My Boys!

Luther's Wittenberg

Martin Luther is easily my favorite historical figure. I read Roland Bainton's most excellent book on Luther, "Here I Stand," shortly after moving to Europe and fell in love with him. My favorite part of the book was the chapter on Luther's marriage to the ex-nun Katarina Von Bora who Luther helped to escape from a convent by smuggling her and a dozen or so other nuns out in beer barrels. Only Luther! Anyway, I found cheap flights to Berlin recently and realized that Wittenberg was just a short train ride away so Matt and I went for one night. Wittenberg is a cute and cozy little medieval town full of Luther. We stayed in a hotel directly across the street from the Castle Church where Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door in 1517. Luther also preached here and is buried here. We also visit the Stadt Church where Luther preached his famous Lectern sermons and where he and Katarina got married. The University of Wittenberg where Luther was a professor is just on the way to the Lutherhaus Museum. The Lutherhaus was an Augustinian monastery where Luther lived with Katarina. They also housed students here and this is where the famous table talks took place after dinner in Luther's living room. All these places were very neat to see but my favorite part was just being in the town, walking down the main drag and thinking to myself this is where Luther walked, lived, preached, drank beer, and fought for the truth. This little town is where God chose to light the fire of the Reformation. Amazing.

On Luther's Trail

Off to Germany to see Martin Luther's Wittenberg!

Anselm on the Death of Christ

A friend of mine recently loaned me a small book titled, "A Cloud of Witnesses- Ten Great Christian Thinkers" by Alister McGrath. In this book McGrath authors a dozen or so chapters on ten Christian thinkers of the past, giving a bit of biography and then focusing on a major topic each particular thinker dealt with during his life time. Though it is quite a small book it says a lot and I am really enjoying it and encouraged by it. I wanted to share some quotes from the chapter on Anselm of Canterbury who really wrestled with the death of Christ, wondering why did God have to redeem us through the death of Christ on the cross- wasn't there another way that God could have done it? After wrangling over God's mercy and justice Anselm's understanding and argument for the death of Christ came down to this:

1. Humans beings have an obligation, but not an ability, to make the satisfaction required if God is to grant us eternal life.
2. God himself has no obligation to make this satisfaction; however, he has the ability to make this satisfaction.
3. Therefore, Anselm concludes, if God became man, the result would be a God-man who has both the obligation and the ability to restore the situation, and allow us to regain eternal life.

I really like the clarity of the way he explained it. Shortly there after McGrath goes on to say this:

"God doesn't just say something like, 'Never mind- we'll pretend that sin never happened.' Even we would find that a shockingly superficial attitude.No- God deals with sin at its root, insisting that it is taken seriously,and really forgiven. And for those of us who know how real sin can be, it is vital that we know that our real sins are really forgiven. We need to know that our sins really have been cancelled and forgiven so that we can rest secure with the God who loves us. Forgiveness is shown to be a very costly matter. But the cost of our redemption also reminds us of how precious we are to God. We must mean something to God, if he goes to such lengths to forgive us, and restore us to fellowship with him."

Wow, what an utterly amazing and marvelous God we have!

Walking the Bible with Feiler

I came across this book just before I went to Egypt and Jordan this fall. I had hoped to finish it before my trip but only got about 1/3 of the way through it before I went. Finishing up the two thirds that was left after my trip proved to be better I think. The book and the author are very liberal but having just come from most of the places the author visits in this book made the book a very enjoyable read for me. I guess I was able to chew the meat while spitting out the bones more easily because I was still on a high from my trip. I enjoy reading travel literature- particularly from Israel and the middle east. This is the first book I have read on this subject from the perspective of a Jewish man and I found it very interesting in spite of the fact that he is so liberal when it comes to the veracity of the Bible (as are all the scholars and people he interviews along the way). I was excited for a while as his faith seems to be growing as you go through the book. However, by the end he is just as unbelieving as he was to begin with (though he doesn't see it this way) and so this was very disappointing. Another sad thing is the amount of people he talks to throughout his trip who seem to believe that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all worship the same God. This is in no way, shape, or form true in the least bit. Anyway, this being said there are some very insightful and interesting passages and experiences in the book. If you long to visit the lands of the Bible but cannot this is a good book to check out. If you are interested in what people in the middle east are like and how they view the bible this is a good book to check out. If you are interested in biblical archaeology and history you'll find a lot to chew on in this book- you'll just have to read it with discernment and with a healthy grain of salt!

Here is a passage from the book that I liked:

"... I returned to the essential triad at the heart of the Bible: the people, the land, and God. I had gone to the land, I had encountered a spirit, and in so doing I had become more human. That equation drew me back to one of the defining moments of the Pentateuch, Jacob's wrestling with the messenger of God in the valley of Jabbok, just north of Nebo. At first Jacob doesn't know who the messenger is. They wrestle, they struggle, one seems to be winning, then the other, until finally Jacob is scarred. The scar, significantly, does not end up on Jacob's hand, nor on his head, his heart, or his eyes. Humans experience God, the text seems to be saying, not by touching him, imagining him, feeling him, or seeing him. Jacob is scarred on his leg, for the essential way humans experience God, the text suggests, is by walking with him."

Jordan

Here are some photos from the second half of our recent trip to the middle east.

Quick Update

A quick note to my readers-

Last week our computer suddenly died the blue screen of death. We have ordered a new one and once it arrives I will continue with my full debrief of our Egypt and Jordan trip and will also post my Jordan slideshow with many more interesting phots for you to see. Sorry for the delay. Stay tuned!

Egypt!

A full report of our trip soon to follow- stay tuned!

Why I Love Mark Driscoll

Amen, Brother!

Back from the Desert

I have just returned from Tucson where I spent a little over a week working on our new house. I was able to move our storage, make some repairs, do some yard work, and even do a little research on possible future house investments such as saltillo tile, polished concrete flooring, skylights, paint, and adobe brick sealing. While doing all of this I was able to spend a lot of time at the house which I warmly refer to as "my adobe." This is the first time I have seen the house since we bought it in June and I now have renters in it. I have to admit it was kind of weird walking into our house and seeing it full of someone else's stuff. It strikes me as funny that this should be weird to me since we have never lived there nor have we had our stuff in it. Anyway, our renters are good friends of ours and they really like the house so I am glad to have them in it. They had a small list of minor repairs for me which Sandi helped me with and then my renter Steve was good enough to help me remove some dead cactus from the yard. Have you ever had to deal with moving cactus? DANGER BATMAN! All in all it was good and productive trip. I especially enjoyed partaking in a cold beer on my porch after a long, hard, hot days work. Here is the view from my porch.

Heading Home, Again

In just 2 days from now I will be boarding a plane to Tucson- YIPPEE!!!

Matt decided (with a little help from me) that it would be a good idea for me to go home and move all of our stuff out of storage into the new house so that we don't have to keep paying for storage. So starting Tuesday I will go on a mad moving fest, and in my own car- the Element- which I haven't driven in two years. I will also have some work done on the house and do some window shopping in order to price some things out for when we return and start the massive remodel. Along with all of this I will also be hanging out with friends, family, and filling up on Mexican food to my hearts content. Oh, the excitement of it all!

Preaching in a Graveyard

"Regeneration is the act of the Holy Spirit by which he brings a man from the state of spiritual death to spiritual life. It is, in effect, spiritual "resurrection." In the act of regeneration, the Holy Spirit changes the disposition of the soul and renews the will. The new life given in regeneration immediately manifests itself in faith and repentance. Regeneration, is therefore, not the result of faith, as Arminians and others assert. Rather, faith is the result of regeneration. The state of the sinner is analogous to the state of Lazarus in the tomb (John 11:1-44). Like the unbeliever, Lazarus was dead, unable to do anything to change his condition. Jesus commands this corpse to come out of the tomb (in one brief statement, He destroys the claim of those who say that if God commands something we must have the natural ability to do it).

The command Jesus gives to Lazarus is analogous to the external call made to all unbelievers. Like Ezekiel preaching to the valley of dry bones (37:1-14), the external call is made to the spiritually dead. Those who proclaim the gospel preach in a graveyard. Lazarus cannot obey Christ's command until he is given new life, and this is something only God can do. When Lazarus is given new life, he immediately responds and exits the tomb. In the same way, the spiritually dead sinner cannot respond to the gospel until he is given new life through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Once he is regenerated, however, he immediately responds, placing his faith in Jesus. He is then justified by God." -Keith A. Mathison

I am quite familiar with the Biblical teachings on regeneration and transforming grace wrought entirley by the Holy Spirit and have read much in the area. However, when I came across these particular lines from Keith A. Mathison in the Calvin book I am reading I was really struck but the statement he makes; "Those who proclaim the gospel preach in a graveyard." I think Mathison hit the nail on the head perfectly with this description. In the pursuit of being biblically faithful Christians we would do well to remember this in our evangelistic efforts, in our realtionships with unbelievers, and especially in our prayer lives!

Calvin on Faith and Assurance

I came across some good Calvin quotes regarding faith and assurance in the book John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology which I am currently finishing up.

"Faith then is not a naked knowledge either of God or of his truth; nor is it a simple persuasion that God is, that his word is the truth; but a sure knowledge of God's mercy, which is received from the gospel, and brings peace of conscience with regard to God, and rest to the mind."

and

"According to Calvin, faith is assurance. One does not look to Christ for justification and to oneself for assurance of being jusitifed."

U2 Live in Dublin

One thing I had hoped to do before we leave Dublin was to see U2 in concert here. Last weekend that desire was fulfilled at Croke Park. Our friend David gotus tickets and the three of us went to the concert together last Friday night. I have been listening to U2 since I was about 12 years old. They must be the biggest rock band in the world and for a good reason- they are very talented musicians and excellent entertainers. I have been to a good number of conerts but I will have to say the most exciting concert moment I have ever experienced was when the members of U2 walked out onto the stage. The place lit up with excitement. The atmosphere throughout the whole show was electric. They started out the concert with a few of their top new songs off their new album and then spent the rest of the show playing many of their best loved hits. They even played my favorite U2 song "Bad." Something a little different that I haven't seen before at any concert is flags. Many people in the crowd had Irish flags and it was quite moving to see the Irish flags being held up while U2 sang "Bloody Sunday." Seeing U2 in any city would be a real treat but seeing them in Dublin was pricelss. Bono is a frickin legend!

Enjoy a few pics from the show shown above with the best song off their new album called "Magnificent."

Goodbye, Baby

Sad news in the Likes family. Yesterday our family horse had to be put down. He was 33 years old. My mom has had him for the last 27 years. I grew up riding horses and taking lessons but did not ride him until I had been riding for about 7 years. The reason for this was because he was a whole lot of horse to handle. Even into old age he was quite a power house and full of spirit. He was also a talented horse who rode in parades and in shows doing English pleasure, jumping, and my personal favorite- dressage. I even got to learn a little dressage on him before I stopped riding. I don't know if God takes our pets into heaven but I hope he does and I hope that Baby is now grazing into the big pasture in the sky and getting lots of carrots and sugar cubes!

Baby

1976-2009

R.I.P.

Sugar Loaf

A few weeks ago my Welsh friend Catrin asked me if I wanted to hike up Sugar Loaf with her and her boyfriend's mom. I am not much of a hiker but I figured I would go just to spend time with the crazy Welshcake. Sugar Loaf is not huge and is more of a large hill than a mountain but the hike was challenging and the resulting view was amazing! Here are some pics...

Celebrating Our New House

At the end of May Matt and I traveled home to Arizona in hopes of buying a house. I got to go for four whole weeks and Matt came for two. I went a week ahead of him to start the house shopping process with our favorite realtor, Matt's dad. We saw many nice houses and put offers in on a few but finally decided on one that I saw the very first day. It was one that Matt's dad found. He suggested we look at even though I was convinced it was out of our price range. When I first saw it I thought Matt would like it even though the house was outdated and needed a lot of love. I didn't think it was a big deal that is was stuck in the 70's because Matt and I did some work to our first house and really enjoyed it. So we put an offer in on it and after a little wheelin' and dealin' by our talented realtor we got it for a good price. As of today the house is officially ours and we just finished up a bottle of champagne in celebration. Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the house. Its a 3 bedroom burnt adobe house with great mountain views and in a fantastic area of town. We have been having tons of fun over the last month planning all the things we want to do it when we move back to Arizona someday. Thanks and praise be to God who is the giver of all good things!

Dublin's Own, The Fighting

Last Friday night Matt and I headed into the city center to support a friend of ours whose band just released their first EP. The band is called The Fighting and we know the front man, Len and the lead guitar player, Chris. Both of these guys go to my church. In addition to this Len also just happens to be the beau of my good friend, Catrin the Welshie.

We saw Len play one time before this at house gig where it was just him and his acoustic guitar. This gig at the pub was much different as it was the full band and they rocked the hizzy fo shizzy! During the concert Len even gave a shout out to Matt for his recent birthday. It was really fun to see a band we actually know. They are really talented and have some great songs. To hear some good ol' Dublin rock n' roll check out their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/thefighting. You can also go to itunes and purchase their new EP. Enjoy!

Vienna

After spending a few days in Prague with Jamie and Steven the four of us hopped a train to Austria's capital city of Vienna. Vienna is a beautiful city but sadly much more modern than I expected it to be. The experience of this city can be summed up in a few words: Mozart, music, Opera, Lipizzaner's, and Habsurgs. While here we walked around the city center via the Ringstrasse, toured the Hofburg and Schonbrunn Palaces, saw some great live outdoor music concerts, saw the Lipizzaner stables, and enjoyed many a brat and wienerschnitzel. This was all good fun but the highlight of Vienna has to be the Opera! Though I am not an opera fan my Rick Steve's guide said standing room tickets for 3 euro were available at each show for the person who wants to see what the Opera is like. I figured when in Vienna one must go to the Opera. So we dropped in on "Tosca." We stood at the very top but we could see the stage and to my surprise there were little screens above our heads which displayed the words in English which the singers were singing. Seeing the Opera live and being able to understand it was a really cool experience. We could have stayed the whole time but our feet and backs were so sore and tired that we stayed only stayed for one act- about 50 minutes. The Opera was by far my favorite experience in Vienna and is worth a try for even the most skeptical. I would have loved to see the Lipizzaners as well but they were not performing or practicing during our lightening trip to Vienna- bummer!

Prague

In April my oldest sister Jamie and her husband Steven came to visit us. This was their first trip out of the US. While they were here the four of us went to Prague and Vienna. While in Prague we visited the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, the main square with the Astronomical Clock and Cathedrals, and the Bethlehem Chapel which was the church of the great Reformer, John Hus. Prague is a beautiful city as you will see in the pictures. It was also a fun place to eat as we enjoyed lots of goulash, dumplings, and Czech beer.