Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 58

3 Things I Like This Week: August 10

Each week I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1. Milk Duds

[image error]It’s Friday, and on Fridays my mind turns to the movies. And when my mind turns to movies I think of the single best movie theater candy: Milk Duds. There’s simply nothing like basking in the glow of the silver screen while gnawing on the best candy combination (chocolate and caramel) ever invented. Aside from being chewy and delicious, there are two more subtle reasons Milk Duds are the best theater candy. First, the box is easy to open and there are no wrappers. That means no crinkling, crackling, bothering everyone around you during the film. Second, they are so chewy it’s like getting to boxes of candy because they take so long to eat. I can polish a thing of M&Ms before the previews end. Not so with Milk Duds – they’ll take you all the way to plot twist number one at which point the movie ought to be good enough to distract you from snacks!

2. The Ringer NFL Show

[image error]I like sports analysis. I like sports behind-the-scenes. I love being a sports fan. The Ringer NFL Podcast combines these three in a really enjoyable way. The various personalities are engaging and genuinely love football. They come at it from different perspectives. Robert Mays loves line play. Mike Lombardi is a cranky old man with tons of front office experience. It is not a hot-takey, yell about obvious story lines kind of show (which is to say, not an ESPN or Fox Sports show). Neither is it a nerd-fest, stat heavy show. It is a fun, engaging combination of stories and stats and analysis that is always worth a listen.

3. Bo Jackson, The Running Back

Bo knows football. I just wish I could have seen him play live. He was bonkers, a living cheat code.

He Reads Truth: May The Lord Direct Your Hearts

I have the privilege of contributing to He Reads Truth, a website of whose purpose is “To help men become who we were made to be, by doing what we were made to do, by the power and provision that God has given us to do it, for the glory of Jesus Christ.” They do this by providing scripture reading plans accompanied by reflections that can be accessed for free online or purchased as print books. For those of you looking to engage scripture in a fresh way – either because you are dried up or have been away from it, these studies/plans will refresh your soul and engage your mind.

What follows is one of the pieces I wrote for the 1&2 Thessalonians plan. You can find the full plan HERE.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-18,  2 Corinthians 11:7-9, 1 Peter 5:8-11

Sometimes faithfully following Christ is exhausting. Day after day we get up, look ahead, and see a climb with no end in sight. We scrabble and scramble ahead, then fall sideways, then slip back, then slog and crawl ahead again. Over time we get worn down.

When we feel this way we need encouragement, or maybe a good kick in the pants. We need a glimpse of what lies ahead so that the grind of life today, in the moment, feels worth it and we find motivation. And that’s what we find in these passages from today’s reading.

First, Paul describes how he prays for believers, so they will know they are in the hands of God. This reminds us of our own security, and the source of our ability to persevere. Then he points to his own life as an example. Now we know someone has gone before us and has been faithful through great struggle. If Paul can do it with God’s help, then we can find hope and motivation too (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5).

Then we see the reason for our struggle. It is not in vain; it is in resisting the devil who actively seeks to destroy us. We are fleeing temptation and fighting sin. And as we do this, we are spreading the Word through our faithfulness, both by our example and through our profession. Our struggle is for our own well-being and for the salvation of others.

Yes, this will cost us, most likely, far more than just fatigue. We will suffer. We will face conflict with those who refuse to follow Jesus, especially those closest to us. We will become weary and wonder if it is worth it. Our weariness might lead to doubts or apathy or just plain giving up.

That is why Paul writes “do not grow weary in doing good” (v. 13). And he pairs it with a promise: God’s love will direct the believer’s heart, allowing us to press on, powered by Christ’s endurance. Christ was faithful in pressing on, resisting temptation, navigating difficulties, and facing His suffering to the utmost—and without failing! The Lord will certainly lead believers to that same endurance.

If we press on, if we do not let our weariness get the best of us, we will be established and strengthened. We will always slip and slide, but we will gain ground. We will fail, but we will show the world the faithfulness of God to us in Christ. So let us pray as Paul prayed. Let us follow his example as he followed Christ’s, and move forward—however nearly spent and discouraged—one step at a time.

“The God of all grace, who called [us] to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support [us] after [we] have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11).

New Happy Rant: Gendered Food, Actors Aging Ungracefully, and Church Diversity

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas range from the ridiculous to the ecumenical in discussing the following:

The Gospel Coalition’s recent article about food having gender and complementarity
Actors aging ungracefully, especially Tom Cruise insisting on doing only action films at age 56
Should we prioritize and insist upon attending churches with people different than us?

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)

Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #207

Happy Rant Sports #14: Manziel in Montreal, NFL Training Camp, and NBA Free Agency

In this episode of The Happy Rant Sports podcast Ted and Barnabas tackle the following:

Johnny Manziel was traded to to the Montreal Alouettes and looks like he’ll get a chance to start!
NFL Training Camp story lines and predictions
The madness of NBA free agency, especially Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)

Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #14

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord is my Banner

“And Moses built an altar and named it ‘The LORD is my Banner.” – Exodus 17:15

When Israel faced the Amalekites in battle at Rephidim it wasn’t with overwhelming force, an experienced army, or the best commanders. It was as a transient tribe of herdsmen escaping slavery in Egypt and travelling uncertainly to a promised land they hadn’t seen in over four hundred years. They were trespassers travelling through the lands of fierce fighting peoples. They travelled with women, children, herds, and all their possessions. The battle was for survival, for hope, for a future.

But they travelled with something else too, something else that no other nation on earth had – a pillar of fire, a cloud of smoke, the very presence of God. Israel did not fight its battles alone. No matter how inexperienced or overmatched they were they were never the underdogs. No matter how desperate they felt they were never at a loss. The great general, the perfect protector, the LORD was with them.

As the armies lined up to do battle the men of Israel under the command of a freshly appointed general named Joshua could have looked up to a nearby peak and seen three figures – Moses, Aaron, and Hur – standing there overlooking the battle. When the first battle cry sounded and the foes engaged none of the combatants had time to look, but Moses, the middle of the three figures, raised his hands over the battle and when he did Israel began to take the upper hand.

But as the day wore on and the sun rose high and hot Moses tired. He was not a young man and the battle wore on; Moses sagged and dropped his arms to his side. Immediately the Amalekites rallied and began to press the Israelites. Aaron and Hur realized what was happening and stepped to Moses’ side; they dragged a small boulder close for him to sit on and each took an arm and raised them again over the battle. As they did this the Israelite fighters rallied to Joshua, found new strength, and the Amalekites felt new fear.

Throughout the afternoon and into the evening Aaron and Hur supported Moses’s arms. They lifted him as he lifted the people before God. The people of Israel prevailed in battle that day. It was a day to remember, for it was the day God first showed them as a nation that He fought for them, that He led them in to battle, that He protected and conquered on their behalf, and that He was their banner.

How is God Our Banner?

The question arises, though, what does it mean for God to be our banner? When Moses names the altar “Jehovah Nissi – The LORD is my banner” we know it is significant, we know it is for remembrance. But what else is it, and what does it mean for God to be our banner today? Consider how banners are used, and it will begin to reveal some of what this title means.

Banners are raised to celebrate and honor. They hang from the rafters of arenas honoring champions. They are raised to honor soldiers returning from war. They adorn public places to celebrate occasions or people who deserve honor.

Banners are to remember and commemorate. Towns all over America raise banners on certain holidays every year to commemorate something dear to them – a patron, a product, a hero, a tradition, a holy day.

Banners are labels and signets. They announce names and images which people can recognize from a great distance. They show the location and identity of a business or event so people can navigate to it.

Banners are visible. The whole point of a banner is to be seen, unmistakable and non-ignorable.

Banners are for those who raise them. They are an act of celebration, remembrance, or announcement.

Banners are for those who see them. They are an invitation and a gathering place. They summon and call. They attract passers by.

As you consider all this you may see how God is the banner, Jehovah Nissi, of all who believe, all who are His followers, all who trust Him with the same faith Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua trusted.

God is our banner because we live to celebrate and honor His faithfulness to us shown in myriad ways from the rising sun to the risen Christ. God is our banner because we remember all His deeds and His words graciously given to us in scripture. God is our banner because He gives us identity, and our label is “God’s children” because of the saving work of Jesus. God is our banner because we are his representatives to the world, making Him visible and showing the beauty of His transforming work. And God is our banner because all of this is an invitation, a gravitational pull, a summons, a tug to any who would believe but do not yet know what that means or how to do so.

When Moses built the altar and called “The LORD is my banner” he was creating a place of remembrance, a celebration of victory, an expression of thanks. And he was making a declaration, one that any follower of Jesus can share in today: The LORD is my banner and we are the LORD’s. It was a declaration not just of who God is and what He has done but of who were as His people.

This article was originally published at BibleStudyTools.com and is used with permission.

New Happy Rant: Making up for Mistakes, Shortening Non-Fiction Books, and Foodless Celebrations

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ronnie and Barnabas suss out the following topics while Ted makes his way back from a glorious week at camp.

Firing people for old mistakes (like bad tweets), and never giving them a chance to make things right
Why is every non fiction book, especially Christian ones, 30% too long?
Foodless celebrations are apparently a thing

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)

Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #206

3 Things I Like this Week: July 27

Each week I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1. On Writing by Stephen King

[image error]Recently I polled my social media followers for their favorite book on writing. I was looking for some new suggestions because I have my favorites, but I wanted to range further afield. While I received a good list of books, one title appeared more often than any other – On Writing. I would have questioned my followers’ judgement if this was not the case. It is simply the most interesting and compelling book on writing I know of and practical to boot. You don’t have to like King’s stories (generally I don’t) to recognize his craftsmanship, productivity, and success as a writer. And he shares that in this book. It begins with a memoir of his writing life (fascinating) and concludes with practical writing pointers (helpful). If you want to find inspiration, entertainment, and a pile of useful instruction this is the book.

2. Resonate Recordings

[image error]For the last 2+ years Resonate has been doing the editing/mastering for The Happy Rant podcast. When we started working with them they were a fledgling little start-up who offered quality work and a really good service. Now they are an established, growing business with lots of clients who offers quality work and a really good service. They’ve steadily improved their processes and interface so that podcasters who know nothing about audio editing or have no time to do it (like me) can upload files, give some direction, and get back exactly what is needed in a timely fashion. And they keep things affordable too. Podcasters and aspiring podcasters – talk to Resonate. They do good work.

3. I’d Do Anything for Love by Meat Loaf

Weren’t the 80s amazing? Strange men named Meat Loaf could perform epic love ballads with a melodious piano riff, power guitar chords, and a horror movie vibe. Everything about this delightfully 80s weird.

Jehoveh Jireh – The Lord Will Provide

“Provision” isn’t a word most Americans think much about. It’s a weightless word to us. We may use it euphemistically when we stock up on “provisions” for a road trip, meaning Twizzlers and combos. We may use it to refer to unexpected upgrades in live – “The Lord provided us with a new car” or “The Lord provided our church with the means to get that new sound system.” Some of us remember times when God provided for needs in obvious ways like a check in the mail to cover rent or the generosity of a friend to pay for a hospital bill. We recognize these as God’s provision, but we rarely depend on provision.

When God introduces himself (the Bible is His word, after all) as Jehovah Jireh, meaning “the Lord will provide,” it’s not in the context of snacks or cars or money or bills. It’s in the context of the most profound physical need a person can face – the loss of life. In Genesis 22 we read the story of Abraham being commanded by God to take his son Isaac to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him. Isaac was the son of promise, a miraculous gift from God when Abraham and Sarah were old. He was the promised child whom God had promised to make into a great nation. He was God’s provision, or so it seemed until God said to lay him on the altar and offer him as a sacrifice.

Abraham obeyed. Hebrews 11 tells us that he acted in faith that God would raise Isaac. He obeyed in the belief that God would provide a miracle of some kind, and God did – a ram caught in a thicket as a substitute sacrifice. God the provider, Jehovah Jireh, gave life. He saved the promised son from being a sacrifice. He preserved His promise to make Isaac a great nation. He acted faithfully in response to Abraham’s faith in His provision.

At our worst we think of God’s provision as if he is a waiter: we signal him to our life, place our orders in “faith,” and receive what we have requested. More often, though, we are not so trite. We do think of God providing for us – jobs, family, friends, care, church, abilities, answered prayers. These things are significant and meaningful; they are absolutely a portion of God’s provision to us. But too often we stop there, and in doing so we stop short of the deep reality of what “the Lord shall provide” truly means.

Jesus’ Teaching

In Matthew 6 Jesus tells his disciples

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on . . . Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they . . . Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

In these verses Jesus shows one end of the spectrum of God’s provision. He cares for the smallest and even the inanimate in his creation. He clothes and feeds them. His eye is on them as treasured created things. So why should we worry about His provision? Are we not image bearers, uniquely made to be God’s children? He provides as a father ought – exactly those things that are best for His children without hesitation and always at the right time.

In Jesus’ teaching we see one side of God’s provision. In Jesus’ mission on earth we see the other. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Jesus came so that we might “have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10) And this provision, this inestimable gift of His son, was more than kindness. It was a rescue, a ransom, a debt paid, a punishment born as a substitute for the guilty – us.

The same God who smiles on the brilliance of wildflowers and feeds a baby sparrow sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for sins already committed (Romans 3:25). Jesus was the last and final sacrifice, the flawless lamb able to redeem all sinners and pay for all sins once for all time. Jesus is God’s perfect and complete provision, the answer to every person’s deepest question and the fulfillment their deepest needs.

In Genesis Abraham’s only son was set to be sacrificed and was saved by God’s miraculous provision. In the gospels God’s only Son was sacrificed as the miraculous provision for all people.

When we say Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will provide, we can be certain it is true. We can see it in the flowers and birds. And we can see it at the cross – Jesus is His great provision.

This post was originally published at BibleStudyTools.com and is used with permission.

New Happy Rant: Ordination, Mr. Rogers, and Outrage upon Outrage

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas rant about, discuss, muse, and otherwise explore about the following:

The ordination process for Ronnie (which consists of dozens of pages of paper writing, an oral exam, and probably a sabbatical or three)
The Mr. Rogers phenomenon – why is everyone so attached to Fred Rogers?
When everybody is always mad about everything online, why do people get surprised when people are outraged at their social media posts?
Summer camp experiences from gross games to altar calls

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order fresh roasted coffee from Lagares Roasters
Order your Happy Rant swag from Missional Wear (Use code RANT to get discounts on swag and/or shipping)

Please consider supporting the podcast financially as well. We have set up a Patreon page, and your donations help us cover production costs, do live events, and grow the podcast by trying some new things. Oh, and of course there are perks for those who commit to helps us such as free books and coffee!

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher.
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #205

3 Things I Like This Week – July 20

Each week I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1. SUV Cargo Liner for Dogs

[image error] I’m no scientist, but the unique properties of dog hair and automobile carpet lead to a binding that no ordinary shop vacuum can break. Add to that the occasional moisture and mud that canine friends bring with them, and one’s car becomes a hairy, stinking mess in a hurry. I love taking my dog hiking with me, but I was getting fed up with the mess it led to in my SUV. Problem solved. The liner is easy to remove, easy to clean, and keeps about 90% of the fur (and 100% of the mud/water) off the car. If you are a dog owner you should get one. (If you are a cat owner you’re just sitting there smugly because you have none of these problems. That’s true. But you’re stuck with a cat.)

2. Gabby’s Burgers

Gabby’s se[image error]rves the second best burger in Nashville (right behind this place). And like the #1 burger joint, Gabby’s is a hole in the wall in a part of town not over run by bachelorette parties. Correlation or causation? You decide. As for the burgers themselves they are straight forward, fresh-made, high quality, ungourmet, with no fancy fixins. There are no compotes, reductions, or flavored mayo anywhere on the menu – just beef, cheese, bacon, and staple condiments. Oh, and Gabby’s hand made fries and shakes are nothing to scoff at either.

3. Shaquille O’Neal Rookie Year Highlights

Do you remember when Shaq used to be young and athletic? When he could jump and dribble and run like a small forward, except he was 7’2″ and 300 pounds? INSANE. We remember the physically dominant mountain of a man that led the Lakers to a couple titles (yes, Kobe Stans, it was shaq who led them to those titles). But when he was young he was a whole different kind of athletic freak.