Beeb'z Blog

For My Seminary Brothers

2009-06-14T11:59:00.006-05:00

George Whitfield shares a challenging word from a pamphlet called The Method of Grace. He comments concerning Jeremiah 6:14, "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace."

Whitifeld:

As God can send a nation or people no greater blessing than to give them faithful, sincere, and upright ministers, so the greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world, is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm, and unskilled guides.

May we guard our hearts from unbelief, and hold fast to the one who laid hold of us.

I wonder if my drive-thru could do this?

2009-06-13T19:51:00.000-05:00

What's all the Skype about?

2009-06-05T19:42:00.002-05:00

So, Sarah recently purchased a camera for our laptop and we are anxious to put it to use. What people recommend is that you get your "skype" name out there for people to see so that they can search for you and add you to their contact list. Well, that's what I am doing. Here it is:

bebee.family

If you skype and you like us, look us up. Peace!!!

My Wife's Blog

2009-05-31T20:08:00.002-05:00

Check out my wife's recent blog about our family here.

Kentucky Derby Time

2009-05-06T19:37:00.001-05:00

In light of the recent horse races, I thought this might bring you joy.

The Second Marriage: Eph. 5:22-33 - Christ and His Church

2009-04-21T19:25:00.004-05:00

Now marriage has come to mean more than companionship; it has come to be understood more fully by people today, specifically Christians. Marriage was always supposed to point us to Christ and His church. The marriage relationship is to reflect the union Christ has with His people. In Ephesians 5:25-33 we learn that when God created Adam and Eve, He had was giving us an early glimpse into the relationship between Christ and His church.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:31-32)

When people get married today, they are to picture Christ and His church, they are modeling the gospel. Indeed, if you don’t understand Christ’s relationship with His Church, you can never understand marriage. If you don’t understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, you can never understand marriage. The gospel actually explains marriage.

So Husbands, if you are going to have a marriage that honors the Lord, if you are going to be a faithful husband, you must love your wife as Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:25).

Let me suggest three ways to do this.

First, Christ gave Himself for the church. Husbands, give yourself for your wife (Eph. 5:25). A sacrificial love should mark your tender affection for your wife. Doing what is in her best interest and meeting her needs before your own is a sacrificial love. You must consider her as more important that yourself, just as Christ did for His people.

Second, Christ sanctifies the Church and you ought to see to your wife’s sanctification. Husbands, you are your wife’s chief sanctifier, second to the Lord. Husbands, you are in charge of the “(Insert your wife's name here) Renovation Project,” and if you are like me, your wife is way ahead of you. This is why Christ gave himself:

“that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:26-27)

Christ seeks to sanctify His bride, make her holy and set her apart for holy use. He also desires to cleanse her by washing her with the word of God, the scriptures. His goal is complete and perfect purity. Husbands, you are to do this all of your life.

Third, Christ treasures His church. Husbands, treasure your wives.

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. (Eph. 5:29-30)

Just as Christ is one with His church, husbands are one with their wives. What you do for her, you do for yourself. You are one flesh with your wife so you are to care for her as your own flesh. Nourish her, provide her with what she needs for growth. A good church, time in the word, family devotions are all ways to nourish her, and cherish her. Husbands, prize her, look after her, guard her, care for her, and do it with a measure of intensity that recognizes that the days are evil and your time is limited.

Husbands, in the same way Christ gave Himself sacrificially for His bride, you must give yourself for your wife. Caring for her, sanctifying her, nourishing and cherishing her and never giving up on her are all mandatory.

Wives, the call for you is to submit to your husband as he seeks to lead you in godliness, the same way Christ leads the church.

So that is how we are to view the present marriage, we view it in light of Christ and His church. But what about the future marriage?

That segways to a blog yet to come!

Future Marriage: Rev. 19:6-9 The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

2009-03-19T23:05:00.003-05:00

This future marriage has already been hinted at in Ephesians 5:27, Christ “will present the Church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” There time in the future when Christ will present the church to Himself as a beautiful, spotless bride. This is the future marriage. This is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! At this marriage Jesus has gathered all Christians of all ages, from every tribe and tongue and nation. The church is standing before Him as His glorious bride. It is at this time that the Church, Christ’s bride, has made herself ready.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Rev. 19:6-9)

The great multitude is praising God, the God of the universe, because He is almighty and He reigns. There is great rejoicing and exalting and glorifying God. Why? The bride has made herself ready! She was granted to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and pure which are the righteous deeds of the saints. She is now glorious and pure. Not even the slightest blemish mars this unsurpassed beauty of the bride. Her splendor will be exquisite, unsurpassed and matchless.

Oh believers, Oh church, Oh Christians, how we ought to look forward to this day! How should we feel about this coming wedding? We should feel exactly as any woman who becomes engaged to be married feels, except infinitely more excited because our groom is Christ! We should be looking forward to the great day, and longing for it, and living for it. This should be at the center of our lives to the exclusion of all else. We should be animated by this, stimulated and moved by it, and ever looking forward to it. The wedding day, the ceremony, the friends looking on, the feasting, the wonder and glory and the splendor of it all! We will be gloriously united to Christ for eternity! (D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, “Life in the Spirit in Marriage, Home and Work”) No wonder Revelation 19:9 says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”

Now, some of you may be asking, “Who is invited?” or, “How do you get invited?” or, “Am I invited?” I have good news for you; you may come. But before you come to the marriage supper of the Lamb, you need to know something about the Lamb. The Lamb is Christ. And this Lamb, Christ, came to save poor sinners like you and me. We, as sinners, deserve eternal punishment for our sins before an infinitely holy God. Christ, God’s only begotten son, came and lived a perfect life. He was then placed upon a cross to be slain on our behalf. He took upon Himself the sins of His people and bore the full wrath of God in our place. God punished Him for sins that He never once committed. The perfect Son of God was slain, yet He victoriously conquered death and rose again. This Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb that was slain, invites you to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

But you must come on His terms.

You must repent of your sins. You must give up on your own selfish way of living and submit to the Lordship of Christ. Turn from your wicked ways.

You must also believe that what Christ did on the cross was sufficient to save you from your sins. You must believe that the punishment you deserve for your sins was paid for by Christ, and that He has made a way for you to be reconciled to God. Those who trust Christ receive His perfect righteousness credited to them and thus stand blameless before a holy God.

When Christ comes again you will go to one of two places. Those who repent and believe in Christ will be forever with Him in glory, invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Those who refuse to repent and believe in this lifetime will have no place reserved for them in heaven, no invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and no delight at the coming of Christ. Instead, a fiery judgment awaits.

Today is the day of salvation, now is the time! Repent and believe! Accept His invitation.

All of us are beneficiaries of the past marriage between Adam and Eve. All of us are beneficiaries of present weddings (whether your own or those around you). But will you be a beneficiary of the future wedding? This is the question we must all wrestle with today. When Christ returns, will you be one who has repented of your sins and trusted Him to save you? Or will you refuse to receive His free grace offered in the gospel? Will you be invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb or will you be put under His judgment because you did not accept the invitation to come on His terms? You must answer this question in your heart today.

During weddings, think on the gospel, be reminded of Christ’s marvelous sacrifice on your behalf and His continuous work to present to Himself a bride, pure and spotless. When Christ comes again, will you be invited to His wedding feast?

The First Marriage: Gen 2:18-25 - Adam and Eve

2009-03-19T22:49:00.006-05:00

Here in this immediate context God has created the universe and He has placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to tend it and keep it. In Gen. 2:18 God says, “It is not good for a man to be alone; I will make him a helper, fit for him.” Here we have God vowing to create; a commitment to create has been made. The next thing God does is interesting. He parades all the animals before Adam and allows Adam to name them. What was God doing here? He was showing Adam that it is not good for man to be alone. There were male and female animals but only a male human! Adam needs a helpmate and after God demonstrates to Adam his need, He acts on His prior commitment to create.

"So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man." (Gen. 2:21-22)

Did you ever wonder why God used a rib? It is not as though He needed something to work with. He created the world with a word so He doesn’t need a rib to create a woman. God used a rib to show the union of the husband and wife. They truly are one flesh. Look at Adams response:

Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Gen. 2:23)

God was showing the oneness of a married couple by forming Eve from Adam. They are truly one, one flesh, one made from the other. Verse 24 demonstrates that this account of Adam and Eve sets precedence for all forthcoming marriages. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Because Eve was formed from Adam, they are one flesh. All future marriages are to be marked by a husband and wife, male and female, leaving and cleaving to one another in a one flesh relationship.

Why did the first marriage occur? This first marriage is a covenant of companionship.

Marriage solves the problem of loneliness (Gen. 2:18). Man is not good when left alone so God makes him a helper, suitable for him, corresponding to him. Most men are like Adam; lonely and not satisfied with the loneliness. Companionship solves this problem and this companionship is mutually given and received. One who has a close, intimate relationship with his or her spouse is one who has a companion. Husbands and wives are to be intimately united in thoughts, goals, plans, efforts, in all of life. Indeed, in a God glorifying marriage a husband and wife are one another’s closest companions.

This brings us to our second marriage, which will be a later post.

Chick-fil-A

2009-03-15T19:19:00.005-05:00

I love me some Chick-fil-a!

Check out the meal calculator online. Go see how many calories your typical Chick-fil-A meal will pack on ya (you may be surprised). My favorite meal, a Chick-fil-A sandwich, medium fries, small coleslaw and a Large Sweet Tea, actually contains 1,390 calories. hehehehe. Before you go casting judgment on me, consider that most people eat that meal without the coleslaw which puts them at right around 1,000 calories. Well, at least you have the option of getting a wrap.

Oh, and guys, The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood just released a new video. The solo is my favorite part. Check it out:

Just kidding about the CBMW part.

My Sweet Baby Girl

2009-03-13T18:37:00.005-05:00

So Sarah and I had a baby girl, Brooklynn Grace Bebee, and she is the most precious girl in the entire world. You can see many pics at my wife's blog. But I thought I would give you a couple.

See, I told you she was the most precious girl in the world.

Chick-fil-A

2009-03-13T14:07:00.008-05:00

I love me some Chick-fil-A!

Psalm 13

2009-03-08T18:45:00.003-05:00

I had the honor of preaching at my Church this morning, Auburndale Baptist, and thought some of you may want to hear it. You can listen to it here.

You will have to click over to page 2 and you will find it about midway down. You will find it listed as "Psalm 13 by Ryan Bebee." I'd love to hear any feedback you may offer, both negative and positive.

Yours In Christ,
Ryan Bebee

Inconsistency???

2009-02-25T16:40:00.001-06:00

Does anyone hear some contradictory statements on this? Or is it just me?

Stem Cell Cannibalism?

2009-02-10T07:13:00.004-06:00

Richard Land (president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religous Liberty Commission) has a thought provoking response to Obama's reversal of Bush's pro-life stem cell policy:

"Reduced to its basics, killing the tiniest human beings in their embryonic stage of development for the possible medical benefits of older and more developed human beings is quite simply high-tech cannibalism in which we devour our own young for the sole purpose of treating other human beings who are merely fortunate enough to be older and able to defend themselves in a way the tiniest human beings are not," Land told Baptist Press.

Read the whole article here.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Tim. 2:1-2

Here is a recent e-mail I recieved from FightFOCA (the freedom of choice act). Please take the time to look into this and take action if you are so inclined.

Dear Friend,
Americans United for Life Action has just made me aware of an effort to pass FOCA one step at a time through the Congressional appropriations process.
They let me contact my Member of Congress and encourage him/her to sign onto a letter going to Speaker Nancy Pelosi encouraging her that all pro-life provisions in the federal budget remain in place.
You can do so too at AUL Action's website. But hurry! The deadline for Members of Congress to sign on is this Friday, February 13.
Thank You!

Puritan in my Pocket

2008-11-19T08:59:00.009-06:00

I suppose you all remember the old "Cross in my Pocket" fad that went around. No doubt the Lord used that to help people keep their minds on Him throughout the day. But a new day is dawning for pocket items meant to keep you gospel centered. Check out the new series Banner of Truth has begun. The series is called "Pocket Puritans" and I encourage you all to purchase a couple. These little books are great for giving to people who are not necessarily devoted readers because they are short and to the point. Not only that, they would be great homework assignments for people you may be counseling biblically. The puritans speak truth directly to the heart of people and they do so clearly, boldly, and without mixing any words. Check them out, you will not be dissapointed.

Anti FOCA

2008-11-11T09:25:00.003-06:00

I received this e-mail from my good friend Matt Crawford. This is well worth the time it takes.

Dear Friends,

With the election results, I wanted to send an email out to everyone I know to make them aware of some legislation that will be coming soon. President elect Obama introduced and supports FOCA- Freedom of Choice Act, which will eliminate every abortion law and regulation in the country. Obama promises to continue defending this bill when he is elected president (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/01/22/obama_statement_on_35th_annive.php).

In elevating abortion to a fundamental right, FOCA poses an undeniable and irreparable danger to common-sense laws supported by a majority of Americans. Among the federal and state laws that FOCA would nullify are: (http://www.aul.org/FOCA)

Informed consent laws

Waiting periods

Parental consent and notification laws

Health and safety regulations for abortion clinics

Requirements that licensed physicians perform abortions

Bans on partial-birth abortion

Bans on abortion after viability. FOCA's apparent attempt to limit post-viability abortions is illusory. Under FOCA, post-viability abortions are expressly permitted to protect the woman's "health." Within the context of abortion, "health" has been interpreted so broadly that FOCA would not actually proscribe any abortion before or after viability.

Limits on public funding for elective abortions (thus, making American taxpayers fund a procedure that many find morally objectionable)

Limits on the use of public facilities (such has public hospitals and medical schools at state universities) for abortions

Legal protections for individual healthcare providers who decline to participate in abortions

Legal protections for Catholic and other religiously-affiliated hospitals who, while providing care to millions of poor and uninsured Americans, refuse to allow abortions within their facilities

Please go to http://www.fightfoca.com and sign the petition against this act.

A Hymn to Sing in Light of Elections

2008-11-05T07:49:00.002-06:00

My good friend Greg VanCourt sent me this.
This fitting hymn, #57 in the Trinity Hymnal, is based on Psalm 146:

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Put no confidence in princes,
Nor for help on man depend;
He shall die, to dust returning,
And his purposes shall end.

Happy is the man that chooses
Israel's God to be his aid;
He is blessed whose hope of blessing
On the Lord his God is stayed.
Heaven and earth the Lord created,
Seas and all that they contain;
He delivers from oppression,
Righteousness he will maintain.

Food he daily gives the hungry,
Sets the mourning prisoner free,
Raises those bowed down with anguish,
Makes the sightless eyes to see.
Well Jehovah loves the righteous,
And the stranger he befriends,
Helps the fatherless and widow,
Judgment on the wicked sends.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Over all God reigns for ever,
Through all ages he is king;
Unto him, thy God, O Zion,
Joyful hallelujahs sing.

Put on your Running Shoes

2008-05-31T16:57:00.001-05:00

A Long Time Between Blogs

2008-05-11T15:05:00.004-05:00

That title says it all. I hope to blog more often, but the odds are against it. When it comes down to things I should be doing, for some reason blogging falls far down the list. Well, another semester is under my belt. By God's grace I made it and learned a whole lot. I took Intro. to Old Testament 1, Intro. to Missiology and Systematic Theology 2. The Lord blessed me with much learning this semester and I pray He will continue to do so this summer.

America is an individualistic culture. There are many nations which are Collectivistic in nature (Guatemala, Indonesia, Pakistan, West Africa). Here are some generalizations of the differing values of individualistic and collectivisitic cultures. Take a look and see which ones are more biblical, which would contribute to a healthier church, and which ones expose sin in your own life. Each individualist value has a corresponding collectivist value.

Individualists value:

Being unique
Expressing Self
Realizing internal attributes
Avoiding social obligations
Promoting one's own goals
Being direct: "say what's on your mind." or "what do you want me to do?"
Facing and resolving conflicts openly

Collectivists value:

Belonging, fitting in
Occupying one's proper place
Engaging in appropriate action
Sustaining social obligations
Promoting others goals
Being indirect: "read other's mind"
Keeping conflict hidden; usisng indirect resolution methods

Thats just a little food for thought. This list was taken from "Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical and Practical Survey," by Scott Moreau, Gary Corwin and Gary McGee (Baker Academic, 2004).

Things are great in Louisville and I hope all is well with all who read this.

Home for the Holidays

2008-01-20T17:51:00.000-06:00

I guess I should post more often but seeing as extended time online does not promote godliness in my life I have distanced myself from the computer. I hope nobody is too offended.

Sarah and I have had the blessing of visiting both our families over the break. We drove all night to surprise my family on Christmas day and we flew into Amarillo Friday afternoon to see her family. It is a wonderful thing to have families that support our lives in seminary and the Lord's calling on our lives.

We have had a change in perspective throughout the semester. When Sarah and I first moved to Louisville we felt like we were coming in order to attend seminary. Since then, we have fallen in love with Auburndale Baptist Church (ABC) and this is where our change in perspective has come from. Now we feel like the Lord brought us to Louisville for ABC and our jobs as well as seminary come second to our involvement in the local church.

I had the opportunity to teach at Camp Buckner over the break. A lot of counselors came for the reunion and I taught on Rom. 8:28 as well as Eph. 5:22-33. I wanted the group to hear about God's working all things to our good under the canopy of God's eternal plan of redemption. In other words, Rom. 8:28 cannot be understood without Rom. 8:29-30. Then I encouraged them to get involved in the local church and use their gifts for the glory of God in His church.

I have been thinking a lot about what God calls us to in life. Actually, I have been thinking about why Christians aren't content with a simple life. Why aren't people content with being involved in a good church, having a good job, raising a godly family, living a God-honoring life financially, supporting missions and then dying? What is wrong with that life? Because it seems that the Bible says that a simple life as defined above is a good, God-glorifying life. I may post more on that later.

I love you guys and thank you for reading this blog even though I post so scarcely. I hope all have had a wonderful Christmas and a good New-year.

One Semester Down...

2007-12-05T09:11:00.000-06:00

Well, I am done with my first semester at seminary and it has been a dandy. I cannot even begin to explain all the things I have learned and the humbling sanctification that has come upon me. The Lord has shown to me many idols of the heart this semester which I am laboring diligently with His Helper to root out. Sarah has been a most gracious wife throughout this semester helping me get schoolwork turned in without grammatical errors and while meeting the Southern Seminary formatting requirements. The only thing harder than writing a paper refuting demythologization is making sure that the format of the paper meets seminary requirements. It's enough to make you cuss while writing a paper defending the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible. As Bill Dorman always says, "just keep your nose to the grindstone" and get it done.

I rearranged a few links on the sidebar to bring them to a more noticeable position. The "Local Church(es)" link contains our new church and our home church. Dayspring is our church back home in Texas which is supporting us throughout our time here at seminary while Auburndale is the church here in Louisville that we recently joined. Both churches are absolutely amazing. Sarah and I can be heard saying every Sunday that "we miss Dayspring but we love Auburndale." Take some time to peruse their websites and really take some time to listen to a sermon or two on both. Brian Croft is the pastor at Auburndale Baptist Church (ABC) and he has a wonderful family. Sarah has already benefited from a friendship with his wife (Cara) and their kids are delightful. Samuel, Abby, Isabelle and Claire are their children and you should all take some time to check out their blog under "Good Family and Friends." Their blog is listed as "Croft Fam." Brian immediately began pastoring Sarah and I even before we joined the church. He can talk theology with the best of them all the while sitting on the couch enjoying a football game. He loves people and has sacrificed to serve Sarah and I this semester. He is a model pastor and we look forward to serving and growing at ABC. ABC is very like minded with Dayspring, they desire to support missions to the unreached and Brian and Jackson are friends. The church enjoys fellowship and makes a point to spend time together. At times we had to turn people away because they were all asking us to come over for supper when other members had asked us to come on the same day. What more could we ask for? We love both Churches and feel right at home at ABC.

I finished Biblical Hermeneutics with Dr. Wellum (STUD), Systematic Theology with Dr. Moore (you know, the one I always talk about), and Personal Spiritual Disciplines with Dr. Whitney (buy books by him here, seriously, buy some). The classes were wonderful and they motivate me to learn more and better prepare for the pastoral ministry. I can say that the classes were hard but not as hard as it was to break me of my laziness and begin to practice Eph. 5:15-16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Next semester I will be taking Intro. to Missiology with Dr. Sills. I am especially excited about this class because he helps out with CPCP and To Every Tribe Ministries with David Sitton. My little Sister Cara knows him so it should be a wonderful class. I am also taking Systematic Theology III with Dr. Albert Mohler. That's right, the President of Southern will be teaching that class. Dr. Betts will be teaching me Intro to the Old Testament I. I am looking forward to improving my ability to wrap my mind around the OT and see how it is fulfilled in the NT and the relationship between the two. (Cara, I know you will be excited about that one)

The Lord has ministered grace to me through Chick-fil-A this semester. I truly look forward to spending working and spending time with the other employees. They promoted me to Team Leader which is nice because I received a 1 dollar an hour pay raise. I have also been able to talk with a guy at work who doesn't know the Lord but thinks he is a Christian. He is a very smart guy and he knows all the Christian terminology but he is a friend of the world and thus an enemy of God. God has given me opportunities to point out inconsistencies in his thinking and to show him that he doesn't really understand what true Christianity looks like. Please pray for that the Lord would soften his heart and that the Lord would give me wisdom and discernment while talking with him.

I love you guys and can't wait to see a lot of you over the break. Sarah and I will be in the Austin area from Dec. 26 through Jan. 2 and in Amarillo from Jan. 11-15th. Hope all is well out there and I am thankful for all your prayers and support. May you all rejoice in the Cross of our Savior and rest in Him alone.

True Beauty

2007-11-12T13:40:00.000-06:00

"Beauty abstracted from godliness is satanic."
Dr. Moore

Think of that in light of how the world presents beauty pertaining to women. As Christian men, the most beautiful thing in the world should be a wife who is growing in godliness and it is our job to promote their sanctification. In reality, husbands are to stimulate their wives towards godliness and as a result husbands will find their wives more attractive. It is a win-win situation; now get after it.

Quoteable Dr. Moore - 2

2007-10-23T16:12:00.000-05:00

Dr. Moore is at it again. If you haven't read my previous post on Dr. Moore you may want to take a look at this post. Here are a few recent quotes that have stood out in class. Let me preface these quotes by saying that Dr. Moore is probably one of the most Christocentric (Christ-centered) men I have ever met. Here are a few quotes:

1-"God has organized the universe after the blueprint of the Logos, Jesus Christ."

2-"The reason ants march the way they do is because Jesus is Lord."

3-"If you own a radar detector, you are a temporary biblical errantist."

4-"Teaching your children to say yes-mam, no-mam, yes-sir, and no-sir to adults trains them in authority. If you don't have a problem with your kids disrespecting adults and authorities, you are training and preparing them for Hell."

5-"The reason why Abraham Lincoln could deliver the Gettysburg Address with the flow and cadence he could is because he was thoroughly aquainted with the King James Version." (Dr. Moore is not a "KJV only" guy but he was explaining it's strengths. He reads from the ESV in class)

6-"You will have people in your churches with 5th grade educations who understand scripture more clearly than those with PHDs."

Perhaps the most controversial thing Dr. Moore has ever said:

"I would rather my children be exposed to Desperate Housewives than Veggie Tales because the damage done by Desperate Housewives is much more easily undone than the damage done by Veggie Tales."

I am still thinking about that last one.

Hope you enjoyed these and I hope they make you think. Don't worry, I am getting a wonderful seminary education. Dr. Moore just likes to keep us all on our toes at times. I probably should give you the context of these but I don't have the time for that. Let me know what you think.

Christmas Break

2007-10-17T16:02:00.000-05:00

Well, as some of you may know, over the Christmas break I will have about 2 months of time to read. Here are the books I would like to read:

1) New Covenant Theology by Tom Wells and Fred Zaspel

2) In Defense of the Dacalogue by Richard Barcellos

3) New Covenant Theology: Questions Answered by Steve Lehrer

4) Abraham's Four Seeds by John G. Resinger

Problem: I don't have any of them and Sarah says they aren't in our budget (which is a good thing. If Sarah didn't tell me that I would be broke). The other problem is that I tend to write in books that I read so I don't want to borrow them from somebody else.

Solution: Sacrificial giving from those who love me most. Anybody? You can let me know through an anonymous post so that you can maintain your treasure in heaven. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Think about it. There are several things you will be doing:
- You will be contributing to a future pastor's library. That is a big deal.
- I will be blessed.
- Sarah will not have to listen to me constantly talking about the books I want.
- You will recieve treasures in heaven.

It's a win-win situation. May you be blessed in all you do.

Ryan James Bebee
413 Franck Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206

The Closing of Camp Buckner

2007-10-05T10:12:00.000-05:00

Camp Buckner, often referred to as the greatest camp in the world, has recently been closed (if this news is new to you, click on the title of the blog and read the administrator's letter). The facility will still exist as a retreat center, but the summer camp portion of its ministry is no more. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I love Camp Buckner as much as anything apart from the Lord, my family, and the church. I was a camper for 8 years and a counselor for 8 more years. For 16 years of my 26 year old life, Camp Buckner was a major part of my year and consumed my summer. I love Camp Buckner. I thought I would express my thoughts on the closing of camp and let you guys comment on what you think.

It hurts, it should. So much has happened at CB during our lifetime and to see it go should hurt deeply. There is nothing wrong with crying about this, mourning the loss of a great ministry, desiring to see CB continue and hurting deep inside because it feels as if a part of you has died with CB. These things are OK, but they must always be brought to submission under a God who is sovereign over all affairs of life, including this (more on that later).

CB is a huge loss for many reasons. First of all (yes first of all), the gospel shared at CB was the biblical gospel shared in a manner that exalted Christ and did not play on the emotions of it's hearers. In other words, we trusted God to save through the power of the gospel at CB. We did not trust in music that would provoke a response. We did not build up all week to a final gospel presentation to see how many kids we could get to make an emotional, shallow commitment to Christ rooted in feelings and not true faith. That kind of gospel presentation produces seed cast onto shallow soil that springs up quickly but yields no fruit and when tribulation or persecution arises they fall away immediately. No, CB shared the gospel on day one and focused on discipleship the rest of the week. It was the counselors job to share a biblical gospel upon every opportunity throughout the week with every single kid. The kids heard the gospel daily through sacrificial service of counselors clearly presenting it in words and in deeds. It hurts to see that kind of ministry fade.

Second, the counselors were hired not on the basis of looks, appeal, athleticism or popularity; rather they were selected on the basis of how they would fit into the ministry of CB. In other words, counselors were hired to Serve Christ and Love Kids. How did the counselors do this? Well, they sacrificed for the kids. 4-5 hours of sleep a night is not enough, but God was faithful to sustain His counselors. At CB, every night we discussed the spiritual state of our campers, logged it and sought to minister to the kids individually. Goodness, sacrificial service characterized all who served at CB. Counselors laid their lives down for the kids, they put their desires aside so that the gospel could be preached and kids could be saved. That is Christlike love and that was the heartbeat of CB. Sweat, sweat, sweat till you drop, nobodies ever drowned. We all lived that (even though that is for the TCB award). To see a camp built on Christlike service go under is painful.

Third, the programs were amazing. The trail games, campout, Comanche Apache wars. These were all creative, unique, God glorifying programs that were produced each year and appealed to the current cultural movements. The best game at camp (besides dodgeball) was Rocks. Guess what, Rocks was invented by a counselor at camp (Scott - he was old old school). CB was unique. It had a legacy. It had legends and traditions that permeated everything. Everyone can remember the marathon. Everyone can remember chowhall raids. Everyone can remember the deer skit at campout. These things made CB special. To have such a unique camp fade from the scene for what seems to be no good reason is, well, it's sad.

Fourth, think of what the Lord has accomplished through CB. Kids have been saved. Many kids have been saved. Counselors have been sanctified greatly. Campers have been saved by the Lord and received discipleship training all in a weeks time. Think about the kids who have come back after a year away from camp and still remember the exact words taught at a Devo, Senior Adventure Bible studie, cabin wrap or individual conversation from the previous year. That is amazing! That is the Lord's faithfulness! Kids were saved and sanctified at CB. But not only that, think of what the Lord has done in the lives of the counselors. I remember counselor Bible studies from my JC years at camp (99, 00). CB was a tool used by God to bring out gifts in my own life and in the lives of others. CB caused counselors to think hard about biblical truth. CB developed discipline in the lives of counselors. CB taught counselors to love God's word, memorize it and preach it to kids. CB humbled many counselors, leaving them in tears wanting to go home, only to strengthen them again and allow them to serve the Lord with gladness. CB exposed sin in the lives of all the counselors that ever worked there and allowed them to deal with it biblically. The list could go on and on. But let me clarify one thing; this was the Lord working through CB, not CB itself. Praise be to God for the things mentioned above. CB may fall, but the Lord endures forever. To see this end hurts.

Fifth, God brought young believers to maturity through the ministry of CB. Campers were saved at camp, came back each year and were discipled at camp, became counselors at camp, moved into leadership at camp and left as mature Christians who love the Lord and have great things to show for their time at camp. What a blessing this is to many like myself who have undergone this process. It should hurt to see this end.

Well, let us remember something. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 16 that upon the rock of the gospel He will build His CHURCH. Why does this come to mind? The Lord never promises to maintain a summer camp forever. Jesus is concerned about His church and while a good argument could arise that Jesus used CB to build up His church we must recognize that the Lord's allegiance belongs to His organized local church existing within the universal church of God encompassing all believers. God's plans are often clouded by our emotions and we must think biblically about this situation. I will say that it will be interesting to see what happens in the future with Buckner. The Lord usually withdraws His favor from those who move away from sharing the true gospel and I think this is exactly what has happened with the decision to stop summer camp. Nonetheless, we must show our concern for the things that God is concerned with, namely, His church.

In Ephesians 5:25-26 we have a clear explanation of why the Lord laid down His life, to purchase for Himself a bride and to sanctify her by the washing of the water with the word. Jesus loves His church and we should too. Ephesians 4:12 makes it clear that the Lord gifted members of the church "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ (the church)." So why do I say this? Well, all the gifts that you used each summer at camp you now need to use in your local church. Also, all the good things that came about from camp can be done more effectively through the local church. Use the gifts that God has given you to work in His church. Commit yourself to a Biblical church that stands upon the truth of scripture and be used by God. TCB may have trained you to mow the lawn for your church or file paperwork for them. Who knows? Just use what gifts you have to fulfill Eph. 4:12 - the building up of the body of Christ. This is one good thing about the change at camp, the ministry will be more focused on the church. You can't argue with that (although I doubt that the new form of ministry will be as saturated with scripture as summer camp).

Finally, trust a sovereign God. God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (that would include all the counselors at CB). To refuse to see this as God's working all things for good is to deny the biblical teaching concerning all of the affairs in a believers life. God works things for good so trust Him in this. Over the 20 years of CB ministry, God's word has been proclaimed and it has accomplished exactly what God intended (Is. 55:11). Remember that God's ways are so far above our ways and are often times mysterious and hard for us to understand. The secret things belong to the Lord but His word has been given to us and we should seek to understand this situation in light of His truth.

So cry, mourn, call friends and reminisce. Talk about camp and the joy that it has brought you. I have done all of the above. These things are all good but they must be brought into submission to the infinite wisdom of our God. Our confidence is in the sovereignty of God, the God of all comfort and hope. This may not make sense right now, but someday we will understand it perfectly. God's hand is in this situation and He is our hope. Did I ever want to see this happen? No. But I must recognize this: God knows what He is doing, may we trust Him in it.

If you would like to contact Dr. Hall, the president of Buckner International, he has a blog you may post on. Please be respectful and follow Eph. 4:29. His blog can be found here.

Love you guys,
Ryan

Quick Update and Journal Entry

2007-10-03T15:24:00.000-05:00

Goodness, sorry about the length between blogs. Well, things are great in Louisville. The weather is perfect, our puppy is perfect, our tenants are perfect and seminary is beyond words.

Sarah and I had a wonderful time in TEXAS last weekend. We went down for a family reunion. It was a lot of fun and I am glad that our puppy's first swim was in Lake Travis. My aunt and uncle did the cooking and I think it is safe to say that I won't eat that good until the marriage supper of the Lamb! (way to go Bill and Linda)

I thought I would leave you guys with a journal entry I had the other day. You may want to read Psalm 2 prior to reading the entry so that you have the context.

As I am reading through Psalm 2 this morning, something becomes a little more real to me than it ever had been before; God is sovereign! The nations rage, the people plot, the kings and rulers of the earth take counsel and set themselves against the Lord and against His anointed. They want nothing to do with the Lord. Modern Christianity, in some circles, would pity this God and make Him out to be a helpless deity who just wishes that people would love Him and come to Him and trust in His Son. I think of a song that I once heard that was personifying God as saying, “Why won’t you just believe? Why won’t you come to Me?” as if God is some powerless being wishing for things to go well on the earth and for people to come to Him. In Psalm 2 when it seems the entire world is against Him; GOD LAUGHS, and holds them in derision. Who do they think they are? God is not helpless. If you set yourself against Him, He laughs at you because He knows that you don’t stand a chance and that He is sovereign over your next breath as well as your plans to dethrone Him. I love the Lord and I trust him more now than I did 10 minutes ago. Those who don’t view God as sovereign over all affairs of life, I pity.

Love you guys,
Ryan

Heaven

2007-09-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table working on a book review. It's about about 75 degrees outside with a cool Northwest wind blowing 5-10 miles per hour. Every once in a while I take a look out my back window and watch the birds come to our feeder (most recently a cardinal...a Louisville Cardinal) and the squirrels play in the yard. The windows are open in our house, the fans are on, the breeze is blowing and my puppy Bella is asleep, snoring at my feet. A song keeps coming into my head. Maybe you know it, "Heaven, I'm in Heaven..."

I do love Louisville.

Been Toooo Long....

2007-09-05T23:19:00.000-05:00

Sorry about not posting lately. You see, seminary is tough, a little tougher than I had predicted. When you get ahead on reading, it is then that you realize you are behind on your papers and reading reports. Goodness, it is sanctifying. Just a few quick comments to keep you posted.

1- Sarah and I bought a new puppy. She is a boston terrier and her name is Bella. Every night this seminary boy meets reality when that puppy wants to go outside about 3 AM and I want to punt her across the Ohio River.
2- My gracious cousin Blake and his wife Brianna gave me and Sarah a 36 inch TV. Hmmmmm, football or theology? (don't worry, I haven't watched a single game yet)
3- I am rethinking the way we have traditionally done the Lord's supper in our local churches. Do we do justice to communion with a wafer and a plastic cup of juice? This is a hot-topic around these parts and I am interested in searching it out a bit.
4- I miss Texas.
5- TCU scares me this weekend (they play Texas in Austin).
6- I just started a book report on one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. It is called Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen. If you want to be grounded in your faith, especially in this age where Christianity is more about life than doctrine, read this book. If you think you are grounded in your faith, read this book. If you have a doctorate in theological studies, than you probably were previously required to read this book...but go ahead and read it again.
7- Eron Plevan and I are on the same intramural flag football team (5 on 5). We played our first game on Saturday and the Texas Tandem connected twice for touchdowns and one extra point. We went on to win 25-0. In other words, Texas was represented well. Oh yeah, and I dove twice, once to try to score (only to learn that diving in flag football doesn't count), and another time to sack the QB (which was succesful). Why did I tell you that? My shoulder felt great. No problems whatsoever.
8- Perhaps the most amazing thing about my time in Louisville is this: I have worked at Chick-fil-A and don't seem to be putting on much weight. Praise the Lord!!!
9- Sarah and I are still looking for a church so be in prayer for that. It's not every day that you go out looking for a church and find a half dozen that are reformed in theology and preach the word of God faithfully. I wish every town in America would encounter the "problem" that Sarah and I currently have.
10- I should be doing my book report. Did I mention I am tired? I just posted this on the booked blog accidently. Goodness, I need to get some sleep.

Love you guys, all of ya, and hope things are going well out there.

Resting in the Providence of our Lord...

Quoteable Dr. Moore

2007-08-21T10:47:00.000-05:00

For all of you out there who can't make it to seminary, Dr. Moore said something yesterday in Systematic Theology that was extremely encouraging. I thought I would share it with you and let you guess who immediately came to mind:

"If you flunk out of seminary, but leave knowing your english Bible, you will be a fine systematic theologian."

Can you guess who came to mind? You can find out here.

Hope all is well out there. Love you guys...

Seminary and Looeeville

2007-08-15T23:04:00.000-05:00

I know I know, I haven't blogged in a while and for that I am truly sorry.

Things are amazing here in Louisville. Sarah and I are all moved into our new house and we have more stuff (junk) than I ever thought I would compile in my life. We love our house and especially our neighbors. As you may know, Eron and Kari Plevan moved into our duplex and we have been blessed by them as neighbors.

Seminary is in full swing. Here are the classes that I am taking.

Biblical Hermeneutics with Dr. Wellum. He is usually talking over my head so I have to stand in the chair to catch it all. He is a stud and I am pumped about learning under him. He challenges all who are in his class and I know that he will faithfully equip me to rightly handle the word of truth.

Systematic Theology with Dr. Moore. If you want to hear someone preach/teach who engages you from the moment they walk into a room; got to a lecture with Dr. Moore. When he made us all get on our knees to pray "as theologians ought to pray" I knew I was in a great class. He's a 4 pointer, so that should keep me on my toes.

Personal Spiritual Disciplines with Dr. Whitney. All I can say is that you leave this class convicted. Dr. Whitney is a man who walks with God. Here are a few of my assignments for his class: spend at least 4 hours of silence and solitude with God, fast for 24 hours, meet with an accountability partner at least 10 times throughout the semester and have a family worship time. All of these must be recorded in a journal with your thoughts and reflection upon them.

Well, all that I have to read between now and Nov. 24th is about 3,900 pages. I read about 20 pages an hour which amounts to reading about 2 to 3 hours a day. That's not so bad when you put it in those terms. It can be done!

Sarah and I are looking for a church so please be in prayer for us. The Lord has been so faithful to us during our move and we are greatful for Him bringing us to Louisville.

Dangit BARRY!!!!

2007-08-08T21:05:00.000-05:00

Check out this article about the college kid who caught Barry Bonds record breaking homerun ball.

Elders are...

2007-07-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

My Bible reading has led me to 1 Timothy lately and I thought I would pause and spend a little time looking at each attribute of Biblical Eldership.

1 Tim. 3
vs. 1 - "aspires" and "desires" - Eldership is desired. Many people may fit the elder mold, but if they have no desire to shepherd God's flock, they are not called. That is not to say that the desire will never be there, but if it isn't, they have no place among the elders of the church. If the desire comes later, this may be God's sovereign work in his heart, urging him towards the ministry of the elders. So...will an elder always have a strong desire to fulfill his roles? There will probably be times when they are struggling in their desire to fulfill their calling, but the overall perspective that he has towards ministry is a strong desire to fulfill his biblical roles as an elder.

vs. 2 - "above reproach" - This is the negative of the word "to seize." In other words, there is nothing about an elder that people could accuse him of and seize him on that account. It would be like a cop pulling somebody over with the intention of accusing him/her of having some illegal substance in his/her car. Upon asessing the car, the cop comes up empty handed. There are no grounds for seizing the car or the people because they are "above reproach." This should be the state of every elder. There should be nothing that anyone could ever seize him on. He must keep his life completely clean of any filth the world so freely offers. Listen to the words of Peter here:

1 Pet. 2:11,12 "...abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation."
3:16 "keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."

So, eldership must be desired. Once an elder, you must keep yourself free from anything that may give the world grounds to seize you and question your validity as a man of God.
Any thoughts or objections? More later. Press on and rest in the providence of our God.

Imploring to Believe

2007-07-23T15:58:00.001-05:00

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 5:20

Have you ever wondered how much you can really implore people, or call people to faith in Christ without possibly causing people to make a man-centered, false confession of Christ? When preaching the gospel, there is always a fine line to walk when begging people to place their faith in Christ. If people make a profession of faith based only on emotion, without believing the true gospel of the scriptures, the result is a false hope and false sense of security. The last thing we want is unregenerate people wandering around thinking that they are saved. This leads to disastrous affects. You have people who claim to be Christians, yet they live immoral lives, unaffected by the Spirit of God. It results in defaming the name of Christ and shedding terrible light on the church.

Now, you must call people to faith in Christ. You must implore them, beg them, urge them to come to God in Christ. You have to present repentance as something they must do, knowing that they will do it if it pleases the Lord. I do not believe that you present the bare bones of the gospel without a zealous call for people to believe, but I am always wondering where you draw the line. But here is what I do know. You will never go wrong if you are calling people to faith in the finished work of Christ. Any imploring we do must point to what God has done in Christ. The complete and finished work of Christ must always be our focus as we call people to faith.

Do I think you can usurp the sovereignty of God by presenting the gospel in a winsome, emotionally driving way? No, you can never usurp the sovereignty of God. You should always call people to immediate faith in Christ. "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). My concern is for people. I don't want people to have a false sense of security, thinking that they are saved because of a profession they made, an aisle they walked, or a card they signed.

I found this to be really helpful. This is taken from an article called "Conversion" by J.C. Ryle:
"I urge every reader of this article who is not converted, never to rest till he is. Make haste: awake to know your danger. Escape for your life: flee from the wrath to come. Time is short: eternity is near. Life is uncertain: judgement is sure. Arise and call upon God. The throne of grace is yet standing...The promises of the Gospel are wide, broad, full, and free: lay hold upon them this day. Repent, and believe the Gospel; repent, and be converted. Rest not, rest not, rest not till you know and feel that you are converted."

Comments, questions, disagreements?

Texas our Texas

2007-07-21T01:28:00.000-05:00

Texas= 268,601 square miles
Kentucky= 40,411 square miles

TX/KY=6.6467298507832025933532948949543

All of that to say that Kentucky could fit inside of Texas over 6 and 1/2 times. Whatd'ya think about that?

New Weight Loss Program

2007-07-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

This is cutting edge. With today's science there are no limits to the weight one could lose on this program. You have seen the many commercials for a weight loss pill. It seems that one can lose weight by taking a pill and doing nothing. From the mind of Ryan Bebee, with the help of his wife's science and chemistry expertise, comes a new and improved approach to weight loss and weight control. With your one time donation of a semester's tuition, we will send you Ryan's revolutionary approach to weight loss. It is called "Get Off Your Butt." It combines the new, recently discovered approach to eating that most call "moderation", with the ingenious approach to life that some call "staying active". With these two things, you are sure to either maintain your weight, or lose weight depending on your level of activity and food intake. While eating in moderation and staying active in life (perhaps you may even work out, break a sweat, tear some muscle fibers or be sore after a rigorous activity), you are bound to lose some weight and possibly tone those flabby parts of your body!! "Get Off Your Butt" can be yours with a one time donation of a semester's tuition. Call now!!!

BUT WAIT!!! If you order now, we will send you Ryan's other cutting edge video called "Suck It Up Buttercup; Your Abby is Flabby, Work Out To Be Happy." In this video the earth shattering exercise that couples push-ups with push-aways will be explained in detail. You all know what push-ups are, but push-aways are much harder. Push-aways are the exercise that requires you too push away from the dining oom table. If you will simply push away from your dining table three times a day, ONLY THREE TIMES A DAY, you are bound to lose weight. Just push away from the table before you stuff your pudgy face.

"Get Off Your Butt" and "Suck It Up Buttercup; Your Abby is Flabby, Work Out To Be Happy" is a sure-fire weight loss program that can be yours for only one semster's tuition. A small price to pay for a life changing program. Order now, and I will give you a free, in your face examination of just how tubby you are. It's your today, just call now.

Christmas Break?

2007-07-14T23:25:00.000-05:00

Am I seeing things correctly? Correct me if I am wrong; but I think that my Christmas break at S.B.T.S. runs from Dec. 1st until Jan. 28th. Am I seeing things? Could this be true? Cuz if it is, dang you could read a lot of books and hunt a lot of deer during that time. Let me know seminary folk, please fill me in.

The Booked Blog

2007-07-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

I posted a new blog on The Booked Blog. It happens to be very long, so set aside some time to read it. Check it out here.

Humorous

2007-07-10T02:38:00.000-05:00

This is just plain funny. This short film is by Will Bigham from the FOX reality TV show "On the Lot." His hometown is Canyon, Texas (where I am currently residing for about 2 weeks). Eron, you should love this. If anybody knows how I could have saved the video itself and put it on my blog, a brief lesson would be greatly appreciated. Just click the blog title "Humorous" and watch the movie that is loading. It's called "Nerve Endings." Enjoy...

New Blog

2007-07-07T00:43:00.001-05:00

My own blog. I wonder if I will feel this good about closing on my own house on July 30th? Probably.

If you are wondering why I decided to publish my own blog; let me inform you. Sarah and I wanted to use The Bebee Blog for our family and friends to keep up with our lives. Beeb'z blog will be used to publish my personal thoughts and theological material. Information you probably could live without will be posted here, as well as highly important information (in my opinion).

Hope you enjoy and I hope it all happens for the glory of God.

Adios,
Ryan Bebee