Why Were Our Reformers Burned?

From Christian Research Net:

"Once upon a time in a past far, far away and now clouded with timid trepidation there lived men of God powerful in Christ. In this piece J.C. Ryle begins:

There are certain facts in history which the world tries hard to forget and ignore. These facts get in the way of some of the world’s favourite theories, and are highly inconvenient. The consequence is that the world shuts its eyes against them. They are either cut dead as vulgar intruders, or passed by as tiresome bores. Little by little they sink out of sight of the students of history, like ships in a distant horizon, or are left behind like a luggage train in a siding.

Of such facts the subject of this paper is a vivid example:-" The Burning of our English Reformers; and the Reason why they were Burned." It is fashionable in some quarters to deny that there is any such thing as certainty about religious truth, or any opinions for which it is worth while to be burned…"

Rick Warren: Facism and the Family

Here's a worthy read from "Watcher's Lamp".

Let's Stay On Message

Here's the final installment from Phil Johnson at TeamPyro, where he discusses the Christian and political involvement.

The Foolishness of Preaching

A few of my recent posts have had to do with the mess our society is in. Phil Johnson at TeamPyro does a wonderful job of delineating the biblical view of the Christian in a lost world. And brethren, as bad as things are, that's all it really boils down to.

I understand there will be four parts. Here are the first three:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Bob DeWay's Thoughts About Rick Warren on Iron Sharpens Iron

From "Christian Research Net":

"Bob DeWaay was on Iron Sharpens Iron 6/5/2008 discussing the Purpose Driven Movement and his recent meeting with Rick Warren of which he has not changed his views upon. You can download this interview here."

Rick Warren: Playing Both Sides of the Gay Agenda

From "Watcher's Lamp":

"Is the gay agenda simply just another pawn in Rick Warren's global Purpose Driven PEACE Plan? As a Southern Baptist pastor, does Rick Warren sympathize with homosexuality or does he refute it?

Apparently, it depends on what country Rick Warren is promoting his Purpose Driven PEACE plan. Let's take a look at Rick Warren's geographically-driven position on homosexuality. . .."

The rest is here, judge for yourself.

Oh yeah, here's another Saddleback moment in the making:

Gay Activist Group to Visit Saddleback on Father's Day

Character - Even When It Hurts

Found this over at Tim Jack's blog. Thanks, Tim!

Another Reason to Chuckle

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the Earth's climate goes through cycles. Always has (post flood) and always will. It was in the 70's we were all being preached at about the "oncoming ice age". I was just out of high school. I remember it well. And of course, now we're all going to fry and it's man's fault. 

Well, guess what? Looks like the earth goes through cycles, and it is related to the activity of the Sun.

Duh.

But then of course don't expect any backpedaling. Too many egos are at stake. And in the article, notice the onset of another "we're gonna freeze" frenzy.

Like I said. It's worth a chuckle.

Bob DeWaay's Visit With Rick Warren:An appeal to preach Christ

An excerpt from an article at Christian Worldview Network:

"In May, one of the pastors at Saddleback Church invited me to attend a Purpose Driven conference—at Saddleback’s expense. Their only caveat was that I say nothing until the end, at which time I would be able to comment about why I disagree with the Purpose Driven movement. I declined on the grounds that I had already studied the movement and had no need to hear more from its proponents. When I saw the lineup of speakers I realized that it would have been exasperating to listen for hours to what I have already rejected. Rick Warren’s chief of staff e-mailed back and offered to have me come only on Thursday in order to talk to Warren in person. Since the Bible says that we should be ready to give a reason for our hope in the gospel (1Peter 3:15) I decided to go..."

The rest of the article is here.

Stupid Things I See

Granted, this is just supposed to be a game, but  isn't evolution supposed to be unguided? Completely Random? 

Wow. Seems to me the guy who wrote this software wasn't really thinking about the implications of what he produced!

Let's forget all the game author's "just so" assumptions about the origins of life and that you even have "stuff" to work with. When you say you are to "guide" the evolutionary process, doesn't that imply (A) that you know where it was going (uh, random?) and (B) what needs to be done to get it where you want it (as opposed to where it was going, which was. . .???), which (C) implies you know better (. . .and maybe it was headed somewhere better than what you have in mind?)

Then, of course, is the concept of something outside, controlling the process, which  is contrary to atheistic evolution. But I'll allow for the unlikely possibility that the game writer believes in theistic evolution.

No, I didn't download it. But I thought it worthy of a post here. Now, if he could write a game where you create everything out of absolutely nothing (where did his trees and dirt come from?) maybe I'd be more impressed.

Wow. The arrogance and inconsistency of man.

I'll stick with God's Word, thank you.

Do Righteousness and Trust in the Lord

It was only two days ago that I posted on Psalm 2. As it turns out, it was more timely than I had originally thought. Funny how things work out.

Yesterday, and again today, I received another email from Christian Worldview Network. Both had references to the same article, which is linked to here, namely the account of how the seeds of our country's present decadence can be traced back to 1933 and the arrival of the Frankfurt School of leaders. That would have been during the "watch" of my grandparent's generation. From the report linked to here, the purpose of these people was to ultimately cause the demise of the American way of life and the destruction of Christianity.

Well, I have news for these people. Not just for those who came here to do this, but also those who would align themselves with this in our time. That is this: Countries come and countries go. But what God starts, He finishes. God's Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and His Body will also endure forever. 

See, that's the whole problem with how the world system works. It's all about what you can see, feel, hear and touch. 

It was 30 or so years ago that a group called "Seals and Crofts" had a song out there named "King of Nothing".  It was about wishing for something and ending up with nothing. And the same can be said of those who are striving to run this world's system. Not that they won't end up in control, we know they will. Our Lord has given us His Word on that. But given the fact that this life is a vapor, what does that amount to? "You can have all this world, give me Jesus!".

The world will  indeed spiral downward, even as worldlings and those who rule them seek a worldly utopia. It will lead to the darkest time this world has ever seen. But that won't be the final chapter. The final chapter will begin with the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the game will be over and all the earthly tyrants will know it. All the earthly security that the lost will have put their trust in will turn out to be a rope of sand. 

So what's the answer? What do we do? Turn to Psalm 4, verse 5. "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the LORD."

You say "That's it?". What else do we need? What else did Israel need when they crossed the Jordan to enter the land that was theirs? It was only theirs to obey God, do what was right and trust the character of the One Who promised what He promised. 

And the Psalmist wasn't unfamiliar with things such as we face. People then were essentially the same as they are now: "{How long} will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?"

Sound familiar? We are surrounded by a world system that thrives on loving things that are worthless and building empires on deception. And of course, destroying them through deception, such as was the plan of those from the Frankfurt School in 1933.

But as those from the Frankfurt School now know (having passed from this life), they had nothing. They were trusting vapors, not substance. 

Our security is in the Lord. Not in His promises (as precious as they are) but in the Lord, because the promises that one makes are only as good as the character of the one making them. Psalm 20 says "Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses. But we trust in the name of the Lord our God".

Yes, this country will inevitably pass. All countries do. But the Kingdom of our God is an everlasting Kingdom. And  the redeemed are eternally safe in His hands (John 10).

Is Your Pastor Civilized?

Christianity In Conflict

Lane Chaplin has a worthy post over at his blog. It's an article by the late great J. Gresham Machen. You'll need to scroll down a bit to see it.

Give it a read!

Psalm 2: The Ultimate Perspective

For those of us who tend to focus a bit much on how he world is going:

Psalm 2

The Reign of the LORD'S Anointed.

    1Why are ^(A)the nations in an uproar
         And the peoples ^(B)devising a vain thing? 
    2The ^(C)kings of the earth take their stand
         And the rulers take counsel together
         ^(D)Against the LORD and against His ^[a](E)Anointed, saying, 
    3"Let us ^(F)tear their fetters apart
         And cast away their cords from us!" 
    4He who ^[b]sits in the heavens ^(G)laughs,
         The Lord ^(H)scoffs at them. 
    5Then He will speak to them in His ^(I)anger
         And ^(J)terrify them in His fury, saying, 
    6"But as for Me, I have installed ^(K)My King
         Upon Zion, ^(L)My holy mountain." 
    7"I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
         He said to Me, 'You are ^(M)My Son,
         Today I have begotten You. 
    8'Ask of Me, and ^(N)I will surely give ^(O)the nations as Your inheritance,
         And the very ^(P)ends of the earth as Your possession. 
    9'You shall ^[c](Q)break them with a rod of iron,
         You shall ^(R)shatter them like earthenware.'" 
    10Now therefore, O kings, ^(S)show discernment;
         Take warning, O ^[d]judges of the earth. 
    11Worship the LORD with ^(T)reverence
         And rejoice with ^(U)trembling. 
    12Do homage to ^(V)the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
         For ^(W)His wrath may ^[e]soon be kindled 
         How blessed are all who ^(X)take refuge in Him!

If there was ever a time when the world was throwing off all form of restraint, it is now! Oh, it's happened before, there is nothing new under the sun. But we do live in a day when any vestige of morality is being cast off. The world sees God's loving law as a restraint! Oh, they don't want to be victims of theft, assaulted by someone or lied to (among other things) but they don't want to hear that in God's Ten Commandments. And say that God has set up boundaries for sexuality? Wow! That's downright hateful and bigoted -- regardless of the fact that God gave us rules for sexuality to protect us from the very diseases that we are contracting and trying to find a way to avoid. . .even as they practice the very things that cause them! 

While I was never through the A.A. program, I understand they have a saying: "The definition of stupidity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results". That is correct!

As believers, we know that God has given us the rules he has given us to protect us, not harm us. To keep trouble in our lives to a minimum on this fallen planet, not to make us miserable.

But the world doesn't get it. So they "devise vain things". They make their plans to usurp God's place. They say "We don't want to be told or reminded that there is a God to answer to. We don't want to be limited by the values of such a narrow God!" 

Be reminded and sure that they are "blind guides leading the blind". Tragically, they lead others over the cliff into an eternal hell.

It's easy to become focused on trying to fix what is going on here. But that isn't what we are called to do. We aren't here to put bandages on societal problems. We are here to show forth God's glory as He lives through us. Yes, we are here to help those in need. Read James. It's part of what is called "saving faith". And if you can't show me your faith by what you do, then I have every right to question your claim. According to Hebrews 11:1, there will be some substance to faith that is real; "Faith is the substance of things hoped for. . ." Saving faith is something you can see outwardly. It's not just talk. But what I speak of here is  a preoccupation with fighting against the downward social trends.

We end up getting our focus off the Character of God. We shift to the hand-wringing of "what in the world can I do to fix this?". Let me be blunt -- it isn't up to us. We try to change things through the wrong methods. We get our focus off God, and then we stop proclaiming the Gospel, which is the very thing that God gave us so that hearts can be transformed and the world changed. 

Yup, they want to break what they perceive as a yoke of bondage. But all the while, we faithfully proclaim the Gospel. In the end, for those who don't repent, God will "shatter them like earthenware". He will be vindicated, in His own time, through the exaltation of Jesus, His Son, whom He has appointed ruler of all things. 

Remember that justice seemingly delayed is not justice denied. God is being merciful. He is giving everyone the ample opportunity to repent. But God will rule. He will reverse all the wrongs we see going on around us. 

And God will, in the end, be glorified in all of it.