Do you like Christian music from the 70's and 80's?

If you were alive int he 70's and 80's then you will want to check out this blog. At the blog Jesus Rocks, a lot of the text is in another language with some English in the comment area. You can listen to some great music from the early forerunners of contemporary Christian music like Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill. Greats like Phil Keaggy and Keith Green and many, many others. If you know of any other blogs that have a similar theme please leave a comment with the site address or name.

Having gone to college during this period I found this a walk down nostalgic lane. Take the walk with me. I think that you will enjoy it.

1031SermonJams.com

A way to be culturally relevant 1031SermonJams.com has taken sermons from pastors like John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Josh Harris and others and added music to them. Each pastor has been contacted the web site says to obtain permission to use the sermons.

You may know someone who might listen to a good sermon in this way. Go the the site and give a listen.

Desiring God Pastors Conference 2009

Registration is open now for the Pastors Conference 2009, "Commending Christ: The Pastor, The Church, and the Perishing."

The speakers will be Mark Dever senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Matt Chandler lead pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX, and Michael Oh who is president and founder of the fastest growing seminary in Japan, Christ Bible Seminary in Nagoya. Along with John Piper the Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

To find out more about the conference and how to register go to this events link at Desiring God.

Francis Schaeffer

Recently I have been reading a book by Colin Duriez titled "Francis Schaeffer an Authentic Life" which has been a excellent read. It has caused me to think back to my college days and when we were expected to read a new book at the time called "Escape From Reason." The professor who made this required reading did a great service to the students under his charge. Soon I was reading "True Spirituality" and other works by Schaeffer. I was shaped in part by his writing.

Years latter I would hear him speak at Bethel College during his fight with cancer.

Over the years I have had the privilege to meet Edith and Franky Schaeffer on book tours when I managed a Christian Bookstore. Oh the memories that flood in from these wonderful by-gone days. Oh how God used Francis Schaeffer to shape a vast number of young people to see God more clearly.

Crossway publishing has done it again with this great biography.

Schaeffer video:
The Idol of Personal Peace and Affluence part 1

Bethlehem College and Seminary

Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis makes it official that it will launch a College and Seminary in the summer of 2009. I would encourage you to listen to Pastor John Piper describe the biblical foundation that this new venture will hold its self too. Watch and listen to the video The Earth is the Lords as Piper explains this biblical foundation to Christian education.

A new web site has been set up click this link to go to Bethlehem College and Seminary.

Be in prayer for the faculty and the students that will be attending that they would catch a vision to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

Keeping Current on this Election

Check out the Electoral Vote website. It has maps for Presidential, and all the other races taking place this November 4th. It gives multiple polls so you can get a good perspective on who is doing better. On the maps you can take your cursor and put it on a state and it will show you current information along with what has happened in the past 4 elections.

I contains lots of other information as well. So check it out - stay current. Vote November 4th!

Faith by Hearing

I came across this great ministry blog that helps the reader download great MP3's from a reformed perspective. The blog is Faith By Hearing in which the creator invites the Ipod user to redeem the commute. I have had a number of evenings downloading great sermons and interviews. People like John Piper, Iain Murry, Martin Lloyd-Jones, Mark Dever, and the list goes on and on. Try it out and let me know if you liked it.

Blog Sabbatical

For the last few months I have taken a sabbatical from blogging. A number of things caused my delay in writing. I was layed off my job August 1st due to the economic slow down. During this time I have been doing construction work by adding two rooms in our unfinished basement.

Tonight I was starting to get ready for the launch of our small group from church in which we will be working though "Respectable Sins" by Bridges with supplemental reading from Owen's "Mortification of Sin." I reviewed Bridges book not long ago. You may want to go back and see it again.

The Republican and Democratic conventions are over so 60 days till election time.

The sabbatical is over.

John Adams the video

My wife bought me the John Adams mini series on video that was put out by Tom Hanks on HBO. Wow is all I can say. It brings to life the the book by David McCullough. This DVD is a must rent when it is available.

We have watched the first DVD in the set and it is wonderful. We had taken a trip earlier this year to Colonial Willamsburg were a lot of the program was filmed. History really comes to life in this DVD. McCullough is one of my favorite writers of history and very accurate in delivering the information on the characters.

2008 Desiring God Conference - The Power of Words and the Wonder of God

The conference is set for September 26-28 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This years theme The Power of Words and the Wonder of God. The Speakers will be as follows:

• Sinclair Ferguson
• Paul Tripp
• Dan Taylor
• Mark Driscoll
• Bob Kauflin
• John Piper

Watch the video trailer at this link. The Power of Words and the Wonder of God video.
Save money by registering early.

Tribute to Jack Clifford

On March 27th my father, Jack Clifford, passed away. Following is the eulogy I gave at his funeral.

Dad loved music weather playing his instruments or singing. I remember as a young boy dad would sing solo’s in church and his favorite was How Great Thou Art.

When you listen to it sung today contemplate these stanzas:
HOW GREAT THOU ART

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power through-out the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee: How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration, And there proclaim, my God. how great Thou art!

I know that these stanzas capsulize what dad would want to tell you today.

His life showed me many things that taught me weather good or bad. Some of things are precious to me.

They are examples of things he taught me that I want to say YES too,
My relationship with Dad grew in the last 7 years as I would visit with him every other day by phone. It was during mom’s illness with Altzimers that I would pray with him on the phone for strength to endure. There were times of utter exhaustion from caring for mom. He would read the scriptures to her everyday. They would spend time singing as he played the ukulele. These familiar things would help mom. Dad was a stubborn man as many of you know, on many things and caring for mom was one area that I thought was beautiful stubbornness. The devotion that he showed toward her and the love that he displayed to her in his care. It was then that I learned what it means to love honor and cherish your spouse in sickness and in health. I say YES, I want to love, honor, and cherish Evelyn like this.

These last few years as dad went through dialysis for 4 hours every other day. A lot of time was spent in a chair. Dad spent a good share of it reading the scriptures. He would talk of how interesting a passage was or how great God’s anger toward those who did not obey and trust him was as he read Old Testemant passages. How happy he was to know the Savior. To know his love and not his anger towards us. How good it was to have talked to him about the scriptures or a sermon I had heard at church. I say YES, I want to know His word and be faithful to it.

James 1:2-3 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

A couple of years ago I had read a book called Heaven by Randy Alcorn and found it to be so helpful and full of the scriptures related to heaven that I gave dad a copy to read during his chair time. Dad said he was so glad that he was going their and that he found out some things that he did not know about heaven as he read the book. He thought everyone should read this book so that they could know what will happen to them when they die. To understand that God’s wrath is only removed from us by the blood of Christ. To repent and trust in Jesus was the only way to be in a right relationship before the Lord God Almighty, Dad believed this to be true. I say AMEN; I want to have an eternal perspective like that.

Praying was a big priority for Dad. Matt and Laura, Ruth, Jason and Daniel, Justina … Your grandfather prayed for your spiritual condition – wanting to know that you were in church and hearing the word of God. He knew that this life is just a vapor for him and for each one of us. Our lives are here and then it quickly vanishes like the vapor we breathe out on a cold winter’s day. I say YES, I want to be a man of prayer like that.

This is affirmed in the scripture:
James 4:14 You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

On Sunday last we sang this hymn in church and I thought this is what Dad could be saying as he enters the presence of the Lord. Let me share it with you.

I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art
I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art,My only trust and Savior of my heart,Who pain didst undergo for my poor sake;I pray Thee from our hearts all cares to take.
Thou art the King of mercy and of grace, Reigning omnipotent in every place; So come, O King, and our whole being sway;Shine on us with the light of Thy pure day.

Thou art the life, by which alone we live,And all our substance and our strength receive;Sustain us by Thy faith and by Thy power,And give us strength in every trying hour.
Thou hast the true and perfect gentleness,No harshness hast Thou and no bitterness;O grant to us the grace we find in Thee,That we may dwell in perfect unity.

Our hope is in no other save in Thee;Our faith is built upon Thy promise free;Lord, give us peace, and make us calm and sure,That in Thy strength we evermore endure.

The Lord gave. Jack, dad is a gift. Yes, he has been taken away. But that does not change the fact that he was and is a gift. You had him, and you have him still—not in your arms but in your memory; not in home but in your heart; not on earth but in heaven. Philippians 1:23, My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Jack would want you to know Christ, to repent of your sins, to trust in Him, to delight and treasure Him. Today let Jacks life be a testimony to the goodness, the mercy and the grace of God to one deserving of his wrath and judgment to one who is now counted righteous through Jesus Christ.

I believe that Dad’s prayer for you all is found in Psalm 27: 4-5
One thing I ask of the Lord this is what I seek: That you all may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of your lives, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep you safe in his dwelling; he will hide you in the shelter of his tabernacle and set you high upon a rock

Dad your inheritance is before you. Delight in your Savior

Joy has comes in the morning. Praise God for his love endures forever.

John Owen's Pastoral Theology lectures

John Owen’s Pastoral TheologyLectures by Dr. Derek Thomas
Here are the valuable lectures of Dr. Derek Thomas on the Pastoral Theology of John Owen delivered at the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary this past Spring. They are here posted with the kind permission of Dr. Thomas and the President of PRTS, Dr. Joel Beeke. Here you can stream the audio through this page or download the lecture audio files.

Jesus Music Oldies

I love the early days of Christian Rock and came across the Jesus Music Oldies Web Radio which is a nostolgic trip down memory lane. You can find old CD's and information about the groups from the 70's. If you are in your 50's you will like looking around this site.

Joshua Project

I have added at the bottom of the page the daily Joshua Project updated people group. Check it out. A great aid in praying for the people groups of the world.

Modern Parable

Hidden Treasure is a new video curriculum from Modern Parable. Watch the video and see the leaders and student workbooks.

John Newton - Latest Biography

I have recently finished the book released this summer titleled John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken. I love to read a good biorgraphy but this was great biorgraphy and one that every Christian should read for encouragement and to see how God alone is the one who saves us. This work is a good companion to Kevin Belmonte's book Hero for Humanity, the biorgraphy of William Wilberforce. You can read more about this book her on the blog dated September 6, 2006.

Jonathan Aitken’s biography of John Newton looks into nooks and crannies in Newton’s life, character, and spiritual journey. Aitken draws on Newton’s unpublished diaries and correspondence, providing fresh perspective on the life of this memorable man of God. The book is a portrait of John Newton, a self-described “great sinner” redeemed by a great Savior through amazing grace.

Jonathan Aitken is a well-known British author and former politician. He was a Member of Parliament for twenty-three years, serving in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and also as Minister of State for Defense. His political career ended when he pleaded guilty to charges of perjury as a result of having told a lie on oath in a civil libel lawsuit. During an eighteen-month prison stay, he converted to Christ. He is president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a director of Prison Fellowship International, and executive director of The Trinity Forum in Europe. He is the author of twelve books, including the award-winning Nixon: A Life and Charles W. Colson: A Life Redeemed.

I would highly recommend this book. Put it on your 2008 reading list - you will not be sorry you did.

Huckabee is Good for the GOP

Michael Medved had a good article on Huckabee and how he is helping the GOP.

See which candidate you most match up with on the issues by taking a short survey. Very fun!

John Newton Resources

Some web resources and links are mentioned in this entry. The Newton project was designed to promote the bicentenary of Newton in 2007. This web site that is dedicated to Newton is called The John Newton Project which contains sermons, hymns, unpublished letters along with other interesting information regarding Newton.

Or if you are interested only the the many Hymns that Newton wrote check out CyberHymnal. Some of the Hymns you can play a bad piano sounding rendition.

John Piper used John Newton in one of his Pastors Conference 2001 in which each year he gives a biographical sketch.

A museum called the Cowper and Newton Museum has is own web site which has some good links.