to pastors: If you see me keying with my phone during your sermon, believe me, I am not texting John MacArthur with your scriptural insight. I am using it to follow along and maybe, just maybe, taking notes.

The YouVersion app easily lets me search for related scripture within multiple bible translations. Of course my main translation staple is the ESV. I am finding that my favorite part of the app is the Bible reading plan. I am currently on Day 64 of my One Year Bible reading plan. Having the tool has helped me to be more disciplined about reading the scripture daily since I have my phone with me at all times. Color me geek.

There is also a great WordPress blogging app I have downloaded for free. I may even begin to utilize that tool to help in my quest to start blogging again, and more frequently.

BTW – The picture above is of my lovely bride holding my actual Atrix phone. The phone is displaying my last posting via the WordPress app. My lovely bride loves her Atrix too. Yep, she had it first. 🙂

This is enough for my first blog in over 6 months. Lord willing, I will be contributing more frequently. There has been some amazing music released in the last several months as well. I might even throw in some book reviews. Like that isn’t being done in the blogging world. 🙂

Rawk On!

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Posted by barrydean on May 6, 2011 in Android, Atrix, bible, Motorola, scripture, YouVersion

Monergism Launches eBooks

20 Nov

If you are like me in searching for some great theology, church history, and Christian living books for your new text device like Kindle or iBooks? Then look no further. Monergism Books has just launched their eBooks eCommerce site.

Monergism Books has been providing great reformation resources for many years. They began as a website providing resources as a directory of theology including sermon text and audio. The have since expanded to an eCommerce site providing books, DVD’s, CD,s and software. Last year Monergism took the risky step of opening a brick and mortar business in Portland, Oregon. Monergism has been a wealth of resources over the years for folks like myself who are interested in learning about the reformed doctrine, church history, and gospel-centered theology. In closing I will post the about statement found on the web site.

Monergism Books is a Reformed Christian Internet bookseller with the goal of equipping Christians in the truth by making available the finest classic resources of historical orthodoxy. This is done in the hope that the church will embrace, and recover a Christ-centered gospel and the true Biblical doctrines of the historic faith.

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Posted by barrydean on November 20, 2010 in books, Christian ebooks, gospel, Monergism, reformd ebooks, reformed

Remembering

11 Sep

9.11.2001 – I was running late for work that day. I said good morning to my friend Phil who was smoking outside the door and he told me “some idiot flew a plane into the World Trade Center” (American Airlines Flight 11). I thought, how could a plane get so close without some major alarms going off. I unloaded my stuff when I got to my cube and logged onto my computer to search the Internet for any news on this accident. The Internet was pretty jammed up and it took a good 10 minutes before I could load any info about the story. I had was beginning to get a very uneasy feeling knowing that the only thing that would create a long response time like that would be massive Internet traffic. By the time I got to a news source a second plane (United Airlines Flight 175) had hit the South Tower and I knew this was no accident. The office building was unusually quiet. The only sounds were an occasional hint of keyboard tapping. There was no talking for what seemed like 30 minutes. Slowly a few co-workers began milling out into the cubical isles to talk to each other. I called home to ask my bride if she was aware of what was going on. She and our children were right in the middle of their homeschooled morning. She turned on the TV an it was all over the networks. Two airliners had flown into each of the World Trade Center towers. We prayed. My bride prayed with the kids. A couple of my believing co-workers and I took the time to pray together. Someone brought a TV into the break room and we all stood in silence and watched the news footage and the stories unfold. We learned about the Pentagon (American Airlines Flight 77), and later about a plane that went down near Shanksville, PA (United Airlines Flight 93). Needless to say no one was working or being productive.

Around lunch time we all headed home to be with our families and loved ones. Robin and I prayed with the kids and then watched more news. We had some pretty serious conversations with the kids. Each one of us tried to process the days events. How could this happen? How could anyone want to kill so many? What should we do now?

All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. (Psalms 86:9)

Soli Deo Gloria

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Posted by barrydean on September 11, 2010 in 9.11.2001, 911, God's sovereignty

Sermon Builder

10 Sep

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Eph. 4:11-14 ESV)

Building from my last post I wanted to just bring to attention a ministry that is focused on the equipping of the saints and doing what the apostle Paul is exhorting the Ephesian church to do. Specifically in church leadership.

Shepherd’s Fellowship is a ministry of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Ca. You may have heard of this church. If not you’ve no doubt heard of their senior pastor John MacArthur. Grace Community Church (GCC) and John MacArthur have been focused on equipping the saints for over 40 years. One of the tools they have been using, to the glory of God, is Shepherd’s Fellowship. Through this ministry you also have Shepherd’s Conference which is a church leadership conference GCC hosts every spring, and Resolved Conference, a cutting edge conference for college students and career singles. I can speak from experience for the Shepherd’s Conference. I’ve been twice. A few years ago Shepherd’s Fellowship began publishing a website designed for church pastors and leaders. The website is dedicated to providing resources for those who are called to this leadership responsibility. On the website you find the ministry tag-line:

The Shepherds’ Fellowship is an association of churches rallying around the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, the importance of expository preaching, and the centrality of a biblical philosophy of ministry.

The fellowship serves as both a resource and an encouragement for pastors and Christian leaders around the globe.

Just recently I noticed on the website under “Resources” a nice tool that provides preachers and teachers a step-by-step guide for putting together expository sermons¹ . The tool is called “Sermon Builder“. It walks you through the five phases of sermon development. These phases are Introduction, Preparation, Precision, Production, and Presentation. If you are new to preparing sermons or would just like some guidance in doing so you can’t go wrong here. This ministry is dedicated and focused on encouraging church leaders to be Christ-centered and gospel-centered. To be the best God-ordained preachers and teachers you were called out for. The sermon builder would be a great resource for you.

¹Expository sermons are sermons that expound on the particular meaning of a text or passage of scripture.

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Posted by barrydean on September 10, 2010 in Ephesians 4, gospel, Grace Community Church, John MacArthur, sermon builder, Shepherd's Fellowship, Shepherds' Conference

The Church’s Two Gospels

08 Sep

Now before I get some flack from my few readers let me explain the title. The title stems from the two major points in a recent sermon from Omaha Bible Church senior pastor Patrick Abendroth. The points made should also be the two main priorities of the church. The two points are related and sequential. You cannot have the one without the two. These two gospels are found in the book of Ephesians chapters 2 and 4, and these are the texts where the sermon was anchored. Let me try to explain further.

The Gospel of Salvation

The book of Ephesians addresses two gospels. The gospel of salvation and the gospel of sanctification. The gospel of salvation most assuredly comes first so it is handled first. This is the gospel many of us know about. This gospel tells us who we are or were before a holy and righteous God. As the apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV

Paul is addressing believers here. He is reminding them of who they once were. We were once condemned before a holy God for our rebellion towards him. Basically the walking dead. But then comes the gospel part or good news. Again, as mentioned in an earlier post, I love the “But God”.

Ephesians 2:4-10 ESV

This is the Gospel of Salvation. God did it all. Even though we were dead in our trespasses, and rebellious to God (Romans 1) He had mercy on us and raised us up through his son. God makes us alive. We are no longer the walking dead. We are walking alive in Christ. This salvation is all of God’s grace. Without it we remain the walking dead in our sins.

The Gospel of Sanctification

This gospel is also written about in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Our chapter 4. These verses encourage the believer to get out of their spiritual “pampers” and grow up. Paul encourage us to grow in Christian maturity. We are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling writes Paul:

Ephesians 4:1-16 ESV

We are urged to get out of our spiritual diapers. We used to walk being led around by our noses, following the course of the this world. Now, believers are to walk in our freedom found in Christ. Part of growing up is using humility, gentleness, and patience toward one another. Paul is teaching us how to walk and behave as one body in Christ. We are held together into one body with Christ as the head. We were all given gifts in order to build up the body of Christ. We are to be equipped, get along, get out of our spiritual diapers, for when each part of the body is working properly it makes the whole body grow. Church growth means maturity, not numbers.

Lest we forget the primary focus of the church. We as believers are members of this church. We should never forget the condition we were in prior to God’s grace and merciful intervention. We should be striving daily to grow as into mature believers. These passages in Ephesians 2 and 4 emphasize this quite well.

What’s the Point Anyway?

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Posted by barrydean on September 8, 2010 in gospel, Omaha Bible Church, Patrick Abendroth, salvation, sanctification

Casting your lots

03 Sep

While scanning some of my daily news sources I came across a headline that caught my eye and proceeded to read the article. The article began by talking about the new comedy film titled “Lottery Ticket” featuring the rapper known as Bow Wow. I have seen the trailer for this movie and it does look pretty cute and entertaining. I can tell by the trailer the movie pokes fun at the silly and ridiculous scenarios folks who win millions in the lottery get themselves into. But when those same scenarios occur in real life it is quite sad. I’m sure we’ve all read some stories about folks who win millions and five years later have to file for bankruptcy or worse end up homeless or dead. The age old wisdom says that what is in the heart remains in the heart. Money does not change it. The same article points to this heart flaw by reporting some statistics of past lottery winners. These winners / losers have the same heart flaw as the sinful servant in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), only worse because they tend to lose it all. There is a difference though. The talents in the parable were given to the servants by their Lord to invest. The lottery winners are given the money based on the purchase of a ticket with the same numbers as the lot that is cast or the modern-day randomly selected batch of numbers. I liked how the author of the article concludes the article with a quote from an economics professor that reads:

If you’re one of those people who fantasizes that winning the lottery will fix your financial woes, it’s time to stop dreaming and get a real handle on your money.

This quote got me to thinking again about financial stewardship and what the scriptures have to say about lotteries and gambling. Now the bible does not explicitly say “Do not gamble”, and I’m sure some folks will question this by referring to the disciples casting lots to choose the replacement of Judas. God spoke to the apostles through that method to determine His will in the matter. The only means of financial gain the bible encourages is through hard work, inheritance, or by wise investment. Grace To You resources presents five reasons gambling is wrong.

Because it denies the reality of God’s sovereignty (by affirming the existence of luck or chance)
Because it is built on irresponsible stewardship (tempting people to throw away their money)
Because it erodes a biblical work ethic (by demeaning and displacing hard work as the proper means for one’s livelihood)
Because it is driven by the sin of covetousness (tempting people to give in to their greed)
Because it is built on the exploitation of others (often taking advantage of poor people who think they can gain instant wealth)

My bride and I have been attending a series of seminars on how to properly use our resources for financial gain. This article and the thoughts it invokes, bring the principles we’re learning, and the principles taught in scripture about stewardship to the forefront of my praying. I pray that anyone reading this post will consider that God owns it all and ask yourself, as I will, would He approve of the way your are using those resources He has entrusted you with. I am by no means a great example, but by God’s grace and wisdom I am learning. Stewardship Rawks!!

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Posted by barrydean on September 3, 2010 in Christianity, gambling, lottery, Prayer

My Review of THE CHAMPIONS 16 II SAMPLER

02 Sep

Originally submitted at Thompson Cigar

These premium long filler smokes have proven to be perennial fan favorites, but it would take us more than a year to clear them from inventory at normal prices…. So we’re blowing them out at a huge discount.

THE CHAMPIONS 16 II SAMPLER

We are the Champions!

By Hank from Wahoo, NE on 9/2/2010

Pros: Great Flavor

Cons: Not as fresh as local

Best Uses: After a good day

Describe Yourself: Aspiring Aficionado

A great sampler so far. I have only puffed the Burkha Reserve Churchill Edition, and the Nub by Oliva. Those had great flavor and were all around good smokes. They have been added to my keeper list.

(legalese)

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Posted by barrydean on September 2, 2010 in cigars, Thompson Cigars

My Review of TORPEDO SELECTION 20 CIGAR SAMPLER

02 Sep

Originally submitted at Thompson Cigar

From the famed factory of boutique artisan Felipe Gregorio, we bring you the 20 Cigar Torpedo Collection, a selection of the finest Torpedo-shaped cigars that Felipe has to offer! You’ll get two each of 10 mild to medium-bodied brands: Vieja Hacienda, White Horse, Ferd…

TORPEDO SELECTION 20 CIGAR SAMPLER

Torpedos away

By Hank from Wahoo, NE on 9/2/2010

Pros: Well Constructed

Cons: Not as fresh as local

Best Uses: Everyday

Describe Yourself: Aspiring Aficionado

The torpedo selection sampler provides a wonderful selection of torpedo stogies. I purchased it in order to get an idea of what I might like to do a repeat purchase on.

(legalese)

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Posted by barrydean on September 2, 2010 in cigars, Thompson Cigars, Torpedo cigars

The God Who Declares the Guilty Just

31 Aug

If anything could be considered my all-time favorite act of God in His relationship toward man, the act of God declaring the guilty to be just would be it. Without it I would stand condemned. The above title is the title to one of the lessons presented by D.A Carson in his series of lectures on “The God Who Is There”. This series of lectures is prepared for the “seekers” of God’s truth, and for the newly converted. I have also been blessed by the series. I have been listening to it on my 25 mile commute to and from work. The lesson I would like to focus on in this post is the 11th one in the series. The following is what I have gleaned from it.

The Bible goes to great lengths to show the reader that our sin is repulsive to God. Yet the Apostle Paul goes to great lengths as well to explain how the cross itself shows God to be simultaneously both just and the one to declare guilty people just.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, describes in great lengths how our sin makes us guilty before a holy God. This is accomplished in Romans 1:18 – 3:20. In these verses Paul unravels the truth that we all stand guilty before God. On every front we are a guilty people, no matter what our heritage is. As a matter of fact Paul contends that if you come from a heritage that knows what God’s standard is and yet still remain in rebellion, you may even be guiltier still. Paul drives home this guilty theme home with a shotgun blast of Old Testament quotations in Romans 3:10-18.

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now some might contend here that there are good people in the world. What about the doctors who discover the cure for illnesses and diseases? What about the folks like firefighters or police who risk their lives to help others? Those things are indeed good things but they do not in fact make the people good? The heart of evil is God’s creation, all of us, desiring to go our own way and rebelling against the God who made us. Don’t believe this? In Matthew 22:35 Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is. In the next four verses Jesus declares:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Does anyone truly do this? I know I fall completely short of it and should be considered guilty. We are all fallen and cursed. The only cure is provided through Jesus Christ the savior of the fallen and cursed. This is unpacked by the apostle Paul in Romans 3:21-26 and the following argument made in 27-31.

But now

I love that “But now” (ESV). Paul begins to write of how the guilty, the fallen and cursed, are declared just. The first thing Paul lays out (v. 21) is the revelation of God’s righteousness and its relationship to the Old Testament. He goes on to contend that this same righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ. All have sinned (v. 23) and fall short of being just, but are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption (purchased back from our sin debt) that comes through Jesus Christ. Christ was put forward by God as a propitiation (satisfying) atonement by Christ’s blood shed. In other words instead of God showing His wrath toward us, God is now favorable to us through Christ’s blood. Through Christ our relationship with God drastically changes.

Verses 26 and 27 of Romans 3 drive home the conclusion of the title. They are so important. Because the text shows that not only does God provide the propitiation for our sin debt but he also demonstrates his justice by being the just God, and the justifier. God is the justifier by providing the satisfaction of the believer’s sin debt to Himself through Christ, but he also demonstrates His own righteousness by doing this. God’s justice is most powerfully demonstrated in the cross of Christ. In the audio, D.A. Carson puts it so eloquently: “There, Jesus, the God-man, bore Hell itself.” Because of this God can look at the believer as righteous. Because of this God can also look at the believer as justified. God is glorified. I am declared not-guilty.

The whole CD collection can be obtained free from Monergism Books here. I will also find a way to post the MP3 files for download below.

Soli Deo Gloria!

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Posted by barrydean on August 31, 2010 in D.A. Carson, Justification, Monergism, Romans 3

Slash – Slash

10 Aug

Having read some new info about the upcoming Alter Bridge album I thought I’d get the writing juices flowing and try to do another album review. It has been quite some time since my last review so I will make it easy on myself and review an album that stays queued up on my iPod. This artist really needs no introduction to hard rock fans. The name alone brings to mind ear splitting, eye popping hard rock riffs and solos from song titles like “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, and “Civil War”. Slash, in my humble estimation is the only one to come out of the train wreck of the G n’ R 80’s and 90’s with some substantial and sustained talent intact. He was the primary driving force behind the commercially successful band Velvet Revolver. Had it not been for lead singer Scott Weiland’s love affair with drugs, the band would still be creating major songs for the headbangers to enjoy. So what did Slash do to find another lead singer? He went out and got at least 12 singers to sing his songs on this solo project.

“Slash” the album, was released April 6, 2010 to some pretty high expectations. The original album title was going to be “Slash & friends” but the “& friends” was eventually dropped in favor of the artist-titled version. In an interview with Spinner magazine, (posted 7/06/2010) Slash talked about the “smooth operation” of getting the guest vocalists involved, and the “logistical nightmare” of getting legal releases from the artist’s record companies. He also comments on some of the artists he worked with, including meeting an unknown to him, Myles Kennedy.

The album begins with one my favorite singers Ian Astbury of The Cult on the track called “Ghost”. The guitar in the song has the signature Slash palm muted riffs and power chords. A quality song. The next track features Ozzy, another artist who needs no introduction but does in fact have a last name, although he doesn’t really need one. The song, “Crucify The Dead”, begins slow enough with Ozzy’s recognizable vocals, but builds to a sophisticated droning of heavy metal pomp and crunch. The next track was a major surprise to me. “Beautiful Dangerous” begins with a phased, thumping bass line and builds to Slash’s palm muted power rhythm. The vocals are performed by Fergie. Yes the Black Eyed Pea, Fergie. I had no idea she had such great pipes. The fourth track is a Memphis blues laced diddy called “Back From Cali” and features the vocals of Myles Kennedy. Those who have not had the privilege of hearing Alter Bridge are appreciating his vocal range on this Slash product. Myles is the primary vocalist of Slash’s tour. I have seen video footage of the tour and Myles does a great job on the old G n’ R songs.

The album highlights which are numerous, include “Ghost”, “Beautiful Dangerous”, sexual innuendo aside, “Back From Cali” and “Starlight” also featuring Myles Kennedy, “Promise” feat. Chris Cornell, “Gotten” feat. Adam Levine of Maroon 5. I like the chorus lyrics:

I’ve been saving these last words for one last miracle
But now I’m not sure
I can’t save you if you don’t let me
You just get me like I’ve never been gotten before
Like I’ve never been gotten before

“Watch This” is a well thought out instrumental song which features David Grohl of Foo Fighters and old Slash pal Duff McKagan. “Nothing To Lose” is probably the heaviest song on the album and features M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold. The song reminds me of classic Black Sabbath.

Overall the album is quality hard rock as only you could expect from Slash. In the interview with Spinner, mentioned above, Slash comments on how he selected the vocalist for each of the songs he wrote based on the material. I think he did an excellent job. I give the album five stars, I mean, top hats out of five.