Berean Wife Blog

Do You Need a Real Church?

2009-11-24T09:05:00.002-06:00

Over the past couple of years, since I've had Internet access, I have enjoyed listening to sermons on line. I can listen to John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Voddie Baucham and Paul Washer all in one day with just a click of the button. All the sermons are free and can be saved or put on my iPod for listening to whenever it fits in my schedule.

Since I've had my website I have become aware of large numbers of people who either home church or Internet church. They would all give various reasons for not attending a typical church.

Difficulty finding a good church.

Travel distance to attend church.

Can listen to better preachers online or on the TV than a local church.

Attending an actual church doesn't benefit them anymore than watching a church service.

They don't have to deal with difficult people.

I'm sure that there are many more reasons that can be given for not actually being in a church. But according to the Scripture we as believers should want to gather together with other believers.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ESV

Psalms 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" ESV

Home Alone: Do We Still Need the Local Church?

• Actual relationships rather than imaginary ones. Weak as some churches are, they are still made up of living people who come together. The media-engrossed Christian isolates himself from other believers while imagining relationships that are actually not there. This is not living life, but skipping life. I am often saddened by the isolated person who misses out on people. There is no true fellowship except among believers. Once you know it, you will not be satisfied without it.
• Compassionate care rather than mere talk of concern. The media pastors talk about their love for their audience, but they will not be there when your child experiments with drugs, or your spouse dies, or your business goes down the drain. Those in the media audience will not sit at your bedside when you are dying. Radio preachers say they pray for you, but they really don't know you at all. Remember this: if you live alone, you die alone.
• Real accountability rather than unchecked liberty. It may not seem immediately desirable, but accountability is a precious gift. In the local church, if you stray from God, someone is there to bring you back, or even to lovingly discipline you. If you are alone, you may stray deeper and deeper into sin even though you have periodic religious media fixes. Rather, you must subject yourself to the answerability that comes from engaging with real people. If you understand the deceitfulness of sin, you know you need that.
• Authentic shared worship rather than vicarious viewing of worship. God promises benefits and blessings to corporate worship, even more so than for individual worship, though we should do both. Yet the isolated virtual Christian only imagines himself worshipping with others as he sits before the monitor. If the professing solo believer were to arrive in heaven one day, he would only then experience what he was made for when he became a believer. He will say, "How could I have missed it?" Continue reading

We as believers need a local body of believers to worship with. It might be hard to find one or we may have to start one ourselves, if the Lord calls us to, but we should always desire to worship the Lord with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Working Wives Assuaging Their Guilt

2009-11-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ESV

Some food for thought about working wives and their complaining about their husbands. Is a working wife really trying to validate her position and appease her guilt by claiming to be in charge of the house while still working by being critical of her husband's household work?

'Useless stay-at-home men' a female myth

"Housework represents an interesting juxtaposition of control," said Meisenbach. "On one level, women described retaining control over housework – they talked about their partners contributing to domestic chores but almost always in response to being asked or told to do the task by the wife.

"They all gendered their partners' behaviour with comments like 'He's a man, they don't see that there is a mess'. And 'My husband's a guy. He picks and chooses what chores he does'. But by gendering his behaviour, they were also gendering their own as women and mothers, instead of breadwinners."

Despite the anxiety that female breadwinners described, Meisenbach also found that most actively relished the control and power that their position gave them at home. "I didn't find female breadwinners deferred their power to their husbands at all," she said. "Over 60% said they enjoyed the control they experienced, explicitly noting how they were happily different from the '1950s housewife' or even from female friends within the traditional gender norms. Read the full article.

A typical childish method of dealing with others is bringing others down so that we look better.

Have you met families that the wife complains about how little the husband does around the house yet you seem to think the husband does quite a bit?

Could this really be a way for the wife to assuage the guilt about not being home to run her household?

Thanksgiving – The American Non-Holiday

2009-11-22T07:55:00.001-06:00

I have notice a very big lack of Thanksgiving focus in the community and in the stores. I’ve been shopping a little more than usual because Walmart has had some good sales on turkey’s and sweet potatoes. Also this is birthday season at our house! We have five birthdays in our family between Thanksgiving and New Years.

But what I’ve noticed is that as soon as Halloween was over out came all the Christmas supplies. Now granted there may be a small amount of Thanksgiving decorations but overall the Christmas decorations overwhelm any Thanksgiving supplies. Whatever happened to waiting until after Thanksgiving to focus on Christmas?

Used to around here cities wouldn’t put up lights until the Friday after Thanksgiving. But we noticed the Christmas lights being up right after Halloween. Many homes are already decorated for Christmas with their large light displays. The stores have been having early “Black Friday” Sales all week. Several stores have even said they will be open on Thanksgiving for shopping.

Why is Thanksgiving being ignored? Thanksgiving is specifically a national holiday and commemorates an early event in our Nation’s history. So why has it been pushed aside for the “bigger” holidays of Halloween and Christmas?

Here is my thought.

Thanksgiving is not valued because the holiday and even the name stress thankfulness.

Who can an atheist thank?

Who can an agnostic thank?

If there is no one to thank, than why even pretend to celebrate a holiday that is uncomfortable to consider?

But you know what is even worse; many who say they are Christians aren’t thanking the Lord for taking care of them. They have worked hard and provided for themselves. The Lord according to them didn’t have anything to do with it.

Thanksgiving is the one holiday we are commanded to celebrate, there is no command for Easter or Christmas.

Psalms 26:7 … proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. ESV

Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. ESV

Psalms 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! ESV

Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. ESV

Philippians 4:4-6
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ESV

Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ESV

1 Timothy 4:4-5
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. ESV

Let us not forget the holiday that is commanded by the Lord to be celebrated everyday.

Stray Thoughts about Cats

2009-11-21T11:30:00.002-06:00

Just a stray thought.

I usually keep a Word document open on my computer for stray thoughts.

I've had the below comment written for almost a week but the thoughts that were to go along with it have fled my mind. One of the advantages of being interrupted frequently. This was in relation to wives being submissive verses egalitarian (equal in all things in the household) to their husbands.

This is what I had written:

"I would hesitate to take advice from someone who feels submission to a husband is wrong but that being an “obedient slave of two demanding cats” is a good thing."

A Humorous Look at the "Perfect" Christian Novel

2009-11-20T08:30:00.002-06:00

When I was the church librarian I would often have books donated to the library from members who had finished them. Sometimes they were very good books. Sometimes they were so old and outdated (not classics, or solid authors, but outdated) that I sent them on to the thrift store. But the fiction was always a concern.

I was amazed at what was passed off as Christian fiction. There were romance novels that had nothing to do with Christianity other than at the end the couple went to church. There were violent novels that dealt with the end times but left you wondering what the gospel really was. I was shocked at the books that were donated. I wouldn't put a book in the library until I had screened it. I also rated books according to "my" rating system. My rating system was "Would I let my child read this book and at what age?" See I have a much more conservative system than the movie rating system.

Several times I would not let a child or youth check out a book without discussing the matter with the parent. That didn't always go over well, as you can imagine. But I was responsible for what I allowed the children to be exposed to.

Since this was a Southern Baptist Church, the Left-Behind series was very popular to several members. Don't bother though, you won't learn a thing and there is much better things to read. The Amish Novels where also popular. I feel sorry for the Amish as a people having just trash written about them. While I do not agree with the Amish theology and their decisions with life, you must respect them for living out their beliefs unlike the average church member who says one thing and lives differently.

Being a church librarian has much potential but honestly I think a church library really needs to consider eliminating most fiction. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan and maybe the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis being the few exceptions. Although I have serious concerns about even the Narnia books by Lewis, that would be hard to convince the average believer of the problems with that book.

Here is a humorous look at the "Perfect" Christian Novel. What does this say about us?

The Ultimate Christian Novel

I think I have done it. I’ve come up with the ultimate idea for the ultimate Christian novel. This novel seamlessly blends today’s most popular genres into one beautiful, compelling, cohesive whole. I thought you would want to know all about it. So I give to you…

Cassidy: Amish Vampiress of the Tribulation

That’s right. It’s an Amish novel; it’s a vampire novel; it’s an end-times novel. It’s the best of all worlds. Continue

I Work So My Children Can Go to College – Is College that Important?

2009-11-19T08:03:00.004-06:00

College seems to be pushed as the ultimate cap to childhood. Children have not grown up until they have gone to college for a few years and gotten a degree. But what is the purpose of college?

Is the goal of college a well rounded education?

Is college just an extension of the teen years, more freedom and less demands?

Is the goal of college to be able to make more money than flipping burgers at McDonalds?

Is college for finding a spouse?

Is college an extension of the high school sports playing?

Is college for receiving a degree and a piece of paper to hang on the wall?

Is college required in order to obtain the necessary credentials for a chosen career path?

Is having a college degree a matter of pride, a notch in your belt, which says you are important?

Have you really sat down and contemplated why or if your child should attend college?

Cannot many of the reasons for college be met in different ways with much less expense?

See when I was a young mother one of the first things others stressed is that you shouldn’t have too many children, nor have them too close together, because then how would you be able to afford college. Honestly, the issue was of a little concern then, but not something I stressed about, now I know that the Lord will provide for ALL our needs. We even at one time signed up for the PACT (Prepaid Affordable College Tuition) college funding available in our state, which is now defaulting. After signing the papers with a salesman who came to our home, we had 30 days to review the papers before it was final. But upon closer reading we found that what we were going to have to pay would be so limited in what we could do with it and really it was only a savings account regulated by the government. It wouldn’t cover out of state schools, had problems if we moved across state lines, and was really restricted if my preschooler at the time was not intending to go to college upon graduation. We dropped that and haven’t regretted it at all. Especially after the issue our state has had this past year with PACT funding for colleges, the year our oldest was eligible.

Throughout high school we were not only encouraged to attend college but we were seriously recruited from the colleges. We were taught that anybody worth anything would attend college. Only those who desired to be live in poverty or live off the government wouldn’t attend college and get a good supporting career (only possible with a degree supposedly). But is that true? No, it isn’t true at all. That is just one of the many lies the public school system will strive to convince students.

Another lie that is fostered by the college mentality is that young people should finish college before getting married. Only red-necks and country bumpkins got married right out of high school; intelligent people waited until after college. It didn’t matter if you had been dating the same person for three or four years during high school (courtship and not dating weren’t popular then); you still needed to wait until you graduated from college. College was more important than marriage. Need I point out the issues this causes!

So one of the first things for parents to determine is what prominence a college education holds in the life of their family. Is it a requirement or it is dependent on the actual career choices of the child? What if your son desires to do carpentry? What if your daughter just desires to be a homemaker? Now of course if your other son feels called to be a surgeon he will have a decade of college ahead of him. But will one be more highly favored just due to the college education?

Must mothers give up being home with their children in order to pay the outlandish prices for a college education? Which will have more influence on a child, eighteen years of an available mother or four years of college?

Is the Lord more concerned with the externals of a college education or with the internals of the heart?

Ink & Blood Has a New Artifact

2009-11-18T07:36:00.003-06:00

New artifact added to Ink & Blood

For archaeologists, at least, one generation’s trash can be a future generation’s great treasure.

What is considered to be the third oldest portion ever found of the Gospel of John has been added to the Hardin Center’s exhibit, “Ink & Blood: Dead Sea Scrolls to Gutenberg,” on exhibit through Dec. 23.

The fragment, which is the size of about half a page, is a portion of the Gospel of St. John 8:14-22.

It has Greek writing on the front and the back and has the number “74” on one side.

Exhibition director Dillon Poss said, “It is the oldest document in the world with a page number that we know of.” Continue

Praying Mothers

2009-11-17T08:23:00.000-06:00

One important mother in the Bible was Hannah. She received her child as the direct result of her broken prayers and she only had him until he was weaned, about 3 to 6 years typically. She then returned the much prayed for child to the Lord to serve Him. 1 Samuel 2 records her prayer and her faith in the Lord. She left her son, Samuel, with Eli whose sons were “worthless and did not know the Lord.” (1 Samuel 2:12) Yet although she only saw Samuel yearly, you can be sure there was much prayer offered for him during those years.

Samuel is the only child in the Bible that I know of that the same statement used of our Lord was used of him. Both their mothers were Praying Mothers, with their prayers recorded in Scripture! (1 Samuel 2:1-10, Luke 1:46-55)

1 Samuel 2:26 Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. ESV

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. ESV

Oh, if the Lord could say that about my children!

The Lord will accomplish His purpose despite or even because of the circumstances. Our children will be responsible for their decisions. But even so, we as parents will be held accountable for our decisions in raising our children, whether good or bad.

As I often point out to my children, I am the perfect mother for them. Not that I am perfect, by no means, but that the Lord in His perfect wisdom knew what mother they needed to become what He desires them to be. That includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. But it also works both ways. See the Lord knew what children I needed to become what He wants me to be. Including the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sometimes He gives you a child that there is no doubt what character flaws in yourself the Lord is working on. :)

Half-Baked Christians

2009-11-16T10:00:00.001-06:00

Hosea 7:8
Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;
Ephraim is a cake not turned.

This verse has always caught my attention when I've read it.

You think this might be the basis for the American expression "half-baked"?

The tribe of Ephraim is accused of mixing with the pagan people and following their customs.

Being half-baked is being over done on one side and uncooked on the other. Similar to trying to cook pancakes but never flipping them. The bottom side would be burnt while the top side would be raw. Nothing suitable for eating but only for spewing out.

It is very easy for someone to pick a few verses of the Bible and make them their mantra and to only focus on them while ignoring the rest of Scripture. Everyone has seen those who claim to be Christians who are adamant about certain portions of Scripture. Drawing man-made lines in the sand saying you can never cross this line, yet in other areas seeming to totally ignore the Scriptures.

These are the ones you hear about in the news often. The strong Christian leader who is well respected in the community yet is found to have been living a double life at home or at least is not as he seemed.

"Ephraim is a cake not turned." Hosea 7:8
A cake not turned is uncooked on one side; and so Ephraim was, in many respects, untouched by divine grace: though there was some partial obedience, there was very much rebellion left. My soul, I charge thee, see whether this be thy case. Art thou thorough in the things of God? Has grace gone through the very centre of thy being so as to be felt in its divine operations in all thy powers, thy actions, thy words, and thy thoughts? To be sanctified, spirit, soul, and body, should be thine aim and prayer; and although sanctification may not be perfect in thee anywhere in degree, yet it must be universal in its action; there must not be the appearance of holiness in one place and reigning sin in another, else thou, too, wilt be a cake not turned.

A cake not turned is soon burnt on the side nearest the fire, and although no man can have too much religion, there are some who seem burnt black with bigoted zeal for that part of truth which they have received, or are charred to a cinder with a vainglorious Pharisaic ostentation of those religious performances which suit their humour. The assumed appearance of superior sanctity frequently accompanies a total absence of all vital godliness. The saint in public is a devil in private. He deals in flour by day and in soot by night. The cake which is burned on one side, is dough on the other.

If it be so with me, O Lord, turn me! Turn my unsanctified nature to the fire of Thy love and let it feel the sacred glow, and let my burnt side cool a little while I learn my own weakness and want of heat when I am removed from Thy heavenly flame. Let me not be found a double-minded man, but one entirely under the powerful influence of reigning grace; for well I know if I am left like a cake unturned, and am not on both sides the subject of Thy grace, I must be consumed for ever amid everlasting burnings.
(from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 1999, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

As Spurgeon said "... there must not be the appearance of holiness in one place and reigning sin in another, else thou, too, wilt be a cake not turned."

Are you striving to be well done through and through?

Warming at the Enemy’s Fire – Abraham

2009-11-15T05:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I posted about Lot enjoying the pleasures and safety of living in the city while being grieved at heart by the sin and soon falling into sin himself. Today let’s look at Abraham.

We find that Abraham enjoyed the benefits of the enemy at least twice by going down to Egypt during a famine and once going to Gerar. But in the process of enjoying the food for his family and household even Abraham fell into sin by lying about his relationship to his wife.

Genesis 12:10-13
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,
12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.
13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake." ESV

Genesis 20:1-2
1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. ESV

Not only did Abraham lie about his relationship to Sarah in both cases, he also placed his wife at risk since she was placed in the Pharaoh’s or the King’s harem.

While the Lord still protected Sarah despite her husband’s sin, could not the same Lord have just as easily kept Abraham from being killed as he feared?

Or could not the Lord have fed Abraham?

I mean really, the promises God had given Abraham had not yet been fulfilled so surely the Lord would do what He said.

We see the reason Abraham gave for lying was because he knew he was in the midst of the enemy.

Genesis 20:11 Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. ESV

Abraham knew he was “warming with the enemy” just as Peter did (Luke 22:54-62). The enemy didn’t sneek up on them, but both Abraham and Peter, just as Lot, went to the enemy to enjoy the "warmth" (benefits). Yet all three soon found themselves in sin.

Warming at The Enemy’s Fire – Lot

2009-11-14T05:00:00.001-06:00

When contemplating how we might today be Warming At The Enemy's Fire, I was having trouble thinking this out very well. (May have something to do with spending the past couple of days listening to orchestra rehearsals all day.)

At first the only thought I had was Lottery Funding. Some states use the income from lotteries to fund scholarships for qualified students. Is this not “warming ourselves at the enemy’s fire”? Especially when we consider those who buy lottery tickets are often those who can least afford it.

But this doesn’t affect me. I don’t buy lottery tickets nor do I use lottery funds to send my children to college. But surely I cannot just say well I’m not guilty of ever “warming at the enemy’s fire”?

So I decided to see who else in Scripture was guilty. It wasn’t hard at all to find several examples.

Lot

Lot choose the well watered plains with the cities of Sodom and Gommorrah when he separated from Abraham.

Genesis 13:5-13
5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,
6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together,
7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
8 Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.
9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.
12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. ESV

See that in verse 12 Lot was just pitching his tent near Sodom, yet by Genesis 19:1 Lot is living in the city and sitting in the gate.

Genesis 19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. ESV

Lot was “warming himself” by enjoying the protection and benefits of the city despite being grieved by the sin of the city. We of course know of the troubles Lot was soon to find himself in.

2 Peter 2:7-8
7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked
8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); ESV

Notice who tells us of Lot being grieved by the sin of the city.

None other than Peter!

You think Peter understood being in the wrong place, warming himself with the enemy, and falling into sin?

Dust If You Must

2009-11-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."
41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." ESV

For the Marthas:

Dust If You Must

Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

-Rose Milligan

If you still need to dust, my house could use it.

Warming At The Enemy's Fire?

2009-11-12T08:00:00.005-06:00

Last night while reading a passage of Scripture in our Bible study class my attention was drawn to the following verse:

Luke 22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. ESV

This verse just really caught my attention. It is from a very familiar passage in Luke about Peter's denial.

Luke 22:54-62
54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance.
55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.
56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, "This man also was with him."
57 But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not."
59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean."
60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."
62 And he went out and wept bitterly. ESV

Peter did the following:

Followed at a distance. (There will be problems when you distance yourself from Christ.)

Warmed at the enemy's fire.

Denied Christ three times.

Wept bitterly.

You could spend days discussing each of these things that Peter did and how one led to another.

But my specific attention was drawn to the warming at the enemy's fire.

What does that look like to us today?

How do we as New Testament believers warm ourselves at the enemy's fire and cause us to fall into sin?

Youth Groups - Losing Your Inhibitions Is a Good Thing !?!

2009-11-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

If you've noticed in the post about Christian Schools several references were made to them being like large youth groups. I know that there are a few good Christians trying to teach youth who are basing their teaching on Scripture. But they are few and far between. The majority of youth groups across this country are more interested in the pizza parties, games and wild ideas than they are studying the Scriptures.

A couple of weeks ago a particular youth group's activities were brought to my attention entitled Peanut Butter Salvation: Why a Southside MegaChurch Thinks That Goldfish Swallowing and Toe-Licking Will Lead the Next Generation to God. Honestly, I have read alot of stuff involving our youth especially some sickening things concerning the music directed at the youth when I was preparing the CCM pdf. But I was so disgusted and saddened by this particular article that I couldn't finish reading it at first.

Why such a reaction? Because I have two teens and a preteen that could very well be involved in these same activities if we had not decided years ago to eliminate youth group activities from our church experience. Although some of my children are strong enough that they would not do something that they felt uncomfortable with, I do know that some would follow the crowd especially if directed to do so by a trusted leader.

The Pilgrim at Defending. Contending. took the information I shared with him and was able to write a very good explanation of some of the issues involved in the typical youth ministry and their activities to get a crowd. While it is not a pretty subject it is very necessary for anyone with youth, or even younger children, to become aware of what is being done in youth groups today. Even if the activities are different the ideas and worldly view behind much of the activities are the same.

A general idea behind these activities is to encourage our children to:

Lose your inhibitions. Young people usually have inhibitions against doing anything too embarrassing or shameful. These exercises are designed to free people from such hang-ups. For some reason, post-Freudian psychologists whose “sensitivity groups” are the model for these kinds of exercises maintain that such inhibitions are bad. Christians, though, have always insisted that we need to feel inhibited about indulging in things for which we should feel ashamed. This is part of what we mean by developing a conscience. ~ Gene Edward Veith

They are actually encouraging the youth to give into to peer pressure! What many parents are fighting tooth and nail to keep our children from doing. The youth group is encouraging all under the assumed respectability of the "Church".

Peanut butter salvation and other stupid church tricks.

... just silly men who have never grown up, getting paid to play silly games with kids who will eventually be inoculated against true Biblical Christianity.]

...

[So let me get this straight. Standing up for Jesus requires boldness and fearlessness, but instead of instilling that in the youth by having them actually stand up for Jesus, or even showing them by example, instead you have them perform sick, twisted, and erotic games and this will somehow help them stand up for Jesus? And if they need to perform these juvenile games to stand up for Jesus then does that not mean that you're suggesting to them that their source of strength comes not from God but from them and their willingness to act like fools? Here's a novel idea: Try having them become "fearless" by actually proclaiming Jesus Christ, and start with you by boldly preaching Jesus Christ. Then encourage the one's that are really sincere to take missions trips to countries where standing up for Jesus will get you imprisoned, tortured and/or killed. Somehow I don't think the countless martyrs throughout church history and today needed to lick peanut butter off someone's toes in order to stand up for Jesus.]

Please pass this along to any who feel having their children in a popular youth program in a church will be beneficial to their salvation or spiritual growth. One parent can't change the direction of the average youth group but several parents standing together just might.

I would also encourage anyone to pull their children from any youth group of this type. You just might be surprised at how your teen grows when actually in a serious, Biblical Bible study.

Time Wasters

2009-11-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) Time-Wasters

Thief I: One of the greatest time-wasting sins consists of idleness or sloth.

Thief II: The next thief or time-waster is excess of sleep.

Thief III: The next thief or time-waster is an inordinate adorning of the body.

Thief IV: Another time-wasting thief is unnecessary pomp and curiosity in retinue, attendance, house furniture, provision and entertainments, together with excess of compliment and ceremony, and servitude to the humors and expectations of time-wasters.

Thief V: Another time-wasting sin is needless and tedious feastings, gluttony, and tippling. (Tippling - drinking)

Thief VI:Another time-waster is idle talk.

Thief VII: Another thief which by the aforesaid means would steal your time, is vain and sinful company.

Thief VIII: Another notorious time-wasting thief, is needless, inordinate sports and games, which are stigmatized by the offenders themselves, with the infamous name of pastimes, and masked with deceitful title of recreations;

Thief IX:Another time-wasting thief is excess of worldly cares and business.

Thief X: Another time-waster is vain ungoverned and sinful thoughts.

Thief XI: Another dangerous time-waster sin is the reading of vain books , play-books, romances, and feigned histories; and also unprofitable studies, undertaken but for vain-glory, or the pleasing of a carnal or curious mind.

Thief XII: But the master-thief that robs men of their time is an unsancitified , ungodly heart; for this loseth time whatever men are doing; because they never intend the glory of God;

I Work So My Children Can Go to a Christian School

2009-11-09T10:06:00.006-06:00

This is a very common reason women choose to work.

They are convicted that the Lord would not have His children educated by the government (Caesar) so they work to afford private Christian schooling for their children. From the outward appearance, this might not seem like such a big deal, especially if the mom is free when the children are out of school.

There are several considerations that must be given to this decision.

1) First all Christian schools are not the same. There are some that are no different from any other private school. Often a Christian School may even use the typical curriculum and just add in a Bible Class. The really good Christian schools tend to very expensive and/or small and hard to get into. Often they are both! One of the best Christian schools in Birmingham had such a long waiting list that once your baby was born you needed to call about being put on the list. See good schools limit the teacher / student ratio so as to insure a better quality education.

There are other Christian schools that really work like a group homeschool. The students use a homeschool like curriculum and teachers are just available to help if needed but not actually teaching. That is a lot of money to pay for something you can do better yourself.

2) One matter that using a Christian school does not solve is peer pressure and the influence of peers. See just because the school itself might be very high quality that does not mean that the home life of the children is any different. As we found, even children from church, regular church member’s children can share much more information than we would desire with our children. I remember a 5 year old several years ago that was about to explain ‘French kissing’ to some classmates at church. I nipped that in the bud real quick, and shortly thereafter eliminated much of our children’s group activities unless a parent could be right with them.

Christian school teens aren’t necessarily any different than the teens in an average Christian youth group at church. If you don’t realize the issues with many Christian youth groups just volunteer to help teach and supervise the kids for a year. I think then you will be made aware of the problems with grouping large numbers of youth together.

Christian Schools vs. Homeschooling

“… I found that most (not all of course) of the students in the Christian schools I attended did not have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. Many had simply learned the art of looking churchy and saying the right things in front of the teachers.

The school I attended in sixth grade only went to eighth grade. Even at that age the students were involved in drug and alcohol use, pornography, satanic heavy metal music, lying, watching R-rated movies, and sexual activity.

Their parents, of course, would have defended them to the death, insisting that they were “good” kids. I don’t mean to imply that this behavior never happens in a homeschool family, but I do believe that homeschooling parents are more likely to know what their children are doing and could at the least keep their children from directly having these kinds of hoodlums as companions and role models….” Continue

3) Another issue is that for some reason students educated in Christian schools often end up with a much lower Biblical worldview than students educated at home. Although Christian school students do end up with a more Biblical worldview than public school children, they fall quite a bit behind those who were homeschooled.

Data from the Nehemiah Institute.

A Different David and Goliath Lesson

2009-11-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

Lessons to Learn from David and Goliath

Today we’re going to look at the familiar story of David and Goliath. But since we’ve all probably heard that story many times, we’re going to look at it from a different point of view. We’ll look at the story as a foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus Christ, particularly the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In the elements of the story of David and Goliath, we can learn many valuable truths about Jesus and his work of salvation for us. Continue

Tirocinium by William Cowper

2009-11-07T05:00:00.002-06:00

I stayed up way too late last night reading this poem. I was working on a post about homeschooling verses Christian schooling and in my research found this treasure of a poem. This poem was written to a gentleman to convince him to not send his boys to school in 1784! Other than the older English style, this sounds like it could have been written today about our schools.

(I know it is long but actually this is just a portion of the full poem, which can be found here.)

“Tirocinium”

Would you your son should be a sot or dunce,
Lascivious, headstrong, or all these at once;
That in good time the stripling's finish'd taste
For loose expense and fashionable waste
Should prove your ruin, and his own at last;
Train him in public with a mob of boys,
Childish in mischief only and in noise,
Else of a mannish growth, and five in ten
In infidelity and lewdness men.

...

Ye nurseries of our boys, we owe to you:
Though from ourselves the mischief more proceeds,
For public schools 'tis public folly feeds.
The slaves of custom and establish'd mode,
With packhorse constancy we keep the road,
Crooked or straight, through quags or thorny dells,
True to the jingling of our leader's bells.
To follow foolish precedents, and wink
With both our eyes, is easier than to think;
And such an age as ours balks no expense,
Except of caution and of common sense;
Else sure notorious fact, and proof so plain,
Would turn our steps into a wiser train.

...

There shall he learn, ere sixteen winters old,
That authors are most useful, pawned or sold,
That pedantry is all that schools impart,
But taverns teach the knowledge of the heart.

...

No nourishment to feed his growing mind,
But conjugated verbs and nouns declined?
For such is all the mental food purvey'd
By public hackneys in the schooling trade;
Who feed a pupil's intellect with store
Of syntax truly, but with little more;
Dismiss their cares when they dismiss their flock,
Machines themselves, and govern'd by a clock.
Perhaps a father, blest with any brains,
Would deem it no abuse, or waste of pains,
To improve this diet, at no great expense,

...

To show him in an insect or a flower
Such microscopic proof of skill and power
As, hid from ages past, God now displays
To combat atheists with in modern days;
To spread the earth before him, and commend,
With designation of the finger's end,
Its various parts to his attentive note,
Thus bringing home to him the most remote;
To teach his heart to glow with generous flame,
Caught from the deeds of men of ancient fame;
And, more than all, with commendation due,
To set some living worthy in his view,
Whose fair example may at once inspire
A wish to copy what he must admire.

...

The ostrich, silliest of the feather'd kind,
And form'd of God without a parent's mind,
Commits her eggs, incautious, to the dust,
Forgetful that the foot may crush the trust;
And, while on public nurseries they rely,
Not knowing, and too oft not caring, why,
Irrational in what they thus prefer,
No few, that would seem wise, resemble her.
But all are not alike. Thy warning voice
May here and there prevent erroneous choice;
And some perhaps, who, busy as they are,
Yet make their progeny their dearest care

...

Now look on him, whose very voice in tone
Just echoes thine, whose features are thine own,
And stroke his polish'd cheek of purest red,
And lay thine hand upon his flaxen head,
And say, My boy, the unwelcome hour is come,
When thou, transplanted from thy genial home,
Must find a colder soil and bleaker air,
And trust for safety to a stranger's care;
What character, what turn thou wilt assume
From constant converse with I know not whom;
Who there will court thy friendship, with what views,
And, artless as thou art, whom thou wilt choose;
Though much depends on what thy choice shall be,
Is all chance-medley, and unknown to me.
Canst thou, the tear just trembling on thy lids,
And while the dreadful risk foreseen forbids;
Free too, and under no constraining force,
Unless the sway of custom warp thy course;
Lay such a stake upon the losing side,
Merely to gratify so blind a guide?
Thou canst not Nature, pulling at thine heart,
Condemns the unfatherly, the imprudent part.

...

Though wouldst not, deaf to Nature's tenderest plea,
Turn him adrift upon a rolling sea,
Nor say, Go thither, conscious that there lay
A brood of asps, or quicksands in his way;
Then, only govern'd by the self-same rule
Of natural pity, send him not to school.
No—guard him better. Is he not thine own,
Thyself in miniature, thy flesh, thy bone?
And hopest thou not ('tis every father's hope)
That, since thy strength must with thy years elope,
And thou wilt need some comfort to assuage
Health's last farewell, a staff of thine old age,
That then, in recompence of all thy cares,
Thy child shall show respect to thy grey hairs,

...

Survey our schools and colleges, and see
A sight not much unlike my simile.
From education, as the leading cause,
The public character its colour draws;
Thence the prevailing manners take their cast,
Extravagant or sober, loose or chaste.

...

~ William Cowper ~

Just A Mom

2009-11-06T08:30:00.002-06:00

George Washington, said this of his mother "All that I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her."

Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. ESV

I would imagine that George Washington's mother did not leave him to himself.

Reading Difficult Books

2009-11-05T08:20:00.001-06:00

What are you reading lately?

Are you reading through the average devotional book? The kind you can buy at the average Christian books store with a half a page a day and a verse.

Have you tried the harder and more deep books and given up in failure to understand?

Reading Difficult Books: A Personal Reminiscence by Rev. Steven Dilday

Shortly after my conversion to Christ, I became a regular listener to the radio broadcast of Dr. R.C. Sproul. Through Dr. Sproul I was exposed to Reformed theology for the first time, and, from the first, I was captivated. I was quite interested, of course, when he mentioned that he thought that Jonathan Edwards’ Freedom of the Will was the most important, most theologically formative, book that he had ever read. I ordered it immediately from Soli Deo Gloria and waited anxiously for its arrival. When the book arrived, I could not get the wrapping off fast enough. I started into it immediately, but was more than a little surprised by what I found. I discovered that I was not able to read it. Well, I was able to read and pronounce all the words, but I had never before seen a single sentence continue for a page and a half. By the time I reached the end of a sentence, I could not remember how it started. Moreover, he spent the first quarter of the book simply discussing the definition of the terms that he would be using (not the most exciting reading), definitions which were formulated through a sophisticated interaction with Puritan theology and early eighteenth century European philosophy (of which I knew nothing). Difficulties crowded in on every side, but my determination was roused. I had Dr. Sproul’s testimony that the reading of this volume would be profitable, so I prepared myself for the labor. It was hard work; sometimes I would spend a whole afternoon just trying to understand a single page. If memory serves, it took me the better part of a year to work through the whole. And what profit had I for my effort? Much in every way. First, I really learned to read; I have not since had that difficulty in reading. Second, I developed a love for the literature of the Puritans which has consumed most of my waking hours since that time. Third, the book did more to shape my general theological method than anything else that I have read. Fourth, I never forgot the contents of the book, Edwards’ striking harmonization of divine sovereignty and human freedom. In the final evaluation, the hours spent in the reading of that difficult book were among the most well-spent of my entire life. ... Continue

Try plowing through a theologically rich book and see what it will do for your studies.

If you have never read it start with Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. It will give you practice with the older English and even your children will enjoy it. After a reading through go back though the book and really read for the depth of theology.

Following The Culture

2009-11-04T05:00:00.002-06:00

"The church is not touching the culture
because the culture has invaded the church."
~ Ken Ham ~

As an addition to Ken Ham's quote from his sermon Reaching A Lost World - Ken Ham, a quote from MacArthur.

"Evangelicals who are desperate to follow the culture

invariably lag several years behind anyway,

somehow managing to look awkward and clumsy

by always failing to keep in step,

no matter how hard they try.

But, then, the church is not supposed to ape the world’s fads

or court the world’s favor anyway."

~ John MacArthur in The Truth War, page 48~

How Are You Advising Others?

2009-11-03T08:24:00.004-06:00

Most of us do not serve as official counselors nor do we typically sit down with someone on a regular basis to counsel them. Neither did the servants in the example below. However, in a general sense we all counsel others daily whether it is a spouse, our children or just our friends in conversation. Do you consider well your counsel before giving it?

An interesting story in the book of 1 Samuel is the story of Saul being tormented by the evil spirit.

1 Samuel 16:14-23
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well."
17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me."
18 One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him."
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."
20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight."
23 And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. ESV

When Saul was being tormented what did his servants counsel him to do?

1 Samuel 16:15-16
15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well."

Listen to soothing music. (While the soothing music issue is a very interesting issue, it is for a later discussion.) But what did they not advise Saul to do?

Pray
Seek God
Read the Scriptures

Was Saul ultimately helped by listening to David’s music?

No.

He was only helped temporarily. There was no lasting effect. Listening to soothing and even God centered music did not calm the torment in Saul’s soul. We can see that as we read further into the book of 1 Samuel. Saul was tormented such that he tried to kill David on several occasions and Saul suffered under paranoia and delusional attacks thinking David was trying to kill him.
The music only was a temporary balm, or band-aid, to his troubled soul. The true relief that Saul could have found in turning to God and his Word was not offered to him by his counselors.

It is a lot easier if we just stick band-aids on another’s soul than when we actually deal with the real issue, separation from God. How can we not direct another to the true source of healing from the torments they face?

I’m sure the servants that counseled Saul were concerned for themselves and they sought immediate relieve for Saul if only to make their own life easier. It would have been much harder to point out to Saul that his disobedience had turned God away from him.

1 Samuel 28:16-18
16 And Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?
17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. ESV

Is it easier for us to seek the immediate relief when counseling another than to deal with the real issues and direct another back to the Lord?

You bet it is.

But temporary fixes do not work.

Despite the fact that Saul was soothed by David’s music, he was also more and more tormented as time went on. Throwing spears in the castle are not signs of a soothed soul. I’m sure that the servants suffered even more during Saul’s mental breakdown.

Oh that we would always encourage another to seek the Lord.

Isaiah 55:6-7
6 "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ESV

Invasion

2009-11-03T05:00:00.000-06:00

We have suffered an invasion this weekend.

We have been invaded by “Ladybugs.” We used to think that ladybugs were so cute and adorable. Both my daughters have had several different types of ladybug clothing. But several years ago we changed our tune with ladybugs. Now in the Fall we are invaded by Ladybugs regularly. One day we might see one or two and we will start to complain. Why? Because we have learned that within a day or two we will be invaded by thousands. They come in every door and window, even if closed. There is no keeping them out. They will be banging into every light fixture making constant noise with their hard bodies hitting the light. Our sliding glass doors will be covered inside and out. Not only do the ladybugs get all over the house, they will just fall into everything. Cooking and eating become a hassle. You learn to check your drink before drinking it.

We spent all day yesterday cleaning up. I cleaned the windowsills of ladybugs in the morning and by lunchtime they were all over the sills again. My daughter vacuumed the live ladybugs from the sliding glass doors. The clear vacuum canister was full of ladybugs but by the evening, they were replaced by more. When looking outside you could clearly see the swarms of ladybugs flying all over the place. If you ventured outside you would be dive-bombed by kamikaze ladybugs flying into you. The ladybugs also come with a surprising bonus – THEY STINK !!! For some bizarre reason they emit a horrible odor if you kill them or even if they fill threatened. My daughter said her school work actually referred to them as the skunk of the insect world.

I think I have an idea of what the Egyptians felt like in Exodus.

Exodus 8:16-24

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'"
17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.
18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.
19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.
22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.
23 Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen."'"
24 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. ESV

But then again maybe not.

Gnats and flies bite.

Thankfully, the ladybugs at least don’t bite!

Medicine Man Doesn't Cure the Bad Balance

2009-11-02T08:33:00.004-06:00

Last night on the way home from church we noticed that the traffic was very heavy going in the opposite direction. Then I remembered why. Talladega Racing. We don't pay any attention to racing, actually it seems pretty silly and boring to watch cars go around and around in circles.

But we had read in the local newspaper a very interesting article just this week.

Medicine man blesses speedway

There have long been rumors of Talladega Superspeedway being haunted, but speedway officials took steps to “restore balance” at the track on Thursday.

Robert Thrower, a medicine man from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, performed a traditional Native American blessing ceremony at the start-finish line of the 2.66-mile speedway on Thursday.

Then the article goes on to quote the Talladega Raceway President:

“It was a very moving ceremony,” Humphrey said. “It’s like Mr. Thrower said, sometimes things just need to be brought back into balance. With the controversy that surrounded Talladega when we first opened, it’s a possibility that there has always been some unbalance here. I’m confident in saying that after this ceremony however, we don’t have to worry about that anymore and we are looking forward to a great AMP Energy 500 race weekend.”

But after getting home and seeing the news headlines, I think that maybe the Talladega Raceway needs to look into something else other than Indian Medicine Men!

Another Talladega, another scary wreck-filled race

Might I suggest turning to the Scriptures and God.

Reaching A Lost World - Ken Ham

2009-11-01T05:00:00.002-06:00

I read this book a few years ago and found it was very clear about why we as believers are not reaching the world with the gospel. It has nothing to do with activities, programs nor the music.

"The church is not touching the culture

because the culture has invaded the church."

~ Ken Ham ~