Freeman Takes Flight
Julian has caved and brought his blog into the blogger.com world. He has actually been writing some very interesting things of late.
Guard your eyes though - 10 seconds of reading and you will turn away from the computer seeing the world like an old black and white negative!
Go for black on white, JLF81!!!!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
The G.A. Cometh
Tomorrow will mark the beginning of the Sovereign Grace Fellowship (
The GA is always a great time to network with representatives of sister churches and to learn. Besides the workshops and main sessions, there are all the little things you can pick up in conversations around breaks and meals.
Hopefully, the coming year will be one that is aggressively good for the SGF. As small as we are we have had our share of difficulties to overcome in the early going. These have been good for us – helping us to define exactly who we are and what our purpose is in existing. Like all man-made ventures, this one could collapse tomorrow with no effect on the Kingdom – but for as long as God sees fit to use it, we shall be used.
Are you part of an association of churches? There seem to be new ones popping up all the time. I dream of a day when there will be one big association (not denomination) full of like-minded men who have agreed to disagree on some non-essentials. I think that day may be closer than we think based on recent and coming events (i.e. “Together for the Gospel” as one example).
Anyway, these meetings will (and have already – I am the secretary to the executive) slow my posts for a few days. Please pray for us.
Soli Deo Gloria
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
You Talk Too Much!
“When words are many,
transgression is not lacking,
But whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
- Proverbs 10:18
Talk radio. Water-cooler talk. Religious talk. Coffee-shop talk. Talk TV. We live in a talking age where volume (as in amount not decibels) more often determines who is heard than the quality of what is said.
Recent posts by Michael Haykin and the Cowboy (Clint Humfrey) prompted me to wonder as I read this Proverb this morning... “Is blogging just a temptation to talk too much?”
It is worth considering! “Overtalk” is an occupational hazard for pastors. We are used to hearing our own voice and people actually ask us to talk! That can be a deadly combination and I have met my own share of talking (pastoral) heads that do not seem to have an off switch!
Solomon’s warning is simple, though: the more you talk, the more liable you are to sin. That makes perfect sense since, “out of the heart a man speaks” and “what comes out of a person is what defiles him.”
So, is blogging a form of speaking “too many words?” Maybe. But the great advantage of a blog post is that I can sit and think about it before anyone else gets to read it. At least I have a second chance to “guard my lips.”
In my mind, the greater danger may be blog reading.
“The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books (blogs?) there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:11-14
Whether you agree with my evaluation or not, one thing is for certain. There is far more value in listening than speaking.
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” - Proverbs 15:28
transgression is not lacking,
But whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
- Proverbs 10:18
Talk radio. Water-cooler talk. Religious talk. Coffee-shop talk. Talk TV. We live in a talking age where volume (as in amount not decibels) more often determines who is heard than the quality of what is said.
Recent posts by Michael Haykin and the Cowboy (Clint Humfrey) prompted me to wonder as I read this Proverb this morning... “Is blogging just a temptation to talk too much?”
It is worth considering! “Overtalk” is an occupational hazard for pastors. We are used to hearing our own voice and people actually ask us to talk! That can be a deadly combination and I have met my own share of talking (pastoral) heads that do not seem to have an off switch!
Solomon’s warning is simple, though: the more you talk, the more liable you are to sin. That makes perfect sense since, “out of the heart a man speaks” and “what comes out of a person is what defiles him.”
So, is blogging a form of speaking “too many words?” Maybe. But the great advantage of a blog post is that I can sit and think about it before anyone else gets to read it. At least I have a second chance to “guard my lips.”
In my mind, the greater danger may be blog reading.
“The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books (blogs?) there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:11-14
Whether you agree with my evaluation or not, one thing is for certain. There is far more value in listening than speaking.
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” - Proverbs 15:28
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)