Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 68

New Happy Rant: YES OR NO

In this episode of The Happy Rant Podcast Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas tackle the toughest, most random, most listener-submitted yes/no questions thy have ever encountered. Topics include:

Barbershop Quartets
Canada
Vacation
Raisins
Writing
Best Friends
SO MUCH MORE

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 #195

The Best Quotes from “The Gospel”

That title is awfully grandiose, but don’t worry. The Gospel, in this case, is a book by Ray Ortlund Jr, and a wonderful little book at that. The full title is The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ, and it is 120 pages of wisdom, theology, and instruction for church members and church leaders alike. I have the privilege of sitting under Ray’s leadership at Immanuel Nashville, the church he pastors, and I can confirm that what he writes in the pages he exemplifies and teaches to the church. And we are better for it. Here are a selection of the best quotes.

The church must ever be at war with Satan, since Satan is always at war with it – with us who believe. – J.I. Packer, foreword

This good news is more than good vibes. This message has specific content. It can and must be defined, and from the Bible alone.

Let’s not assume our churches are faithful to the gospel. Let’s examine whether they are.

Any church of any denomination today that falls short of the gospel of Christ in either doctrine or culture will inevitably collapse under the extreme pressures of our times.

Without the doctrine, the culture will be weak. Without the culture, the doctrine will seem pointless.[image error]

Truth without grace is harsh and ugly. Grace without truth is sentimental and cowardly. The living Christ is full of grace and truth.

Not one of us has ever had a single thought about God that was fully fair to the magnitude of who he really is.

This is the massive love of God – the Son leaving nothing of the Father’s glory unexpressed, leaving nothing of our need unfilled, opening the mighty heart of God to the unworthy.

Perishing and eternal life are the only alternatives standing before us.

God’s final category for you is not your goodness versus your badness, but your union with Christ versus your distance from Christ.

Hell is for people who could have enjoyed the love of God but held back.

Scripture is clear. Christians have to choose between isolation, which is easy, and belonging, which is costly – and much more satisfying.

Fixing broken things is the way of God.

Justification clears us legally of guilt before our Judge, but adoption includes is emotionally in the heart of our Father.

The household of God must offer a clear and lovely alternative to the madness of this world.

We either proudly believe we are too good to be judged, or we proudly believe we are too bad to be saved. So the gospel is a continual surprise, and we need to hear it again and again.

Exalting ourselves always diminishes [Christ’s] visibility.

Fear of human disapproval feeds political posturing. It makes us want to be perceived in a certain way and identified with certain people. It destroys honesty, spontaneity, and joy. It builds walls that Jesus dies to tear down. It corrupts good doctrine.

The one thing the gospel never does is nothing. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ refuses to be held at arm’s length with critical detachment. No one judges the gospel. It judges all, and it saves some.

Too often we regard God’s power as an added ingredient that turbocharges our own efforts.

The gospel never advances without someone paying a price.

New courage always begins with the leaders. Whatever the leaders are, the entire church will eventually become.

A heart aloof from God grows aloof from others.

3 Things I Like this Week – May 3

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. Zebco 33 Spincast Combo

[image error]My first ever fishing pole was a Zebco 22, which is the weaker, spindlier, cheaper version of this. The Zebco 33 was the first fishing pole I ever bought with my own money. To a serious angler it is a mere toy. To all of you who read that and say, “What’s an angler? I just want to go fishing with my kids” this is a great starter rod and reel. I even bought one for each of my daughters and intend to break it out in a few weeks as an end-of-school surprise. It is ideal for dock fishing, pond fishing, creek fishing, and otherwise casually enjoying the summer. But don’t you worry, it can haul in a good fish too. I managed more than few good sized bass and a couple big catfish too with mine.

2. Acorns Investing

[image error]I am not an investor. I have a loose idea of what the stock market is and no idea how it works (except that you should never panic and always leave your money invested . . . right?). I am a natural spender and have had to work hard to learn the discipline of saving, so when I ran across Acorns it seemed like the perfect place to get started for an utter novice like me. It takes whatever amount you want to invest, either a little bit at a time or big chunks, either one time deposits or recurring, and puts it into an investment portfolio on your behalf. You can give direction what kind of portfolio (small business, growth stocks, etc.). And the kicker for someone like me is that Acorns will automatically accrue and invest your “spare change” by rounding up any amount you spend on approved cards or accounts to the nearest dollar and investing those little bits. It has been a fantastic investment starter option for a dummy like me.

3. “It Ain’t Fair” by The Roots and Bilal

The sound. The lyrics. The message. All of it.

He Reads Truth: Miracles of Land and Sea

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 Miracles of Jesus plan. You can find the full plan HERE.

Luke 8:22-25; Mark 6:47-52; Matthew 17:24-27; Mark 11:12-14,20-25

“Wow, it’s like magic! He has powers!” said my daughter at the breakfast table, not long after I’d read her a story of Jesus performing a miracle. “No,” I explained. “Jesus doesn’t have powers. He has power. He rules over creation. Miracles aren’t magic; they reveal the true order of things.”

Jesus rules over nature as Lord and Master, as Creator and King. He sleeps in a boat in high seas because He has nothing to fear from the sea. It obeys His command and leaves His disciples in awe. All it takes is a word and the rowdy waters retreat to their proper place.

He walks on the very waves He calmed as if they are terra firma, and He does so as His disciples thrash at their oars trying to row through. While we might know this story, we ought not count ourselves as too familiar with it. How can we be familiar with something we have never seen or even been able to fully imagine? He walked on water. He broke the laws of nature. What is that about?

These natural laws to which we are bound do not apply to the One who created nature from nothing.

We see this again when Jesus could not find figs on a tree, so He withered it with a word. Was He being spiteful? Was He mad at the tree? No. When you read the story you see He was making a point to His disciples about believing.

Another time, when Jesus owed a tax, He sent Peter to go catch a fish. Its mouth held money enough to cover both their taxes. How did the coin get there? How did Jesus know? How did Peter pull just that one particular fish from the sea? (I’d ask why the fish ate a coin, but if you’ve ever been fishing with a Daredevle® lure, you know they bite shiny metal.) The answer is this: Nature—from weather to water to plants to beasts—is at the command of its Creator.

Through these miracle stories, three sentences guide us:

“Who then is this?”

“Have courage! It is I!”

“Have faith.”

We must reflect daily on who this Jesus is, the Man who sleeps through storms then calms them with a rebuke. We must take courage because His miracles reveal His nature. He is Lord. He is powerful. He rules. For this reason we can have faith and live in it.

Miracles were not acts of magic or a show of powers. They were moments of revelation of who Jesus is, so we can know the One in whom our faith rests.

New Happy Rant: Self Promotion, Writing Inspiration, and Writing Ego

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie,, and Barnabas suss out the following:

Furtick showed up at the Stronger Men’s Conference
Jon Acuff’s advice to SELF PROMOTE SELF PROMOTE SELF PROMOTE
What inspires us to write?
The ego involved in being “a writer”

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 #194

New Happy Rant: T4R Part 3 – Listener Q&A

In this historic episode of The Happy Rant Podcast Ronnie, Ted, and Barnabas are reunited LIVE and in person at a hipster church in East Louisville. That’s right, it’s TOGETHER FOR THE RANT. This is the third of three episodes so go back and listen to the first and second then enjoy this delightful interaction with listeners. In this episode they field questions on the following:

Seminary mascots
Homeschooled teens
Nicknames
Childhood TV shows
John Piper’s tweets
Swapping jobs
SO MUCH MORE

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 #193

3 Things I Like This Week – April 26

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. David’s Sunflower Seeds

[image error]‘Tis the season for cracking bats, popping mits, and playing ball. And that means it’s the season for David’s sunflower seeds. No other brand will do. And of course only the salted ones are any good – you can keep your ranch or buffalo or whatever flavors. Those are for posers and tweens. There simply is nothing like packing one cheek full of seeds so you can methodically spew shells while the salt numbs your gums. They make work go faster and road trips shorter. They dull the pain of children’s soccer practices and games. They are great company on the back deck or while walking the dog. I only suggest not chewing them in bed.

2. Quote Books

[image error]I love collections of quotes. I’d rather read quotes from a book than a book review (take note, TGC). Among the most thumbed-through books on my shelf are the volumes I’ve collected of nothing but quotes. The Complete Guide to Christian Quotations, 1001 Smartest Things Ever Said, and various collections from particularly quotable people (Churchill, Spurgeon, Chesterton, etc.) are gold mines of wisdom and wit. As a writer they are invaluable and informative, as a reader they are enjoyable and enlighting, and as a tweeter they are rip for likes and RTs (it all matters, folks).

3. Manu Ginobli’s Ball Fakes

In a recent Happy Rant Sports Podcast episode I lauded Manu as my favorite old guy in the NBA. He is out there killing guys half his age. He can still throw down. He can still drop dimes. But it’s his wicked craftiness that makes him so awesome.

New Happy Rant: T4R Part 2: Stronger Men, Hunger Games Style

In this historic episode of The Happy Rant Podcast Ronnie, Ted, and Barnabas are reunited LIVE and in person at a hipster church in East Louisville. That’s right, it’s TOGETHER FOR THE RANT. This is the second of three episodes so go back and listen to the first and stay tuned for one more to come. In this episode they discuss:

Swag for Ted – lots and LOTS of swag for Ted
The Stronger Men’s Conference, Hunger Games style
Reformed Hunger Games

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 #192

Happy Rant Sports #8 – The NFL Draft

In this episode of The Happy Rant Sports Podcast Ted and Barnabas prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft and answer the following questions:

Is Josh Allen a Ponzi scheme?
Does Josh Rosen’s Country Club Millennial-ness scare you??
Best player on your draft board
Favorite all-time draft picks from our favorite childhood teams

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 #8

3 Things I Like This Week – April 19

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. A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra

[image error]When you think of Sinatra you likely think of a velvet voice and a big band, and you probably smile too. Sinatra became a legend for a reason – such great music. I ran across this album a couple years ago and love it. It is the Oscar Peterson Trio playing Sinatra’s most famous songs in a classic jazz style. Adapting classic songs is hard, but when put in the hands of another all-time great it can be pretty spectacular.

2. The Spurgeon Journal

[image error]I am picky about journals and notebooks. I don’t like paper that bleeds through or paper that isn’t absorbent enough for good ink. I don’t like bindings that crack or that or won’t lay flat. This leather bound journal has none of those problems AND it features quotes from Spurgeon’s earliest sermons in the footer of every few pages. Even the cover design is an ode to Spurgeon, reminiscent of the marbled notebooks he composed his messages in. If you’re looking for a high quality journal style notebook replete with encouragement from one of history’s greatest preachers you just found it.

3. Every Randy Moss Long TD

Randy Moss is my all-time favorite Viking draft pick and one of my top 2 or 3 favorite Viking players. This video features every single one of his 40+ yard TDs. NINE MINUTES OF TDs – this is just insane.