SEMPER REFORMANDA

Talk to me, Goose.

2020-07-06T13:28:00.000-05:00

On July 6, 1415, the pre-Reformer John Huss (also spelled Jan or Johannes Hus) met his gruesome death.

Huss was from Bohemia (now part of the "Czech Republic) and was the master of the University of Prague. He preached in the language of the people (not Latin) at Bethlehem Chapel, at a time when possession of a non-Latin Bible was punishable by death.

His theological views and criticisms of the church were heavily influenced by John Wycliffe, the English pre-Reformer.

Huss, whose name means "goose" in Czech, was among the first to draw the ire of the Roman Catholic church.

He opposed the corruption in the church and was on the "wrong side" with regard to accessibility to the Bible, authority of the pope, and issues of salvation. He spoke against simony (the purchase of church offices) and indulgences (the purchase of forgiveness).

Huss was excommunicated for siding with Pope Alexander (as did the people of Bohemia) instead of the Pope who succeed him (and may have murdered him) and for failure to comply with the order to ban and burn all the works of Wycliffe, and failure to stop preaching. Part of that papal bull of excommunication forbade anyone to give Huss food, drink, salutation, discourse, purchase, sale, or hospitality.

Huss was undaunted:

Huss reminds his friends that Christ himself was excommunicated as a malefactor and crucified. No help was to be derived from the saints. Christ’s example and his salvation are the sufficient sources of consolation and courage. The high priests, scribes, Pharisees, Herod and Pilate condemned the Truth and gave him over to death, but he rose from the tomb and gave in his stead twelve other preachers. So he would do again. What fear, he wrote, "shall part us from God, or what death? What shall we lose if for His sake we forfeit wealth, friends, the world’s honors and our poor life?... It is better to die well than to live badly. We dare not sin to avoid the punishment of death. To end in grace the present life is to be banished from misery. Truth is the last conqueror. He wins who is slain, for no adversity "hurts him if no iniquity has dominion over him." In this strain he wrote again and again. The "bolts of anti-christ," he said, could not terrify him, and should not terrify the "elect of Prag."
-Phillip Scaff, History of the Christian Church, §45.

Even though the Council of Constance had condemned Wycliffe and ordered his writings burned and his bones exhumed, burned, and sprinkled in the river, Huss did not distance himself from Wycliffe.

"I indeed confess that I hold the true opinions propounded by Master John Wycliffe, professor of sacred theology, not because he taught them but because the Scriptures taught them."
-Matthew Spinka, John Hus at the Council of Constance (New York: Columbia University Press, 1965), pp. 69-70.

In the face of trumped up charges and imminent death, Huss was able to express joy to Christ while being burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415. As Huss stood before the stake he reportedly said, "In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, I die willingly and joyfully today."

584 years after Huss experienced a humiliating and cruel death, Pope John Paul II apologized to the Czech people on December 17th, 1999.

"Today, on the eve of the Great Jubilee, I feel the need to express deep regret for the cruel death inflicted on Jan Hus and for the consequent wound of conflict and division which was thus imposed on the minds and hearts of the Bohemian people."
-The Vatican Information Service (VIS)

Incidentally, Huss proved to be a bit of a prophet at his execution when he said, "You are roasting a poor Bohemian goose, but in 100 years there will arise a swan whom you will neither roast nor boil."

I don't know if any would refer to him as a swan, for Pope Leo called Martin Luther a "wild boar" (i.e., pig) in his papal bull of excommunication, Exsurge Domine. ("Rise up, O Lord, for there is a wild boar loose in your vineyard.")

But, I have every confidence that this "pig" would find kinship with "the goose" and wouldn't hesitate to say, "Ich bin ein Hussite."

"A cantionale, dating from 1572, and preserved in the Prag library, contains a hymn to Huss’ memory and three medallions which well set forth the relation in which Wyclif and Huss stand to the Reformation. The first represents Wyclif striking sparks from a stone. Below it is Huss, kindling a fire from the sparks. In the third medallion, Luther is holding aloft the flaming torch."
-Phillip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, §45.

Well, somebody better explain, or there'll, uh ... there'll be a lot of explaining to do.

2017-07-15T14:38:00.001-05:00

Years ago I posted about the perpetuity of the practice of head coverings in the worship of a Christian church, which you may read HERE.

On Sunday the 2nd of July, I preached on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 at Providence Church as part of my expositional series on 1 Corinthians. As any preacher knows, more could have been said, and better, and more wanted to be said. The sermon should be available soon on the sermons page of the website.

After reading an article today about the practice no longer being necessary due to the differences in first century Corinth versus 2017 America, I felt inclined to leave a comment, the gist of which follows. If this is a topic of interest to you, I hope it's helpful.

I've often seen the allusions to the problems inherent in the Corinthian culture as the rationale behind Paul’s admonitions. However, the research is more scant that such authors often let on. Historiography is a challenge, of course, anytime you have great distance chronologically from the event. But in this case there’s just not that much to go on, especially with any reliability.

But, this also raises a question about the sufficiency of Scripture. Is Scripture sufficient on its own or is something else necessary to understand how we are to believe and behave (e.g., science, archeology, historiography, etc.)? I think we’d affirm those things can be helpful, but they’re not necessary for us to understand and apply the text.

That being said, as one who at one time personally set aside the practice as unnecessary for us, due to it being only for their culture, I’d now say that even if authors are correct that the situation was such and such in Corinth, that still doesn’t mean they can read Paul’s mind as to why he said and/or did the things he did. Even if you grant that wives were throwing off their head coverings as a sign of promiscuity in Paul’s day, why would he not insist on head coverings at all times and in all places public?

Seems he’s only interested in when the church comes together, as he’s dealing with two apostolic ordinances, one in which he commends them (11:2), but with further instruction needed as to the the why, more so than the how, and the other where he does not commend them (11:17).

Yet, tthe thing that most convinced me was that cultural arguments were grounded in this line of reasoning: The reason Paul tells the wives to have a symbol of authority on their heads is X, with that X being extra biblical. But, Paul doesn’t leave us guessing as to why he would insist that a wife have a symbol of authority on her head. He tells us plainly why he insists on it, and those things have nothing to do with culture, or anything that could change. He mentions the order of creation, pre fall. He mentions the angels. He mentions nature itself.

“The reason why our sisters appear in the house of God with their heads covered is ‘because of the angels’.” ~Charles Spurgeon

The author of the article wrote: “Needless to say, what the head-covering meant for women in first-century Corinth* is not what it would mean or communicate today." I don’t disagree regarding 2017 in America. But why is that? Could it be the influence of 1st and 2nd wave feminism that decimated this practice in the 1960s, a practice that was pretty much universal in the history of the church throughout the globe up to that point? I'm convinced there's more than coincidence here.

“The wearing of fabric head coverings in worship was universally the practice of Christian women until the twentieth century. What happened? Did we suddenly find some biblical truth to which the saints for thousands of years were blind? Or were our biblical views of women gradually eroded by the modern feminist movement that has infiltrated the church?” ~R. C. Sproul

Also, COULD it mean what it meant back then, not necessarily in America, but in the church? In churches where some still practice head coverings, I’d suggest it does.

Honestly, when I read such culture arguments against the perpetuity of the practice it really just sounds to me like someone has come to the text with a preconceived notion that it is NOT something they are going to do, so then they look for reasons to justify not doing it. In other words, I don’t think there would be many who read the text and then practice head coverings, but after further research into the life and times of Corinth decide it’s no longer necessary, after which they either keep doing it out of habit and tradition or cease.

And, what’s worse, the arguments sound eerily similar to what we’d consider liberal perspectives on the text that also try to negate certain unpopular aspects of the Bible as being only culturally bound (e.g., homosexuality, women teaching men and being elders, etc.). They’ll tell us, for example, that "in Paul’s day women weren’t educated or respected enough in to serve as elders in the church. But, in our culture women are educated and regarded with respect, so they can be elders. Our culture and time are different."

“The argument that a real head covering is in view and that such is applicable today is, in some respects, the easiest view to defend exegetically and the hardest to swallow practically.” ~Dan Wallace

I can understand not wanting to practice this, wearing a symbol of authority and submission on one's head, but then again, submission really only means something when it's something you don't really want to do.

As an aside, I understand the need to be sure we're not doing our righteous deeds to be seen by others, to impress them (Matthew 6:1). The answer to that, of course, is NOT that we refrain from doing that which the Bible commands, but that we continually check our motives. But, at the same time, this IS a practice that is communicating to others, including the angels, so we must remain aware of the temptation to only win the approval of others and not God.

We live in an era where attacks on biblical values and practices and even definitions (e.g., gender, marriage) are plentiful. So, when the mere thought of a woman ever being in submission to a man is already often anathema, it's not surprising that a symbol of a wife's submission to her husband's authority would not be popular.

Toward those with whom disagree, I hold no malice or disdain or even condescension. I only hope they will prayerfully study this topic. I don't think it's an essential issue nor one over which to break fellowship. Yet, just because an issue is not one over which to divide, doesn't mean it's unimportant.

If I'm wrong, then my wife has been unnecessarily covering her head in church and I've been unnecessarily keeping mine uncovered. But the stakes are indeed higher to be wrong on the other side, disobeying an apostolic ordinance for God's people, if I could take a page out of Pascal's book.

*It's important to note two things: (1) Paul was commending them for their practices regarding head coverings, rather than the supposed rebuke for not doing it, which is what people often assume. (2) Paul's apostolic ordinances (cf. 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6) on head coverings and the Lord's Supper were not just for the church in Corinth, as is seen in 1 Corinthians 1:2 and 11:16.

Don't eat the car! Not the car!

2014-05-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

The Power of the Dog by Rudyard Kipling

There is sorrow enough in the natural way

From men and women to fill our day;

And when we are certain of sorrow in store,

Why do we always arrange for more?

Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware

Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy

Love unflinching that cannot lie--

Perfect passion and worship fed

By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.

Nevertheless it is hardly fair

To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits

Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,

And the vet's unspoken prescription runs

To lethal chambers or loaded guns,

Then you will find--it's your own affair--

But...you've given your heart for a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,

With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!);

When the spirit that answered your every mood

Is gone--wherever it goes--for good,

You will discover how much you care,

And will give your heart for the dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,

When it comes to burying Christian clay.

Our loves are not given, but only lent,

At compound interest of cent per cent.

Though it is not always the case, I believe,

That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:

For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,

A short-time loan is as bad as a long--

So why in Heaven (before we are there)

Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

All I've ever wanted was an honest week's pay for an honest day's work.

2014-04-02T05:30:00.000-05:00

The Tax System Explained in Beer
by Dan Mitchell (HT Chia)

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this…

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball. “Since you are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20.″

Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80. The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?

The bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.

“I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving,” declared the sixth man.
He pointed to the tenth man, ”but he got $10!”
“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar too. It’s unfair that he got ten times (10x) more benefit than me!”
“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!”
“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we didn’t get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!”

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks so the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

There's a chain of command. Gripes go up, not down. Always up.

2014-01-27T23:27:00.002-06:00

Chaplain Galyon posted his All-Time Favorite Military Movies.

He's a better man than I in various and sundry ways. His discipline to limit his list to 10 is just another example of that reality.

My Top 20 Favorite Military* Movies:

Forrest Gump ... "We was always taking long walks and we was always looking for a guy named Charlie."
Stripes ... "Lighten up, Francis."
Taps ... "They want us to be good little boys now so we can fight some war for them in the future. Some war they'll decide on. We'd rather fight our own war right now."
Dances with Wolves ... "My place is with you. I go where you go."
Top Gun ... "Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full."
Heartbreak Ridge ... "This is the AK-47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy; and it makes a distinctive sound when fired at you, so remember it.
The Final Countdown ... "I'm talking about the classic paradox of time."
Rambo ... "I want, what they want, and every other guy who came over here and spilled his guts and gave everything he had, wants! For our country to love us as much as we love it!"
An Officer and a Gentleman ... "I want your D.O.R!"
Taking Chance ... "You are his witness now. Without a witness, they just disappear."
Platoon ... "New meat! You dudes gonna love the Nam."
We Were Soldiers ... "We who have seen war, will never stop seeing it."
Braveheart ... "Every man dies, not every man really lives."
Saving Private Ryan ... "Well, from my way of thinking, sir, this entire mission is a serious misallocation of valuable military resources."
Apocalypse Now ... "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
Patton ... "All real Americans love the sting of battle."
Full Metal Jacket ... "A jelly donut?!"
A Few Good Men ... "You can't handle the truth!"
Outlaw Josey Wales ... "Dyin' ain't much of a livin', boy."
Sergeant York ... "Folks back home used to say I could shoot a rifle before I was weaned, but they was exaggeratin' some."

*Previously, I'd offered a list of 10 Favorite WAR Movies.

I always like to say a prayer and drink to world peace.

2013-11-25T15:36:00.001-06:00

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Not "Show YOU the money"; "Show ME the money!"

2013-06-04T23:18:00.000-05:00

What would you think of a family with following financial situation?

Annual Income: $24,500
Annual Spending: $35,370
NEW Credit Card Debt: $10,870
Existing Credit Card Balance: $167,600

You might think such people fiscally foolish at best. And you'd be right. Sadly, some in America are just like that when it comes to money.

What's worse? They are fiscally foolish with YOUR money.

Just add eight (8) zeros and you'll see.

US GOVERNMENT BUDGET

Revenue: $2,450,000,000,000
Spending: $3,537,000,000,000
Deficit: $1,087,000,000,000
Debt: $16,760,000,000,000

"But make no mistake: As people my age retire and demand Medicare, America will eventually go broke."
~John Stossel

Source: "The Austerity Myth"

It was a real choice mission, and when it was over, I'd never want another.

2013-02-12T13:24:00.000-06:00

How to be more like Jesus in the new year, 3 simple steps:

1. Join the church within driving distance most faithful to the Scriptures. If there isn't one that qualifies, move closer to one that does.

2. Ask the leadership for tasks/chores/duties nobody else wants to do.

3. Serve faithfully even though the following be true:

You are un(der)appreciated.
Your value isn't recognized by those you serve.

Related Scriptures:

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Philippians 2:3-11 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

You have to ask yourself one question, "Do I feel lucky?"

2013-01-10T22:10:00.005-06:00

The following are diagnostic questions* I came up with to help us take precautions regarding the destructive nature of our communication within the body of Christ.

Q¹: Have I been involved in gossip at Providence Church, teller or hearer?
Q²: Have I lied about a brother or sister?
Q³: Have I said things that were true, but not with love? (Eph 4:15)
Q⁴: Has my anger revealed my unrighteous heart? (James 1:19-20)
Q⁵: Have my words injured someone, tearing down rather than building up? (Eph 4:29)
Q⁶: If I answered, “Yes,” to any of those 5 questions, what should my repentance look like? (e.g., confession, restitution, asking forgiveness, etc.)

*I shared these diagnostic questions at Providence Church during Sunday's sermon, "Sticks and Stones."

I say that big talk's worth doodly-squat.

2013-01-05T18:05:00.002-06:00

I have no idea how this was omitted from my "pet peeves" list, but after mentioning this in last week's sermon at Providence Church, I felt inclined to immortalize this via the miracle of the Internet.

Quick Communication/Rhetoric Lesson ...

There is a difference between "vocal" and "verbal" as descriptors. In fact, 93% of the time (at least) I heard "verbal" when the person intends to communicate the concept of "vocal." In other words, this is a common faux pas.

Working Definitions:

Verbal - of or pertaining to [the use of] words [or symbolic language]; note the Latin verbum for "word"
Vocal - of, pertaining to, or uttered with the voice [i.e., audible]

Think back to the SAT. Remember the “Quantitative” and “Verbal” sections? Remember how quiet it was in the room, even during the "Verbal" part of the test? Of course, the subject matter was dealing with words, non-vocal words.

N.B. Verbal and vocal are not mutually exclusive categories. For opposites, we'd have verbal vs. non-verbal and vocal vs. non-vocal. Thus, some communication can be verbal & vocal or verbal & non-vocal.

Verbal communication includes the use of words to convey a message. Non-Verbal communication includes all the ways we communicate apart from words (e.g., gestures, body language, moviment, or posture, facial expressions, eye contact, voice tone, voice volume, rate, clothing, hairstyles, architecture, etc.)

Some Examples:

Verbal & Vocal - Someone speaking the words, "I'm happy."
Verbal & Non-Vocal - Someone sending a text, "I'm happy."
Non-Verbal & Non-Vocal - Someone smiling when opening gift, communicating happiness.
Non-Verbal & Vocal - Someone loudly squealing with delight when opening the perfect gift, which even someone in the other room would recognize as a happy person.

Verbal communication is perceived through either sight or sound. However, non-verbal communication can occur through any sensory channel, through sight, sound, smell, touch or even taste.

As an aside, the non-verbal and verbal components of communication may be in conflict. When that occurs, the non-verbal is typically more readily believed than the verbal. For example, think back to the last time you saw a child who was made to apologize to another child, especially a sibling. When the words conflict with the eye-rolling or the sigh that precedes the words or the muffled manner in which they are spoken, the real meaning shines through.

In fact, the vast majority of our oral communication is non-verbal (in the categories of vocal and visual). UCLA Professor (emeritus), Dr. Albert Mehrabian's early communication study is often quoted in support of the belief that the actual verbal content of our communication is relatively small compared to the power of the nonverbal. The conclusion of Dr. Mehrabian's classic study looks like this:

7% of meaning is in the actual words spoken (verbal).
38% of meaning is in the way words are spoken, or tone - e.g., volume (vocal NV).
55% of meaning is derived from what we see e.g., facial expressions (visual NV).
Ergo, 93% of communication is non-verbal in nature.

From a practical standpoint, this is important to remember because when we talk we tend to put a lot more emphasis on word selection, but when we (or others) listen those other aspects of communication dominate the message.

When I have taught preaching to seminary students I have emphasized this in a lecture dealing with style (word selection and message structure) versus delivery of a message. How one delivers a sermon, for example, can go a long way to helping or hindering the communication of a message to an audience.

It's been said that one cannot not communicate. I believe that to be true and I hope we can communicate with precision and with a view toward how our communication (verbal and non-verbal) impacts others, for their good and God's glory.

Okay, I'm done with the soap box. It's available for anyone else who now needs it.

P.S. I realize that in much of the English speaking world verbal has become synonymous with something spoken as opposed to written down (e.g., "merely a verbal agreement," implying nothing in writing). I may be the bad Ag, but I have about as much tolerance for that as I do "I could care less" now being synonymous in usage with the correct "I couldn't care less."

You have to be prepared for the possibility that God does not like you.

2012-12-23T05:30:00.000-06:00

Check out "The Culture Culture", an excellent and convicting post on the prevalent biblical theme of differentiation, or antithesis, between God's people and the world, including contemporary applicability.

An excerpt:

"The difference, the antithesis, between us and the world isn’t that they have sin issues while we do not. The difference is two-fold. First, our sins have already been covered. Jesus died for them, and the Father is not angry with us. Second, we are committed to finding them out, rather than hiding them. Isn’t it gracious of God then to give us the glaring shamelessness of the world to make our own sins more known to us? May He in turn give us eyes to see." ~R. C. Sproul, Jr.

READ "The Culture Culture"

I love the smell of commerce in the morning.

2012-12-03T12:56:00.001-06:00

I don't usually go to the mall, but when I do I prefer THIS happen.

I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain.

2012-11-07T16:30:00.000-06:00

I've been pondering the election and wondering why people vote the way they do.

It motivated me to delineate how MY political views were formed. This may be an exercise solely for my benefit, but I'd be surprised if you didn't find it helpful to examine YOUR political leanings and trace back why they are the way they are.

As best I can tell, there are 4 main influences that have shaped my political perspective (and subsequent voting patterns). I share them in chronological order:

1. Living in England during the Reagan Presidency

I developed a deep sense of national loyalty to my country.
During this "Cold War," I became keenly aware that there were many places in the world quite unlike the USA, some of which help a deep-seated hatred of the USA.
Consequently, I've always been a fan of ensuring our national defense and military were top notch.

2. Reading the Bill of Rights

I realized that we needed the first 2 amendments (i.e., freedom from government involvement in religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom to take up arms) as a grass roots form of checks and balances on the government itself.
I realized the 10th amendment, contrary to what's transpired post-Civil War, put the vast majority of governing power in the hands of the individual states, not the federal government.

3. Reading Barry Goldwater's The Conscience of a Conservative

I gained an appreciation for smaller government, especially in the face of encroaching Socialism.
I also realized that rather than ensure liberty, governments by nature tend to be the chief instrument to thwart it.
I also solidified and developed some of the thoughts I'd stumbled upon in the Bill of Rights (e.g., States' Rights).
FYI - HERE are some pertinent quotes from the book.

4. Converting to Christianity

I became pro-life, and consequently anti-abortion, seeing it as the murder of one made in God's image, with this being my political issue which trumps all others in evaluating candidates/parties.
I shifted my confidence to the triune God who controls (Prov 21:1) and raises up and takes down governments (Rom 13:1-7), rather than in government itself.
Thus, I added prayer as one of the duties a citizen has toward his/her country.

Admittedly, I am biased, but I recommend each of these 4 to you. Also, I'd love to hear what has shaped your political leanings as well.

Coffee is for closers.

2012-10-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

What makes for success in evangelism? Is success dependent upon the response of the individual(s) you address?

Let me suggest to you that success in evangelism is clearly communicating the Gospel of Jesus (who He was/is, what He did, and why it's "good news") with a reliance upon the Holy Spirit. In other words, success in evagelism is faithfulness to the task as His obedient servants. Whether or not the person responds with faith in the risen Lord is beyond OUR control ... but not His. (John 6:37)

We may plant seeds and/or water them, but only God makes it grow. (1 Cor 3:6-7) We do not "close the deal." God does.

We do our part and prayerfully ask God to do that which only He can do, which is change a heart (e.g., Acts 16:14). In other words, the burden for "results" lies with God, not us.

Or, as Hudson Taylor put it in 1865 when contemplating a life as a missionary in China ...

“If we are obeying the Lord, the responsibility rests with Him, not with us! You, Lord, you shall have all the burden. At Thy bidding, as Thy servant I go forward, leaving results with Thee.”

Do you understand the words that are coming out of my my mouth?

2012-10-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

“Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den… Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for: Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission.” ~John Piper

I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur King, you and all your silly English knnnigits!

2012-09-14T02:54:00.001-05:00

I've heard that all 26 letters in the English alphabet are mute/silent in one word or another. I've included some examples, but am stumped on a few. Any help with F or V?

A: bread, marriage, pharaoh
B: debt, subtle, thumb, numb
C: indict, yacht, scene
D: edge, handkerchief, Wednesday
E: more, height, steak, every
F: fifth ?
G: gnarled, reign, tight, gnome, foreign
H: ghost, heir, through, hour
I: business, seize
J: marijuana
K: knob, sackcloth, knife, knight, knee
L: half, salmon, would
M: mnemonic
N: column, hymn, autumn
O: country, laboratory, people, phoenix, jeopardy
P: cupboard, psychology, receipt, pneumonia
Q: lacquer, racquet
R: February
S: debris, island, aisle
T: gourmet, listen, tsunami
U: circuit, dough, gauge, guard, court
V: ? ? ?
W: answer, two, wrist, wrestle, wreck
X: faux
Y: prayer
Z: rendezvous

They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.

2012-06-25T06:07:00.000-05:00

A sobering reminder of just how different Christians are to be in how they live:

When their feelings have been hurt, people often feel justified in doing anything they want in retaliation. They can leave the church, divide the body, explode with uncontrolled anger, cut people off, lie, hate, and backbite. They try to justify the most wicked, sinful behavior with the simple excuse, “But I’ve been hurt!” Scripture, however, prohibits the spirit of retaliation, the get-even mentality that plagues human nature, with the clear command: “Repay no one evil for evil” (Rom. 12:17; 1 Thes. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9). When insulted, we are not to return the insult; when attacked, we are not to retaliate; when criticized, we are not to slander; when hurt, we are not to strike back. The Scripture further forbids seeking personal, private revenge or taking justice into our own hands; “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Rom. 12:19). It is God’s prerogative to punish evil, and He will see to it…. Rather than seeking retribution, Christians are to “overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

~Alexander Strauch, Leading With Love

a "Jump to Conclusions" mat

2012-06-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

The following I shared in a sermon at Providence Church and think you might find it noteworthy as did others.

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS:

Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him.

“You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know?”

The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact is that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. he lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”

The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?

“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”

“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much $.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.

“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.

“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”

~Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm (Word Publishing, 1991, pp. 144-147)

The crew were mostly kids, rock & rollers with one foot in their grave.

2012-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

A Memorial Day quote:
"Whatever our opinions on just war and pacifism, may we all join St. Francis today, praying to be made instruments of God's peace, doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God, so there will be fewer casualties to memorialize in the future." ~Brian D. McLaren*

*CAVEAT: There are many areas with which I take issue with McLaren and his theological slooginess, but his 2010 Memorial Day sentiment really resonated with me.

So shines a good deed in a weary world.

2012-04-11T06:05:00.000-05:00

The following is a Puritan prayer, part of which I shared during our Good Friday service when addressing the following words of Jesus, His 5th of the 7 sayings on the cross:

"I thirst." (John 19:28)

"Love Lustres at Calvary"

My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips,
Supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres at Calvary.’
There grace removes my burdens
and heaps them on thy Son,
Made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow;
There the infinite attributes were magnified,
And infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
And infinite punishment was endured.

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
Cast off that I might be brought in,
Trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
Surrendered to hell’s worst
that I might attain heaven’s best,
Stripped that I might be clothed,
Wounded that I might be healed,
Athirst that I might drink,
Tormented that I might be comforted,
Made a shame that I might inherit glory,
Entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Saviour wept
that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
Groaned that I might have endless song,
Endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
Bore a thorned crown that I might have a glory-diadem’
Bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
Experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
Closed his eyes in death
that I might gaze on the unclouded brightness,
Expired that I might forever live.

O Father, who spared not thine only Son
that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.

O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
My every step buoyant with delight, as I see
My enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
Sin buried in the ocean of God’s reconciling blood,
Hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.

Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross,
Mighty to subdue, comfort and save.
~From The Valley of Vision

"Some things are true whether you believe in them or not."

2012-04-08T07:03:00.004-05:00

10 MYTHS Regarding the Resurrection:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
~Jesus, John 11:25-26 (ESV)

If she were a president, she would be Baberaham Lincoln.

2012-02-20T23:58:00.005-06:00

In honor of Presidents Day, quotes I tweeted in their honor:

"Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering." ~Theodore Roosevelt

"I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle." ~Dwight Eisenhower

"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." ~Theodore Roosevelt

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something." ~Woodrow Wilson

"History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap." ~Ronald Reagan

"The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing." ~Theodore Roosevelt

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." ~Truman

"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity." ~John F. Kennedy

"I have never been hurt by anything I didn't say." ~Calvin Coolidge

"I have never advocated war except as a means of peace." ~Ulysses S. Grant

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." ~Gerald Ford

"We Americans have no commission from God to police the world." ~Benjamin Harrison

"Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other." ~Ronald Reagan

"It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is." ~Bill Clinton

"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong." ~Abraham Lincoln

"The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." ~Ronald Reagan

"Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office seeking." ~Rutherford B. Hayes

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" ~Abraham Lincoln

"It is true, I worry about the hype. The only person more over-hyped than me is you." ~Barak Obama [to Jon Stewart]

"There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens can not cure." ~D Eisenhower

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." ~Theodore Roosevelt

"We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added." ~Ronald Reagan

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog." ~Dwight David Eisenhower

"An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory." ~Millard Fillmore

"As to the Presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entrance upon the office and my surrender of it." ~Martin Van Buren

"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God." ~John F. Kennedy

*Disclaimer: A quote cited in no way should be seen as a tacit endorsement of the man, his policies, or his morality.

I mean, that thing is good. I wanna be friends with it.

2012-01-25T15:52:00.004-06:00

I previously mentioned the concept of being an expository listener when I recommended the book, What Is a Healthy Church Member?

If you're interested, it's on sale for $6.50 via Westminster Bookstore, a great place to buy books, incidentally.

"With a wealth of biblical insight and practical instruction, Anyabwile calls Christians to do more than just attend church, but to be the kind of faithful, engaged church members that God intends. Given the state of so many of our churches today, this book arrives not a moment too soon."
~ R. Albert Mohler Jr. (President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)

N.B. For the Providence Church book club, this is the book we'll be discussing at our June meeting.

I'm not about love; I'm about showing you the money!

2012-01-12T20:39:00.010-06:00

In 2011, for the first time ever, the credit rating of the United States was downgraded.

To help explain in terms that should show financial irresponsibility, I submit the following ...

US Tax revenue ....... $2,170,000,000,000
Federal budget ........ $3,820,000,000,000
New Debt .............. $1,650,000,000,000
National Debt ........ $14,271,000,000,000
New budget cuts .......... $38,500,000,000

Remove 8 zeros and pretend this is a family's situation.

Family income ........ $21,700
Money spent .......... $38,200
New CC Debt .......... $16,500
New CC Balance ..... $142,710
Budget cuts ............... $385

Would YOU loan that family money?

Snowman, you got your ears on?

2012-01-05T20:00:00.007-06:00

I heartily recommend Thabiti Anyabwile's book, What Is a Healthy Church Member?

One of the things rarely mentioned in Christian literature is guidance for the church member with regard to his/her role in the preaching process. Thabiti addresses that topic in a chapter entitled, "A Healthy Church Member Is an Expositional Listener."

A few highlights:

"Expositional listening is listening for the meaning of a passage of Scripture and accepting that meaning as the main idea to be grasped for our personal and corporate lives as Christians."

What Are the Benefits of Expositional Listening?

It cultivates a hunger for God's Word.
It helps us to focus on God's will and to follow Him.
It protects the gospel and our lives from corruption.
It encourages faithful pastors.
It benefits the gathered congregation.

How Can Church Members Cultivate the Habit of Expositional Listening?

Meditate on the sermon passage during your quiet time.
Invest in a good set of commentaries.
Talk and pray with friends about the sermon after church.
Listen to and act on the sermon throughout the week.
Develop the habit of addressing any questions about the text itself.
Cultivate humility.

Buy the What Is a Healthy Church Member?
See also Mark Dever, What Is a Healthy Church? (An appetizer)