Pastor Fred Wolfe Ministries

Brothers, We are Not Figure Skaters

2010-03-10T13:05:00.001-08:00

One of the highlights of the Shepherds Conference, 2010.

Exciting Website Addition

2010-02-11T20:14:00.000-08:00

For all of the fans of sermon jams that frequent this site, this ministry is pleased to announce the launch of "Reformed Jams". This site will feature sermons that have been condensed and mixed with music to edify the listener. Many great reformers will be featured, and we are also accepting sermon jams from our audience. Stop by to listen and offer your own favorite sermon jam to add!

www.reformedjams.com

...and if it's not too much trouble, we are trying to drum up a lot of viewers within the next few days. Please tweet and post the link on your facebook accounts. Thanks very much!

A Lifetime of Puritan Reading...

2010-02-02T18:58:00.000-08:00

In as much as I have been asked repeatedly for a list of good books to read, I came across this list of puritan writings which would give anyone a lifetime's worth of reading.

Puritan Reading List

Devotional Manuals and Works of Practical Piety
Richard Alleine (English), Instructions About Heart-work
Vincent Alsop (English), Practical Godliness
Isaac Ambrose (English), Looking Unto Jesus
Isaac Ambrose (English), Media: The Middle Things
Richard Baxter (English), The Saints' Everlasting Rest
Richard Baxter (English), A Christian Directory
Lewis Bayly (English), The Practice of Piety
Robert Bolton (English), General Directions for a Comfortable Walking With God
Samuel Bolton (English), The True Bounds of Christian Freedom
John Bunyan (English), The Fear of God
John Bunyan (English), The Pilgrim's Progress
John Bunyan (English), The Holy War
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), Irenicum
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), A Treatise on Earthly-Mindedness
Daniel Defoe (English), Religious Courtship
Arthur Dent (English), The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven
James Durham (Scottish), Christ Crucified: Or the Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53
Jonathan Edwards (American), Charity and Its Fruits
Jonathan Edwards (American), The Religious Affections
John Flavel (English), Keeping the Heart
Thomas Gouge (English), Christian Directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long
William Gouge (English), Of Domestical Duties
William Guthrie (English), The Christian's Great Interest
Robert Harris (English), The Way to True Happiness
Matthew Henry (English), The Secret of Communion With God
Robert Hill (English), The Pathway to Prayer and Piety
Oliver Heywood (English), Heart Treasure
John Howe (English), A Treatise on Delighting in God
Jacobus Koelman (Dutch), The Duties of Parents
John Owen (English), The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded
John Owen (English), The Glory of Christ
John Owen (English), Communion With God
Samuel Rutherford (Scottish), Letters of Samuel Rutherford
Henry Scudder (English), The Christian's Daily Walk
Richard Sibbes (English), The Art of Contentment
Henry Smith (English), "A Preparative to Marriage"
Richard Steele (English), The Character of an Upright Man
George Swinnock (English), The Christian Man's Calling
Willem Teellinck (Dutch), The Path of True Godliness
Thomas Vincent (English), The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ
Thomas Watson (English), The Art of Divine Contentment
Thomas Watson (English), The Godly Man's Picture
Thomas Watson (English), All Things For Good
Thomas Watson (English), The Beatitudes
John Wing (English), The Crown Conjugal

Worship and the Sacraments
William Ames (English), A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God's Worship
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), Gospel Worship
Daniel Cawdrey (English), Family Reformation Promoted
David Clarkson (English), "Public Worship to be Preferred Before Private"
Thomas Cobbet (English-American), Gospel Incense, or A Practical Treatise on Prayer
John Cotton (English-American), On Psalmody
James T. Dennison, Jr., The Market Day of the Soul
Thomas Doolittle (English), A Treatise Concerning the Lord's Supper
Thomas Ford (English), Singing of Psalms: The Duty of Christians under the New Testament
George Gillespie (Scottish), English Popish Ceremonies
William Gouge (English), The Sabbath's Sanctification
William Gouge (English), A Guide to Go to God: Or an Explanation of the Perfect Pattern of Prayer, the Lord's Prayer
Archibald Hall (Scottish), Gospel Worship
George Hammond (English), The Case For Family Worship
Matthew Henry (English), A Method for Prayer
Matthew Henry (English), "A Church in the House: Family Religion"
Matthew Henry (English), The Communicant's Companion
Oliver Heywood (English), The Family Altar
John Preston (English), The Saints' Daily Exercise
Richard Steele (English), A Remedy for Wandering Thoughts in the Worship of God
Thomas Watson (English), The Lord's Prayer
Thomas Watson (English), The Lord's Supper
Herman Witsius (Dutch), The Lord's Prayer

Ecclesiology and Preaching
Richard Baxter (English), The Reformed Pastor
Thomas Boston (Scottish), The Art of Man-Fishing
James Durham (Scottish), Concerning Scandal
Thomas Foxcroft (American), The Gospel Ministry
George Gillespie (Scottish), Aaron's Rod Blossoming
James Guthrie (Scottish), A Treatise of Ruling Elders and Deacons
William Perkins (English), The Art of Prophesying
London Provincial Assembly, Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici or The Divine Right of Church Government
Samuel Rutherford (Scottish), The Due Right of Presbyteries
Samuel Rutherford (Scottish), The Divine Right of Church Government and Excommunication

Meditation
John Ball (English), A Treatise of Divine Meditation
Edmund Calamy the Elder (English), The Art of Divine Meditation
Joseph Hall (English), The Art of Divine Meditation
Joseph Hall (English), Occasional Meditations
Nathaniel Ranew (English), Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation
William Spurstowe (English), The Spiritual Chymist: or, Six Decades of Divine Meditations on several Subjects
James Ussher (Irish), A Method for Meditation: or, A Manual of Divine Duties, Fit For Every Christian's Practice
Thomas Watson (English), The Christian on the Mount: A Treatise on Meditation

Divinity and Systematic Theology
William Ames (English), The Marrow of Theology
William Bates (English), The Harmony of the Attributes of God
Thomas Boston (Scottish), Human Nature in Its Fourfold State
Thomas Boston (Scottish), Commentary on the Shorter Catechism
Wilhelmus à Brakel (Dutch), The Christian's Reasonable Service
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), The Evil of Evils, or The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin
Stephen Charnock (English), The Existence and Attributes of God
David Dickson (Scottish), Truth's Victory Over Error
James Durham (Scottish), A Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments
Jonathan Edwards (American), Freedom of the Will
Edward Fisher (English), The Marrow of Modern Divinity (with notes by Thomas Boston)
James Fisher (Scottish), Ralph Erskine (Scottish), Ebenezer Erskine (Scottish), Fisher's Catechism
John Flavel (English), The Mystery of Providence
Abraham Hellenbroek (Dutch), A Specimen of Divine Truths
Edward Leigh (English), A Systeme or Body of Divinity
William Lyford (English), The Instructed Christian
Walter Marshall (English), The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
Christopher Ness (English), An Antidote Against Arminianism
John Owen (English), The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
William Pemble (English), The Justification of a Sinner: A Treatise on Justification
Thomas Ridgley (English), A Body of Divinity on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
Richard Owen Roberts, ed., Puritan Sermons, 1659-1689
Obadiah Sedgwick (English), Providence Handled Practically
Three Forms of Unity
Francis Turretin (Swiss), Institutes of Elenctic Theology
James Ussher (Irish), A Body of Divinity
Ralph Venning (English), The Sinfulness of Sin
Thomas Vincent (English), The Shorter Catechism Explained and Proved From Scripture
Thomas Watson (English), A Body of Divinity
Thomas Watson (English), The Ten Commandments
Westminster Standards
Samuel Willard (American), A Compleat Body of Divinity
Herman Witsius (Dutch), The Apostles' Creed
Herman Witsius (Dutch), The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man

Spiritual Warfare, Affliction, Assurance & Casuistry
Joseph Alleine (English), An Alarm to the Unconverted
Richard Alleine (English), The World Conquered By the Faithful Christian
William Ames (English), Conscience and the Power, With Cases Thereof
Isaac Ambrose (English), The Christian Warrior
Robert Asty (English), A Treatise of Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus in All Cases and Conditions
Robert Bolton (English), Instructions for Comforting Afflicted Consciences
Thomas Boston (Scottish), The Crook in the Lot
Thomas Brooks (English), Heaven on Earth: A Treatise of Assurance
Thomas Brooks (English), Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
Thomas Brooks (English), The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod
Anthony Burgess (English), Spiritual Refining
Thomas Case (English), A Treatise of Affliction
John Downame (English), The Christian Warfare
James Durham & David Dickson (Scottish), The Sum of Saving Knowledge
Daniel Dyke (English), Michael and the Dragon; or, Christ Tempted and Satan Foiled
John Flavel (English), The Method of Grace
Richard Gilpin (English), A Treatise of Satan's Temptations
Thomas Goodwin (English), The Vanity of Thoughts
Thomas Goodwin (English), A Child of Light Walking in Darkness
William Gouge (English), The Whole Armour of God
William Gurnall (English), The Christian in Complete Armour
Thomas Hooker (English-American), The Poor Doubting Christian Drawn to Christ
Christopher Love (English), The Dejected Soul's Cure
Matthew Mead (English), The Almost Christian Discovered
John Owen (English), Mortification of Sin
William Perkins (English), The Whole Treatise of Cases of Conscience
Timothy Rogers (English), A Discourse on Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy
Obadiah Sedgwick (English), The Doubting Believer
Thomas Shepard (English-American), The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Richard Sibbes (English), The Bruised Reed
William Spurstowe (English), The Wiles of Satan
Lewis Stuckley (English), A Gospel Glass
Joseph Symond (English), The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul
Jean Taffin (Dutch), The Marks of God's Children
Gisbertus Voetius & Johannes Hoornbeek (Dutch), Spiritual Desertion

Bible Commentaries
John Diodati (Swiss) - Whole Bible
Dutch Annotations - Whole Bible
Joseph Hall (English) - Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (English) - Whole Bible
Matthew Poole (English) - Whole Bible
Westminster Annotations - Whole Bible

Thomas Adams (English), 2 Peter
Henry Ainsworth (English), Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs
Jeremiah Burroughs (English), Hosea
Joseph Caryl (English), Job
David Dickson (Scottish), Psalms
David Dickson (Scottish), Matthew
James Durham (Scottish), Song of Songs
James Durham (Scottish), Job
James Durham (Scottish), Revelation
William Gouge (English), Hebrews
William Greenhill (English), Ezekiel
George Hutcheson (Scottish), John
George Hutcheson (Scottish), Minor Prophets
William Jenkyn (English), Jude
Thomas Manton (English), Jude
Thomas Manton (English), James
Thomas Manton (English), Psalm 119
John Owen (English), Hebrews
Charles Spurgeon (English), Psalms

Eschatology
Jonathan Edwards (American), A History of Redemption
Thomas Manton (English), Sermons on 2 Thessalonians 2
Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope
Francis Turretin (Swiss), "Seventh Disputation on Antichrist"
William Whitaker (English), The Roman Pontiff is That Antichrist
James Wylie (Scottish), The Papacy: Its History, Dogmas, Genius, and Prospects

Christian Biography and Church History
Theodosia Alleine (English), Richard Baxter (English) and others, The Life and Letters of Joseph Alleine
James Anderson (Scottish), The Ladies Of The Covenant: Memoirs Of Distinguished Scottish Female Characters
James Anderson (Scottish), Memorable Women of the Puritan Times
Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné (Swiss), History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century
Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigné (Swiss), History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin
Joel Beeke & Randall Pederson, Meet the Puritans
Thomas Boston (Scottish), Memoirs of Thomas Boston
William Bradford (English-American), Of Plimoth Plantation
Benjamin Brook, Lives of the Puritans
John Brown of Bedford (English), The English Puritans
John Bunyan (English), Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
J.D. Douglas, Light in the North
Jonathan Edwards (American), The Life and Diary of David Brainerd
John Foxe (English), Book of Martyrs
William Hetherington (Scottish), History of the Westminster Assembly
Don Kistler, A Spectacle unto God: The Life and Death of Christopher Love
Peter Lewis, The Genius of Puritanism
Cotton Mather (American), The Diary of Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather (American), Magnalia Christi Americana - The Great Works of Christ in America
Michael McGiffert, ed., God's Plot: Spirituality in Thomas Shepard's Cambridge
Thomas M'Crie the Younger (Scottish), The Story of the Scottish Church
Thomas M'Crie the Younger (Scottish), Annals of English Presbytery
Alexander Mitchell, The Westminster Assembly
Daniel Neal (English), A History of the Puritans
J.I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life
Jock Purves, Fair Sunshine
James Reid (Scottish), Memoirs of the Westminster Divines
Richard Rogers (English), Seeking a Settled Heart: The Diary of Richard Rogers
Philip Schaff (Swiss), History of the Christian Church
Alexander Smellie (Scottish), Men of the Covenant
William Sprague (American), Annals of the American Pulpit
William Symington (Scottish), Historical Sketch of the Westminster Assembly of Divines
James Ussher (Irish), The Annals of the World
J.G. Vos, The Scottish Covenanters
B.B. Warfield, The Westminster Assembly and Its Work
J.B. Williams (English), Matthew Henry (English), The Lives of Philip and Matthew Henry
James Wylie (Scottish), History of Protestantism
James Wylie (Scottish), History of the Waldenses

Establishment Principle
William Balfour (Scottish), The Establishment Principle Defended (preface by James Begg (Scottish))
James Bannerman (Scottish), The Church of Christ
C.J. Brown (Scottish), Christ's Kingship Over the Nations Maintained and Defended in the Establishment Principle
William Cunningham (Scottish), Discussion on Church Principles: Popish, Erastian and Presbyterian
James Dick (Scottish), Civil Rulers Serving the Lord; or the Scriptural Doctrine of National Religion
Thomas M'Crie (Scottish), Statement of the Difference (preface by George Smeaton)
Robert Shaw (Scottish), An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith [on Chap. 23] (also see the introductory essay by William Hetherington (Scottish))
George Smeaton (Scottish), The Scottish Theory of Ecclesiastical Establishments
George Smeaton (Scottish), National Christianity and Scriptural Union
William Symington (Scottish), Messiah the Prince

Parenting Advice Sermons

2010-01-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

Live Verse By Verse Bible Teaching

2010-01-03T14:15:00.001-08:00

e are excited to announce that Pastor Fred Wolfe Ministries will now offer live streaming verse by verse Bible teaching every Sunday, right here on pastorfredwolfe.com!

Every Sunday at 10:30, there will be a box just like the one below:

Here you will be able to listen to the teaching, and interact with a chat feature that will be included.

If you would be so kind, please post a link on your facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. to try to get the word out. This teaching has the potential to reach thousands all over the world, and will be brought to everyone free of charge.

Also, if you have any suggestions or ministry needs, please feel free to post them in the comments section.

Thanks for all of the support,

Pastor Fred

Pastor Fred's Plans

2009-12-29T13:41:00.001-08:00

To all who have sent supportive notes and messages, I thank you. During this time of transition in the life of my family, there are a few options before us. For the time being, I will be teaching at a small home gathering. My hosts there have left an open invitation to anyone who would like to come attend and fellowship with us. There will be worship, the Lord's Supper, and expositional teaching, beginning with the Gospel of John. Here is the info:

When: Sunday, 10AM
Where: 10675 Park Place Drive- St. Petersburg, FL 33778

Please call with questions:
727-545-3943

It is a small, intimate gathering, and we would love to have you!

More updates soon.

Why Should Christians Celebrate the Sabbath?

2009-12-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Why Celebrate the Sabbath?

From one of my online followers who recently sent me a critique:

"Your teaching on the Sabbath is erroneous. If you understood the teachings of grace found in the scriptures, you might tell your congregation that "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." Your attempt to put people again under the law has shown you to be a legalistic pharisee and slaver from the pulpit."

While I always appreciate a careful listener and student, I am discouraged at the need for this listener to stand up so high as they write. If there is one thing that I have learned as a teacher of the scriptures, it is "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble".

My teaching about the Sabbath Day is valid only if you take in the whole counsel of God. As Jesus said, "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." I think it is a common misunderstanding that being "under grace" as all Christians are, means that you no longer need to follow spiritual laws. It is not surprising though, that many feel the need to reject any form of the law, as the church has entered a Biblically illiterate era, and for the most part seek their "best life now" rather than the crucifixion of their lives on the cross of Christ.

Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets, and on this fact I stand by the grace of God, having fulfilled the laws, not because of a written code, but because of a heart regenerated by the Spirit. This means that I will take my rest, not because I am compelled by a written code, but because I am compelled by God Himself.

Let's look at it a few different ways:

1. God rested on the seventh day. (Gen. 2:2)
2. God has no need to rest, therefore was doing it as an example for His people to follow. (Psalm 40:28)
3. The people of Israel practiced honoring the Sabbath day from the time of Moses onward. (Ex. 20:8)
4. Christians are spiritual Israel. (Gal. 3:29)
5. Jesus did not abolish the law, but fulfilled it. (Matt. 5:17)
6. Christians are admonished to fulfill the law through the Spirit. (Rom. 8:4)
7. Christians gathered on the first day of the week beginning at the inception of the Church. (Acts 20:7)
8. I am a Christian.
9. I honor the Sabbath by practicing the day of rest on the first day of the week.

This has practical implications too. Burnout can become a debilitating problem, and the depression that can arise from it spreads to all areas of life. You simply can't be effective when you never take time to press the "reset button" on your body. It's one of the reasons God gave us sleep. We should take time to take long walks to enjoy God's creation, watch the sun go down, paint, write poetry and read- or whatever Godly activity resets you. God gave us a whole day every week to do just that.

Consider the wise words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

"He who forgets the humming of the bees among the heather, the cooing of the wood-pigeons in the forest, the song of birds in the woods, the rippling of rills among the rushes, and the sighing of the wind among the pines, needs not wonder if his heart forgets to sing and his soul grows heavy. A day's breathing of fresh air upon the hills, or a few hours, ramble in the beech woods’ umbrageous calm, would sweep the cobwebs out of the brain of scores of our toiling ministers who are now but half alive. A mouthful of sea air, or a stiff walk in the wind's face, would not give grace to the soul, but it would yield oxygen to the body, which is next best. "

Should a Biblical Woman Work Outside the Home?

2009-11-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Wrapping up a sermon series on Biblical Manhood and Biblical Womanhood has given me great perspective on my congregation. I am convinced that the church I am charged to teach, and many other churches today would greatly benefit from a Biblical outlook on the roles God has entrusted all of us with. By far, the most controversial aspect of my series was my stance on women working outside the home. During my Q&A session after the sermon, I was confronted with several objections to this teaching, and would like to opportunity to stabilize both my original stance, and clarify the explanations given to the objections.

1. Concerning Titus 2:3-5 "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. "

I outlined that the Greek word translated "working at home" comes from the greek word (oikourgos) This is a compound word derived from (oikos) which means "home". And (urgos) is derived from the root word (ergon) which means "work," "employment". Thus we can safely interpret this admonition to call women to be:

a) Employed at home; or

b) taking care of household affairs

2. Further, the call to “be submissive to their own husbands”, carries the implicit admonition to not be submitted to other women's husbands. In career environments, this is not possible, as submission to other men is a necessity for her as an employee, and divides her loyalties between the home and work.

3. Further still, this is not an isolated verse. It is backed up by both Old and New Testaments. Paul exhorts young widows in 1 Timothy 5:14 "So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander."

In the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy teaches the necessity of teaching children as a priority. Deuteronomy 6: 5-8 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Since we know that men are charged with providing for the household an income and provisions, we must ask ourselves, "If wives put children in daycare for someone else to raise, will that help or hinder our charge to raise Godly children?" That question we must constantly be asking should lead us to a more Godly life, not a career driven life.

One of the major concerns brought up was,

"Couldn't this just be a cultural thing? What if that was all women could do back then? We live in a different time now."

I would like to give a succinct answer to this question by referring to the opening verse.

Is it just a cultural thing to call women to:

a. love their husbands and children?

b. to be self controlled?

c. to be pure?

d. to be kind?

e. to be submissive to their own husbands?

If not, how to we expect to be able to cherry pick the command for women to "work at home" and call that a cultural thing? I think not.

Another objection had to do with work out of necessity, and while there are definitely examples of exceptions, such as single mothers trying to support her children, I see this as an excuse to live beyond our means.

The question went something like this, "What if we just can afford to live without both of out incomes?"

The truth is, for most people this is a problem with priorities. It is an easy trap to fall into, as our society has become very materialistic and individualistic. I would ask families not to fall into that trap. Live a simple life. Your legacy means too much.

Another objection came right from the comments section of the Study Bible that I endorse, the ESV Study Bible.

"I have looked at the notes in the Bible you recommended, and they disagree with your interpretation of Proverbs 31:10-19, they say that a woman can work outside the home."

Since I had not read the notes myself, the only answer I could give was, "Well, then I guess I disagree with their comments." But upon my arrival at home, I find that not only do I agree with their comments, I didn't find them to contradict my teaching at all.

The first thing you must take into account is the genre of literature you are reading. This section of Proverbs is not only hebrew poetry, but it is an acrostic poem. This shows us, as is stated in the notes, that this is a description of an ideal woman. No woman will match it perfectly. This means that we are being given principles here, not literal commands. Otherwise I would be asking all women to start sewing their own clothes. But the spiritual principles apply to us today, especially in light of Paul's clarifications on the Godly woman. Here are the actual ESV notes in their entirety if you are interested, along with my notes in blue:

Prov. 31:10–31 An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence. As the esv footnote to v. 10explains, this wisdom poem is an acrostic, in which each verse begins with the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem begins and ends with mention of the woman's “excellence” (vv. 10, 29–31). The probable intention of putting this together with the acrostic pattern is to show that this woman's character runs the whole range of excellence. The woman is married (as expected in that culture), and she is devoted to the well-being of her household (vv. 11–13, 15, 17, 19, 21–22, 25, 27), to which she contributes by her participation in outside economic concerns (vv. 14, 16, 18, 24). At the same time she makes her home the center of ministry by giving generously to the poor (v. 20) and by instructing her children and household workers in true kindness (v. 26; neighbors may be included in this audience). So her husband and children enjoy their lot and honor her for her industry (vv. 11–12, 23, 28–29). This lofty portrait of excellence sets such a high standard that it can be depressing to godly women today until its purpose is understood. First, the woman embodies in all areas of life the full character of wisdom commended throughout this book. This shows that even though the concrete situations up to now have generally envisioned a cast of males, the teaching of the entire book is intended for all of God's people (see the discussion of “concreteness” in Introduction: Literary Features). Second, as with other character types, this profile is an ideal: a particular example of full-scale virtue and wisdom toward which the faithful are willing to be molded. It is not expected that any one woman will look exactly like this in every respect.
Prov. 31:10 An excellent wife who can find? reminds the reader that a good wife is from the Lord (see 12:4; 18:22; 19:14). vs. 11 Tells us, the heart to her husband trusts her. This means she has been through a lot with him, as she has made great decisions in the past.
Prov. 31:12 does him good. The diligence of the good wife (vv. 13–19) is not for herself alone but also for her husband and household.
Prov. 31:13 seeks wool and flax. She is skilled in working with textiles to provide for the clothing needs of her household. She works hard at home.
Prov. 31:14 Trading ships is a poetic analogy; she does not literally sail the seas. She goes out of her way to secure fine food for her family. Another reference to her work at home.
Prov. 31:15 By providing for her household and her maidens before the day begins, the “excellent wife” (v. 10) multiplies the effectiveness of her work, because her planning enables everyone else in her household to be productive throughout the day. She does not lie in bed and wait for servants to attend to her. She is a good manager, she plans and executes the needs of her household.
Prov. 31:16 She is not confined to the home but is engaged in business. This verse demonstrates remarkable financial independence for a woman in the ancient world: she herself considers a field (indicating wise judgment) and buys it(indicating control of a substantial amount of money). This may be where the question came from, but my teaching in no way confines women to the home. They can conduct the business of the home as it is all a part of the management of it. Remember that she has gained the trust of her husbands heart because of her wise dealings, and is therefore entrusted with a large sum of the families money. This in no way refers to a career, as there would be no one to raise her children, and she would be in violation of Deuteronomy 6.
Prov. 31:18 Profitable indicates that she is able to realize economic gain from the diligence of her labor, which she uses to purchase a field (v. 16) and provide for her household (v. 15). Her lamp does not go out at night. See v. 15, “She rises while it is yet night”; if the verses are taken to a literal extreme, they would imply that she never sleeps at all! But surely that is not true, nor is it intended (see Ps. 127:2). Rather, this is an idealized picture of a woman who is diligent to complete her work both in the morning and in the evening. Again, here she has responsibilities to the home.
Prov. 31:19 A distaff is a staff with a fork at the end that holds flax or wool that has yet to be spun, from which thread is drawn when a person is spinning thread or yarn on a spinning wheel. A spindle is a rod with tapered ends on which thread is wound once it has been spun by hand. The point of this and several other verses is the remarkable range of manual, commercial, administrative, and interpersonal skills at which this woman demonstrates excellence. She makes clothes for her family,and is so skillful, she can sell her work to make a profit for her family.
Prov. 31:20 Active concern for the poor is a cardinal virtue of all wisdom literature.
Prov. 31:21 Her careful preparation of necessary clothing in advance means that she is not afraid of sudden changes in weather, for they will not catch her unprepared.
Prov. 31:22 Fine linen and purple indicates clothing of beauty and considerable expense, appropriate visual indications of the excellence of her work and character.
Prov. 31:23 Gates were the center of civic and economic life in an Israelite city, where the leading men gathered. The wife's excellent work and noble character have contributed significantly to her husband's success and reputation when he sits among the elders of the land.
Prov. 31:24 Making linen garments and sashes, which she sells to the merchant, indicates skill in creating clothing of beauty and value. Such activity exemplifies a high degree of entrepreneurial skill and responsibility in making financial decisions and undertaking commercial activity (cf. note on v. 16). Notice that none of her business dealings require her to be away from her children. She can bring them to the market, teach them and experience life with them.
Prov. 31:25 Strength and dignity are so much a part of her character and conduct that they seem to be almost like her clothing. She laughs at the future, in contrast with being worried or fearful about it.
Prov. 31:26 Although Proverbs has often used men as concrete examples of wisdom, the proverbs apply equally well to women, and the wisdom that God teaches in Proverbs can be well understood by both men and women (cf. note on1:8).
Prov. 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household focuses on this woman's diligence in caring for her home and her children and servants. Her rejection ofidleness embodies one of the chief virtues of Proverbs. Again, a clear reference to her priority to the home.
Prov. 31:28–29 In a loving family, the members recognize the value of each other. Here the children and husband offer their praise. Verse 29 gives the words of the husband, or perhaps of both husband and children. Excellently recalls “excellent” in v. 10.
Prov. 31:30 The mention of a woman who fears the Lord at the end of this long list of excellent qualities brings back the theme of the book of Proverbs stated in1:7 ). It reminds readers that this woman excels in her fear of the Lord, and therefore that she is a model of the character traits and wisdom taught throughout the book's 31 chapters. The appearance of this woman's fear of the Lord at the end of this list is also a reminder that this quality is more important than even great skill and talent, and is foundational to the wise and right use of all activities and skills. A godly woman may well have outward charm andbeauty, but these are of secondary importance to her godliness.
Prov. 31:31 Although it is the husband, and not the excellent wife, who sits among the elders (v. 23), the wife's works are known and appreciated in the gates, and therefore throughout the town. Give her of the fruit of her handsmeans that she should be given some personal reward for her excellent work. let her works praise her. The excellent character and work of such a woman calls for public honor.

Now let's fit all this together. The New Testament was written in light of the Old Testament. The Old Testament was written first, and therefore, when the New Testament was written, it fulfilled and clarified many things from the Old Testament. If you will, the New Testament can be seen as an inspired commentary on the Old. Therefore, when Paul wrote about the roles of women, he wrote them in light of the Old Testament. He wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit to give a more concrete direction for those who were living out the Old Testament. Since this is true, it does not leave us much room for a broad interpretation. Women who are married, especially with children, should be employed at home, if the are to be submissive to the direction of scripture.

I fear the only other way around this is to ignore these passages, and skip them over when reading your Bible, which clarifies whether or not you have decided to be a Biblical woman.

"Obsession" Radical Islam's War With The West- FULL FILM

2009-11-23T10:38:00.001-08:00

Contains graphic violence-no young viewers, please.

Watch full film below.

Let Us Give Thanks

2009-11-19T19:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard an amazing testimony of God’s grace and victory in someone else’s life…and been discouraged by it? I have to confess that sometimes when I hear about God’s work in the lives of other Christians, I become focused on my own shortcomings rather than on what God has done. When I hear stories of people who boldly trust God to meet their needs, I am reminded of my own lack of trust. When I hear about acts of sacrifice and self-denial, I often feel convicted about my own selfishness. Rather than rejoicing in what God has accomplished in and through these saints, I find myself asking, will I ever be in that place of victory?

While it is good for us to be mindful of our own sin, I believe that the line of thinking that causes me to be discouraged by the victory of other Christians is essentially dishonoring to God. It fails to take into account one of the crucial doctrines of the New Testament, the idea that those who follow Christ are all members of his body. In the book of Romans, Paul puts it plainly: “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us”(Romans 12:4-6). This is completely contradictory to our modern climate of competition. Far too often this atmosphere infiltrates the church, leading us to view other Christians as our competitors rather than as our allies. When God does extraordinary things in the life of one of his children, some of us may be tempted to feel that this person has “blown the curve,” causing the rest of us to be judged more harshly.

However, a true belief that we are the body of Christ should rule out all jealousy, competitiveness, and comparisons. If a good thing happens to one part of the body, it enriches you as a member of the same body. Ask yourself a question: Would you be just as happy for the Christian in the pew in front of you to receive a spiritual blessing from God as you would be if you received it yourself? If you’re like me, you probably answered no. But I believe that the answer to this question could be a resounding “yes” if we prized the doctrine of the body of Christ. Think of how your joy could be magnified if you considered the good of others your own good!

Listen to the words of the apostle Paul: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). As members of the same body, we are called to peace, not competition. We are also called to thankfulness. Paul doesn’t specify exactly what we are to be thankful for. Could it be that our differences should be one cause of thanksgiving? If your neighbor excels in an area that is your weak point, this is cause for rejoicing, not shame. God has made us different to help one another. When I hear of someone who has the gift of mercy to the poor, I shouldn’t focus on my own shortcomings in this area, but rejoice that Christ is alive and working through his body. If God answers the prayer of my brother or sister, it should be to me as if He’s answered my own prayer.

We all know what it is to feel the weight of others’ problems; let us not miss out on being lifted by others’ blessings. God is giving good gifts to members of his body all over the world, even as you sleep. The glorious doctrine of the body of Christ should magnify our joy and call forth our thanksgiving.

www.rzim.org

Called to Thanksgiving
Betsy Childs

The Light Shines in the Darkness

2009-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

The other day I heard yet another preacher say that he likes to evangelize in nightclubs, bars, or basically anywhere there are degenerates like himself. He echoes the kind of admonition that I have heard from really cool looking speakers that I looked up to in Higher Education. I was convinced that truly sold-out evangelists would take their message to the places where people were sickest. We were to be present in these places and in so doing, turn them into hospitals for the spiritually sick. I couldn't stand on the inside of the church looking out at the sick world and condemn them. They were sick. They needed doctor Jesus to make them all better, and if I wasn't brave enough to take it to them, God would be up a creek without a paddle.

Years later, I was having a lot of trouble reconciling verses such as 1 Corinthians 5:11, which states, “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” Doesn't that sound awfully harsh and judgmental considering the life that Jesus lived?

And by the way, they are talking about believers here, right? It's doesn't apply to unbelievers, right?

Try and try as I might, the only way I could deal with these verses was simply to ignore them. I hoped that someday I would be able to square them with my orthopraxy, but to no avail. I surrendered. The scriptures broke me of my plastic beliefs, unable to withstand the white-hot heat of truth that emanated from scripture. The truth is that this verse is not speaking of believers at all. Notice it says that they, “bear the name of a brother...”. It says nothing of their salvation. In fact 2 John speaks of these very people, but clarifies their state as Christians: “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”

For those who say that Jesus, if he were alive today, would be preaching in bars, or strip clubs, or nightclubs, must reconcile this erroneous idea with the scripture that the Spirit of Christ inspired.

2 Corinthians teaches us, “...what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” 1 John 1:17 clarifies, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
If you will look back over the life of Christ, you will find that the places he went or the people he ministered to were the penitent. They thought of themselves as nothing, unworthy, and they acknowledged their sin. They were not the arrogant rabble that fills our nightclubs, bars and stripclubs. Our presence would not turn these places into hospitals for the spiritually sick, it would be a frightening visit from a living soul into a morgue filled with the walking dead.
No, Jesus would not preach in bars or nightclubs or red-light districts. You must submit to the fact that, “...the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” If Jesus were preaching today, I believe that he would first turn the tables on His church, which has almost totally departed from the New Testament. He would turn them into the hospitals that they are meant to be, where the spiritually dead, sickened by the stench of sin by the quickening of their spirit, will be drawn, away from the houses of the wicked.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:1-13

Revival Hymn

2009-11-01T05:18:00.001-08:00

Watch below. Quite possibly the most powerful compilation of sermons out there.

Revival Hymn from Pastor Fred Wolfe on Vimeo.

A Postmodern/Emergent Comedy

2009-10-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

We Need Men Of God Again

2009-10-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

By: AW Tozer

The Church at this moment needs men, the right kind of men, bold men. The talk is that we need revival, that we need a new [movement] of the Spirit–and God knows we must have both; but God will not revive mice. He will not fill rabbits with the Holy Ghost.

We languish for men who feel themselves expendable in the warfare of the soul, who cannot be frightened by threats of death because they have already died to the allurements of this world. Such men will be free from the compulsions that control weaker men. They will not be forced to do things by the squeeze of circumstances; their only compulsion will come from within–or from above.

This kind of freedom is necessary if we are to have [powerful preachers] in our pulpits again instead of mascots. These free men will serve God and mankind from motives too high to be understood by the rank and file of religious retainers who today shuttle in and out of the sanctuary. They will make no decisions out of fear, take no course out of a desire to please, accept no service for financial considerations, perform no religious act out of mere custom; nor will they allow themselves to be influenced by the love of publicity or the desire for reputation.

Much that the church–even the evangelical church–is doing these days she is doing because she is afraid not to. Ministerial associations take up projects for no higher reason than that they are being scared into it. Whatever their ear-to-the-ground, fear-inspired reconnoitering leads them to believe the world expects them to do they will be doing come next Monday morning with all kinds of trumped-up zeal and show of godliness. The pressure of public opinion calls these prophets, not the voice of Jehovah.

The true church has never sounded out public expectations before launching her crusades. Her leaders heard from God and went ahead wholly independent of popular support or the lack of it. They knew their Lord’s will and did it, and their people followed them–sometimes to triumph, oftener to insults and public persecution–and their sufficient reward was the satisfaction of being right in a wrong world.

Another characteristic of the true [man of God] has been love. The free man who has learned to hear God’s voice and dared to obey it has felt the moral burden that broke the hearts of the Old Testament prophets, crushed the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ and wrung streams of tears from the eyes of the apostles.

The free man has never been a religious tyrant, nor has he sought to lord it over God’s heritage. It is fear and lack of self-assurance that has led men to try to crush others under their feet. These have had some interest to protect, some position to secure, so they have demanded subjection from their followers as a guarantee of their own safety. But the free man–never; he has nothing to protect, no ambition to pursue and no enemy to fear. For that reason he is completely careless of his standing among men. If they follow him, well and good; if not, he loses nothing that he holds dear; but whether he is accepted or rejected he will go on loving his people with sincere devotion. And only death can silence his tender intercession for them.

Yes, if evangelical Christianity is to stay alive she must have men again, the right kind of men. She must repudiate the weaklings who dare not speak out, and she must seek in prayer and much humility the coming again of men of the stuff prophets and martyrs are made of. God will hear the cries of His people as He heard the cries of Israel in Egypt. And He will send deliverance by sending deliverers. It is His way among men.

And when the deliverers come . . . they will be men of God and men of courage. They will have God on their side because they will be careful to stay on God’s side. They will be co-workers with Christ and instruments in the hand of the Holy Ghost.

Postmodern Pastor Writes to Paul

2009-10-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

Paul the Apostle

c\o Aquila the Tentmaker

Corinth, Greece

Dear Paul:

We recently received a copy of your letter to the Galatians. The committee has directed me to inform you of a number of things, which deeply concern us. First, we find your language to be somewhat intemperate. In your letter, after a brief greeting to the Galatians, you immediately attack your opponents by claiming they "want to pervert the gospel of Christ." You then say that such men should be regarded as "accursed"; and, in another place, you make reference to "false brethren." Wouldn’t it be more charitable to give them the benefit of the doubt—at least until the General Assembly has investigated and adjudicated the matter?

To make the situation worse, you later say, "I could wish those who trouble you would even cut them selves off!" Is such a statement really fitting for a Christian minister? The remark seems quite harsh and unloving.

Paul, we really feel the need to caution you about the tone of your epistles. You come across in an abrasive manner to many people. In some of your letters you’ve even mentioned names; and this practice has, no doubt, upset the friends of Hymenaeus, Alexander, and others. After all, many persons were first introduced to the Christian faith under the ministries of these men.

Although some of our missionaries have manifest regrettable shortcomings, nevertheless, it can only stir up bad feelings when you speak of these men in a derogatory manner. In other words, Paul, I believe you should strive for a more moderate posture in your ministry. Shouldn’t you try to win those who are in error by displaying a sweeter spirit? By now, you've probably alienated the Judaizers to the point that they will no longer listen to you.

By your outspokenness, you have also diminished your opportunities for future influence throughout the church as a whole. Rather, if you had worked more quietly, you might have been asked to serve on a presbytery committee appointed to study the issue. You could then have contributed your insights by helping to draft a good committee paper on the theological position of the Judaizers, without having to drag personalities into the dispute.

Besides, Paul, we need to maintain unity among those who profess a belief in Christ. The Judaizers at least stand with us as we confront the surrounding paganism and humanism, which prevail within the culture of the contemporary Roman Empire. The Judaizers are our allies in our struggles. We cannot afford to allow differences over doctrinal minutiae to obscure this important fact.

I also must mention that questions have been raised about the contents of your letter, as well as your style. The committee questions the propriety of the doctrinaire structure of your letter. Is it wise to plague young Christians, like the Galatians, with such heavy theological issues?

For example, in a couple of places, you allude to the doctrine of election. You also enter into a lengthy discussion of the law. Perhaps you could have proved your case in some other ways, without mentioning these complex and controverted points of Christianity. Your letter is so doctrinaire, it will probably serve only to polarize the differing factions within the churches. Again, we need to stress unity, instead of broaching issues, which will accent divisions among us.

In one place, you wrote, "Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing." Paul, you have a tendency to describe things strictly in black and white terms, as if there are no gray areas. You need to temper your expressions, lest you become too exclusive. Otherwise, your outlook will drive away many people, and make visitors feel unwelcome. Church growth is not promoted by taking such a hard line and remaining inflexible.

Remember, Paul, there is no such thing as a perfect church. We have to tolerate many imperfections in the church, since we cannot expect to have everything at once. If you will simply think back over your own experience, you will recall how you formerly harassed the church in your times of ignorance. By reflecting on your own past, you might acquire a more sympathetic attitude toward the Judaizers. Be patient, and give them some time to come around to a better understanding. In the meantime, rejoice that we all share a common profession of faith in Christ, since we have all been baptized in his name.

Sincerely,

Charles Phinney [fictional]

Coordinator, Committee on Missions

Credit to: Kjos Ministries

The Might of Jesus

2009-10-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

How can you not weep? How can you not fall on your face before our God? How can you not tremble before His might as He fills you with His love?

These three questions have been buzzing through my head a lot as of late. They were provoked by a question from my seven year old son.

"Dad, you said in your sermon on Sunday that we are supposed to fear God. But why are we to be afraid of God when He is Love?"

It's a valid question. At first glance it may seem that God being love must mean there is nothing to fear of him. I began to question myself inwardly. Have I portrayed God to my children in this way? Is he simply a cuddly teddy bear in the sky that watches over my kids and grants them wishes after our nightly worship time? This exaggeration seems preposterous, until you really start to scrutinize how you treat God. Take a look at your prayer life. Do you find yourself trying to get it over with so that you don't have to miss a television program? How much of your time to you spend in the word of God? Do you use the word of God as an intellectual pursuit? If you say yes to any of these, I have felt your pain. My emergent roots have poisoned me yet again, and as fast as I hack at them, I still find little repugnant feeder shoots influencing my orthopraxy. My God is Thuderous, Mighty, Powerful, and beyond my knowledge of adjectives. He will not be mocked. For as long as I have seen God as soft and cuddly, I had absolutely no fear of Him. I feared cockroaches more than Him.

Listen to Mark Driscoll talk about the greatest challenge to young Christians in the next 10 years:

“There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelation, Jesus is a pride fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up. I fear some are becoming more cultural than Christian, and without a big Jesus who has authority and hates sin as revealed in the Bible, we will have less and less Christians, and more and more confused, spiritually self-righteous blogger critics of Christianity.”

I couldn't agree more. The fear of the Lord is a necessary, yet untaught principle of the Christian faith. Don't buy it? Look at what scripture says:

Matthew 10:28 says, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

This teaching is reiterated in Luke 12:15: "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!"

Psalm 2:11 exhorts: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Paul teaches it as well: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," Philippians 2:12

Job 28:28- Job 28:28 "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding."

Psalm 111:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

And finally, the Psalmist says of UNBELIEVERS, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" Psalm 36:1

Now if we should try to mistake this fear simply as "awe" or "respect", the greek word in the NT for fear is "φοβέω". which is used to describe "fearing king Herod" or the disciples when they were "frightened" by the wind and waves on the sea. It means fear, plain and simple.

I explained the proper view of God this way: We are to fear the awesome might of Almighty God. If we were to come into His presence, we would fall flat on our faces, trembling at the sight of Him. We would remain there, for millenia if necessary, until the Lord saw fit to reach down and lift us up, cradling us in His love.

We should never forget the power of our omnipotent God. The day we realize what kind of a God we serve, is the day we can answer the three questions, "I will weep, I will fall, I will tremble."

"Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying,Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." Revelation 1:12-18

Will There Be a Lot of People in Heaven?

2009-10-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Bible verses taken from Luke 13:22-30, ESV. Bible will be in italics.

"He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” "

Jesus walked from town to town, village to village. He must have talked to hundreds, if not thousands of people. I find this premise interesting considering that Jesus was God. He knew these people intimately before he ever spoke to them. As he came to a town or village, he could name every man woman and child in the area. He knew whom the Lord would call to salvation. He knew that some would reject the message being preached to them. Someone following Him got curious about how efficient this trip could be. I have no doubt that the person who asked was really thinking, "How many of THEM will be saved?" Jesus flipped the script, and characteristically invaded the comfort level of the questioner.

"And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’"

Jesus spoke directly to the group following Him. "Strive to enter the narrow door." This answer reflects the mystery of God's relationship with mankind. We are told to try with everything we have, like we are searching for a treasure, a jewel, a pearl of great price, though in the end many will not have entered through it. Why will they not enter? Maybe they'll be too enamored with the world around them. Perhaps sin will have been something they would have dealt with eventually. It is clear here that Jesus is talking directly to the Jews, and this teaching deals with them as well. But can we see a group of people Jesus would flip the script on today? Truth be told, I cannot see a better people for the Lord to warn than my friends in the liberal American church. Seriously, who else is he meaning when he described the objectors siting their eating and drinking in His presence and His teaching so nearby them? Who is this if not for those Emerging, social-justice driven, milquetoast churches who gloss over the sin of their members and seek out the world's approval? These will knock, but it will be too late.

"But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”"

Is the Lord suggesting that he is not aware of the origins of these objectors? No. As stated above, Jesus knew these people. He knit them together in their mother's wombs. He knew their motives, their struggles, their habits. But when it comes to the final judgment, the Lord will so separate himself from these people, that it will be as if he has never known them. The fact that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are specifically mentioned is cryptic, yet telling. Jesus emphasizes that salvation cannot be equated with a national identity, nor can it be guaranteed with lineage. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, shared a blood lineage, but it was a different blood that covered their sins and allowed them entrance to the table of the kingdom of God. Is Jesus contradicting Himself when he describes the people coming from the four corners of the globe, yet there will be few? Jesus is letting his immediate audience know that His message was not just for the towns that he was passing through, but for all men. He then tempers His teaching with the reality that few people will be saved.

It is a mystery to me why Christians are called to preach to a world who is told to strive for the narrow gate, and will, for the most part, reject the true gospel of Christ. What I know for sure is that this command is bigger than I am. I am to submit, and follow the example of Jesus.

The Caiaphas Ballad

2009-10-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

The priest stood tall, He knew His place, a leader among men

Called by God, and counted on, to judge time and again

"You, they say, claim you are God, the Christ, is this all true?"

"So you say" he softly answered, "But what is that to you?"

Priests cried out loud, and rent their clothes, declaring blasphemy

"No more to say, you heard him too, so here is my decree:

This feeble cad, who makes no sound, hurts my holy eyes,

So send him south, to roman courts, and seek out His demise."

They led Him south, to seek his doom, wanting them to slay

This unaccepted, scandalous man, though Hell should bar the way

He stood before the roman seat, and listened to the claims

Interrogated quite some time, still finding naught to blame

"My feeble friend, who defends not, I'm powerful you know,

A word of truth about your self would be quite apropos!"

So, with a somber angel voice, He answered as a dove

"You'd have no power over me, except from that above"

How Caiaphas did spy the hand, which steered him to the tree

The long, lank arm, a judges finger, pointed to Calvary

The man trudged south, while spit and blood, ran down his laden back

Then lifted high, and fastened fast, until the sky turned black

Our well-schooled priest, with trembling limbs, pointed out the clouds

They were so dark, so ominous, reflecting all the crowds

They took the traitor down that day, and laid him in a cave

But never did the priest find out, who took him from the grave

Our fateful priest, who sought our God, drew the lot that year

To meet our God, in the Holy place, where none dared even peer

He washed his face; He oiled his head, and marched with hands held high

To take his place, among the great, and most privileged rabbi

"That ugly veil, it must be fixed", He thought as he drew near

"The severed curtain, conjoined again; torn earlier this year"

"How was it rent? Can it be known? The rumors have been spread

But if done with human hands, why would the priests have fled?"

In Holy awe, or pious pride, he ducked inside the space

Where holiness apportioned him would bless the Jewish race

No majestic messenger was found there from the start

So pietistic fortitude gave way to pounding heart

"It's dark in here, where are you Lord? I wish to see your face-

I see a light, it's taking shape, and it seems to fill this place

A hand I see, it's pointing south, outside this tattered veil

I plead with you, don't make me see, what lies atop that trail"

"I'm not just here," a voice began, "contained behind these walls!

I'm not restrained, I told you so, did you not hear my calls?

I am the God of all the earth and Lord above the stars

I bore the pain of every man, as witnessed by my scars"

"Who are you lord? I fail to glean, the lesson that you bring

I need more time, to sort things out, I know you not, my king"

"Well, You shall bow, before nights end, to whom you gave the lamb

For I knew you, before your time; before you were… I AM!"

My jellied legs, sink to the ground, as crystal clear I see

The eyes of Jesus, looking south, then turning upon me

As a finger, long and strong, leads me to recall

I'd seen this man, But did not know, God's true face at all.

Creative Discipleship for Sons

2009-09-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

My seven year old son bobbed down the isle at "The Largest Used Bookstore in Florida". They had books on everything from "Apples" to "Zebras", and from "A" to "Izzard". He didn't really care which book we bought. He was there to be with his dad.

Every once in a while my son comes up to me and asks, "Dad, can we do special time?" It has become a tradition to take one of my kids out for one on one time, where we do something out of the ordinary. One of their favorite things to do is to have a "theme night", which is what brought us to the used bookstore. They have a huge children's section, and a special section within that with award winning books. We choose a book, then come home, and based on the subject of the book, create a meal that reflects that subject.

Most of the time, the books are good for exposing my kids to great art, rich language, different cultures, or classical stories. The meals on the other hand are good for exposing them to some sugar or grease, and me to some heartburn. Oh well, it's only once in a while.

The real lessons, on the other hand, come on the journey leading up to the actual event. You see, through all of that, it is my goal to disciple my son. I want to enrich his relationship with Christ, and show him how men live out their faith in the real world. I do this because discipleship is by nature incarnational. It can only be done in-the-flesh. It cannot be done at a distance. It cannot be done taking your children to a Christian school, Sunday school, or youth program. It can only be done by you being physically with them. Quality time can only be purchased with quantity. A photographer once told me, “The secret to taking top-quality pictures is to take a lot of pictures.” Quality only comes from quantity. Discipleship is done when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Is there any doubt as to why Jesus came in the flesh and grew up among us? He could have come from the clouds as a man and died for our sins, and that would have been sufficient. On the contrary, Jesus was not trying to be sufficient, he was not trying to be pragmatic or utilitarian. He was creating disciples, which can only be done in real-life personal contact.

Before we ever enter the bookstore, I tell my son to watch the way I talk to the people, and try to do the same. When we enter the bookstore, I make it a point to start conversations with the employees behind the counter. I make eye contact with them. I stand up straight and confidently. I mention Jesus. Then we head back to the kids section.
While we are browsing, we get a chance to talk about all sorts of things. Think about all you could bring up as you stroll along in a bookstore! We talk about anything and everything from book binding, to the wonders of creation, to the religions of the world and why we choose Christ, to the morality of the Christian life. As we plan our meal, we talk about health, and respecting our bodies as temples, about cooking techniques, and providing for our family.
Here are some ideas for starting a discussion with your son:

What new thing would you like to learn to do? Why?

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you today?

What is the best thing that has happened to you in your life?

What is the worst thing that has happened to you in your life?

What is your dream and vision for your life?

What was the kindest thing that someone ever did for you?

What was the nicest thing someone ever said to you? How did it make you feel?

How do you think our words can affect other people?

How do men treat their wives?

What is your duty as a Godly man?

What makes a person a Christian?

I would suggest that any man with a son reading this ought to intentionally begin to disciple him. Your son is your legacy. What are you leaving behind in him? You have such an opportunity to effect multiple generations for Christ. You are beginning a dynasty with what your son will become, and good or bad, it rests on your shoulders. Your own relationship with God spills over and runs deep into the veins of your family tree. I implore you, do not open a vein and bleed it dry with your apathy. Malachi warns what will happen to the land where the Word of God will not bring fathers and sons together: "And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." (Malachi 4:6)

Be intentional. Be incarnational. Plan for it. Make it the priority. You can do it! "..Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

Please check out my wife's version of this blog for daughters!

Was the Early Christian Church "Socialist"?

2009-09-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

As strange as this may seem to conservative American Christians who are used to thinking of Christianity in terms of patriotism, mother, apple-pie and the free market capitalist system, there are many people out there who try to argue that the "true" position of the early churches was communism. The crux for this argument comes out the twisting and misunderstanding of Acts 4:32-5:11, which is taken by believers in "Christian Communism" to imply a Soviet-style policy of wealth redistribution and economic leveling. This idea is most often forwarded by liberal "Christian" organizations who seek to use this pseudo-biblical approach to bolster their own various “Social Gospel” programs or of political attempts at wealth redistribution.

Often, this argument will be pointed to as a means of "discrediting" Christianity, through the claim that Christians either are supportive of violent revolutionaries themselves, or else are inconsistent for NOT doing so. Thus, it's a lose-lose situation for Christians in the eyes of those who accept or acknowledge as legitimately Christian the false paradigm of this style of "liberation theology". I have also had many Christian friends who have used this argument to support the governments theft of decent taxpayers income in order to support the crack habits of others.
What we must understand is that the arguments made by those who carry the "Christian communist" mantle are both anachronistic and display a lack of comprehension about what the Bible itself says about the conditions in the early church. These radicals attempt to apply 19th-20th century ideas of communism back onto the 1st century churches which lived in a completely different culture and had a completely different economic organization and ways of interpreting the world around them. To assume, when these early Christians shared their possessions in common and gave of themselves to aid their less fortunate brethren, that this implies a conscious desire to institute or carry out a Marxist system of organized wealth redistribution, is an anachronism that does not hold.

Let us look at what modern-day Communism really is all about, and see if this is what is really depicted in the book of Acts. Political science authorities have defined Communism as:

"An ideology that calls for the elimination of capitalist institutions and the establishment of the collectivist society in which land and capital are socially owned and in which class conflict and the coercive power of the state no longer exist.....According to communist doctrine, these [editor's note: the "internal contradictions" of the capitalist system] will produce intensifying class warfare and imperial and colonial rivalry culminating in the overthrow of the bourgeoisie by a proletarian revolution. A socialist program carried out under a "dictatorship of the proletariat" will then end class warfare, eliminate the need for the state, and move society into the final, classless, stateless stage of pure communism.” (The International Relations Dictionary, eds. J.C. Plano and R. Olton, "Communism", pp. 45-46)

Now, is this what we see depicted in Acts? Let's examine the major tenets.
Did the early church call for the elimination of capitalist institutions? This is somewhat inapplicable, as "capitalist institutions" as we know them and as the liberation theologists envision them, were nascent at best, and most did not even exist in the Roman Empire as of the 1st century AD (or indeed, anywhere else until after the 17th century). There were very few large factories, with most manufacturing being carried out on a small scale and with little of the specialization of labor which characterizes the modern industrial scheme. Further, most workers were either highly-skilled and highly-compensated slaves (whose lives were actually often better than small landowning freemen), members of the family which owned the workshops, or occasional day-laborers who sought hire to overcome difficult financial circumstances. There was very little in the way of day-to-day, year-to-year factory labor. The idea of overthrowing these or of changing this economic order is completely unsupported by any statement in the New Testament, in Acts or otherwise. In fact, Paul and other early Christians such as Aquila and Priscilla themselves participated in this sort of economic system, in this case as tentmakers likely involved in this sort of small workshop scale production.

Did the early Christians seek to the "establishment of the collectivist society in which land and capital are socially owned and in which class conflict and the coercive power of the state no longer exist"? Again, this idea is completely unsupported from the statements found in Acts and elsewhere in the New Testament. The testimony of Acts states that while the early Christians in Jerusalem did hold all things in common (4:32), this was a communalism based upon collective need (as a small, despised minority surrounded by a richer and more powerful religious establishment) rather than upon a sense of replacing the established social and economic orders. It also did not exclude possessions for individual families. Further, even though these early Christians were choosing to consider their property as belonging to all, they were yet free to dispose of it entirely as they saw fit, and were still legally and even morally in control of their individual private property. The communalism of their fellowship was one based upon potential need, and was therefore predicated on potential distribution as the need arose. Thus, when they said that "ought of the things which he possessed was his own" (4:32), this was a statement of unselfish heart attitude, ready to give to those in need, but was not a statement of the present actual holding of all things in a common pot. We see this demonstrated in Peter's words to Ananias, when he lied to God and kept back part of the price of the land he had sold,

"But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4)

Peter clearly acknowledges Ananias' right to have kept his land privately, or to have kept the money made from selling the land. Ananias' sin was not holding back part of the price of the land, but was in his attempt to bolster his own reputation through deceit, pretending to be giving the full price when he really was not, thus appearing to be more self-sacrificing than was true. This is completely contrary to the idea that the early Christians were in practice pooling everything and redistributing the wealth equally among all the members, especially in the coercive top-down sense in which Communism seeks to carry out this end.

Further, the early churches and their leaders certainly were not seeking to overthrow the government and establish a system where the power of the state was eliminated. This ought to be sufficiently shown below:

"...Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” ." (Matthew 22:21)

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment." (Romans 13:1-2)

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, " (Titus 3:1)

"Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. " (1 Peter 2:13-14)

It certainly was not a Christian teaching at any point in the apostolic period to seek the elimination of the government and the establishment of a classless, stateless society.
Did the early Christian church institute or encourage class warfare, for any reason? Again, the answer is no. The example given in Acts is that those who had wealth voluntarily gave of their money to aid those who had little. The element of force or coercion, the idea that the "proletariat" was appropriating the property of the rich, is completely foreign to the text here, as well as anywhere else in the New Testament. While the idea of the poor rising up against the rich is hardly a new idea invented by Communist theory, it was an idea which was eschewed by the early Christians. In fact, the New Testament teaches for people of whatever station they are in to be content with their station, which obviously runs contrary to the revolutionary notions of Communism. This is because the emphasis of the New Testament in this general arena is ultimate reliance upon God, not upon government or a revolutionary group or anything else, to provide for our daily wants and needs (Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, etc.). In fact, the doctrine of the New Testament teaches for servants and slaves to be content in their positions (Ephesians 6:5-8, etc.).

So, seeing that the principles of modern Communism (as espoused often by "religious" radicals in so-called Christian denominations) is completely foreign to the early church and how it was depicted in Acts and elsewhere in the New Testament, what what can we say are the lessons taught by the voluntary communalism of the early church in Jerusalem? Far from a coercive, governmental Communist system, or a system of oppressive taxation for the purpose of involuntary wealth redistribution, we see that the purpose of provision from the altruism of the rich was motivated by true Christian love for the brethren. Distribution among the brethren was made voluntarily, and was motivated by love, not government intervention. And indeed, God does value a heart in Christians which is open and willing to give to the brethren in need (1 Timothy 6:17-18, James 2:15-17, 1 John 3:17-18). Further, it is the duty of the Christian to seek, when we have the opportunity, to do good to all men (Galatians 6:10, Luke 10:25-37). In truth, the mercenary style of capitalism which does so often prevail, which does seek profit above all else and which threatens to undo mercy, is as unbiblical as Communism. While the Bible nowhere condemns having wealth (some of the most godly men in the Bible - Abraham, Job, David, etc. - were also some of the wealthiest), and teaches that a man should work to earn his own living and to be prosperous (2 Thessalonians 3:10), the Bible also on numerous occasions condemns wealth that is earned through deceitfulness or greed. Coveting is idolatry, Paul says (Colossians 3:5), and the Bible warns that those who lust after wealth and spend their lives seeking it, will only draw shame and harm to themselves for their placing of that pursuit over the pursuit of a right relationship with God (2 Timothy 6:9-10).

On a final note, however, I must again emphasize that this doing good to all men is not to take the place of plainly and forcefully preaching the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to the lost world around us. While enjoining agape love for the Church and all men, this notion which has infected Evangelicalism, is unbiblical and a blight upon the true work of God's churches. The job of the Church is to keep God's Word, to edify the saints, and to preach salvation to the lost. Notice the activity that was going on in the midst of all this sharing and caring,
"And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. " (Acts 4:33)

They were preaching the Gospel! They were spreading the word of the resurrected Savior of mankind! The job of the churches is not to run soup kitchens or second-hand stores. Giving physical necessities to those in need is not a replacement for giving them the Words of Life (Mark 8:36). Charitable giving throughout the Bible is depicted as an activity done by churches or individual Christians to those in need, not as some sort of replacement for the true Gospel. The focus of Christians should be in meeting the spiritual necessities first, then the physical necessities after all else is said and done.

Think about it.

Who I Am In Christ, A Daily Devotion.

2009-09-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome! If you are a follower of Christ, and He has drawn you and you have accepted Him, this devotional is for you. I would suggest making an electronic journal, or a paper journal on which you can record your thoughts. Or, this would also be a fine opportunity to start your own blog. Every day, come visit this blog to get your assigned thought and verse, along with a worship song.

Try taking these one at a time, every day. Meditate on their truth and how that truth can transform your life for the Kingdom. Watch the videos before each heading as a time of worship to prepare your heart.

I suggest you bookmark this page, so you can easily reference it as you make it a daily devotion.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

I Am Accepted

Day 1 I am God’s child. John 1:12

Day 2 I am Christ’s friend. John 15:15

Day 3 I have been justified. Romans 5:1

Day 4 I am united with the Lord, and am one Spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17

Day 5 I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. 1 Corinthians6:19-20

Day 6 I am am a member of Christ’s body. 1 Corinthians 12:27

Day 7 I am a saint. Ephesians 1:1

Day 8 I have been adopted as God’s child. Ephesians 1:5

Day 9 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:18

Day 10 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. Colossians 1:14

Day 11 I am complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10

I Am Secure

Day 12 I am free forever from condemnation. Romans 8:1-2

Day 13 I am assured that all things work together for good. Romans 8:28

Day 14 I am free from any condemning charges against me. Romans 8:31-34

Day 15 Nothing in this world is more powerful than God’s Love for me. Romans 8:35-39

Day 16 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians1:21-22

Day 17 I am hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

Day 18 I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected. Philippians 1:6

Day 19 I am a citizen of Heaven. Philippians 3:20

Day 20 I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:17

Day 21 I can find grace and mercy in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Day 22 I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18

I Am Significant

Day 23 I am the salt and light of the earth. Matthew 5:13-14

Day 24 I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. John 15:1,5

Day 25 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. John 15:16

Day 26 I am a personal witness of Christ. Acts 1:8

Day 27 I am God’s temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16

Day 28 I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Day 29 I am God’s co-worker. 2 Corinthians 6:1

Day 30 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 2:6

Day 31 I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10

Day 32 I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

Please subscribe at the top of the page!

Weekly Game

2009-08-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

This week we're going to start something new. Once a week I will be posting a fun game that you can play right here on this blog. I will include a "Games" tag, so you can find them again easily. Be sure to pass it along every Saturday to those that enjoy a little gaming! They won't necessarily be Christian in theme, but they will be appropriate and interesting. God Bless!

You May Not Finish This Blog...

2009-07-06T19:51:00.001-07:00

Do you hear that?

Listen closely.

Your life is music.

Are you bent on a rhythm that causes you to stumble, or

or makes those around

play off-beat?

Sometimes your melody makes others swoon,

and sometimes it's dissonance

begs for a resolution.

One thing's for sure,

the show ain't over till the fat lady sings.

After reading the book, Solomon Among the Postmoderns, I am continuously thinking about the vaporousness of our lives. We are here one moment, and the next we are gone.

Francis Chan really hits hard on this subject in his book, Crazy Love. His second chapter is titled, "you may not finish this chapter". The subject deals without mortality and how life is fleeting.

In the book, The Grand Weaver, by Ravi Zacharias, a beautiful picture is formed of God taking the "strands" of your existence and weaving it into a glorious tapestry. Only after looking back at a life lived can you see it in all it's radiance.

I can't be blamed for filling my head with all of this and then dwelling on my calling, my purpose and my mortality. I know that I will only be here for a short time. Even if I am wildly successful in my field of ministry, I am only three generations from being totally and utterly forgotten. My great-great-great grandchildren probably will not even know my name. Thinking about this has also brought up other fears that I would rather not think about. My two greatest and most dreaded fears being:

I will one day have to deal with my wife's death;

She will one day have to deal with mine.

What really terrifies me is that, pending Christ's return, one of these is inevitable. That stinks. When it comes down to it, I hope she dies first. I think she understands why.

I guess I don't have anything revelatory to say on this subject. I just would like to remind you: you may not finish this blog.

The musician Ray Charles once said, "Live every day as if it was your last, because one day, you will be right."

Does your life reflect the finality of the matter? Do you love God and obey His commands?

Life is a short and fevered rehearsal for a concert we cannot stay to give. Just when we appear to have gained some proficiency, we are forced to lay our instruments down!

So, YOU think you're a man?

2009-06-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

In the past several months I have heard a cry from many in the Republican Party calling for someone to step up as a “true conservative” and bring us back from the brink of destruction. While I have the same heartcry, I am wondering if this is the proper remedy for our malady as a nation.

I have had the idea for some time that the notion of men becoming men again would solve so many problems in our culture. It has always resided as a peripheral kind of notion, just out of the reach of articulation, and therefore, practicality. Meditating and ruminating on this subject with a little more urgency in the last few months has made me realize some things.

First, I am a wimp. I have been bred that way. I don't want to be a wimp anymore. I realized this when I was trying to write down exactly what I meant by a “real man” and found that every descriptive phrase made me feel embarrassed or worried of female backlash. Then it hit me. Wow, I am such a wimp. The very thing I am trying to describe as a prescription to the problems of modern America is the very thing I am afraid to describe, much less become.

Think about it. Because of the lack of real men in America, America's young males are forced to look to famous “men” who are self-indulgent, hedonistic, obnoxious, and even violent. We have an entire generation of young men who try to live out this lifestyle, and finding it unlivable, float aimlessly on the sea of postmodernism, questioning everything they come across, even the concept of truth, because they have no idea who they are themselves.

The progressive women who have popularized feminism know exactly who they want men to be. They want men to be women. Men who stand up for the leadership that God has charged them with have become vilified as chauvinists or sexists. To even suggest that men will be the deciding factor in the rise and fall of nations is considered ludicrous, no matter how true it is.

This country needs more than a conservative politician. This country needs more than a party who listens to the people. This country needs real men again. For so many years, people like Ernest Hemingway defined the ideal for many men-men of courage who employ “grace under pressure”.

We need gladiator men who are described by Lord Byron as,

“...before me the Gladiator lie: He leans upon his hand – his manly brow consents to death, but conquers agony.”

We need men that were conceived in the movie Kingdom of Heaven, who took the oath:

“Be without fear in the face of you enemies,

be brave and upright that God may love thee,
speak the truth, even if it leads to your death,
safeguard the helpless.”

If we want our government to have decency and honor, it will be through the men of this country becoming men again. This does not mean that they will be heard because of their macho bravado or their ability to mate or their capacity for chicken wings and beer. This is the lie that our liberated culture has shoved down our throats to keep us stupid and weak. A shallow, dishonored and easily pleased male culture is easily controlled and has not a trace of true masculinity. They will be heard because they will be bold. They will be strong. They will fail forward. They will build healthy families. They will change the culture by steeping in it.

It will begin with me, and many who are awakening to this truth. God has made us men. Men need to know how to be genuinely masculine. The Bible always speaks to my heart, but this verse really speaks to a man's heart in a special way:

“I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him...I made the widow's heart sing...I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger; I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.” Job 29:12,13, 15-17

Real men are passionate, noble, honorable and dangerous. Not dangerous in a bad way, but dangerous in a healthy way. Real men see themselves as modern day gladiators, ready to destroy the forces of evil who daily battle to rip our families apart, undermine the freedom given by this great nation, and turn our young leaders of tomorrow into the slaves of an ideology that leaves them breathless, aimless and helpless.

Stand with me, though I am willing to stand alone.

Having Joyous Zeal!

2009-06-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sami Dagher is one of the main characters in a story worth repeating. Ravi Zacharias tells of a time when he was traveling through a tense and volatile land in a van that "moved more by prayer than mechanical ability." Through a territory often hostile to Christianity, Dagher drove cheerfully, his van's bumper bearing a sticker that read: "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." As they continued along the dusty, winding roads, they approached an intimidating group of soldiers who immediately motioned them to stop. Through the van's lowered windows, a soldier rested the barrel of his gun. Looking at the driver with steeled eyes, the soldier asked blankly, "Are you carrying explosives?" To Ravi's utter horror, Dagher replied, "Yes, this van is full of explosives." Rummaging under a canvas, as the soldier stared intently, Sami pulled out a New Testament. Placing it in his hands, he said, "This is the dynamite. But it’s not the kind that will hurt."

Reverend Sami Dagher is a man who thoroughly lives the apostle Paul's directive, "Never be lacking in zeal." Ravi describes him as a man who pours more enthusiasm into his "good morning" than most people do in an entire conversation. He is the picture of zealousness. He is also a man who lives out Paul's instruction in its entirety:

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse".

Dagher is overseer of the Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in Lebanon, founder of a growing church in Iraq, and director of a humanitarian center that provides aid and medical care to Lebanese and Palestinian refugees. It is the same clinic that was in the news in recent years after one of its volunteer nurses was shot in the head by a militant after answering a knock at the door. Threats have not been uncommon to those who serve Christ beside Reverend Dagher; Christian persecution is a reality of which they are always aware. Yet, after this murder, when many insisted the danger was too much for their doors to remain open, Dagher simply replied, "We provide medical and educational services to a large number of people in addition to a range of spiritual services. Let them come to us and say what mistake we have made. We do not force anyone to come here. As for me, this is my city and I am ready to wash their feet."

The church in Iraq has also been the target of violent threats and vandalism. It began as a small underground gathering with five families holding Bible studies and prayer meetings in different homes. Despite persecution, the church has grown dramatically, and they now meet in a large two-story building, topped by a lit cross. A sign on the building boldly proclaims, "Jesus is the light of the world." Despite daunting shadows or darkened days, with all that is in him, Sami Dagher believes in this hope:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” .

The light of Christ is real; the story must be told. "If they want to kill us all," he proclaims, "we are ready to die. But we are not going to close either the clinic or the church."

C.S. Lewis once said that miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story that is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see. The faith of men and women in areas that require sacrifice and suffering, the conviction of those who live among a world that would destroy zeal and hope, is a miracle that shouts of the story we can take for granted: Christ died; Christ rose; Christ is coming again.

"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you".

Might our lives reflect the same story that Christ has written across history. Some stories cry out for repeating.