Live every week like it’s shark week.

You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.
- Nehemiah 9:6

I have been writing my book all week; it’s really coming along. Gospel Glories will be in my agent’s hands soon–can’t wait.

I can relate to Winston Churchill:

Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.

He’s almost dead!

Now, to the matter at hand. I wrote  Please Stop Having Quiet Times for a fine blog across the webisphere titled, Take Your Vitamin Z.

Heren’s a smidge:

Please, stop having quiet times.

Read your Bible. Meet with God. Take up your coffee and sit with the Word — but realize this is not a quiet time.

Twice our Sacred Book calls itself a sword (Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17). Swords are not quiet instruments. Swords cut, pierce, defend, kill, and advance — quite loudly. Clang is the sword’s soundtrack.

A sword is only quiet when it’s not being used.

If you’d like to read the rest, go on over to Zach’s blog, it’s on his property — I can’t steal it. But I can tell you that this post’s cousin is in my book. : )

What have we gotten ourselves into? Rather, where have we been taken?

In case you’ve been living at McDonald’s, the Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A answered a question about marriage and gave his personal views to a Baptist media outlet. And the cold (culture) war began. I don’t have any interest in commenting on the war but on how Christians should react during these times. Instead of looking outward and wagging the finger; let’s look at ourselves.

A Bold Mistake?

We all know the pickle that Chick-fil-A was served. I prefer no pickles. Literally and metaphorically. How are we to navigate this Charade-fil-A? We can’t ignore it. We can’t go around it. We can’t go over it. But should we have driven-thru it? Was “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” (CFA Day) a good idea? Yes and no. I’m not against supporting Chick-fil-A. They get my support, probably once a week — if not more. I know. I know.

For some CFA Day was a win. They wanted to support free speech, free market, capitalism, and the like. I even saw videos of Non-Christians enjoying some waffle fries and pray tell? “I live in America, and no one is going to tell me what I can’t eat.”

But here’s how CFA Day could be a grisly nugget, fit for the dogs. If CFA Day was to “show them” — whoever the “them” are — it’s a loss. And that’s most certainly how the world will interpret what we’re cookin’. The world drew their line in the sand. “We hate Chick-fil-A!” Evangelicals drew one back. And probably the wrong one. “Oh yeah! We love Chick-fil-a.” Barnabas Piper is right; this drove the “Us v.s. Them” wedge deeper. What we should “show them” is the love of Christ, and that isn’t by ordering a #1.

Let’s consider one simple truth today. Nothing super profound. My guess is you probably know what I’m about to tell you. But getting this is huge. If your day will hold the hand of this truth, your heart will be glad.

Here it is. . .

Trusting God, in all things, is the best policy.

Trust him. Always.

No matter what the day brings — trust Him.

You can’t be neural on the matter. Trust or not — those are the options.

What will you do today?

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Since the gospel is true — is there a legitimate reason to doubt?

Since Jesus is on the throne, don’t sweat a thing. He’s got it. And wonderfully, He’s got you.

According to Tim Keller. . .

• Here is what the text says.
• Here is how we must live in light of it.
• But we simply cannot do it.
• Ah—but there is One who did!
• Now, through faith in him, you can begin to live this way.

[Via The Resurgence]

Imagine: David hears Goliath beating his chest like King Kong. What does he do? “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine.” (1 Sam. 17:32)

Translation: I’ll kill Goliath.

Now, before we start raising the roof for ol’ Dave — he’s not being radical.

He is being biblical. He is being faithful.

Radical Christianity and faithful Christianity are one and the same.

David knew God’s word to Israel and God’s faithfulness to his people. In Deuteronomy 20:1, God tells his people not to get the shakes when they go to war because He is with them.

David isn’t being radical, he is being faithful. Which ended up making him look radical.

Here’s the kicker, David only looks radical because everyone else is disobedient. If we think someone to be “really sold out” or “radical”, we need to look at ourselves and ask: Do I think they are radical because I’m being unfaithful?

Radical Christianity, the term, shouldn’t be needed. But it is. It’s an unfortunate qualifier. It’s a sign of the times.

I’m not against the term or the books — I appreciate them and have a mega-ton of respect for David Platt. Nor am I digging my TOMs in at the virtuous flavor of radical Christianity; because, that is Christianity. It is radical. Always has been and always will be, because God calls us to be faithful.

Faithful is radical. The only other alternative is — sinful.

Jesus was was labeled a rebel, dare I say “radical”, among the Pharisees. Why? He was faithful in the midst of the unfaithful. He was David in front of a quaking army.

I pray that one day we won’t have to qualify a “radical” Christianity, rather that’s all there will be. A Christianity that is faithful to God, his glory, his word, his people, and his mission. And in our day that kind of Christianity is most assuredly radical.

God help us.