I grew up listening to Paul Harvey. He recently passed away shortly after losing his lovely wife “Angel.” I enjoyed hearing him announce the anniversaries of couples who had been married for many decades. His love for his own wife and his admiration for those who had stayed with their commitment to their spouses was clearly apparent as I would listen to his noontime visits. Paul Harvey has since passed on, and so has the meaning of marriage.
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I am so grateful for my own wife. Proverbs 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I truly found a good thing. She was worth waiting for, and I hope I do not take my special “angel” for granted. Many of my friends were married before I was, but I was committed to waiting for the right one. Proverbs 31:10 asks, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” I was looking for such a prize.
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In my quest for a mate to love and cherish, I always knew that I was looking for a woman. In earlier times that would have been so obvious as to not even to be stated. Today things have changed so much. Our Iowa Supreme Court has trampled on the very meaning of the word marriage, suggesting that two people of the same gender can be united in matrimony. By the way, there is a vote every couple of years on whether or not these judges should be retained. All the judges currently on the Iowa Supreme Court voted against the ban on same gender marriage. Typically the section on the election ballots pertaining to judges is ignored because people do not know anything about them. Well folks, I’m not telling you how to vote, but do not forget next election, that you know something about each and every one of these judges now. Further, it would be wise to know what kind of judges you would expect a candidate for Governor to appoint as well. If I understand it correctly, if enough people vote no on a judge, then the Governor must appoint an new one.
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Enough on politics though. I am not as alarmed over what is happening in our courts as I am over what is happening in our churches. Recently a preacher named Rick Warren suggested that he was more concerned over the economy than he was over what had happened here in Iowa concerning homosexual marriage. Other so-called pastors actually said that this decision was good. What is going on when people who call themselves “Christians” so blatantly go against what the Bible teaches?
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Now I understand that not everyone will agree with what the Bible teaches on this issue. I actually expect those who reject God and His Word to disagree with me. That is understandable, but I must make it very clear what the Bible says about this issue for the sake of those who claim to be “Christian.” If you believe God and His Word, you cannot ignore these verses.
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“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31
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“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Leviticus 18:22
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“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Romans 1:26-32
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“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” 1 Corinthians 6:9
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Some folks get angry when such verses are used. It is almost as if they believe that if the rest of us ignore these passages, then God will too. I am just a man. I have no right to change or ignore the word of God. Further, it is my job to warn about what God says, even if it steps on some toes. It is time that more “Christians” took a stand for the Word or God, or else quit calling themselves “Christian.” This challenge includes the wolves in sheep’s clothing who call themselves pastors and yet reject the clear teaching of the Word of God.
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Some may argue that my call for people to quit calling themselves “Christian” will lead to fewer Christians, and therefore I should be careful what I ask for. Think about it, if they do not stand for what Christ taught anyway, why would we want them to call themselves by His name when they are really just imposters? Is God glorified by that, or does it just confuse the rest of the world about what it means to be a Christian? “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Daydreaming
I’ll admit it, I’m a day dreamer. In fact, I usually fall asleep at night thinking about something. Throughout the day, if I am not actually doing something, I am generally thinking about something. I’m guessing we all day dream. How often don’t you find yourself thinking about sports, your job, your family, or your favorite television show?
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Recently I have been day dreaming about building a garage. I may never do it, but I think it would be fun. The problem is that with my carpentry background, I do not just day dream about the size and kind of garage, but I also daydream about how to build it. Of course it would be better to use 2x6’s than 2x4’s, but is the extra cost justified? What kind of siding should I use? I could go with wood, steel, vinyl, or even cement board. Then there is the roof. Asphalt shingles vs. steel- steep pitch vs. flatter pitch- hip vs. gable- rafters vs. trusses.
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As I daydream on this one little subject, I quickly realize how long I could spend thinking about it and still have unanswered questions. Suddenly, my daydreaming led to a demand to find answers for some of my questions. How much does a 2x4 actually cost compared to a 2x6? How long of a 2x4 can I by? I was actually able to find these answers fairly easily. All I had to do was look at the Menard’s ad. Soon, my daydreaming had actually led to study. Not only did I have the Menard’s ad before me, but I also had a calculator and a piece of scrap paper. Soon I knew how much more it would cost to use the 2x6’s and that I could easily get a 20 ft long 2x4.
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As I said, I spend a lot of time daydreaming, but I do not always think about building things. I also day dream about God. I think about Him and what He has told us through His word. The Scripture uses the word “meditate” (to ponder--imagine) rather than daydream. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8. Psalms 77:12 says, “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”
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When I daydream about the things of God, I often come up with questions that I do not have the answers to, just like when I day dreamed about building the garage. I obviously will not find the answers to the most important questions of life in the Menard’s circular. I will however find them in the Bible. Now the Bible is much bigger than the Menard’s add, so I may have to work a bit to find the answers. 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
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It will take work and study to find Bible answers, just like it took work and study to find out the cost difference between 2x4’s and 2x6’s. In the garage example, I received help in my study from my calculator. I could have done it by hand, but it would have took a bit longer. There are also study helps for Bible learning. One of the most basic is the concordance. An exhaustive concordance is a book that lists all the words in the Bible. It then tells you which verses those words are found in. It is very helpful in finding what the Bible says on a particular subject.
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The other tool you should have is that piece of scrap paper. Write down the verse and jot a few notes as you study, then think about what you have learned. Meditate on it and then search for the answers for your new questions. As you do this, do not neglect prayer. Ask for God’s help in your study.
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If you have internet access, you do not even have to buy a concordance. You can find one online for free at places like blueletterbible.org. At this site, all you have to do is type in the word your are looking for, hit search, and it will bring up the verses. Then you can click on the verse that you want, and it will bring you right to that chapter so that you can look at it in context (this is very important to be sure you apply it correctly). Then you can also click on other study helps including the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge which is a link to other verses on the same topic. Take some time to use this tool, and you will quickly find that the Bible has more answers than you ever imagined. It will give you endless material to daydream about.
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Recently I have been day dreaming about building a garage. I may never do it, but I think it would be fun. The problem is that with my carpentry background, I do not just day dream about the size and kind of garage, but I also daydream about how to build it. Of course it would be better to use 2x6’s than 2x4’s, but is the extra cost justified? What kind of siding should I use? I could go with wood, steel, vinyl, or even cement board. Then there is the roof. Asphalt shingles vs. steel- steep pitch vs. flatter pitch- hip vs. gable- rafters vs. trusses.
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As I daydream on this one little subject, I quickly realize how long I could spend thinking about it and still have unanswered questions. Suddenly, my daydreaming led to a demand to find answers for some of my questions. How much does a 2x4 actually cost compared to a 2x6? How long of a 2x4 can I by? I was actually able to find these answers fairly easily. All I had to do was look at the Menard’s ad. Soon, my daydreaming had actually led to study. Not only did I have the Menard’s ad before me, but I also had a calculator and a piece of scrap paper. Soon I knew how much more it would cost to use the 2x6’s and that I could easily get a 20 ft long 2x4.
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As I said, I spend a lot of time daydreaming, but I do not always think about building things. I also day dream about God. I think about Him and what He has told us through His word. The Scripture uses the word “meditate” (to ponder--imagine) rather than daydream. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8. Psalms 77:12 says, “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”
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When I daydream about the things of God, I often come up with questions that I do not have the answers to, just like when I day dreamed about building the garage. I obviously will not find the answers to the most important questions of life in the Menard’s circular. I will however find them in the Bible. Now the Bible is much bigger than the Menard’s add, so I may have to work a bit to find the answers. 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
-
It will take work and study to find Bible answers, just like it took work and study to find out the cost difference between 2x4’s and 2x6’s. In the garage example, I received help in my study from my calculator. I could have done it by hand, but it would have took a bit longer. There are also study helps for Bible learning. One of the most basic is the concordance. An exhaustive concordance is a book that lists all the words in the Bible. It then tells you which verses those words are found in. It is very helpful in finding what the Bible says on a particular subject.
-
The other tool you should have is that piece of scrap paper. Write down the verse and jot a few notes as you study, then think about what you have learned. Meditate on it and then search for the answers for your new questions. As you do this, do not neglect prayer. Ask for God’s help in your study.
-
If you have internet access, you do not even have to buy a concordance. You can find one online for free at places like blueletterbible.org. At this site, all you have to do is type in the word your are looking for, hit search, and it will bring up the verses. Then you can click on the verse that you want, and it will bring you right to that chapter so that you can look at it in context (this is very important to be sure you apply it correctly). Then you can also click on other study helps including the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge which is a link to other verses on the same topic. Take some time to use this tool, and you will quickly find that the Bible has more answers than you ever imagined. It will give you endless material to daydream about.
Cell Phones
Cell phones are wonderful inventions. As long as you have your phone with you and it is changed up, you can make a call from almost anywhere. Unfortunately telemarketers are starting to get a hold of some of the numbers. Suddenly it seems almost impossible to get away from them- unless you live in Bancroft. Fortunately the reception in town is bad enough that you can hope your call will be dropped if a telemarketer happens to call you.
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Now I really should not complain because the reception is better in some parts of town, and even in some parts of the house, than in others. For example, I get the best reception of all in my office. That is truly a blessing, because that is where I make most of my calls. I‘ve learned however, that if I have an important call, I should not walk around with the phone. I recently did that with my brother and the call was dropped. I talk to him often enough that he has gotten used to it and knows that I am not just hanging up on him.
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In spite of the challenges of dropped calls, the cell phone is still a useful tool. I really like the caller ID feature. This lets me know the number and often the name of the person calling me. Sometimes, however, I get calls that have no identifying number. After a while, I figured out that these are often the telemarketers. Aha, that gave me a caller idea. If I am in the middle of something and do not want to be disturbed, I do not have to answer the calls with no number by them. If it is really important, they can always leave a message.
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As I write this, I must ask if there are any lessons we can learn about God based on the illustration of the cell phone. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” With the cell phone we often wait to make our calls until we have free minutes, but we should not just wait for our free minutes to talk to God.
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Now I must ask, do we ever have to worry about dropped calls with God? Our first thought may be to say no, but is that really what the Scripture teaches? Psalms 66:18 makes it clear that, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” May we be careful not to shut down communication between God through sin. Thankfully, that problem is easier to rectify than a lost cell phone signal. For, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.
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Essentially sin is the only thing that can interfere with our communication with God. We are not dependant on signals, towers, satellites, or even other men. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” I Timothy 2:5.
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Finally, I cannot make a call on my cell phone if I have no battery. Without power, my phone is useless. We have already established that if we regard sin in our hearts, the Lord will not hear. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. That means that all humanity has the problem of sin standing between them and their prayers to God. The only way to have our sins forgiven is through Christ alone. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:24-26.
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These verses make it clear that Jesus is the justifier, no one else. The sin problem for all humanity is presented in verse 23, then Jesus Christ is presented as the solution. It is through His righteousness, not our own. This fact is made even more clear as we read the very next verse of this passage: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:27.
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When our sins are forgiven so that we can be reconciled to God, we have nothing to brag about, because it was through the righteousness of Christ, not through any of our own works. This brings us to a final point, I have to pay to use my cell phone, but I do not have to pay for salvation- Christ paid it for me by grace. Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Titus 3:5-7 affirms, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
-
Now I really should not complain because the reception is better in some parts of town, and even in some parts of the house, than in others. For example, I get the best reception of all in my office. That is truly a blessing, because that is where I make most of my calls. I‘ve learned however, that if I have an important call, I should not walk around with the phone. I recently did that with my brother and the call was dropped. I talk to him often enough that he has gotten used to it and knows that I am not just hanging up on him.
-
In spite of the challenges of dropped calls, the cell phone is still a useful tool. I really like the caller ID feature. This lets me know the number and often the name of the person calling me. Sometimes, however, I get calls that have no identifying number. After a while, I figured out that these are often the telemarketers. Aha, that gave me a caller idea. If I am in the middle of something and do not want to be disturbed, I do not have to answer the calls with no number by them. If it is really important, they can always leave a message.
-
As I write this, I must ask if there are any lessons we can learn about God based on the illustration of the cell phone. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” With the cell phone we often wait to make our calls until we have free minutes, but we should not just wait for our free minutes to talk to God.
-
Now I must ask, do we ever have to worry about dropped calls with God? Our first thought may be to say no, but is that really what the Scripture teaches? Psalms 66:18 makes it clear that, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” May we be careful not to shut down communication between God through sin. Thankfully, that problem is easier to rectify than a lost cell phone signal. For, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.
-
Essentially sin is the only thing that can interfere with our communication with God. We are not dependant on signals, towers, satellites, or even other men. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” I Timothy 2:5.
-
Finally, I cannot make a call on my cell phone if I have no battery. Without power, my phone is useless. We have already established that if we regard sin in our hearts, the Lord will not hear. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. That means that all humanity has the problem of sin standing between them and their prayers to God. The only way to have our sins forgiven is through Christ alone. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:24-26.
-
These verses make it clear that Jesus is the justifier, no one else. The sin problem for all humanity is presented in verse 23, then Jesus Christ is presented as the solution. It is through His righteousness, not our own. This fact is made even more clear as we read the very next verse of this passage: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:27.
-
When our sins are forgiven so that we can be reconciled to God, we have nothing to brag about, because it was through the righteousness of Christ, not through any of our own works. This brings us to a final point, I have to pay to use my cell phone, but I do not have to pay for salvation- Christ paid it for me by grace. Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Titus 3:5-7 affirms, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Friday, March 27, 2009
Unchristian
What does it mean to be unchristian? It could mean being uncharitable, thus acting contrary to Christian teaching. It can also mean being non-Christian, in other words not being a Christian. The prefix ‘un’ often has the idea of undoing. Has there ever been a time when Christianity has been undone- undone to the point that it becomes unchristian? Sadly this has and is happening.
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There was a time when the Bible was believed by all who called themselves Christians. That is no longer the case. Much has changed over the last couple of hundred years with the advent of modernism/liberalism within the churches. A major characteristic of this movement was a denial of the supernatural. Biblical narratives such as Jonah and the whale and the parting of the Red Sea were said to be just stories and not real events. The argument was that they either did not happen or had just been exaggerated. It was essentially a denial of the Word of God.
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These so called scholars often suggest that key doctrines of the Bible are accurate, but science and history are not. Some would even lie and state that the Bible teaches a flat earth, when in fact the Bible actually teaches that the earth is round. The first part of Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.” I am simply giving this example to show how the Bible is slandered. Further, archeological discoveries continue to affirm the accuracy of the Bible and its history. The same could be said about science (actual provable experiments, not theories).
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So what happens when only part of the Bible is accepted as inerrant? People are not dumb. If we cannot trust all of the Bible, why should we trust any of it? Had the scholars simply come out and said that we can’t trust any of the Bible, they would have immediately been run out of the church as heretics. Yet once you give room for error in the Scriptures, you are essentially saying that the Bible cannot be trusted. Once that happens, precious fundamentals of the faith are soon denied. Soon evolution is being taught. The resurrection of Christ is denied along with His deity (fact that He is God). Soon it is taught that your eternal destiny is not even affected by whether or not you are a Christian. In fact, the existence of heaven and hell are even denied. At this point, Christianity ceases to be Christian.
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Seminaries like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton once stood for the truth of God’s word. They were established to train pastors. Today they are totally secular and often in opposition to Scripture. Many of the less known seminaries are not any better. The denial of the Bible as accurate has taken over and that teaching has been passed on to the pastors that fill the pulpits.
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Can you imagine that churches would send their pastors to be trained in places that deny that you should trust your Bible? As crazy as it sounds, that is exactly what has been happening in many denominations. No wonder so few pastors are able to clearly teach the Bible. Why teach it if you don’t even believe it?
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About a hundred years ago, many men across a broad denomination spectrum began to sound the alarm about the denial of basic fundamentals of the faith. They became known as the fundamentalists. They were not a new movement. They were the ones who stood where Christians have stood throughout the ages. I am among the remnants of traditional Christianity throughout the ages. I still believe the Bible. I still preach and declare every word of it as from God. This is not some new novel idea, rather it is basic to what it really means to be a Christian. That is why we are often called “fundamentalists”.
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“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 2 Timothy 3:16
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“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Romans 3:4
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“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Romans 16:17
-
There was a time when the Bible was believed by all who called themselves Christians. That is no longer the case. Much has changed over the last couple of hundred years with the advent of modernism/liberalism within the churches. A major characteristic of this movement was a denial of the supernatural. Biblical narratives such as Jonah and the whale and the parting of the Red Sea were said to be just stories and not real events. The argument was that they either did not happen or had just been exaggerated. It was essentially a denial of the Word of God.
-
These so called scholars often suggest that key doctrines of the Bible are accurate, but science and history are not. Some would even lie and state that the Bible teaches a flat earth, when in fact the Bible actually teaches that the earth is round. The first part of Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.” I am simply giving this example to show how the Bible is slandered. Further, archeological discoveries continue to affirm the accuracy of the Bible and its history. The same could be said about science (actual provable experiments, not theories).
-
So what happens when only part of the Bible is accepted as inerrant? People are not dumb. If we cannot trust all of the Bible, why should we trust any of it? Had the scholars simply come out and said that we can’t trust any of the Bible, they would have immediately been run out of the church as heretics. Yet once you give room for error in the Scriptures, you are essentially saying that the Bible cannot be trusted. Once that happens, precious fundamentals of the faith are soon denied. Soon evolution is being taught. The resurrection of Christ is denied along with His deity (fact that He is God). Soon it is taught that your eternal destiny is not even affected by whether or not you are a Christian. In fact, the existence of heaven and hell are even denied. At this point, Christianity ceases to be Christian.
-
Seminaries like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton once stood for the truth of God’s word. They were established to train pastors. Today they are totally secular and often in opposition to Scripture. Many of the less known seminaries are not any better. The denial of the Bible as accurate has taken over and that teaching has been passed on to the pastors that fill the pulpits.
-
Can you imagine that churches would send their pastors to be trained in places that deny that you should trust your Bible? As crazy as it sounds, that is exactly what has been happening in many denominations. No wonder so few pastors are able to clearly teach the Bible. Why teach it if you don’t even believe it?
-
About a hundred years ago, many men across a broad denomination spectrum began to sound the alarm about the denial of basic fundamentals of the faith. They became known as the fundamentalists. They were not a new movement. They were the ones who stood where Christians have stood throughout the ages. I am among the remnants of traditional Christianity throughout the ages. I still believe the Bible. I still preach and declare every word of it as from God. This is not some new novel idea, rather it is basic to what it really means to be a Christian. That is why we are often called “fundamentalists”.
-
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 2 Timothy 3:16
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“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Romans 3:4
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“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Romans 16:17
Friday, March 20, 2009
FEAR GOD
The thunder rolled the lightning struck
Thick the cloud, loud the trump
The Lord came down with fire and smoke
He showed His power before He spoke
The ground did quake as did man
Then spake God, the Great I Am
He gave commands, ten spoke out
And wrote in stone so no doubt
They moved back with fearful zeal
Their fear of God, it was real
Oh that there were such a heart in man
That he would fear & obey command
Observe ye now to do therefore
Fear the Lord as those before
From Exodus 19-20 and Deut. 5
Thick the cloud, loud the trump
The Lord came down with fire and smoke
He showed His power before He spoke
The ground did quake as did man
Then spake God, the Great I Am
He gave commands, ten spoke out
And wrote in stone so no doubt
They moved back with fearful zeal
Their fear of God, it was real
Oh that there were such a heart in man
That he would fear & obey command
Observe ye now to do therefore
Fear the Lord as those before
From Exodus 19-20 and Deut. 5
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I've Got Culture: Agri-Culture
When I was still on the farm, I saw a shirt that got my attention. The slogan on the shirt read, “I’ve Got Culture: Agriculture.” I considered getting that shirt but instead opted for one that had a farmer standing in a field with the words, “Out standing in his field.”
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As I reflected on the farm humor of days gone by, I was reminded of the whole concept of culture in general. Often right and wrong is assessed based on cultural relativism, or cultural ethics. The problem with such an approach is that it allows culture to determine right and wrong rather than God. We must not forget that good and evil, right and wrong are determined by God, not us. We are not allowed to redefine it. Abraham Lincoln once asked, “If I call my dogs tail a leg, how many legs does my dog have?” His answer, four! My dog only has four legs no matter what I call his tail. Calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg. Calling something acceptable does not make it unsinful.
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As we consider the subject of cultural relativism, is it acceptable to suggest that some cultures are morally inferior to others? In our multicultural society, such a suggestion is prone to bring about accusations of bigotry and even racism. We must understand that in some cases it is only right to point out the shortcomings of a culture. For example, the Children of Israel were warned about a cultural practice of their neighbors the Ammonites who sacrificed their children to the false god Molech by burning them in fire. “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 18:21. Few would disagree that the culture of child sacrifice is evil.
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The example of the Ammonites is relatively benign for us today, for I do not know of many people who still worship Molech. Therefore I can use that example and not ruffle too many feathers. What about a culture that encourages its children to strap bombs to their bodies and blow themselves up in crowded public areas with the purpose of killing as many people as possible? What about a culture that prides itself in honor killings of relatives who they feel have disgraced their families and culture? From a Biblical perspective, not only must I condemn the religious beliefs of Islam, but also the culture of violence. Some would call me intolerant for such a statement. That’s okay with me, let me go on record that I am intolerant of murder. What is more intolerant, writing about those we disagree with or killing them? A culture of intolerance that leads to murder is something we all must be concerned about.
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I am saddened that the debate over culture often leads instead to a debate over race. Many Muslims are Arabs, but we must not come to the conclusion that all Arabs are more evil than anyone else. The issue is not their race, but what values they embrace.
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Many of those same issues come up when we examine the values of some of our inner city cultures in this county. For example, a culture that encourages drug use, out of wedlock births, and violence should be spoken against. Sadly, instead of speaking against such a culture, many speak against a race. These behaviors are wrong no matter what races are involved in them. Further, not every person of a particular race does those things, and it is wrong to imply they do.
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At the same time, it would be just as wrong to ignore the sinful characteristics of a culture just because of a fear of offending a certain demographic within our society. What I am suggesting is judging a culture by the content of its character, not by the color of its skin. -
What about the culture of our own small town agricultural area. It is easy to pride ourselves in our small town values, yet culture relativism has crept in here as well. For example, we live in a culture where premarital sex (fornication) is accepted. We live in a culture where our possessions have become our gods. We live in a culture were divorce and adultery are all too frequent. We live in a culture where we covet and want whatever someone else has. We live in a culture where it is not uncommon for our citizens to get drunk.
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1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
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It is time for people to reject their cultures and embrace God.
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“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3.
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As I reflected on the farm humor of days gone by, I was reminded of the whole concept of culture in general. Often right and wrong is assessed based on cultural relativism, or cultural ethics. The problem with such an approach is that it allows culture to determine right and wrong rather than God. We must not forget that good and evil, right and wrong are determined by God, not us. We are not allowed to redefine it. Abraham Lincoln once asked, “If I call my dogs tail a leg, how many legs does my dog have?” His answer, four! My dog only has four legs no matter what I call his tail. Calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg. Calling something acceptable does not make it unsinful.
-
As we consider the subject of cultural relativism, is it acceptable to suggest that some cultures are morally inferior to others? In our multicultural society, such a suggestion is prone to bring about accusations of bigotry and even racism. We must understand that in some cases it is only right to point out the shortcomings of a culture. For example, the Children of Israel were warned about a cultural practice of their neighbors the Ammonites who sacrificed their children to the false god Molech by burning them in fire. “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 18:21. Few would disagree that the culture of child sacrifice is evil.
-
The example of the Ammonites is relatively benign for us today, for I do not know of many people who still worship Molech. Therefore I can use that example and not ruffle too many feathers. What about a culture that encourages its children to strap bombs to their bodies and blow themselves up in crowded public areas with the purpose of killing as many people as possible? What about a culture that prides itself in honor killings of relatives who they feel have disgraced their families and culture? From a Biblical perspective, not only must I condemn the religious beliefs of Islam, but also the culture of violence. Some would call me intolerant for such a statement. That’s okay with me, let me go on record that I am intolerant of murder. What is more intolerant, writing about those we disagree with or killing them? A culture of intolerance that leads to murder is something we all must be concerned about.
-
I am saddened that the debate over culture often leads instead to a debate over race. Many Muslims are Arabs, but we must not come to the conclusion that all Arabs are more evil than anyone else. The issue is not their race, but what values they embrace.
-
Many of those same issues come up when we examine the values of some of our inner city cultures in this county. For example, a culture that encourages drug use, out of wedlock births, and violence should be spoken against. Sadly, instead of speaking against such a culture, many speak against a race. These behaviors are wrong no matter what races are involved in them. Further, not every person of a particular race does those things, and it is wrong to imply they do.
-
At the same time, it would be just as wrong to ignore the sinful characteristics of a culture just because of a fear of offending a certain demographic within our society. What I am suggesting is judging a culture by the content of its character, not by the color of its skin. -
What about the culture of our own small town agricultural area. It is easy to pride ourselves in our small town values, yet culture relativism has crept in here as well. For example, we live in a culture where premarital sex (fornication) is accepted. We live in a culture where our possessions have become our gods. We live in a culture were divorce and adultery are all too frequent. We live in a culture where we covet and want whatever someone else has. We live in a culture where it is not uncommon for our citizens to get drunk.
-
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
-
It is time for people to reject their cultures and embrace God.
-
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3.
Friday, February 20, 2009
A New Baby
I was sleeping soundly, all the excitement of the world around me shut out for several blissful hours of wonderful rest. Suddenly I heard my wife’s calm gentle voice next to me telling me that her water had broke. When your wife is nine months along, such news is not unexpected, but at twenty after three in the morning it can be a surprise. I knew I had to stay calm. A few weeks earlier Crystal had has some false labor pains and I had gotten all nervous. She reminded me that if I stayed calm it would be easier for her to stay calm.
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We had arranged ahead of time for a babysitter to come over for our older son when this special moment came. I placed the call to her, and then to my mother who was also planning to come. It is amazing how gracious people are about being woke up in the middle of the night when a baby is on the way. The joy of a new precious life coming into this world seems to overshadow all the feelings of inconvenience.
-
We then made our way to the hospital, counting the minutes between contractions on our way. They were coming about 5-6 minutes apart by this time. The nurses helped Crystal get settled into our room as we excitedly waited for the arrival of our little A.J.
-
Crystal was a real trooper. She calmly breathed through each contraction. I could clearly see the pain on her face, yet she had been through this before and knew what to expect. By 8 a.m. she was holding our beautiful baby son.
-
It is amazing to witness a birth. I have watched calves, pigs, and even kittens come into this world, but those events pale in comparison to watching the births of my sons. A real live human baby breathing air for the very first time is a sight to behold. Just to imagining that this is the first time that this little person has ever experienced light or air is an astounding thought. No wonder they cry.
-
Now that our son was born, we finally got to see him and hold him. Even though I had not seen little A.J. until the birth, we knew he was there. Once we confirmed that my wife was expecting, we knew for certain that a baby was growing inside of her, even though we could not see him. We witnessed the first ultrasound pictures at such an early date that we were not even able to tell if he was a boy or a girl. Even though these pictures were taken before 13 weeks along, we were still able to see the little head, body, hands, and feet. By 17 weeks she began to feel him move. Soon I began to feel him move. Clearly he was a real baby even before he was born. Our precious little Allan Jerry Miller was not just a glob of tissue, he was and is a real baby.
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I must admit that it disturbs me know that even in our little town there are likely some people who think that it would have been okay for us to have killed our little baby a few months ago before he was born. Now if these people do not even call themselves Christians, and make no pretense of a fear of God, such a position would not be all that surprising. What disturbs me most is when people call themselves Christian and yet defend the most ungodly things. Please see my article on should ‘Christians’ be trusted.
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If you are a real Christian, you should care what God’s Word has to say in this matter. Consider Psalms 139:13-15, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” David speaks personally of himself in this passage, because even when he was in the womb, he was a real person.
-
God speaks to Jeremiah, telling the prophet that he was personally known and chosen before birth. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5.
-
John the Baptist is called a babe, not a bunch of tissue when he was in the womb. “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:” Luke 1:41.
-
As I look at my son, I cannot imagine anyone condoning killing him at this point. Only a complete pagan would suggest the killing of my sweet little boy. The question then must be asked, “if he was a baby before he was born, what is the difference between killing him then and killing him now?” If you are a Christian who has condoned the murder of innocent life, repent. If you have supported such barbaric acts because you do not know the Savior, realize that repentance is available to you as well.
-
Finally, some who are reading this may be faced with the decision concerning life or death for a baby within you. Please get an ultrasound first and see who you are killing. Further, many women are filled with heartache over past sin. Please realize that even the sin of murder can be forgiven by God. If you come to Christ for salvation, He is able to remove our transgression as far as the east is from the west. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
-
We had arranged ahead of time for a babysitter to come over for our older son when this special moment came. I placed the call to her, and then to my mother who was also planning to come. It is amazing how gracious people are about being woke up in the middle of the night when a baby is on the way. The joy of a new precious life coming into this world seems to overshadow all the feelings of inconvenience.
-
We then made our way to the hospital, counting the minutes between contractions on our way. They were coming about 5-6 minutes apart by this time. The nurses helped Crystal get settled into our room as we excitedly waited for the arrival of our little A.J.
-
Crystal was a real trooper. She calmly breathed through each contraction. I could clearly see the pain on her face, yet she had been through this before and knew what to expect. By 8 a.m. she was holding our beautiful baby son.
-
It is amazing to witness a birth. I have watched calves, pigs, and even kittens come into this world, but those events pale in comparison to watching the births of my sons. A real live human baby breathing air for the very first time is a sight to behold. Just to imagining that this is the first time that this little person has ever experienced light or air is an astounding thought. No wonder they cry.
-
Now that our son was born, we finally got to see him and hold him. Even though I had not seen little A.J. until the birth, we knew he was there. Once we confirmed that my wife was expecting, we knew for certain that a baby was growing inside of her, even though we could not see him. We witnessed the first ultrasound pictures at such an early date that we were not even able to tell if he was a boy or a girl. Even though these pictures were taken before 13 weeks along, we were still able to see the little head, body, hands, and feet. By 17 weeks she began to feel him move. Soon I began to feel him move. Clearly he was a real baby even before he was born. Our precious little Allan Jerry Miller was not just a glob of tissue, he was and is a real baby.
-
I must admit that it disturbs me know that even in our little town there are likely some people who think that it would have been okay for us to have killed our little baby a few months ago before he was born. Now if these people do not even call themselves Christians, and make no pretense of a fear of God, such a position would not be all that surprising. What disturbs me most is when people call themselves Christian and yet defend the most ungodly things. Please see my article on should ‘Christians’ be trusted.
-
If you are a real Christian, you should care what God’s Word has to say in this matter. Consider Psalms 139:13-15, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” David speaks personally of himself in this passage, because even when he was in the womb, he was a real person.
-
God speaks to Jeremiah, telling the prophet that he was personally known and chosen before birth. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5.
-
John the Baptist is called a babe, not a bunch of tissue when he was in the womb. “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:” Luke 1:41.
-
As I look at my son, I cannot imagine anyone condoning killing him at this point. Only a complete pagan would suggest the killing of my sweet little boy. The question then must be asked, “if he was a baby before he was born, what is the difference between killing him then and killing him now?” If you are a Christian who has condoned the murder of innocent life, repent. If you have supported such barbaric acts because you do not know the Savior, realize that repentance is available to you as well.
-
Finally, some who are reading this may be faced with the decision concerning life or death for a baby within you. Please get an ultrasound first and see who you are killing. Further, many women are filled with heartache over past sin. Please realize that even the sin of murder can be forgiven by God. If you come to Christ for salvation, He is able to remove our transgression as far as the east is from the west. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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