Imprimis

A Father's Love

2010-07-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

Just watch.

Oligarchy

2010-03-21T20:20:00.002-05:00

Oligarchy. What is an 'oligarchy'? Here is a dictionary definition of the word:

1 : government by the few
2 : a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes; also : a group exercising such control
3 : an organization under oligarchic control

Another definition might well be the United States Congress.

In reality this is what our elected bodies of legislators are becoming in this nation. A small group of people who are grimly determined to pass legislation that is clearly undesired by their constituents. God help us. (I do not write that lightly.) The elected officials of this Republic have shown today how resolute they are to turn their office into an oligarchy. Against the will of the majority of their constituents they have passed a bill that will permanently change the nature of the medical system of this nation, its insurance industry, erect barriers to effective care, treatment, and medical research; and, put in place the structure that may well lead to a more 'eugenic' medical practice in the future. They are writing and passing legislation that is almost impossible to amend or remove. This is patently unconstitutional. I wonder how much longer this nation can stand under this onslaught.

How has this happened? It did not occur overnight. Our nation has been sliding down the slope of tyranny for decades. Where has the church been during this time? Unfortunately, and to our shame, for the most part we have been silent. There have been cries from some corners at times. But, on the whole we have failed at one of the most important tasks of the Body of Christ: making disciples, grounding saints firmly in the Word, teaching them to see the world and reason with Biblical precision. As a result, we now live in a period of time when Orthodoxy is rarely taught, Christians live lives in which Scripture is divorced from daily life, and we have lost our saltiness.

The American Church has become expert at marketing itself in ever more tantilising forms to a public that is less interested in Truth and more interested in titillation. We have transformed catechesis into a carnival. The church has all too often become a market for the pleasing of the flesh rather that a place of spiritual renewal. Even the most covenantal among us are tainted by the world in which we live. We must on a daily basis appeal to God for forgiveness for our fleshly desires, seek his face for mercy and grace, thank him for the forgiveness found in the great Sacrifice of Christ, and then walk circumspectly in the strength given to us.

What does the church have to do with politics? Everything. Politics and public policy are merely the outworking of theology. Everyone has a theology, even atheists. Our actions flow from those beliefs.

So, here we are. We have a nation in which a subset of elected representatives have taken it upon themselves to foist destructive laws and policies upon us. God have mercy upon us. May He grant to his Church a spirit of repentance, renewal, sound mindedness, and courage.

USSA?

2010-03-21T06:44:00.002-05:00

Today the House of Representatives is on target to vote for one of the longest works written in the English language: The Health Care 'Reform' bills HR 3590 / 4872. I wonder if anyone in this nation knows what the full implications would be if this measure passes. I doubt it. I am pretty sure that most of the people voting don't even know the total scope of the bill / act. One thing that is sure is that the President and the Leftist members of Congress are hell bent on moving us toward a Socialist/NeoCommunist status as a nation.

Economics aside, this bill is patently sinful in how it treats the unborn. That alone warrants a no vote.

May the Lord have mercy upon us.

Thanks A Lot . . . Not

2009-12-24T16:09:00.003-06:00

With all of the wisdom of a bag of rocks and the tact of a maniacal elephant the United States Senate passed their version of the most overtly socialistic, most expensive, damaging bill to ever leave that body. Thanks for nothing NeoComms.

What a wonderful Christmas present to this nation: One that will destroy her.

Who is Your Countryman?

2009-07-06T18:47:00.004-05:00

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

Samuel Adams was never one to mince words. These words were part of a speech given by Mr. Adams at the Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776. You can see by this date that discussion was taking place about the impact that the recently voted upon Declaration of Independence would have. Freedom has consequences. Freedom demands a price. Samuel Adams knew this. So did his colleagues. Some of them were willing to pay that price, others were not.

In this nation today a crisis is brewing. It has been brewing for decades. There is a tempest beginning to blow across this land. Our very foundations are under assault by Marxist ideas. They have been for decades. Marxism is a political philosophy that stands in direct opposition to Holy Scripture. Christians cannot sit idly by while a God-less philosophy and its attendant oppression grows by the day. Yet, some are content to do so. Why?

Could it be that they are content with their ease? Could it be that they prefer wealth to sacrifice? Tranquility to Freedom? Only God knows.

So, who are your countrymen?

Just a Reminder

2009-07-04T07:36:00.002-05:00

"July the Fourth" or "Independence Day"

Which is it? What is the day that citizens of the United States celebrate on this fourth day of July? I fear that for many the change in how the day is called is telling. It seems as if many Americans have forgotten that the reason for the holiday celebration is to recall the day that brave men, magistrates, pledged to serve and defend those they represented with their 'lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor' against a tyrannical government.

Therefore, I would like to make a suggestion. If you are a freedom loving, God fearing citizen of the United States call today what it is: INDEPENDENCE DAY. Don't wish folks a, 'Happy Fourth of July!' Instead, wish them a 'Happy Independence Day!'.

In the past six months we have witnessed a rapid encroachment upon the freedoms that these men declared. I shudder to think what this nation may well look like if this direction does not change.

Just to remind everyone what it is all about, here is the text of the Declaration of Independence. Below it you will find the signatories. Take a minute and thank God for the service of these men. Thank him for the blessings of Liberty. If you are not an American, thank God for America's liberty anyway. Without it much of the comfortable lifestyle you enjoy would not exist.

______________

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Serious Stuff

2008-08-04T12:47:00.007-05:00

After months of idleness, at least in the blogosphere, it is time to return. As most of my posts have been on serious and sometimes controversial issues I thought that I would continue in that tradition by referencing the following video:

We Must Fight

2008-01-30T19:21:00.003-06:00

I know that it is rude to 'mix politics and religion'. But, the truth is that politics is the outworking of religion. Every person is religious. The question is what is your religious bias and how does it affect your political stance.

I am going to stick my neck out and make a few statements that some will call brash, others whom I love will disagree and some well meaning people will call me foolish.

1. Many, if not most, of American Christians today are consumed with material interests; beit work, pleasure, financial prosperity, and others. They are so consumed that they cannot see the war raging in our culture. And, frankly, they don't care unless it affects their comfort or cash.

2. Most American Christians, and Americans in general, are ignorant of their history.

3. Most American Christians, and Americans in general, are ignorant of news. Liberals get their pablum from the 'mainstream press'. And, Conservatives get their pablum from the 'new media'. If they, in either camp, say it then it must be so.

Case in point: The current presidential primary. One candidate in particular will serve as an example. Mike Huckabee. This man has been lambasted from both sides. He has been decried as a liberal by the 'conservative new media'. He has been derided as a theocrat from the liberal media. He is neither. He is a man who acts upon moral principles that stem not from the Constitution, but from Scripture. As wonderful as our Constitution is it is not an ultimate authority in morality.

His actions as the governor of the State of Arkansas are excised from context and pointed to as proof that he is a liberal by the likes of Rush, Hannity, Savage, Town Hall, and more. Seen in the context of the politics of that state it can be shown that he did more to act on conservative principles than seems possible. Remember two things: Governing a state is different that governing a nation. And, Arkansas has the most lop-sided Democratically controlled government in the nation. They know this. Yet, they refuse to give context to his actions. I know that I have no voice compared to those I cited above. But, someone has to say it.

I do know that ultimately politics are not the answer to this nations ills. The answer is a church militant with the Gospel; willing to forgo this crazy notion that all men are good. All men are bad, and as such they must either be controlled by the spirit of God within them or the sword. The Founding Fathers of this nation knew this and said as much. They also said that only Christian men of good moral character were suitable for public office. How far we have strayed from that ideal.

So, I am going on record: I support Mike Huckabee. He is not perfect. No candidate is. Some say voting for him is a 'wasted vote'. (If everyone I heard say that they would vote for him, but it would be a 'wasted vote' because he is not electable WOULD vote for him he would carry this state.)

Happy Birthday Mars' Robert!

2008-01-19T20:10:00.002-06:00

Two hundred and one years ago today a boy was born to an American hero of the War of Independence, Henry 'Light Horse Harry' Lee. This lad would grow, graduate from West Point, have a distinguished career in the United States Army, and become known to all as Robert E. Lee. Robert Edward Lee was an amazing man. His abilities as a military commander are the stuff of legend. His tactics and strategy are still studied today. His character, faith in God as revealed in Scripture, and duty stemming from that faith, are a role model to all men today. He was a knight in the truest sense of the word.

His commitment to the Word of God led him to a devotion to family and community that is rare today. It is this same commitment that inspired and emboldened the men of his father's generation. That generation set in paper the 'givens' of liberty and founded a nation built upon them. Robert E. Lee learned from his father the intentions of the Founders. He gained his fame in the defense of those same principles against a Federal Government run wild in an unconstitutional movement to strip the states, and by extension, communities and families of their inalienable rights. The actions he undertook to defend his beloved Commonwealth of Virginia and the Confederate States of America are legendary. The loss of that cause does not negate its legitimacy.

Robert E. Lee was beloved by those who fought under his command. On more than one occasion when his blood was up in battle he strove to inspire his men by riding through his men's lines toward the enemy coming within range of the enemy. The men pleaded for him to retire to his rightful and proper position in the rear. His courage was unassailable. The men who followed him respectfully and lovingly called him "Mars' Robert." They marched hundreds of miles on meager rations, often unshod and poorly clothed. Yet, in battle they were a force that frequently won against overwhelming odds.

I'm a descendant of one of those men. He left such an impression upon my Great Great Grandfather, James Russell Underwood, that one of his sons was named Robert Edward Underwood.

Happy Birthday, Sir.

Deo Vindice

Birthday Musings

2008-01-18T10:08:00.001-06:00

One year ago a transition occurred in my life and the lives of many loved ones. I resigned the church that I served as pastor. The people there were good folks who loved God. It became obvious that my theological position and ministry philosophy were not in line with the direction that the lay leadership were embracing. So, I resigned. It was difficult. It came as surprise to many in the congregation. It was a painful experience.

Several families in the congregation were not in agreement with the positions the leadership held. They each left the congregation. Meeting in a home Bible study they decided to form a fellowship and subsequently asked me to lead it. From this beginning a congregation developed: Providence Family Fellowship. What a blessing this fellowship has become to each of us. We come from widely varied backgrounds. Yet, in the middle of the variations a strong, warm, God seeking fellowship has been forged.

We are a Reformed Baptist fellowship who practice a family integrated approach to ministry. We meet in homes. We have seen real spiritual growth take place in each member from the little to the large; growth that would have been almost impossible in the an age segregated format.

It has been a year. It is hard to believe that it has been a year and it is hard to believe that it has been only a year. Our lives have been knit together in a manner that is so natural that it is difficult to describe. The men have grown in their abilities to lead their families.

All of this has been by God's great grace. What a precious and marvelous God we serve. Praise be to him!!

Happy Birthday Providence Family Fellowship!

Well, well . . .

2008-01-07T15:35:00.001-06:00

This blog is still here!

Seriously, after months of insanity I'm resigning from the Rat Race. Therefore, there will be more moldy cheese for the winner.

The past several months have been an interesting period in life for me. I've learned a lot; much of which is probably not new to many.

After all that has taken place; all the energy expended, tears shed, sore muscles, sleepless nights, early mornings, intense conversations, and much more I now am even more convinced that Micah 6:8 sums it up.

'He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?'

Sublime wisdom from heaven.

The End of it All

2007-06-26T21:27:00.001-05:00

The end of it all is this: fear the Lord and keep his commandments. (Eccl. 12:13)

Pretty simple, huh? That little statement penned by King Solomon is a summary of the lessons learned from of one of the most unusual books in the Scriptures. Solomon, seeking fulfillment in life, delved into a narcissistic period most likely unmatched in history. And, it was vanity. This man, whom God endowed with incredible wisdom, summed up a lifetime of learning from mistakes in that seemingly pithy sentence. Amazing.

However, it is powerful in its truth. The two precepts encompass all of existence. In the next few posts I want to delve into these principles.

Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Simple, yet profound.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Ancient, yet relevant.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Simple, yet difficult.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Ancient, yet refreshing.

Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments.

Madison Avenue Missions?

2007-03-11T22:41:00.002-05:00

I thought I had seen it all. The current craze to use all means possible to grab the attention of non-churchgoers has produced some truly wacky methods of outreach in addition to ‘campaigns’ designed to draw people into the church’s facility. Becoming all things to all men in order that one might win some has reached a point of incredulity: cooking contests, races, ‘whatever’ nights, professional wrestlers, concerts, and much more. But, today I may have seen the topper.

When addressing this crazy unbiblical penchant for extreme outreach from the pulpit I have stated the following:

If it is all about drawing unsaved people here in order that they might be able to hear a message of hope I could pack this place out next week. It would be filled with unsaved men and women; those that need to hear the gospel. Here’s how I would do it.

I would take out ads that state that next Sunday we will be serving all the beer on tap that you can drink, all the food that you can eat, and every hour we will have special guests-strippers.

Yep, that will pack them in. But is it right?

I know that sounds silly, but push the reasoning to the nth degree and that is what happens.

In our city there is a congregation that is, in my opinion, far beyond the limits of acceptability regarding outreach programs. I’m no prude. But, I find the following appalling. On the marquee for the past several weeks has been a sign proclaiming the upcoming series to be ‘Pure Sex’. Along with this is the following url yourlamesexlife.net. Okay, a little racy. This week past a banner, and now bulletin boards are up:

The suggestive nature of the ads is inappropriate. Again, I’m no prude. I think that the church addresses human sexuality too little, on the whole. But, it must be done in a proper manner. And, we have no biblical warrant to use it as a method of evangelism. Yes, I know the logic behind it: Appeal to a felt need and then slip in the gospel. The only problem is that is not the biblical pattern of evangelism. It creates self-centered church goers who may or may not be actual Christians.

What do you think?

The Constant

2007-01-24T17:08:00.001-06:00

Constancy is an underrated commodity in our modern world. Mobile telephones, computers, media technology, automobiles, even cooking appliances seem to become outdated almost upon market entry. Families and individuals move on a regular and frequent basis. Rare is the individual who lives in the community where his grandparents lived. As a society we have embraced change to an amazing degree. This brings with it many stresses that our forebears never faced.

As I wrote earlier, our churches change methods seemingly at the drop of a hat. Our families face a barrage of change on a regular basis. Some changes are inevitable and wonderful: the growth of children, the deepening of relationships, marriage and children, these are good and a blessing. Other changes such as the blurring of familial roles, the demands placed upon working fathers, and the continual drone of the siren call of a fallen world to 'blend in' place a burden upon God fearing families.

What is the constant upon which we can depend? Obviously it is our unchanging Sovereign Lord. This may seem simple; but it is profound. He has placed us in this world at this time. He stands in stark contrast to the fluid society in which we live. This fact should make it much easier for the Christian to remain steadfast. Yet, many Christians are overwhelmed by the changes which they face. Why is this?

At the risk of offending I offer this: While most Christians say that God is sovereign they really do not believe it. Very few in the American church will stand and say that God is the absolute final determiner of events. Mention the fact that a hurricane's course is directed by God and you are called an eccentric at best. You may even be labeled an heretic. To what extent does the sovereignty of God extend? Proverbs 16:33 says, ' The lot is cast into the lap, but the disposition thereof is of the Lord.' Today we would say, 'The dice are rolled, but the numbers that come up come from God.' No, this is not a license to play games of chance. It is, however, a very clear indicator of just how far the the work of God extends into the affairs of man. This is not fatalism. This is a statement of explicit faith in God. The modern view of God is far too small. Modern Christianity's view of God is one of a God who is hindered from truly exercising his power. He is dependent upon the actions of others to accomplish his will. This is a far cry from the picture of God that is painted in the Biblical narrative.

How does this affect us in our daily struggle amidst the changes of life? In every way. Once the Christian surrenders his haughty intellect to the truth of our Sovereign Lord a true, deep, and lasting peace can enter the heart. We can trust unrelentingly upon the goodness of our God. We need not despair when unforeseen change occurs; regardless of how painful that change may be. Think about it. How could an unsovereign God fulfill the promise of Romans 8:28?

God is our constant.

In With the Old

2006-12-13T17:48:00.002-06:00

Recently I received a 'new' Bible. It is a new binding and typeset. But, it is a very old translation. The 1599 Geneva Bible. Tolle Lege press has published an edition of the Scriptures that is very well done. The Geneva Bible was the backbone translation of the English speaking world from its first printing in 1560 until well into the 17th century. What the folks have done at Tolle Lege is remarkable. Until now if you desired to read or use this translation you had to read a facsimile of an original. It takes some adjusting to use one. The spelling, punctuation, and type set have been updated. It contains all the text, less the Apocrypha, and the original notes. It is quite a work.

What amazes me is the ease with which it is read. Even for a modern English speaker the syntax is not difficult. It is much easier to read than the venerable Authorised Version (KJV). Theology aside it is easy to see why the Geneva remained the favoured translation for a long time after the publication of the KJV.

Perhaps with this new publication the older will replace the younger. It really is a beautiful translation. So, go out and buy a 'breeches Bible' for yourself. You won't regret it.

(I do not receive compensation in any form from Tolle Lege.)

Clean Shaven

2006-12-11T14:28:00.002-06:00

For the first time in almost half of my life my face is clean shaven. Yes, that may not mean much to you, but it is quite a change for some in my life. My daughter, up until three weeks ago, had never seen me in that state. I must admit it is still distracting to me when I pass a mirror or window in which I can see my reflection. It was not something that I desired to do. It was a requirement of my new 'secular' job.

It has been amazing to see the reactions of people who know me. Some people I've known for years have passed me without knowing they did so. They do a double take and, BAM! realisation sets in. Being in this renewed state has caused me to reflect upon just how much we become accustomed to appearance; how we come to expect certain people's appearance to remain static, how we find comfort in familiarity. We find comfort in being able to foreknow what is coming to some degree.

Unfamiliarity brings with it distraction. The first Lord's Day that I preached with my new look it was quite comical. As I preached I could tell that many people were gazing intently at my chin. Normally, the majority of my congregation maintains a good degree of eye contact, but not that day. Yesterday one member, who had been in attendance for the past three weeks, came to me and said, 'Pastor, I finally realised that you've shaved your beard off. I knew you looked different, but I could not place it. Now, I can really listen again.' I believe that in the life of a congregation stability and predictability can be a blessing; even in corporate worship. In our day of constant striving for new and innovative worship we may be missing a vital function of delivery: constancy. Are we in our endeavour for the novel missing the blessing of the mundane? Have we begun to place needless distractions in front of our congregants eyes and hearts?

Then there is the fact of setting: Recently I and my family have dipped our toes into the world of Reenacting the War Between the States or the War for Southern Independence. (Yes, I do not call that war the PC term. Regardless of your 'side' it is not an accurate term.) When I sported my beard it seemed to just 'fit'. Witness the photo above. Now I'm a clean shaven soldier. The look is completely different.

What has that to do with our view of congregational life? When we make a change we should be careful to see that the change fits the culture and manners of the situation in which we are placed. I know that this is elementary, but I constantly receive mail and emails touting instant church growth if one will purchase and apply the following 'package'. Some sorts of outreach, worship style, discipleship, etc, work very well in one setting and are totally inappropriate in others. Something as simple and basic to American Christians as 'door knocking' would be disastrous in other settings eg. the church in China, Vietnam, Tajikstan, or any other place where the church is undergoing persecution. This appears obvious, but do we do the same thing in our own subcultures? I believe so.

We would be wise to prayerfully consider any changes we make in our families and churches. Some changes, those mandated by Scripture, obviously should be pursued - within context. Others, perhaps not.

Mea Culpa

2006-12-01T11:40:00.002-06:00

Dear Readers,
Please accept my apologies. Over the past few several weeks I've had a whirlwind of changes take place. I went from being a general contractor during the week to sub-contracting. The work took me away from home for 12 - 16 hours each day. This left little time for reflection let alone writing. Three weeks ago I took a new job with a national building supply company as an outside salesman. It is a welcome change.

Additionally, our congregation is undergoing some interesting changes that are consuming my time.

But, this does not end my endeavour to raise the standard of Biblical Manhood. So, press on men. Honour God. Pursue the ideals of chivalrous living. Love and cherish those in your course of life, especially the women.

Until I have more time,
Lawrence

Modern Day Chivalry : Intergrity

2006-10-16T17:17:00.001-05:00

I'll never forget him. He was the Superintendent of the school that I went to for most of my underclass education. He had been there since shortly after the end of World War II. When he took the position at the small Christian prep school the only clothes he had were his U.S. Army uniforms. His name was Perry Mason. To this laddie Mr. Mason was larger than life. His office was on the hallway between the two buildings that made up our 'campus'. (They were actually surplus Quartermaster buildings.) He was a strict disciplinarian and rumour had it that his paddle was actually powered by electricity.

When I was in fourth grade I failed routinely to turn in my assignments. My teacher's paddlings didn't spur me on to greater academic endeavour. My father's didn't either. So, one fine day I was sent to see. . . Mr. Mason. I was mortified. I knew that I would not survive the electric paddle. I sat in his secretary's office and waited. He called me in. I cannot divulge all of the activities that took place behind his closed door. I'll just state that, yes, he did have a paddle that had a cord coming out of the handle. It was hanging in a display box on his wall. Our discussion was one that I will cherish for my entire life. From that day on I had a friend.

The main theme of it was this, 'Lawrence, the only thing you will ever have in your life is your name. Everything else belongs to someone else. What you do with your name is up to you.'

Fast forward. . .
I am now a senior attending the same school. Now we meet in a new state of the art (for 1980) school building. We have different superintendent. In chapel one morning our guest speaker was, Mr. Perry Mason.

I'll never forget that speech. Mr. Mason stood behind the pulpit and said, 'Young men and young ladies I may never have this opportunity to speak to you again. So, I want to tell you what I believe are the most important facts that I have learned in my life: In the end, there are only two things that matter. First, is your walk with God. Second, is your name; your integrity.' He went on from there.

Mr. Mason was a knight. He would come to the aid of the defenseless. He would shape the lives of those around him. He was a man that would keep his word to his own hurt. He was never do in private what he would be ashamed to speak of in public. He was a man with integrity.

At the core of real Christian manhood, not the emotion driven drivel that permeates the 'bookstore church', but the gutsy, strong, self-sacrificing, hard-nosed faith of Christ lies personal integrity. It is the foundation upon which all other honourable behaviour must be constructed. It is all too easy in our world of veneer to be lulled into a two, three, or more faced existence. Let's quit it and be whole men.

A Blustry Day

2006-10-16T17:07:00.001-05:00

Today we awoke to a gusty Southerly wind that bore upon it the Gulf's humidity. Off and on all day it has rained. At times the rain is a driven drizzle. At others it is a torrential downpour. Interspersed among those periods are moments of relative calm. I love this type of fall weather. It portends the coming cooler days and evenings that make living in this climate so enjoyable. As I sat on a porch and reflected upon the weather today I was reminded of how today's weather parallels much of life; at least mine. It seems as if my life consists of one period of 'blowing rain' after another. At times it is gentle, then comes a gale. I'm continually reminded of the apostle Paul's words to Timothy, ' All who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.' I will be the first to say that I've never faced real persecution. I've just been inconvenienced occasionally. Having said that, I do believe that disciples of Jesus Christ will have 'stormy' lives. How could it be otherwise?

We live world bent upon manifesting the depravity of our natural birth. We should come into regular and head on conflict with the ethos of the world. This should cause turbulence in our lives. We don't have to look for it; it will come.

But, we are not merely living 'today'. We are living for an eternal reward with our Saviour. The 'cooler weather' that is coming.

Hmm, My Technological Prowess Strikes Again!

2006-09-30T01:20:00.001-05:00

No, I really do know how to count. I realize that there is not a number three in the posts regarding chivalry. Somehow last night my little MacBook and Blogger didn't communicate clearly and I posted number IV about sixteen times with one push of the button. In trying to straighten it out I inadvertently deleted number III. It was a real humdinger, too. If you missed it you can pick it up at your local newsstand. Every paper in the nation carries my syndication. I wish. . .

You know that wonderful phrase of computer techs? PICNIC. I think sometimes I regress to that level.

Problem
In
Chair
Not
In
Computer

Ugh.

Knights and Modern Chivalry III

2006-09-28T22:16:00.004-05:00

'All Scripture is inspired and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction and for training in righteousness.'

'Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not be ashamed.'

These two scriptures from Paul's pen may not appear to be tied to chivalry. But, they lie at its core. As the system of knighthood developed in days of yore a central element was the devotion of the knight to God, the word of God, and the church. Obviously all knights were not Godly men, but the ethical system of knighthood, the chivalric code, was based upon Biblical ethics. Historically speaking there was not a written code that all knights swore to, rather it was an ethos that developed over time. It varied from one culture to another. The endearing ideals of chivalry that we remember today are probably best summed up by Bernard of Clairveuax. He listed twelve components of chivalry:

Integrity
Fidelity or Loyalty
Succor
Benevolence
Courtesy
Selflessness
Obedience to authority
Joyfulness
Frugality
Bravery or Fortitude
Cleanliness
Reverence

Each of these elements is derived from a proper understanding of Scripture. While one might try to develop the character traits in his strength in time he will fail. They can only be truly developed through the internal ministry of the Holy Spirit as a man lives in Christian community.

So, how do those Scriptures apply to this ethical code? First, we notice that the Scriptures are given by divine inspiration; literally 'God breathed'. This makes them unique among all writings. In them are contained all the wisdom revealed to man by Almighty God. They contain the wisdom which leads to salvation and so much more. If a man is to become a modern day knight he must accept this fact as his foundational commitment: The Holy Scriptures are the only divine revelation of Almighty God. They are the sole rule of faith and practice. In our lives we are bombarded by 'expert advice' of all sorts. Most of it is the dribblings of pagan minds. A great majority of the counsel that is given the modern church is compromised with worldly humanism at best. Some of it is outright heresy. If we are to recover genuine Godly manhood we must accept nothing but that which clearly taught and promoted in God's holy word.

Secondly, we see that Paul admonishes us to study the Scriptures. Not just to read them. Not just to be acquainted with them. No, we are to be diligent scholars of the word of God. The study of Scriptures is neglected by far too many men. In discussions with men I find that on average men spend less than five minutes per day reading the Bible. Almost none lead their family in Bible reading or family worship. How is a man to know the will of God if he does not read the revelation given to him?

So, men, pick up your Bible read it. Read it some more. Wear out the bindings. (I've made a deal with my congregation. If they will wear out their Bible's binding from study I will personally pay to have it rebound. I'm may have some men take me up on it in the next few months.) Study. Meditate upon the word. Become a man who doesn't have to turn to the 'experts' to find out where God said 'X'.

Over the next few posts we will look at each of the element of Chivalry, how the Bible addresses them, and how to implement them in our lives.

My Proverbs 31 Wife

2006-09-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

On 08January 1988 I married the most remarkable woman I've ever known. We were both so young and desperately loved one another. Today, we are older and love one another even more. Molly is the joy of my life. She loves me, encourages me, challenges me. pushes me, slows me down - she truly is a helper suitable for me.

As we have grown together I've seen her develop into one of the most practical Christian women I know. She has been given a dose of wisdom that is sorely needed in today's church.

A short while ago she started a blog. It is well worth marking whether you are a man or women. I've linked it in the left column or you can type it in. The address is mollyunderwood.blogspot.com

Knighthood and Modern Chivalry II

2006-09-09T08:05:00.001-05:00

I've been meaning to get back to this, but time has been a rare commodity. What I saw yesterday spurred me on. At times the most effective manner in which to define an idea or manner is to demonstrate what it is not.

While standing in amazement at the speed of the increasing digits on the diesel pump as I filled my truck I observed what may just be the essence of downgraded modern 'manhood'. I put that in quotation marks because I don't view what I saw as manhood in any shape.

A car pulled up and the man, sitting slouched behind the wheel, reached across and with a yell pushed the woman sitting there out of the door and in no uncertain terms, using language that is unprintable, ordered her to fill the gas tanks. She complied. As she was doing so a child in the back seat escaped the vehicle on the driver's side and began to run around. This tyke was probably about three years of age. 'Man' yelled that the woman needed to corral the blankity blank little blank. She complied. Meanwhile he nozzle over ran the tank. 'Man' yelled using similar erudite language skills for the woman to shut it off. (All the while he as a cheap cigarette hanging out of his mouth. God's mercy is hard to figure out.) She complied. He then told her to go in and pay for the gas. She asked for money. He told her to use her own. She complied. When she came back he began to smack her for taking so long. (All of two minutes or so.)

This vile man is the epitome of what is not manhood. The story doesn't end.

At this point I'd had enough. So had two other men. We approached the car and told the man to get out. He refused until one man said that the police had already been called. (Striking someone is battery.) Minutes later the police pulled up. The man was arrested on outstanding warrants. The police said that the woman was going to go to her mother's house in Birmingham.
As you read this you are probably have in your minds eye a rusted out car and two very shabbily dressed people with unkempt hair. 'White trash' as some would say. You'd be dead wrong. This car cost over $60,000. The people were dressed in very expensive clothing. If you had seen them walking down the street you would have probably been visually impressed. They, on the outside were poster children for modern 'success'.

That man is not a knight.

A Big Deal That is Not So Big.

2006-09-04T19:43:00.000-05:00

Today for the first time since May I was able to run without my ankle swelling like a pumpkin. Now, that may not be a big deal for you, but it is to me. In May, by God's mercy, I was spared serious injury to my legs in a construction accident. Really, it is a miracle that my legs and ankles were not crushed. I had been running for four months and was beginning to get a good level of fitness built up. All that came to a sudden stop. I did have to use a splint and cane for a while, but all in all I was spared a great deal.

This morning I ran the first real run since that date; and, no significant swelling! Praise God. Watch out roads, here I come.

A Lord's Day Morning

2006-09-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

This morning came cool and dry. Quite a change and very refreshing. As the sun rose, the birds began their chirping calls, and the leaves begin to nod in the breeze I find myself in awe of our Creator God. His beauty must be so far above anything we can imagine. It is humbling to realise that he would show us any favour at all.

Oh, the wonderful Lord we serve!

Knights and Modern Day Chivalry

2006-08-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

Knights. Their legacy filled the mind of many a lad. The history and legends of King Arthur, St. George, the Black Knight, and others fill scores of books. When I was a youngster they were some of the most worn books on the shelf of the classroom library and the general library. Recently, I was at the library and noticed that many of these same books, and others dealing with knights and chivalry, appeared to be almost new. They were on the rack of books to be sold. I picked up a copy of The Once and Future King, and noted that it had only been checked out twice in the last twelve years. The librarian told me that books on knights are just not popular any longer and they need the shelf space for other materials.

This anecdote is telling. Our culture is losing its last vestiges of masculinity. In masculinity's twilight boys are not drawn to the brawny-gentle heroes of the past. No, they now relish the conquests of barbaric heroes. This is evidenced in the popularity of many of the video games, movies, and other entertainment of popular culture. Masculinity has been redefined as brutality.

What would chivalry look like today? We'll explore that next time.

Call me a Fruit

2006-08-09T22:56:00.001-05:00

Well, I did it. I left the world of Windows and have joined the Apple crowd. After two years of fighting my Windows based laptop I have made the jump to the more stable Mac platform. And, so far I love it.

Safe in the Arms of Jesus

2006-08-07T20:56:00.001-05:00

Thunder Storm season is upon us, finally.

We have been in one of the driest seasons that our area has ever experienced. Normally, each day in the summer we have thunderstorms roll in from the Gulf. This year it has not happened with any regularity until this past week. The storms are beautiful to behold. They rise into the atmosphere with authority. The send shafts of lighting to the ground repeatedly. The thunder sounds like a 19th century artillery duel. The rain comes in torrents. I love it.

Yet, it was not always so. When I was a wee lad I was terrified of storms. I would hide in our little house behind the gas heater until they passed. I can still recall the odour of that hiding area over thirty-five years later. One afternoon as a storm was approaching our house my daddy took me out onto the little concrete stoop we had. He pointed out the storm to me. I wanted to run inside and hide. He kept talking. Explaining to this little five year old that God made the storms. That lightning causes the thunder. I can still remember that chat.

Later that summer we moved from our little house in Georgia to a new house in Arkansas. I 'helped' my daddy in the U-Haul truck. As we passed through the frying pan flats of the Arkansas Delta we drove through sections of rice and soy beans. In the distance there were very strong thunderstorms developing. Again, my daddy pointed them out and, because of the open country, he could show me much of what he'd already taught me. My response this time was very different. I wanted us to drive through the storms. I wanted to experience this phenomenon with my father who understood so much of it.

Now, I'm a storm bug. I love them. They fascinate me. I ended up growing up in one of the most active sections of the country for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. While I have a great deal of respect for them, I am drawn to them.

In our lives we have fear. Some fears are rational. Others, are not rational and works of our minds. Regardless of the source of our fear if we are Christians we have a Father who not only knows the details of the storm in which we find ourselves. He is the sovereign Lord of the situation and ultimately brings it into our live for our good. Romans 8:28 is an oft quoted and little understood passage of Scripture.

'For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.'

This is not a trite platitude that is to be tossed around. These words are the very anchor of sanity for the Christian. If you are called by God to salvation it is with a purpose. It is a plan of God and each occasion in our lives rests in the hand of God.

As we grow we should come to realise that we should not fear the storms of life. Rather, we should cherish them as the gifts of God that they are.

Hmm, this thing's still here. . .

2006-07-26T06:45:00.000-05:00

I know I sound like a broken record, but I may need to change my middle name to Hectic, Frazzled, or some other descriptor. In the past two months I've: crashed my comptuer at least a dozen times (I see an Apple in my future), been through my dog whelping and raising a litter in the house, been working furiously to finish a contract job and ended up being 'shafted' in a contract dispute, trying to keep my drying dying yard from drying and dying, doing all the normal 'pastory' stuff, trying to somehow put a brick on my daughter's head to keep her from growing up so fast.

Simplicity, that is what I've been meditating upon. Jesus Christ never seemed to be in a hurry. That is a facet of discipleship that is decidedly missing in American Christianity.

Conflagration

2006-05-21T17:43:00.001-05:00

It can start in such an insignificant manner. A campfire not properly extinguished. A tossed out butt from a cigarette. A single lightning strike. Even a broken piece of glass in the sunlight. Every year tens of thousands of acres of forest are lost to carelessness. While this is an ecological issue that can endanger the lives of local citizens and wildlife the damage it causes is temporal. There is an greater danger of conflagration that can happen. It is a spiritual fire. One that can destroy a family, church, and/or community.

James tells us, 'How great a fire is set ablaze by such a small fire! The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell itself.' Think about that: the putrid sulphurous flame of hell within our own bodies.

Such calamity and destruction normally begins in a small manner. An unkind word, a taunting jest, a critical look each of these can be the spark that in time results in a full blown conflagration - devouring everything in its path. Just as a forest fire can, given enough size, and topographical conditions develop its own wind drafts to move itself along; so can the fire of destruction in a family or congregation. At those times it is impossible to stop apart from the work of the Holy Spirit among us.

How many families have been destroyed by a careless word? How many congregations have split because of a selfish comment? Christians living in community must guard their tongues. Else, we perish.

Sunday Musings

2006-05-14T22:07:00.001-05:00

Today many across the nation, and several other countries celebrated Mother's Day. In our worship service this morning we focussed upon the role of the mother in the Godly home. Sadly, this role stands in stark contrast to much of what is presented to Christians in modern life. Motherhood is taking it on the chin in our culture. Its significance is downplayed. Its honour has been downgraded.

Many young women today do not even consider motherhood. It is not even in the realm or reason for them as they grow. (Note I did not write 'mature'.) This is tragic. The mother's role in the home is more than merely biological. The Scriptures show us that the mother is to work alongside the father to bring instruction, law, discipline, and ultimately wisdom to their children. This is ignored by many, if not most, today.

Children are not born little blank slates. The Scriptures teach us that we are born in sin. That the guilt of Adam is ours as well. The mother is to work with the father, in the power of the Spirit, using the tools at her disposal to drive the inborn foolishness from a child and prepare it to receive wisdom from above. This is tough work. This is vital work. This is work that is being skipped by far too many parents, Christian parents, today. Is it any wonder that we have a bunch of 20 and 30 somethings wandering aimlessly through life?

Training children to be godly adults is a monumental task. At times it can appear to be overwhelming. But, rest assured. The God of heaven stands ready with his powerful grace to accomplish his purposes through parents.

Mothers, you're necessary, needed, and wonderful.

The end of the 45

2006-04-16T21:27:00.001-05:00

No, this is not a post about the passing of a well loved calibre of firearm. In the year 1746 on this date a pivotal battle was fought on a moor in Eastern Scotland. The place's name still rings in the ears of Scots and those of Scottish lineage: Culloden.

Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart and his Highland army met one of the strongest armies of the world on the moor enroute, from the east, to Inverness. His goal to reclaim the throne of England from the Hanoverian George II. Why does such a moment in time still move the hearts of men today? For varied reasons. For the Scot it is the bravery of the clansmen: the valiant effort after a long march, a day and one half without sleep and two days without rations. And, it is the memory of the aftermath of Culloden. The English army under general orders massacred every known survivor. The redcoat soldiers relentlessly hunted down any one in anyway connected with the battle and brutally murdered them. The story is too graphic to detail here. Additionally, after the battle for all intents it became illegal to be a Scot. Speaking Gaelic, wearing the tartan, the pipes, and many other activities became illegal. It was an attempt to wipe out a culture. Did it work? Hardly.

So, you may ask, why write about something so long ago? What bearing does it have upon anything today? Good questions. Aside from the Highland blood that flows through my veins there is another reason. We can learn from the rough-hewn Highlanders. They knew that they were headed to battle against a larger, better equipped, professional army. Yet, they still fought. Why? The believed in the cause.

Christian, do you believe in the Cause? Many will say, 'Yes, obviously I believe. I am a Christian.' But, will you battle when the odds are obviously stacked against you? Will you march with your Lord into what, from your vantage point, appears to be sheer insanity?

In this life we must fight. We've already been promised the victory and yet so many cower.

Resurrection!

2006-04-15T19:41:00.001-05:00

Many Christians will set aside tomorrow as a special day in which to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Why this day? There are many people who will argue for varied reasons that we should not celebrate this day. In reality each day is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. However, celebrating that first day of the week following Passover is a special recognition that Jesus is the eternal Passover sacrifice. Hearkening back to the Exodus, God's great deliverance of his people Israel from Egyptian bondage, the Passover prophecies the deliverance of God's elect, the church, from the bondage of death. Why not celebrate that!

Christ's sacrifice at Golgotha is the pivotal point in God's eternal plan of redemption. His atonement for the elect is an incredible action. Why would Holy God die for sinful man? At the baseline of the answer is that it brings him great glory. Many today say that the sacrifice of Christ was to ransom men from the realm of Satan. Ridiculous! Satan has no power over the actions of God. He is a created being. His hands are bound by God. (Just read Job and see.) No, the sacrifice of Christ was to appease the just wrath of a holy God.

The following prayer comes from 'The Valley of Vision', published by Banner of Truth. In a very poignant fashion it brings to bear the reality and result of the ressurection of our Lord.

O God of my Exodus
Great was the joy of Israel's son,
when Egypt died upon the shore,
far greater the joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed in the dust.

Jesus strides forth as the victor,
conqueror of death, hell and all opposing might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
lives for ever.
He my gracious surety,
apprehened for payment of my debt,
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death.
Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering
is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil's sceptre is shivered,
that the wrongful thron is levelled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,
in him I rose,
in his life I live, in his victory I triumph,
in his acension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer,
thou who wast lifted up upon a cross.
art ascended to the highest heaven.
Thou, who as man of sorrows
wast crowned with thorns,
art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.
Once, no shame more deep than thine,
no agony more bitter,
no death more cruel.
Now, no exaltation more high,
no life more glorious,
no advocate more effective.
Thou are in the triumph car leading captive
thine enemies behind thee.
What more could be done than thou hast done!
Thy death is my life,
thy resurrection my peace,
thy ascension my hope,
thy prayers my comfort.

A Convicting Awareness

2006-04-09T07:35:00.001-05:00

A couple of days ago I took one of those quirky online polls. The purpose of this poll was to check one's congruency to Scottish Theologians. (Thanks to fatbapist for the poll. His link's on the left.) I scored 95% in alignment with Thomas Boston. I've admired Boston ever since learning of him and was somewhat amused by the score. Then 'this morning' happened. Context: I awoke from a dream in which I was tiring of the pastorate. I did my usual morning blog check and on Dr. George Grant's excellent blog read the following.

Thomas Boston
Born in 1676 in the obscure village of Duns, Berwickshire, Thomas Boston died on this day in 1732 in the equally obscure parish of Ettrick in the Scottish Borders. But his 56 years of life, 45 of them spent in conscious Christian discipleship, lend credibility to the spiritual principle that it is not where a Christian serves, but what quality of service he renders, that really counts.

Graduating with a degree in the classical arts from Edinburgh University, Boston was able to afford only one session of theological training. He then underwent a rigorous self-guided study program completing all his studies extramurally. With arduous discipline, sustained by only a meager library, his autodidactic studies earned him a widespread reputation. Indeed, as a Hebrew scholar he was, according to the renowned linguist George Morrison, 'welcomed as an equal by the finest Hebrew scholars in the world.' As a theologian, Jonathan Edwards wrote that he was 'a truly great divine.'

But it was as a loving, faithful, rigorously self-disciplined Christian pastor, and one deeply committed to the grace of God, that Boston was best remembered. Leaving his first charge at Simprin, where he served 1699-1707, he settled in Ettrick for a 25-year ministry that saw the numbers of communicants rise from a mere 60 in 1710 to nearly 800 in 1731.

Constantly burdened for his congregation, Boston taught them in season and out of season, in pulpit and at home. Burdened for the truth of the Gospel, he overcame all natural timidity to engage in confronting heretical doctrine and dealing with the critical cultural issues of the day. Though he was a quiet man, by all accounts he became a roaring lion in the pulpit. According to James Heatherton, 'There was a grip in it that no preacher wins who is a stranger to his own heart.'

He was thus counted as one of the most powerful and effective ministers of his day-and this despite the fact that he labored for Christ in an obscure, out of the way place all his life, never desiring for anything more. According to Thomas Chalmers, 'He so understood the covenant that he found his greatest reward amongst those who knew him best; so he never desired to leave them.'

As I read this I became more and more convicted of just how far short I fall from such a wonderful example as Thomas Boston. Some of our theological leanings may be the same, but my life is markedly different from him. The tireless dedication he exhibited to the preaching of the gospel and the loving of his congregation are an inspiration and indictment. By the time I finished my eyes were full of tears.

My God give me the grace and ability to serve as such a faithful man.

Unabated Activity

2006-03-30T21:47:00.001-06:00

The frenetic pace of life has continued unababted. Yet, in this time precious lessons are learned. Primarily: SLOW DOWN! As Americans we seem to be enamoured of the fast, the furious, and the frequent. We have fast food, fast cars, fast medicines, fast everything. Out of my own musings I hope to share a message that I need to relearn myself. Enjoy this marvelous creation that God has made. Faithfulness, not exhaustion is the mark of a true disciple of Christ. May God find us faithful with enough energy to serve those whom he entrusts to us.

I find a great deal of symbolism in the picture I've posted. I took this while driving down a busy road. In the foreground and on the ground you can see the normal hubbub of life. People driving like mad men. Yet, lift your eyes and behold the beauty of heaven.

Reformers on Islam and Mohammed

2006-01-30T07:23:00.001-06:00

To hear some Christians speak one would think that dealing with Islam and its violence is a distinctly modern task. This is not the case. A good study of Church history will reveal a great deal of discussion about Islam and its founder Mohammed. The reformers Calvin and Luther were not silent on this topic. A hearty, 'Thank You!' to Dr. George Grant for his permission to quote the article below. It is from his worthy blog, Grantian Florilegium. (Linked in the left side bar.)

Luther and Calvin on Islam
John Calvin in a sermon on Deuteronomy 18:15 maintained that Muhammad was one of “the two horns of antichrist.” In his commentaries on Daniel (7: 7-18), Calvin put forward the theory that the Muslim Turks were the little horn that sprang up from the beast. As the Turks had conquered much of the old Roman Empire, much of the prophecies concerning Rome could apply to the Muslim world. He believed that Islam was one of the two legs of the later Roman Empire described in Daniel 2.

In expounding Daniel 9, Martin Luther noted that among others, the prophet Daniel was talking about the Muslim Turks, who at the time were invading Europe, “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation... He will cause deceit to prosper and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.” Of Daniel 9: 23-25, Luther wrote that the “two regimes, that of the Pope and that of the Turk, are... antichrist.”

Commenting on Daniel 11:37, Calvin wrote that Muhammad “allowed to men the brutal liberty of chastising their wives and thus he corrupted that conjugal love and fidelity which binds the husband to the wife... Mohammad allowed full scope to various lusts--by permitting a man to have a number of wives... Mohammad invented a new form of false religion.”

Luther noted that Christ warned about false prophets coming from the desert (Matthew 24: 24-26) and this certainly included Muhammad. Commenting on 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-12, Calvin wrote, “the sect of Mohammad was like a raging overflow, which in its violence tore away about half of the church.” In his commentary on 1 John 2: 18-23, Calvin states that the Turks “have a mere idol in place of God.”

In a sermon on 2 Timothy 1:3, Calvin explained, ”The Turks at this day, can allege and say for themselves: ‘We serve God from our ancestors!’ ... It is a good while ago since Mahomet gave them the cup of his devilish dreams to drink, and they got drunk with them. It is about a thousand years since those cursed hellhounds were made drunk with their follies... Let us be wise and discreet! For otherwise, we shall be like the Turks and Heathen!”

Luther observed from 1 John 2: 18-22 and 4: 1-3, “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son.” Of 1 John 2: 22 he wrote that Muslims “deny both the Fatherhood of God and the Deity of Christ--hence they are liars. They testify against the truth of God’s Word.” On 1 John 4: 3-6, he wrote “but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist... this is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” He observed that the Muslims ultimately want “to eradicate the Christians.”

Not much ambivalence there--not that Luther or Calvin were ever really ambivalent about anything!

Back At It.

2006-01-29T09:00:00.000-06:00

After several weeks of frenetic activity it appears that I will be able to pick up the blog again. Over the next few weeks my desire is to continue the Foundations series and also to respond to current events. The recent news of Hamas' victory in the state of Palestine and the Iranian pursuit of nuclear technology are serious and warrant discussion.

May your Lord's day be blessed with his gracious presence.

Pastor Adrian Rogers Sees the King

2005-11-15T21:25:00.001-06:00

This morning I received news that one of my childhood heroes had passed on to the Lord: Adrian Rogers. I was privileged to have met Pastor Rogers as a young man. He was a bold and courageous preacher. While we would differ on several key points of theology I have a great deal of respect for him. Her fearlessly preached justification in Christ's sacrifice. He boldly took a stand against the tide of evil sweeping across our nation. He was key in the resurgence of a belief in Biblical inerrancy, not only in the Southern Baptist Convention, but in many arenas of American Evangelicalism.

As a young child visiting my grandparents sometimes I would stay at home on Sunday mornings with my grandfather. We would watch the Bellevue Baptist service together on television. I would hear Pastor Rogers booming baritone voice. I would see his reverence for Scripture. I would feel through his preaching his intense love for Jesus Christ. In all of this I was pressed forward in my own life.

Thank you, Pastor Rogers. Thank you for your example. Thank you for the encouragement. Thank you for loving our Lord.

Sunday Musings

2005-11-06T06:46:00.000-06:00

This morning I read he following on George Grant's blog:

"Think yourself dry, read yourself full, write yourself clear, and pray yourself hot." Alistair Begg

What a great admonition for us pastors on sermon preparation!

In the Beginning (Structural Failure cont. Pt. 2)

2005-10-22T19:44:00.001-05:00

No, this is not a post about origins; not in the cosmic sense. Rather, it pertains to the origins of the family. When we view the surrounding landscape of devastation after a storm we see varying degrees of failure in buildings. Some are scarcely damaged while others are demolished. There are many variables that can lead to such a scene. The common denominator is that of the engineering and construction of the structures.

Psalm 127:1 states: 'Unless the Lord builds the house they labour in vain who build it.' This is true in every arena of life. In this study we are focusing upon the family . The Lord must be the engineer and builder of the family if it is to stand. In our day of pragmatism we are apt to view the setting in which we find ourselves and then shape our approach to fit what we see. Nothing could be more dangerous! God, who does not change, has laid down a masterplan for the family and it alone can survive the stress of life.

In Genesis chapters one through three we see recorded for us the beginnings. The beginnings of all we know are found here. Some see this as a Hebrew allegory. This cannot be true or God himself would be a liar. In the recitation of creation we find that God created man, Adam, then he created woman, Eve, as a suitable helper for Adam. Adam is then recorded to have said, ' This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Genesis 2:23. God then records the following statement: 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.' Jesus Christ, thousands of years later quotes this verse adding, ' What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.'

In this we see several vital points pertaining to the foundation of the family structure:

1. It is part of God's created order.
2. Man is to be the leader (head) within the home.
3. Woman is fashioned to be the helper especially suited to the man.
4. The basic building block of the home is one man and one woman joined for life.
5. God sees the union of the man and the woman as a permanent joining.
6. Within their earthly relationships the marriage relationship is to take top priority.

Structural Failure

2005-10-01T19:05:00.001-05:00

A little over one month ago one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever strike the United States roared into the Central Gulf coast. In our city of Mobile, Alabama we saw hours of hurricane force winds. Low lying areas where flooded severely, trees were blown down, houses were damaged or destroyed, and for days there was no electrical power. All of this even though we are over 100 miles from the eye strike area. Between here and there is a surreal landscape. In what used to be some of the most strikingly beautiful scenes our area has to offer it is now a scene of destruction and grief. Where strong, historic antebellum houses once stood watch over placid seas debris and rubble are all that exist. Where strongly built, multistoried buildings still stand they are being demolished due to structural failure.

Structural failure also exists in the church. It has not been a severe storm suddenly devastating us; it has been a slow eroding - more termites than hurricane. Grieving Christians stand amid the rubble of their lives wondering how it happened. Others are living in danger, unaware that the foundation and structure of their lives are being eroded.

'Unless the Lord builds the house they labour in vain who build it.' - Psalm 127:1a