Let the Church help!

A Nation Abandoned by God

Has God abandoned America? John MacArthur says He has in this message as it was played back on the Focus on the Family radio program. Posted at ThePathLessTraveled.net

• A Nation Abandoned by God - part 1
• A Nation Abandoned by God - part 2

Carrying one another to the grave

Some Good Quotes
Death

"If you look at the matter aright, death is the sphere in which the entire world moves. Nothing but pictures and works of death! Till Judgment Day life is a constant and daily journey toward death. One after another die, and the living must merely engage in the miser­able business of carrying one another to the grave. . . . We bring death into the world with us, bear it and drag it about with us from the moment of our birth, and all of us are traveling the same road together. The only difference is that one precedes another or is carried out before another, while the others must follow him until the turn of the last one comes. And there is no deliverance, nor can help against death be had from any creature. Death rules over all (Rom. 5:14) and irresistibly sweeps all away."

----Martin Luther as quoted in What Luther Says: A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian

Sharpening Our Sabbath Convictions

Lord's Day, The
Audio Links

• Sharpening Our Sabbath Convictions
  Earl Shetler

Power and Anger Together

Another word to the unrepentant from Joseph Alleine (1634-1668)

"Sinner, the power of God's anger is against you, and power and anger together make fearful work. It were better you had all the world in arms against you than to have the power of God against you. There is no escaping His hands, no breaking His prison. 'The thunder of his power, who can understand?' (Job xxvi 14). Unhappy man that shall understand it by feeling it! If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered? which removeth the mountains, and they know it not; which overturneth them in his anger; which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble; which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars I. . . Who will say unto him. What doest thou? If Cod will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him' (Job ix). And are you a fit match for such an antagonist? 'O consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver' (Ps 1 22). Submit to mercy. Let not dust and stubble stand out against the Almighty. Set not briers and thorns against Him in battle, lest He go through them, and consume them together. But lay hold on His strength that you may make peace with Him (Is xxvii 4-5). ' Woe to him that striveth with his Maker!' (Is xlv 9)."

Sure Guide to Heaven
By Joseph Alleine / Banner Of Truth

"From the Publisher:" One of the greatest evangelistic books, and a spur to personal evangelism.

Persecutions Under the Papacy

A snippet from Fox's Book of Martyrs chapter 8: An Account of the Persecutions in Bohemia Under the Papacy

"As their principal rage was directed against the clergy, they took a pious Protestant minister, and tormenting him daily for a month together, in the following manner, making their cruelty regular, systematic, and progressive.

They placed him amidst them, and made him the subject of their derision and mockery, during a whole day's entertainment, trying to exhaust his patience, but in vain, for he bore the whole with true Christian fortitude. They spit in his face, pulled his nose, and pinched him in most parts of his body. He was hunted like a wild beast, until ready to expire with fatigue. They made him run the gauntlet between two ranks of them, each striking him with a twig. He was beat with their fists. He was beat with ropes. They scourged him with wires. He was beat with cudgels. They tied him up by the heels with his head downwards, until the blood started out of his nose, mouth, etc. They hung him by the right arm until it was dislocated, and then had it set again. The same was repeated with his left arm. Burning papers dipped in oil were placed between his fingers and toes. His flesh was torn with red-hot pincers. He was put to the rack. They pulled off the nails of his right hand. The same repeated with his left hand. He was bastinadoed on his feet. A slit was made in his right ear. The same repeated on his left ear. His nose was slit. They whipped him through the town upon an ass. They made several incisions in his flesh. They pulled off the toe nails of his right foot. The same they repeated with his left foot. He was tied up by the loins, and suspended for a considerable time. The teeth of his upper jaw were pulled out. The same was repeated with his lower jaw. Boiling lead was poured upon his fingers. The same was repeated with his toes. A knotted cord was twisted about his forehead in such a manner as to force out his eyes.

During the whole of these horrid cruelties, particular care was taken that his wounds should not mortify, and not to injure him mortally until the last day, when the forcing out of his eyes proved his death.

Innumerable were the other murders and depredations committed by those unfeeling brutes, and shocking to humanity were the cruelties which they inflicted on the poor Bohemian Protestants. The winter being far advanced, however, the high court of reformers, with their infernal band of military ruffians, thought proper to return to Prague; but on their way, meeting with a Protestant pastor, they could not resist the temptation of feasting their barbarous eyes with a new kind of cruelty, which had just suggested itself to the diabolical imagination of one of the soldiers. This was to strip the minister naked, and alternately to cover him with ice and burning coals. This novel mode of tormenting a fellow creature was immediately put into practice, and the unhappy victim expired beneath the torments, which seemed to delight his inhuman persecutors."

Foxe's Book of Martyrs
By Edited by W. Grinton Berry / Baker

The blood of the martyrs...

Pol'-e-store
Church History
Biographical

Now here's a good deal on a must read classic!

Foxe's Book of Martyrs
By Edited by W. Grinton Berry / Baker

CBD Says- "A true Christian classic---now revised for modern readers! Millions have been inspired by these stirring accounts of men and women who paid the ultimate price for their faith. Foxe chronicles the lives, suffering, and triumphant deaths of Christian martyrs throughout history, and traces the very roots of religious persecution. 408 pages, softcover from Baker."

Preferred Customer Price: $7.99
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"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
-Tertullian (ca. 155–230)

A word to the non-omniscient (the rest of you already know what I’m going to say)

I know that I deal with a number of polemical and controversial subjects on this blog and website. I do it with the heart-felt conviction that polemical material handled in a humble, biblical manner is good for the church. I believe that this is in part the meaning of Proverbs 27:17 which speaks about Iron sharpening Iron; though there may be some friction involved, we help each other to think through things more carefully.

In a fallen world full of error, ignorance, deceit and deception controversy is unavoidable and necessary. None of us fully understand the word of God, especially as younger Christians and none us fully nor properly put the Word of God into practice as we ought. Spiritual growth is the process of having our ignorance exchanged for knowledge and our wrong beliefs and practices exposed as wrong and changed to conform to the word of God. As we walk with the Lord we need to be challenged, we need to be provoked to think through the things we have come to believe and practice and we need to correct each other and be corrected by each other; in so doing we are “always reforming.”

Unless we are omniscient we do not know everything, and the things that we do know, we do not necessarily know rightly. Perhaps there is something we have simply overlooked that would change our entire perspective about a subject, perhaps a fact that we have not learned yet would entirely change the way we understand something else. Perhaps we have been given wrong information by someone which has skewed the way we view a given subject or practice. Perhaps we are just comfortable with certain beliefs or practices and our natural love of that comfort has kept us from seeing the some fault or another. Perhaps personal feelings toward a certain person has biased us against something true or perhaps pride keeps us from admitting we might be wrong about something.

If we are going to be honest there are a multitude of differing things that can prejudice us in an almost infinite variety of ways and we are fools not to recognize this truth and think accordingly.

Christians are those who have supposedly recognized the corruption of their own hearts. Christians are those who have supposedly recognized the depravity that has affected their minds and wills. Christians are those who have supposedly recognized their propensity to error and their need of reproof, rebuke and correction. Christians are those who have supposedly been humbled before God and now live a life of repentance with a broken and contrite heart. The unwillingness, therefore, of many Christians to re-examine their beliefs and practices in light of Scripture when challenged by another brother in Christ is contrary to the whole tenor of Christianity and a is a work of the old man. Unless we already know everything, humility and a sense of our own sin and propensity to error demands that we at least consider what our brethren have to say and compare it to Scripture as the final authority.

With that in mind, I'm going to be posting a few things on the subject of Sunday school and youth groups and I would like to challenge the reader to give the subject a little thought rather than immediately tunning out because I've said something negative about a sacred cow.

Many Christian Parents Choose to Satisfy Children Over God

• Survey: Many Christian Parents Choose to Satisfy Children Over God
  www.christianpost.com

"Despite concern over the negative influence of media on young people, Christian parents are likely to spend more than $1 billion on media products this Christmas season, a new survey showed...."

Click here to read more

Killing your babies to save the planet???

Meet the women who won't have babies - because they're not eco friendly
Daily Mail

"Had Toni Vernelli gone ahead with her pregnancy ten years ago, she would know at first hand what it is like to cradle her own baby, to have a pair of innocent eyes gazing up at her with unconditional love, to feel a little hand slipping into hers - and a voice calling her Mummy.

But the very thought makes her shudder with horror.

Because when Toni terminated her pregnancy, she did so in the firm belief she was helping to save the planet."

Click here to read more...

Now this is insanity! Killing your babies to save the planet??? Taking a life to save a ball of dirt? What exactly are they saving it for anyhow?

Don’t such people ever stop to consider that while people cause problems, it is also people that solve problems? How does she know that she didn’t just murder the person that would solve most of the world’s ecological problems? Perhaps one of the children that she would have had would have perfected a new form of fuel that would have been good for the environment? Perhaps one of her children would have grown up to solve all the problems in the Middle East?

A similar decision by many Christians not to have children, or not to have anymore children, is almost as sad; how do we know that the next child might not be another George Whitefield, another John Calvin or another Mathew Henry? How do we know that God may not use that next child to bring thousands to salvation and change the course of world history? Or maybe have a profound effect on someone else who will change the course of world history? We of all people ought to have hope in what God might do with our children.

"Children are a blessing from the Lord"

How to Become Full of Joy

A good Spurgeon sermon re-preached by cloudaudio.

• How to Become Full of Joy
  C. H. Spurgeon

The First Thanksgiving

An first hand account of the first Thanksgiving as told by Edward Winslow in a letter to a friend:

Loving, and old Friend,

Although I received no letter from you by this ship, yet forasmuch as I know you expect the performance of my promise, which was, to write unto you truly and faithfully of all things, I have therefore at this time sent unto you accordingly. Referring you for further satisfaction to our more large relations.

You shall understand, that in this little time, that a few of us have been here, we have built seven dwelling-houses, and four for the use of the plantation, and have made preparation for divers others. We set the last spring some twenty acres of Indian corn, and sowed some six acres of barley and peas, and according to the manner of the Indians, we manured our ground with herrings or rather shads, which we have in great abundance, and take with great ease at our doors. Our corn did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown, they came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom.

Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after have a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.

We have found the Indians very faithful in their covenant of peace with us; very loving and ready to pleasure us; we often go to them, and they come to us; some of us have been fifty miles by land in the country with them, the occasions and relations whereof you shall understand by our general and more full declaration of such things as are worth the noting, yea, it has pleased God so to possess the Indians with a fear of us, and love unto us, that not only the greatest king amongst them, called Massasoit, but also all the princes and peoples round about us, have either made suit unto us, or been glad of any occasion to make peace with us, so that seven of them at once have sent their messengers to us to that end. Yea, an Isle at sea, which we never saw, hath also, together with the former, yielded willingly to be under the protection, and subjects to our sovereign lord King James, so that there is now great peace amongst the Indians themselves, which was not formerly, neither would have been but for us; and we for our parts walk as peaceably and safely in the wood as in the highways in England. We entertain them familiarly in our houses, and they as friendly bestowing their venison on us. They are a people without any religion or knowledge of God, yet very trusty, quick of apprehension, ripe-witted, just. The men and women go naked, only a skin about their middles.

For the temper of the air, here it agreeth well with that in England, and if there be any difference at all, this is somewhat hotter in summer, some think it to be colder in winter, but I cannot out of experience so say; the air is very clear and not foggy, as hath been reported. I never in my life remember a more seasonable year than we have here enjoyed; and if we have once but kine, horses, and sheep, I make no question but men might live as contented here as in any part of the world. For fish and fowl, we have great abundance; fresh cod in the summer is but coarse meat with us; our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter; we have mussels and othus at our doors: oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs: here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of three sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson: abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed. The country wanteth only industrious men to employ, for it would grieve your hearts (if as I) you had seen so many miles together by goodly rivers uninhabited, and withal, to consider those parts of the world wherein you live to be even greatly burdened with abundance of people. These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.

Our supply of men from you came the ninth of November 1621, putting in at Cape Cod, some eight or ten leagues from us. The Indians that dwell thereabout were they who were owners of the corn which we found in caves, for which we have given them full content, and are in great league with them. They sent us word that there was a ship near unto them, but thought it to be a Frenchman, and indeed for ourselves, we expected not a friend so soon. But when we perceived that she made for our bay, the governor commanded a great piece to be shot off, to call home such as were abroad at work; whereupon every man, yea, boy that could handle a gun, were ready, with full resolution that if she were an enemy, we would stand in our just defense, not fearing them, but God provided better for us than we supposed; these came all in health, not any being sick by the way (otherwise than sea sickness) and so continue at this time, by the blessing of God; the good-wife Ford was delivered of a son the first night she landed, and both of them are very well.

When it pleaseth God, we are settled and fitted for the fishing business, and other trading; I doubt not but by the blessing of God the gain will give content to all; in the mean time, that we have gotten we have sent by this ship, and though it be not much, yet it will witness for us that we have not been idle, considering the smallness of our number all this summer. We hope the merchants will accept of it, and be encouraged to furnish us with things needful for further employment, which will also encourage us to put forth ourselves to the uttermost.

Now because I expect your coming unto us with other of our friends, whose company we much desire, I thought good to advertise you of a few things needful; be careful to have a very good bread-room to put your biscuits in, let your cask for beer and water be iron-bound for the first tire if not more; let not your meat be dry-salted, none can better do it than the sailors; let your meal be so hard trod in your cask that you shall need an adz or hatchet to work it out with: trust not too much on us for corn at this time, for by reason of this last company that came, depending wholly upon us, we shall have little enough till harvest; be careful to come by some of your meal to spend by the way, it will much refresh you. Build your cabins as open as you can, and bring good store of clothes and bedding with you; bring every man a musket or fowling-piece, let your piece be long in the barrel, and fear not the weight of it, for most of our shooting is from stands; bring juice of lemons, and take it fasting; it is of good use; for hot waters, aniseed water is the best, but use it sparingly; if you bring any thing for comfort in the country, butter or sallet oil, or both is very good; our Indian corn, even the coarsest, maketh pleasant meat as rice, therefore spare that unless to spend by the way; bring paper and linseed oil for your windows, with cotton yarn for your lamps; let your shot be most for big fowls, and bring store of powder and shot: I forbear further to write for the present, hoping to see you by the next return, so I take my leave, commending you to the Lord for a safe conduct unto us. Resting in Him,

Your loving friend,

E.W. [Edward Winslow]

Plymouth in New England this 11th of December, 1621.

Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union."

Abraham Lincoln

The Pilgrims and Thanks Giving

Here's a few interesting resources concerning the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving, I especially enjoyed the Paul Jehle audio.

Articles

• The Enduring Legacy of the First Landing
  by Douglas W. Phillips
• Jamestown and Plymouth: America’s Parent Colonies
  by Dr. Paul Jehle

Audio Links

• The Faith of the Pilgrims Part 1
  Paul Jehle
• The Faith of the Pilgrims Part 2
  Paul Jehle

On the Internet

• William Bradford Web Site
• The Mayflower Compact at Wikipedia
• Mayflower History.com
  

Some Good Books

Of Plymouth Plantation, Hardcover
By William Bradford / The Vision Forum, Inc

CBD Says:

"A firsthand account of the Plymouth settlement! In this 1909 modern English translation, Governor William Bradford chronicles the hardships the Pilgrims faced. Their persecution in Europe and subsequent journey to the New World for religious freedom are clearly presented, and their endurance stands as great testimony for our children today. Includes rare excerpts from correspondence of the time. 353 pages, hardcover."

Plymouth in the Words of Her Founders
By Dr. Paul Jehle / The Vision Forum, Inc

CBD Says:

"Take a guided tour of "America's hometown"! Jehle's pocket-sized book offers an inspiring overview of the sites and monuments sprinkled throughout our country's spiritual birthplace---in the words of the Pilgrims themselves. Pairing quotes and writings from Plymouth's founders with photos and descriptions of the memorials in their honor, it's an ideal resource for on-site or at-home discovery. 148 pages, softcover."


Pilgrims vs. Indians - Audiobook on CD
By The Vision Forum, Inc

CBD Says:

" The Pilgrims did more to promote a godly view of Christian/Indian relations than any other group in American history. They signed a peace treaty with local natives which lasted unbroken for more than fifty years. In all, the relations between the two communities represented the high water mark of Christian/Indian relations in North America. This audiobook seeks to answer questions like: Should we respect pagan cultures or seek to transform them? Is paganism noble? Did the Pilgraims steal lead from the Indians? 1 CDs. 80 minutes."

Evaluating Your Philosophy of Education

Home Schooling/Education
Audio Links

Scripture demands that education be truly Christian. It is not enough to simply put prayer back in public school, its not enough to simply baptize pagan educational methods and call them "Christian" because we are Christian; true education must be entirely Christ centered. With that in mind here is an awesome message about the difference between a pagan education, a baptized pagan education and a truly Christian education by Paul Jehle.

1. Evaluating Your Philosophy of Education - part 1
   Paul Jehle
2. Evaluating Your Philosophy of Education - part 2
   Paul Jehle

The Founders of the SBC & Covenant Theology

A good message dispelling the ignorant assertions that either Dispensationalism or New Covenant Theology formed the historical belief of Baptist Churches.

• The Founders of the SBC & Covenant Theology
  Fred Malone
  

Gossip: The Plague of the Church

New at Pol'-e-store
Mouth, The


Gossip: The Plague of the Church Audio CD
By Scott Brown / Vision Forum

I just finished listening to this sermon by Scott Brown and must say I found it very convicting. I'm not sure if it was just a good convicting sermon or if I just feel guilty for my occasionally big, sinful mouth; likely it was both together . Whichever it was I had to spend some time in repentance for the careless use of my mouth and I would highly recommend this message to everyone else.

In the coarse of the message Scott covers the definition of gossip, the ways in which we frequently disguise gossip and what we can do about gossip when we find ourselves in the midst of it.

The Sabbath Day Genesis 2:1-3

Lord's Day, The
Audio Links

• The Sabbath Day Genesis 2:1-3
  Earl Shetler

Did you see that chubby guy?

Between work, side work and several other things, I haven’t had time to even touch the computer lately. I did, however, start doing “Date Night” with my children. Every Tuesday night I’ve started to take one of the kids out alone to dinner and then do something else with them; I went shopping with my oldest daughter, played air hockey and arcade games with my youngest son and that sort of thing.

This last Tuesday I took my just-turned-four-year old daughter to Pizza Street. We set our plates down and went up to get our pop. Alyssa reached up and grabbed the lever to the Root beer and said “I want this!” As she grabbed it, of course, it started running down her arm and into the sleeve of her dress. In shock at what had happened, she just stood there clutching the root beer lever as it continued to run down her arm.

It was no big deal, we rushed back over to the table and dried her off the best we could. But as we sat there at the table a rather large man with a heaping plate full of cheap pizza shuffled by us, my daughter watched him as he tried to pass some people standing in the isle and then casually, but rather loudly asked “Dad, did you see that chubby guy go by?”

Half in shock at what I thought I had just heard my four year old say about a man sitting just two tables away from us I foolishly said “what?” at which time my daughter said once again, somewhat annoyed that I didn’t hear her the first time, “did you see that chubby guy go by?” I gasped, drawing further attention to ourselves, and tried to explain as quietly as I could that we don’t say things like that.

Hopefully the "chubby guy" never heard us over all the other noise in the restaurant.

The Mediatorial Kingship of Christ

I was thumbing through my autographed copy of R.B. Kuiper's The Glorious Body of Christ when I stumbled upon this excellent quote:

"Scripture teaches the mediatorial kingship of Christ. It is not merely a kingship over believers but a kingship of a far more comprehensive kind. Because the suffering Servant of Jehovah poured out His soul unto death, God divided Him a portion with the great, and He divided the spoil with the strong (Isaiah 53:12). And when God raised His Son from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, He placed Him "far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named . . . and put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1:20-22).

That kingship of its Head the church must proclaim. It must require of men everywhere that they acknowl­edge Him as Head of all things, as King over every do­main of their lives. It must insist on Christian marriage, Christian education, Christian science, Christian industry, Christian labor, Christian relationships between labor and industry, Christian culture, Christian recreation, Chris­tian politics, Christian internationalism; in short, on a Christian society as well as a Christian church. Moving like a mighty army, the church of God must sing re­soundingly:

Onward, then, ye people, Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices In the triumph-song:
Glory, laud and honor Unto Christ the King!
This through endless ages Men and angels sing."

Glorious Body of Christ
By R. Kuiper / Banner Of Truth

New Covenant Theology Audio

New Covenant Theology
Audio Links

• New Covenant Theology
  Jim Renihan
• The Law and New Covenant Theology
  Sam E. Waldron

A shocking confession from Willow Creek Community Church leaders

A shocking confession from Willow Creek Community Church leaders
Baptist Press

While it's not all that shocking, here's a good article from the Baptist Press!

“If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don't discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child's fragile ego. Millions followed this guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. However, before his death Dr. Spock made an amazing discovery: He was wrong. In fact, he said:

"We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents."

Oops……….

Willow Creek has released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry. The study's findings are in a new book titled "Reveal: Where Are You?," co-authored by Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Hybels himself called the findings "ground breaking," "earth shaking" and "mind blowing." And no wonder: It seems that the "experts" were wrong.

The report reveals that most of what they have been doing for these many years and what they have taught millions of others to do is not producing solid disciples of Jesus Christ. Numbers yes, but not disciples. It gets worse. Hybels laments:

"Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn't helping people that much. Other things that we didn't put that much money into and didn't put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."

Click here to read more

Luther on Polemics

Feeding and Defending the Sheep

"A preacher must not only feed the sheep so as to instruct them how they are to be good Christians, but he must also keep the wolves from attacking the sheep and leading them astray with false doc­trine and error; for the devil is never idle. Nowadays there are many people who are quite ready to tolerate our preaching of the Gospel as long as we do not cry out against the wolves and preach against the prelates.

But though I preach the truth, feed the sheep well, and give them good in­struction, this is still not enough unless the sheep are also guarded and protected so that the wolves do not come and carry them off. For what sort of building is it if I throw away stones and then watch another throw them back in? The wolf can readily tolerate a good pasture for the sheep; he likes them the better for their fatness. But what he cannot endure is the hostile bark of the dogs. Therefore it is of vital importance to set our hearts on truly feeding the flock as God has commanded it."

A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology

New Covenant Theology

• A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology Part 1
  Sam Waldron
• A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology Part 2
  Sam Waldron
• A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology Part 3
  Sam Waldron
• A Critical Introduction to New Covenant Theology Part 4
  Sam Waldron

When Donkeys Fly

Unflinching Courage

"Although the leaders of early Methodism were of differing doctrinal persuasions, in another matter they were alike: they all met physical opposition with unflinching courage. This was true first of Howell Harris. In Wales he was attacked by ruffians, hated by clergy, and brought before magistrates. And in 1741, at the town of Bala, the local clergyman opened a barrel of beer on the main street and used it to entice the mob to attack Harris.

The women were as fiendish as the men, for they besmeared him with mire, while their companions belaboured him with their fists and clubs, inflicting such wounds that his path could be marked in the street by the crimson stains of his blood. The enemy continued to persecute him, striking him with sticks and with staves, until overcome with exhaus­tion he fell to the ground. They still abused him, though prostrate. ...'

In London, even while he was ministering in the Tabernacle, Harris was violently opposed. More than once the mob came beating on the Tabernacle doors during a service, forced their way in, and attacked the people with staves. Amid these dangers Harris was unmoved, and of one such occasion he reported:

Had bullets been shot at me, 1 felt I would not move. Mob raged. Voice lifted up, and though by the power going with the words my head almost went to pieces, such was my zeal that I cried, 'I'll preach Christ till to pieces I fall!'"

A quote from chapter 15 of

George Whitefield
By Arnold Dallimore / Crossway Books & Bibles

What do you mean by "literal"?

I was listening to a Bible teacher insisting that we must interpret the Bible “literally”. He was saying that we should “read the Bible like a newspaper” and “take the words at face value according to the natural, normal sense of words”. Israel always means Israel, 1000 always means 1000, etc.

I heard such things frequently as a new Christian, and for a time it seemed to make complete sense to me. My thinking went something like this: How could we ever hope to know for sure what the Scriptures were saying if we didn’t take them “at face value” or “literally”? How could we interpret them objectively? How could we ever test the interpretations of others? It seemed to me that if we were not going to interpret the Bible “literally” it would become a useless and confusing book and we could never know for certain if we had understood it correctly or not.

But yet these very same teachers who told me to interpret the Bible “literally” and “read it like a newspaper” would also tell me that the woman in Revelation 12:1,6 was not a literal woman but symbolic of Israel. The stars in 12:4 were not literal stars, but figurative or symbolic of fallen angels. They would tell me that when Christ said “this is My body” that it wasn’t literally His body, that the woman in Revelation 17 is not a literal woman, Babylon in chapter 18 is not literally Babylon and the weapons spoken of in Ezekiel 39:9 are not really bows and arrows, swords and spears but are really symbolic of modern instruments of war, and so on.

As I turned to Scripture, I saw that Jesus Himself spoke in non-literal terms until it exasperated His disciples! They were thrilled when He finally spoke in plain language (John 16:29). I saw that Daniel’s visions in Daniel 7 needed to be interpreted (7:16), indicating that He could not simply take them “literally”. And I saw the New Testament do strange non-literal things with the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 15:13-17 for example).

These things naturally led me to wonder, exactly what do my teachers mean by “literal”?

Is this really how we should approach the entire Bible? Did they really mean to tell me that I should not take literary genre into consideration? What about figurative language? What about symbolism, metaphors, hyperbole, parables, poetry, irony, analogy, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personifications, anthropomorphisms, similes, synecdoche, apocalyptic visions and other such manners of speech?

Did they really mean to tell me to interpret Zechariah 5:1-11 in the exact same manner that I interpret Romans 5:1-11? Were they really going to tell me that they are written in the exact same manner? Did they really mean to tell me that we should read a historical narrative in the exact same manner that we read poetry? Are we to interpret prose in the exact same manner we interpret a vision? Do we interpret a parable full of symbolism in the same manner we interpret the historical account of the six twenty-four hour days of creation?

It seemed to me that many of my teachers would often abandon their own hermeneutic in practice while at the same time demanding that it is the only legitimate hermeneutic. I was told that the key in the angel’s hand in Revelation 20:1 is not a literal key and the chain is not a literal chain and that the bottomless pit referred to in 20:1and 3 does not literally have a door on it with which to “shut“ the Devil in with. But yet these very same teachers insisted that the 1,000 years spoken of in these very same verses are literally one thousand, 365-day years and they would even ridicule anyone who would dare to interpret them in a figurative manner.

But brethren, if some words are not literally what they say, how can we make a blanket statement demanding that the Bible be interpreted “literally” or “read like a newspaper”? If we cannot take some of the words of Scripture at face value, how can we demand that all of Scripture should always be taken at face value “according to the normal sense of words“?

In an attempt to explain this obvious contradiction I have been told that “although the Bible occasionally uses figures of speech and symbolic language, they are literal figures of speech and literal symbols.” But what in the world does that mean? Whether you call them “literal figures of speech” or just plain old “figures of speech”, they are still figures of speech! You still do not take them according to the normal, natural sense of words. The true meaning of the figure or symbol must be searched out a little further.

Charles Ryrie, a popular defender of Dispensationalism, gives us a good example of just such an argument in chapter 16 of his “Basic Theology”, page 112. Here, while defending the idea of a literal hermeneutic, Ryrie tells us that “no one denies that the Bible uses figures of speech, but they convey literal truths and often more vividly and literally than if they were not used. They enhance rather than change the plain meaning behind the figures.”

While baffling double talk may confuse some, it still doesn’t change the fact that figures of speech are not interpreted literally. We are often told that we can take the Bible literally or non-literally, but we never stop to consider that there may be another more biblical option. Just because we are presented with two options, that doesn’t mean that that is all there is.

So what exactly do such teachers mean when they say we must take the Bible “literally’? It seems to me that what they really mean is that we must only interpret certain parts of Scripture literally; the parts that fit with what they want to believe.

Meeting the Mob

As I've mentioned a couple times already, I'm reading Arnold Dallimore's biography of George Whitefield to the kids right now. Chapter 15 is entitled "Meeting the Mob" and recounts the violent persecution that Whitefield and his accomplices faced in the early days of their ministries. This chapter is worth the price of the book as far as I'm concerned. It starts out with this quote:

"If Methodism had not come into contact with the mob it would never have reached that section of the English peo­ple which most needed salvation. The 'Religious Societies' shut up in their rooms, would never have reformed the country.

It was necessary that a race of heroic men should arise, who would dare to confront the wildest and most brutal of men, and tell them the meaning of sin, and show them the Christ of the Cross and of the Judgement Throne.

The incessant assaults of the mob on the Methodist preachers showed they had reached the masses. With a superb courage, rarely equalled on the battlefield, the Methodist preachers went again and again to the places from which they had been driven by violence, until their persistence wore down the antagonism of their assailants. Then, out of the once furious crowd, men and women were gathered whose hearts the Lord had touched."

John S. Simon

The Revival of Religion in England in the Eighteenth Century

As quoted in

George Whitefield
By Arnold Dallimore / Crossway Books & Bibles

The Law of God Part 1: The Covenantal Nature of Law

The Covenantal Nature of Law

Law defines the parameters of a relationship.

For instance, United States law defines ones relationship to the United States. If we as citizens begin to break the law and live outside the law, our privileges as citizens will be negatively affected; the law will have something against us. Citizens are those who agree to, and conform to, the Law. When a citizen breaks the law he is breaking the terms of his citizenship and must then suffer the consequences. For this reason men, like R. J. Rushdoony for instance, will sometimes speak of the law as a form of warfare; it guards and protects the State by defining a legitimate relationship to the state and the consequences of violating that relationship.

And because Law defines the basis and parameters of a relationship (its privileges, duties and consequences of violating the relationship) Law is inherently covenantal.

Scripture testifies to this understanding of law in places such as Romans chapter 7. Here Paul asks us:

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Romans 7:1-3

In the context Paul is discussing the Christians relationship to the Law and he uses the analogy of the marriage relationship to teach us about our relationship to the Law of God.

In verse two Paul speaks of the woman who is bound by law to her husband. He then speaks of her being released from the law of her husband and being free from that law if her husband dies. The specific privileges, duties, responsibilities and consequences of violating the terms of that relationship come to an abrupt end upon the death of the husband.

Notice Paul is speaking of the marriage covenant, but he is speaking of it in terms of law. You could just as easily substitute the word covenant for law and it would still make just as much sense:

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the covenant to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the covenant of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that covenant; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.”

Covenants and law are in many ways similar to each other as they both deal with the parameters and obligations of relationships. Law cannot escape being covenantal in nature.

This is also brought out very clearly in the case of the Ten Commandments. God repeatedly singles out the Ten Commandments (that which we often call the Moral Law) and calls them a Covenant.

In Exodus 34 the Lord recounts the Ten Commandments and then says to Moses:

“…Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”

In Deuteronomy 4 Moses is recalling the giving of the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel and says this in verses 12-14:

“And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.”

Again, a chapter later in Deuteronomy 5 Moses refers to the Covenant God made with them at Horeb and proceeds to recall the Ten Commandments once again. He finishes reciting the Commandments and says:

“These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.”

Clearly the Covenant spoken of in verse 2 is the Ten Commandments which follow with nothing else added to them; God spoke no more than that.

And in first Kings 8:9, speaking of the Ark of the Covenant we are told:

“There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.”

And in verse 21

“And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Clearly the Ten Commandments written on the two tables of stone in verse 8 are the same as the Covenant spoken of in verse 21. In all these examples the Ten Commandments, what we often call the “Moral Law”, are clearly singled-out themselves as a covenant.

In these Scriptural examples we see something of the Covenantal nature of law, and this becomes very significant, I believe, as we struggle to obtain a Biblical understanding of Law.

Something Corny

Michael acting a little corny.

Un­questioning Submission

"Accept Suffering from God with un­questioning submission. Whatever you do and think, especially in times of suffering, when you are an afflicted Christian, do not, if you believe, sit in judgment on your life and actions; otherwise you will go wrong. You are dumb, stupid, you are being tried and held captive, and you cannot speak aright about your affairs or pass judgment on them. You are told to "wait on the Lord" (Ps. 27:14). And do not be offended; do not murmur and despair. For you are not giving your actions and afflictions the proper name. Your judgment is false, your talk is wrong, your wisdom is fool­ishness. For the will of God is that the old man be destroyed and the flesh mor­tified. However, while this is being done, the flesh speaks falsely and judges fool­ishly. . . . But the spirit conquers and draws this conclusion: What God has in mind with these plans I do not under­stand, neither do I desire to know it; but I shall bear the hand of the Lord and say: Thou art my God, Thy promise and Word remain forever."

- Martin Luther

Modest Pet Clothing

Our pet cat, Tiger, after wandering too close to our girls who were playing dress-up with their dolls. While she doesn't look very ferocious in a little yellow dress, it really didn't seem to bother her too much either.
(No animals were harmed in the taking of this picture)

The Myth of Spiritual Freedom

THE MYTH OF SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

"Nevertheless many assert that the human will makes the ultimate choice of spiritual life or spiritual death. They say that here the will is altogether free to choose eternal life offered in Jesus Christ or to reject it. It is said that God will give a new heart to all who choose by the power of their own free will to receive Jesus Christ.

There can be no question that receiving Jesus Christ is an act of the human will. It is often called "faith." But how do men come to willingly receive the Lord? It is usually answered, "Out of the power of their own free will." But how can that be? Jesus is a PROPHET . To receive Him means to believe all that He says. In John 8:41-45 Jesus made it clear that you were born of Satan. This evil father hates the truth and imparted the same bias into your heart by nature. Hence said Jesus, "Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." How does the human will jump out of man to choose to believe what the human mind hates and denies?

Further, to receive Jesus means to embrace him as a PRIEST — that is, to employ and depend on him to sue out peace with God by sacrifice and intercession. Paul tells us that the mind with which we were born is hostile to God (Rom 8:7). How can the will escape the influence of human nature which was born with a violent enmity to God? It would be insane for the will to choose peace when every bone and drop of blood cries out for rebellion.

Then too, receiving Jesus means to welcome Him as a KING. It means choosing to obey His every command, to confess His right of rule and to worship before His throne. But the human mind, emotions, and desires all cry out, "We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14). If my whole being hates His truth, hates His rule and hates peace with God, how can my will be responsible for receiving Jesus? How can such a sinner have faith?

It is not man’s will but God’s GRACE that must be thanked for giving a sinner a new heart. Unless God changes the heart, creates a new spirit of peace, truthfulness, and submission. man will not choose to receive Jesus Christ and eternal life in Him. A new heart must he given before a man can believe, or else the human will is hopelessly enslaved to evil human nature even in the matter of conversion. Jesus said. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye MUST be born again" (John 3:7). Unless you are, you will never see His kingdom.

Read John 1:12 & 13. It says that those who believe on Jesus have been "born, not of the will of man, but of God." As your will is not responsible for your coming into this world, it is not responsible for the new birth. It is your Creator who must be thanked for your life, and if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation (II Cor 5:17). Who ever chose to be created? When Lazarus rose from the dead, he then could choose to answer the call of Christ, but he could not choose to come to life. So Paul said in Ephesians 2:5, "Even when we were dead in sins, [God] I hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)." Faith is the first act of a will made new by the Holy Spirit. Receiving Christ is an act of man just as breathing is, but God must first give life.

No wonder Martin Luther wrote a book entitled The Bondage of the Will which he considered one of his most important treatises. The will is in the chains of an evil human nature. You who extol the free will as a great force are clinging to a root of pride. Man, as fallen in sin, is utterly helpless and hopeless. The will of man offers no hope. It was the will choosing the forbidden fruit that brought us into misery. The powerful grace of God alone offers deliverance. Cast yourself upon God’s mercy for salvation. Ask for the Spirit of Grace that He may create a new spirit within you."

Taken from The Myth of Free Will
by Walter Chantry