Audio on Our Livestreaming Improving – Still Tweaking a couple of things

On By Jeff CrippenIn Blog News2 Comments

As I mentioned a few days ago we have added some new microphone equipment to make the sound on our Facebook livestream and sermonaudio.com/crc and youtube channel (Unholy Charade) much clearer.

Yesterday all went well except you will notice on the FB livestream there is a tinny sound. Volume is good. The tinny quality is because the fuzzy microphone cover on our new Rode wireless mic fell off right at the start of the service and I couldn’t just stop and put it back on. It’s kind of a flimsy attachment set up so we are going to fix that this week.

Anyway, the entire service including the music is on Facebook, but you can listen to just the sermon on sermon audio and youtube and those are recorded with another microphone – no tinny sound there. Rode cost $229.  Other mic was $12.99. Ha!

Arrogance is the Friend of Evil

On By Jeff CrippenIn counseling15 Comments

Isaiah 13:11 ESV  I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.

Repeatedly the Bible connects arrogance, haughtiness, and pride with the wicked. Evil has as its father the devil who is the god of narcissism –

Isaiah 14:13-14 ESV  You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;  (14)  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

There is in fallen humanity this bent to believe the devil when he promises, “you shall be like God.” And it is rooted in arrogance. Man exalts himself and insists he knows better and can be better than his Creator.

Continue reading “Arrogance is the Friend of Evil” →

Idols are False Gods, a dream, an imagination

On By Jeff CrippenIn Biblical Teaching6 Comments

Psalms 115:3-8 ESV  Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.  (4)  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.  (5)  They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.  (6)  They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.  (7)  They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.  (8)  Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

G.K. Beale, my favorite theologian, wrote a book called We Become What we Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry. It is an incredibly important Bible doctrine that we all need to know well. Beale points to the verses above from Psalm 115 as his central text. Especially verse 8 – those who make them become like them. 

The typical local church of our day is worshipping false gods fashioned by their own devices and imaginations. As they do so, they themselves become increasingly blind. They have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear – just like their idols.

Continue reading “Idols are False Gods, a dream, an imagination” →