Quote of the Moment: How am I doing? Call God.

To paraphrase my pastor from Saturday evening's sermon (video found here):

I will not be judged on how other people treat me. I will be judged for how I respond. (John Piper)

Too true. This is something that I "know," yet don't practice nearly enough. Especially at work these days when I'm tired and overwhelmed and have a general distaste for probably half the people with whom I have daily contact (mainly because of the work they cause for me). My true character shows my impatience and pride far too much. I need to have a better attitude.

Quote of the Moment: How many are too many regulations?

"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law."

-Winston Churchill


p.s. MN has too many regulations.

Quote of the Moment: You will call, I will answer

William Stuntz, a professor at Harvard Law School, is dying of cancer. In an interview with Timothy Dalrymple in patheos, he stated the following:

Q: Do you have any favorite quotations or favorite scriptures, when it comes to death?

"Yes, a passage in the fourteenth chapter of Job. The passage as a whole is not hopeful. Job is uncertain what will happen to him when he dies. In the end, he says that he will return to dust and there will be nothing after death.

"In the midst of the passage, however, before he turns to despair, he has a moment of hope. It's a brief moment, just a couple of verses in the midst of an extended passage. Yet he says, 'You will call and I will answer. You will long for the creature your hands have made' (Job 14:15).

"I find those lines very powerful. The concept that God longs for the likes of me is so unspeakably sweet. I almost cannot bear to say them aloud. They are achingly sweet for me to hear.

"There are many passages I love, but that one in particular has grabbed hold of me. Job's hope, it turns out, is more realistic than his despair."


Read the entire interview here. I don't agree with every word Prof. Stuntz says, but I did find it thought-provoking because it makes me, as a Christian, think about what do I believe about death and God's purpose for each of our lives.

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part III

The creation of George Frederic Handel's Messiah was actually the idea of Handel's librettist, Charles Jennens. Jennens, a literary scholar who had attended Balliol College in Oxford, expressed in a letter to his friend George that he wanted to create a Scriptural anthology set to music, and would George mind writing the music? Handel (1695-1759) composed the masterpiece Messiah in a mere twenty-four days in the summer of 1741 (talk about thinking of Christmas music way before the season actually starts...and the Easter music WAY too early...kidding, kidding). Anyhoo, that's an average of 2 or 3 songs a day, which I suppose is not bad. (Ha! As if I could ever be that productive...It's taking me five days just to post all the Scripture references and stuff...let alone actually compose something...)

George's remarks upon finishing it? "I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the Great God Himself." There is another story told (perhaps apocryphally, according to the wikipedia) about the Hallelujah Chorus, probably the most famous chorus ever written, that Handel's assistant "walked in to Handel's room after shouting to him for several minutes with no response. The assistant reportedly found Handel in tears, and when asked what was wrong, Handel held up the score to this movement and said, 'I thought I saw the face of God.'"

It was debuted in Dublin, Ireland, in April of 1742, and apparently (as some accounts I've read, say), the public rehearsal the day before the big performance was so packed that hundreds of people had to be turned away because of lack of space. Proceeds from that first concert were donated to local charities and hospitals for the mentally ill at the request of Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Part III: The Aftermath

1. The promise of redemption from Adam's fall
2. Judgment Day
3. The victory over death and sin
4. The glorification of Christ

(45) I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano Air)
Job 19:25-26 "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand on the latter day upon the earth: And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."
I Corinthians 15:20 "[For] now is Christ risen from the dead...the firstfruits of them that [sleep]."

(46) Since By Man Came Death (Chorus)
I Corinthians 15:21-22 "Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

(47) Behold I Tell You a Mystery (Bass Recitative)
I Corinthians 15:51-52 "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet."

(48) The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass Air)
I Corinthians 15:52b-53 "The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal man must put on immortality."

(49) Then Shall Be Brought to Pass (Alto Recitative)
I Corinthians 15:54b (Isaiah 25:8) "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"

(50) O Death Where Is Thy Sting? (Alto and Tenor Duet)
I Corinthians 15:55-56 (Hosea 13:14) "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law."

(51) But Thanks Be to God (Chorus)
I Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(52) If God Be For Us (Soprano Air)
Romans 8:31, 33-34 "If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us."

(53) Worthy Is the Lamb (Chorus)
Revelation 5:12-13 "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing...Blessing and honour, glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen."

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part IIb

This is Christmas: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1, 14). In this section of part II of Messiah, we see this Word - Jesus - being spread throughout the nations: a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the New Testament (which is why so much of the New Testament seems to quote Old Testament verses: the prophets of old spoke of the coming of Christ, and of God's ultimate triumph over Satan and the things of this world - including those who wage war against Him and His people; it is God the Lord who reigns on high as the King over all those other guys).

Handel's Messiah

Part II: The Passion

4. God discloses His identity in heaven
5. The beginning of evangelism
6. The world and its rulers reject the Gospel
7. God's triumph

(37) The Lord Gave the Word (Chorus)
Psalm 68:11 "The Lord gave the [W]ord: great was the company of [the preachers]."

(38) How Beautiful Are the Feet (Soprano Air)
Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7) "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

(39) Their Sound Is Gone Out (Chorus)
Romans 10:18 (Psalm 19:4) "Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world."

(40) Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together? (Bass Air)
Psalm 2:1-2 (Acts 4:25-26) "Why do the heathen rage, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed."

(41) Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder (Chorus)
Psalm 2:3 "Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us."

(42) He That Dwelleth in Heaven (Tenor Recitative)
Psalm 2:4 "He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision."

(43) Thou Shalt Break Them (Tenor Air)
Psalm 2:9 "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

(44) Hallelujah (Chorus)
Revelation 19:6; 11:15 "Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign forever and ever...KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS."

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part IIa

I think one of the reasons I love Messiah even more this year is because I'm doing a Bible study on Isaiah. In the first 30 or so chapters, the vast majority of the book is about Isaiah's (and thus, God's) constant struggle with the rebellious children of Israel. They never listen to God, they turn their back on Him, and it's a time of great darkness with Isaiah wandering around, being a voice of warning in a spiritual wilderness. Throughout the dark moments when Israel is constantly sinning and doing the wrong thing, there are other moments of hope - God is sending them (and us) a Saviour (Is. 9:6). No matter what they've done or how much they rebel, God will wait for Israel to return to Him, and when they do, He will be gracious to them (Is. 30:18). It is nice knowing that no matter how many times I sin and do the wrong thing (which is often, let's face it), God is graciously waiting for me to return to Him in the same way (not that this is or should be a free license to go do whatever I want, either, but there is forgiveness and grace with God).

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Part II: The Passion

1. The sacrifice, the scourging and agony on the cross
2. His death, His passing through hell, and His resurrection
3. His ascension
4. God discloses His identity in heaven

(22) Behold the Lamb of God (Chorus)
John 1:29 "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world."

(23) He Was Despised (Alto Air)
Isaiah 53:3 "He was despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief..."
Isaiah 50:6 "[He] gave [His] back to the smiters, and [His] cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. [He] hid not [His] face from shame and spitting.

(24) Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs (Chorus)
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him."

(25) And With His Stripes We Are Healed (Chorus)
Isaiah 53:5b "...and with His stripes we are healed."

(26) All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray (Chorus)
Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

(27) All They That See Him Laugh Him to Scorn (Tenor or Soprano Recitative)
Psalm 22:7 "All they that see [Him] laugh [Him] to scorn: they shoot out their lips, they shake their heads, saying..."

(28) He Trusted in God (Chorus)
Psalm 22:8 (Matthew 27:43) "He trusted [in God], that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him."

(29) Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart (Tenor Recitative)
Psalm 69:20 "[Thy] rebuke hath broken [His] heart; [He is] full of heaviness. [He] looked for some to have pity [on Him], but there was none; neither found [He] any comfort to [Him]."

(30) Behold, and See If There Be Any Sorrow (Tenor Air)
Lamentations 1:12 "Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto [His] sorrow..."

(31) He Was Cut Off Out of the Land of the Living (Soprano Recitative)
Isaiah 53:8b "He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of [Thy] people was He stricken."

(32) But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell (Soprano Air)
Psalm 16:10 (Acts 2:27) "[But] Thou [didst] not leave [His] soul in hell; neither [didst] Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption."

(33) Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates (Chorus)
Psalm 24:7-10 "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory."

(34) Unto Which of the Angels Said He at Any Time (Tenor or Soprano Recitative)
Hebrews 1:5 (Psalm 2:7) "For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?"

(35) Let All the Angels of God Worship Him (Chorus)
Hebrews 1:6b "Let all the angels of God worship Him."

(36) Thou Art Gone Up on High (Bass or Alto Air)
Psalm 68:18 (Ephesians 4:8) "Thou art gone up on high. Thou has led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them."

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part Ib

Today, I'm continuing with the birth of Christ as told through Handel's Messiah, Internet, because I like it, and this is my blog, so I can write whatever I want - including music hundreds of years old, quoting verses thousands of years old...'cause I'm cool like that.

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Part I: The Birth of Christ

5. The appearance of the angel to the shepherds
6. Christ's miracles

(14) There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field (Soprano Recitative)
Luke 2:8-9 "There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."

(15) And the Angel Said Unto Them (Soprano Recitative)
Luke 2:10-11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

(16) And Suddenly There Was with the Angel (Soprano Recitative)
Luke 2:13 "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying..."

(17) Glory to God (Chorus)
Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

(18) Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion (Soprano Air)
Zechariah 9:9-10 (Matthew 21:5) "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Savior*. . . And he shall speak peace unto the heathen."

(19) Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind (Alto Recitative)
Isaiah 35:5-6 "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing."

(20) He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd (Alto Air)
Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; and he shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
Matthew 11:28-29 "Come unto [Him], all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and [He shall] give you rest. Take [His] yoke upon you, and learn of [Him]; for [He is] meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

(21) His Yoke Is Easy (Chorus)
Matthew 11:30 "[His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light."


*"He is the righteous Savior" are Handel's own words added to the Scripture text

Quote of the Moment: Messiah, Part Ia

Even though I may sometimes tire of playing Messiah, I generally don't tire of listening to it (there's a lot to it, so it's not like you hear the whole thing straight through day after day). I love the music (and Handel was a total genius when it comes to compositional techniques like word painting), I love the text, I love everything about it. So, for the next few days, I'm going to go through the text of the three different parts of Handel's Messiah (even though many people only play the first part during the Advent/Christmas season, I believe the whole work fits together - that's kinda why it's all one piece - and should be looked at together. One can hardly understand the purpose of the first part if one doesn't understand that the reason for Christ's birth is found in the second two parts.) Today, the first section of Part I.

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Part I: The Birth of Christ

1. The prophecy of salvation
2. The prophecy of the coming of the Messiah
3. Portents to the world at large
4. Prophecy of the virgin birth

(1) Overture (Orchestral)

(2) Comfort Ye (Tenor Recitative)
Isaiah 40:1-3 "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned...The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

(3) Every Valley (Tenor Air)
Isaiah 40:4 "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain."

(4) And the Glory of the Lord (Chorus)
Isaiah 40:5 "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

(5) Thus Saith the Lord (Bass Recitative)
Haggai 2:6, 7 "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Yet once, a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come."
Malachi 3:1 "The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts."

(6) But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming? (Bass Air)
Malachi 3:2 "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire..."

(7) And He Shall Purify (Chorus)
Malachi 3:3 "...And He shall purify the sons of Levi...that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness."

(8) Behold, a Virgin Shall Conceive (Alto Recitative)
Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:23) "...Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, God with us."

(9) O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion (Alto Air & Chorus)
Isaiah 40:9 & 60:1 "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up and be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."

(10) For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover the Earth (Bass Recitative)
Isaiah 60:2-3 "For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness, the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

(11) The People that Walked in Darkness (Bass Air)
Isaiah 9:2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

(12) For Unto Us a Child Is Born (Chorus)
Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the might God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

(13) Pastoral Symphony (Orchestral)

Quote of the Moment: Laziness, Take 2

"I like the word 'indolence.' It makes laziness seem classy." - Bern Williams

Quote of the Moment: Technology will cut jobs and scare our women and children

To: President Jackson

The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as "railroads." The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons:

One. If canal boats are supplanted by "railroads," serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without means of livelihood, not to mention the numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for horses.

Two. Boat builders would suffer and towline, whip and harness makers would be left destitute.

Three. Canal boats are absolutely essential to the defense of the United States. In the event of expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war.

As you may well know, Mr. President, "railroad" carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by "engines" which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.

Martin Van Buren, Governor of New York

-Letter written to President Andrew Jackson by Martin Van Buren in 1829 when Van Buren was New York's Governor

Sound familiar? Kinda reminds me of today's union hacks...More on it here, in a 2000 piece by Jerry L. Jordan, President of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank.

Quote of the Moment: Laziness

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." - Jules Renard

Quote of the Moment: how the book of Isaiah reflects today's times

"The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not a local deity, not a tribal god, not an American pet. He is the Lord of the nations, they are all accountable to him, their fates and fortunes are in his hands alone, he will have the final word, and he will vindicate the faith of his people. Individuals are judged in eternity, but nations are judged in time. And time is moving inexorably forward, through the tremors of present judgments to the final shaking of all things on the day of the Lord. That certainty helps us to live above the madness and to care for others in their distress."

Raymond Ortlund, Jr., in Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, chapter 14, "The Supremacy of God Over the Nations I"

Quote of the Moment (about 100 years ago)

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!"

-Algernon Moncrief, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (1895)

Quote of the Moment: Tolerance does not mean what it used to mean.

"Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions." -G.K. Chesterton

Quote of the Moment: Turkish Coffee

"If you're unfamiliar, [Turkish coffee] is the kind of coffee that coffee would drink for breakfast. Imagine Cuban coffee on crack which is like regular coffee on crack so essentially Turkish coffee is coffee to the second power. You could use it for jet fuel. (Actually, drink enough and you wouldn't even need a plane to take flight.)"

-Jen Lancaster

Quote of the Moment: Politics as Art

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then misapplying the wrong remedies." -Groucho Marx

Quote of the Moment: Government Encroachment

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greater dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." -Justice Louis Brandeis, Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 479 (1928)

Quote of the Moment: Useless People

"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress." -John Adams

Quote of the Moment: Raw Nerves

I can completely relate to this:

"I’ve had raw nerves all day. Either they gave me a headache, or the headache gave me raw nerves, or the two just held hands and danced a merry gavotte all day on the ground that will someday be my grave, but I’ve just been feeling mean." -James Lileks, over at the Bleat

Quote of the Moment: OJ Pulp

The absolutely funniest thing I've heard in weeks is the following, which was a comment posted on another website by this guy:

"I can’t drink OJ with pulp. It’s like there’s bits of dead lip skin from a thousand people who have never heard of ChapStick floating around in my juice."