New Year's Resolutions

When we look at the new calendar year, we tend to make resolutions about things we want to start, finish, or maintain.  I have found a practical way at keeping those resolutions with a high percentage.  How?

I start them early in December or even at the end of November.  If I can stick with it for that long before the New Year, then I know it's a legitimate resolution. If not, I need to find something else or just forego any that year.

I also make an effort to set models goals period no matter the time of year.  I've heard it said that we underestimate what we can do in five years but overestimate what can do in one year.  Simply put, it's the diligent faithful steward that bites off a little at a time, and, before he realizes it, he has accomplished far more than he expected.

Press on, and especially make a faithful effort to read God's Word regularly this year!

In the News: Probation Officers in Schools

In the Metro Atlanta area, at least one public school appears to be putting probations officers on campus to monitor students on probation.  This is yet another reason why sending your child to be trained by the government is setting them up for failure.  Just the idea of having to place the probation officers in government schools magnfies how bad government education is. 

After the cheating scandals, shootings, drugs, and bad education, why would one continue to send his or her child to government education? 

That's just how it's been done, and, if you question it, you're a heretic of the highest degree, yet that is a heresy that I most joyfully bask in.

Merry Christmas!

May He Who took on flesh and laid down His life for His sheep bless you this Holiday Season! Amen!

The Praise of Man: What will people think?

Have you ever heard the question "What will people think?" or something to that effect. Do we strive to receive praise from God or man? We consume ourselves with what other people think about us yet give little thought to what God thinks. This is because we want the approval of man and not God. It is hard to have a backbone in a godless age where false accusations run rampant. The truth is that the Apostle Paul dealt with the same thing, for his 2nd letter to the Corinthians is dealing with just that. There is nothing new under sun.

Our response flows from our heart. We are not to be fake on the hand, yet we are not to act rudely on the other. Blessing those that curse us and who make false accusations about us is quite difficult. Every fiber of our being wants to lash out, yet we must let the strength of the Lord keep us calm. For many years, I always gave a retort when falsely accused, yet now I leave room for the vengeance of God, for He will always enact a better judgment than I could ever conjure up.

As painful as such gossip may be, in time you really find out who is trustworthy and who is not. You begin to notice who has your back and who doesn't. At times, those who become the most trustworthy are those that you may even once had a serious beef with before. I have seen this is on my own life. Biblically, we are not to be doormats but rather confront those with whom we have a difficulty with. When both sides acknowledge their sin, then an incredible reconciliation occurs to the point where both people think highly of each other and become true friends and/or comrades.

Some refuse to admit their sin, and reconciliation becomes bleak, yet we must not harbor bitterness towards such people. That does not mean we have to act as if we have not been wronged, and it does not mean that we are to regard the person with a high level of trust. However, we are to still love the person, which means that we are willing to come to their aid should aid be needed. In doing so, we heap burning coals upon their head (Rom 12). I have been on both ends of that as the Lord's vengeance is given. Verily, it is far better to repent and seek reconciliation if at all possible, for it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the Living God when we live with bitterness and resentment! Amen!

More Than Luck: Consistency In Disciplining Your Children

Disciplining children can get old rather quickly, but it is a critical element of parenting.  Though it may not seem to bear immediate fruit, you will notice changes over time Lord willing.  For example, our oldest one is much quicker to obey than the younger ones, and both of the older ones can usually sit and behave in Church.  Wow, aren't we lucky! No, it's called work!

The Scripture is adamant that we neither provoke our children to wrath nor exercise too much leniency.  It does take time to discern when and how to be gracious, yet it can be done.  For example, when the child is seriously ill, we are quick to be gracious, though not condoning any particular sin.  However, when there is nothing provoking the child, the rod is always quick to its work. 

Will my children be afraid of me if I use the paddle?  No, if you do it right.  It actually builds respect, and children are out playing and hugging again in just a few minutes after a spanking.  It gets to the point quickly, and then the day goes on.  Bottoms were made for sitting and spanking; that's why they're padded.

Therefore, love your children by disciplining them when it is needed, and, remember, delayed obedience is disobedience.

To Him be the glory! Amen!

Praying for Pregnant Women

Many of us take for granted our own briths and all the hardships that our mothers went through to bring us to the point of birth.  Some women don't suffer as much as others, but many experience a tremendous amount of nauseau along with severe complications during birth.

Pain in childbirth is the result of the Fall as is clearly laid on in Genesis 3. Nonetheless, we are still empowered by the Lord to pray for grace during such times, which can be very grueling and difficult for pregant women. 

If your are married, take special care of your wife when she is pregnant, and be gracious when she is nauseous and can't do much.  Pick up the slack often. After all, you partook in bringing this about, glorious yet arduous at times.

In The News: Death of Kim Jong Il

Kim Jong Il, the ruthless dictator of North Korea, has died.  His young son is now at the helm, and only time will tell as to what kind of leader he will be.  If he is anything like his father, then massacres will continue.  Let us pray for our Christian brethren in North Korea, for they are especially persecuted in their attempts to bring the gospel into a dark world.

In the New: Death of Christopher Hitchens

Prominent evolutionist Christopher Hitchens has died. He was an ardent anti-Christian, yet he was still a man made in the image of God.  Though we do not endorse his message, we do mourn his unrepentant heart, unless there was a recent unknown conversion to Christ.  Today is the day of salvation, and no man knows the number of his days.  Let each man take heed, for our days our numbered as well.

It is always a sad commentary to see great intellect used for the ills of an evolutionary worldview, and Hitchens had a passion for the evolutionary worldview.

Ironically, every false worldview must steal from the Christian worldview in order to argue against it.  How?   The Christian worldview is the only worldview that possesses the preconditions for intelligibility.  What is that?  Preconditions are those conditions that come beforehand and intelligibility is the ability to make something meaningful and understandable.

The Triune God is the bedrock of meaning, knowledge, logic, ethics, etc.  Apart from Him, there is no such thing as these concepts or even the concept of a concept; it would be an illusion at best, which itself is a concept.  In this, we see that the non-Christian assumes the Biblical God and all that He accounts for in order to then argue against Him.  Van Til once wrote that this is like a father who must put his child on his knee in order for the child to slap his father in the face.  This is no different.

Man is totally depraved, and his suppression of the truth in unrighteousness is magnified by his unwillingness to submit to Him who is the foundation of all things, for man would rather die in unbelief, judgement, and inconsistency than surrender to God in Christ. What foolishness!

To Him be the glory! Amen!

Gossip: A Deadly Sin

Gossip is a despicable sin that each of us succumbs to. The human heart is deceitfully wicked, and we are constantly attempting to build ourselves up by tearing others down. Even if we are not the ones speaking the gossip, our ears often perk up just to listen to it, and, by attentively listening, we endorse it.

Ironically, the same measure we use to judge others (done quite a bit through gossip) is the same measure others will judge us. In this way, if one gossips about someone to another, that same person is most likely to then gossip about the gossiper. In a vain attempt to build oneself up through demeaning another, one has actually torn oneself down even further as the next man gossips to others about the gossiper!

Prayer gossip is a more subtle form, for, we often make a prayer request about someone not because we care but because we want to tear someone down. "Please pray for such and such; they have a bad marriage, and I heard that Jim's been drinking again." Now if the person asks for prayer and also asks that it be made known to others, then that's legitimate, but we must be careful in handling such sensitive matters.

When confronted with gossip, it is important at once to immediately change the conversation to something more fruitful. If tempted to gossip, then take that thought captive to Christ, and think upon Him and His glory and refuse to gossip.

To Him be the glory! Amen!

Believing The Lies: Evolution from Goo to You

Men believe in macro evolution, which is to say molecules to man, because they detest the True and Living God in their suppression of the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1). In spite of the absurdity of materialism, which is the philosophy that matter is all there is, men like Richard Lewontin stated himself that he cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door because of a prior commitment to this materialism.

I use the word believe because materialism is a religious system of thought. It is a worldview with no foundation at all, yet men embrace it with all their heart. Men would rather believe in the unfounded absurd than submit to the One True Triune God Who demands their repentance and worship.

Even moreso, men who call themselves Christians act like practical materialists when they pray little, advocate secular psychology, and refer people to godless therapists and counselors in time of need.

Repent you fool! If you are enslaved to this godless system, turn from your evil, and cast yourself upon Christ, Who is the Perfect Lamb of God! Amen!

In The News: Further European Debt Crisis

Europe continues to be plagued by growing debt.  Peter is robbed to pay Paul, but now Peter has begun to run out of money and borrowing power.  If something is not done soon, the whole system will collapse, and a greater crises will emerge. 

How should a Christian react to this?

The Scripture does not prohibit borrowing, but it is clear in Proverbs that the borrower is a slave to the lender.  However, the greater the debt the greater the slavery is to that debt.  In the case of Europe, and America for that matter, an increasing yoke of debt has crippled several countries.  Riots have broken out again and again, yet the solution is not easily accepted.  That requires sacrifice.

In an era where few want to sacrifice, one can only expect the consequences to escalate.  However, as individual Christians, we can set the example by living thriftily and helping those in true need (hand up versus a hand out).  Furthermore, we can also use our right to vote to elect fiscally responsible politicians. 

This takes backbone, for it means that everyone, including ourselves, will have to take a cut in something to fix the debt crises.  If we don't, then we surely reap the whirlwind that is ever approaching.

America's Atheocracy

Those who oppose Christ regularly erect the straw man that any effort to impart Biblical principles into our society is an attempt to establish a theocracy. Not only is this dishonest, but it is also deceptive.

1) It is dishonest because from the Foundation of America, Christian Statesmen were not advocating a theocracy but a Constitutional Republic that is based on Biblical principles. Lest one challenge this, a specific example is warranted. The very assumption of original sin is clearly implied in the Constitution, for, when one reads the documents that surround it like the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers, the inherent sinfulness or evil bent of man from birth is clearly expounded upon. The fundamental difference is that both sides were at odds on how to contain sin within a fallen society.

2) It is deceptive because some worldview will win the day at any given time, and what is alleged to be secular and thus neutral is a lie. On the contrary, we are becoming and have set the stage for an Atheocracy.

How would I define an atheocracy?

If a theocracy, namely a Christian theocracy, is a government based on the Bible and executes harsh punishment for any violation of Biblical Law wherein the Kingdom is manifested in its glory visibly, then an atheocracy is a society wherein God or any semblance of God is removed from all facets of life, especially public life. Any attempt to introduce God into the picture is rejected and condemned as a religion against the state.

If this sounds familiar, then you should not be surprised, for our nation is being overrun by formal and practical atheists in all parts of government and public life. All of this is done under the disguises of tolerance, acceptance, approval, and neutrality.

How shall we then live?

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!" proclaims the Scripture. Though we surely defend liberty of conscience, we must never agree that an atheistic style of government whereby the Lord God is defamed and ridiculed is the pinnacle of good government. Rather we must explain how a worldview affects a society and then boldly defend why a system of government based on Biblical worldview principles is the best system of government in a fallen society. It is the only system within a fallen society that exercises restraint with liberty of conscience on the one hand while maintaining justice and order on the other.

No other worldview can accomplish such balance because they are all based on the whimsical philosophies of fallen man and thus have no absolute basis for Law. Governments based in human philosophy always result in the tyranny of one, an elite, or just mob rule.

If an atheocracy is what we desire, then we truly deserve all of the horrendous fruits that it bears. Exhibit A: Joseph Stalin. Any questions?

Children, Anxiety, and Idolatry

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus Commands us not to worry.  "25For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

As a father, I am especially prone to have anxiety over my children, which is sin.   We live in a fallen world, and calamity is going to occur, and our love for our children can easily become idolatrous, which is why anxiety sets in.  Because we can set our love for them above our love for God, we do everything we can do preserve this idol.  However, our children are not our own, and, is not God more grieved at this fallen world than we are?

Sometimes we think that God is apathetic to our calamities, yet Christ experienced such things on a regular basis.  He was grieved over the death of Lazarus and the effects of sin in a fallen world.  Because the world is fallen, Lazarus would taste death (twice actually), and Christ wept over the ills that sin had brought into the world since Adam, even though He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead! 

In Romans, 8:28-30, we read "28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."  God is not going to forsake His beloved sheep, and when we experience hardship, He is not vindictive against us.  He does discipline us when we need it, but He does not hate His sheep.  He is the Good Shepherd, and laid down His life for the sheep (Jn 10:11-18).  

He not only loves His sheep, which don't deserve it, but He is also in absolute control of all things.  Even the hearts of kings are ultimately subjected to His divine will. Proverbs 21:1 states,"The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes."  God is Sovereign in all things, and we must rest in that.  We are commanded to do so, and we reflect that from the heart when we are not anxious.  God is God, and we rest in Him.

Therefore, we humbly bow before the Risen Christ, and submit to the will of our Triune God! Amen!  Anxiety stems from our desire to be in control, and that control stems from pride, and where pride is, the burden is immense.  Let us give Him the burden that we can't handle and thus the glory that we don't deserve.  He reigns, and we rest in Him! Praise Him who is in control of all things! To Him be the glory forever! Amen!

Why are their still Pro-Life Americans?

More Americans are statistically pro-life today than in previous decades as studies have shown. The ultrasound is a huge factor as people can now see in the womb with tremendous detail. Not only do parents and grandparents celebrate the unborn child with ultrasound pictures at work and at home, but their older children see those pictures. See http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/24/abortion-debate-returns-now-pro-life-nation

Just like a lot of other parents, we put up ultrasound pictures on the refrigerator and the internet for all the world to see and enjoy. Our little ones also see those pictures, and those images become embedded into them from a young age. This then lessens the likelihood that they will be pro-abortion as the grow up.

The other factor that is beginning to show itself a bit more with each passing year and decade is that of population growth amongst pro-life advocates. Those who are pro-abortion tend to have less children or no children at all. Therefore, by default, when pro-abortion advocates die, they are being replaced by children who grew up in pro-life families that tend to be larger.

Like all false worldview positions, abortion advocacy self-destructs over a period of time, and this, by God's grace, is a built in check against such evil.

In The News: Abortion In Gender and Racial Selection

Of late, legislation has been proposed to combat gender and racial selection in child bearing.  Many children in the womb are murdered throughout the world based on race and gender, yet the voice for the unseen child is small.   Sadly, America has been engaging in such gender and racial selection for quite a while, some explicit and some more subtle.  Either way, it is still murder.  As far as racial selection goes, there is but one race, the human race; anything else implies Darwinism and its mantra against the 'less evolved races'.

It is amazing that staunch feminists who fight for women, so they say, will not defend the whimsical decision to abort a child based on gender. Ultimately, it's not about that to them, it's about advancing a worldview that promotes selfish ambition. 

Ironically, those who advance these causes tend to have few or no children, which by default causes their worldview to destruct.  They mock God, yet they are the ones who are abased in their foolishness.

Let God be found true, though every man a liar! To Him be the Glory! Amen!

Holiness of God In Evangelism and Lies That Breed Wolves

One of the greatest and most damning lies today is how we evangelize the lost. We must not simply come up to people and ask them if they have accepted Jesus into their hearts! For what Jesus did they accept: the Hindu Jesus, the Buddhist Jesus, the Muslim Jesus, the Mormon Jesus, the Jehovah's Witness Jesus, the Evolutionist Jesus, or some other false god that enslaves men?

On the contrary, let us proclaim to men everywhere to repent of their sin and cast themselves upon the mercies of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, Who is King of kings and LORD of lords, and what He did on the cross for wretched sinners!

God is Holy, Holy, Holy! He is not an idol forged by the wicked hearts of men! Amen! Father, forgive us when we preach a gospel that caters to the sinful flesh, for that is no gospel at all! God does not compete against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; He is God Almighty and not a creation of man! Amen!

When men ask us how to be saved, we must tell them to repent, which is to turn from sin, and turn to Christ putting all of their trust in Him alone for salvation! When asked if someone is a Christian, many people say they are Christians because they said a sincere prayer a long time ago asking Jesus into their heart and then got baptized, yet they live like devils who chase after the vanities and myriads of idols of the world! That is not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father forgive us if we ever believe and preach such lies as that, lest we breed wolves who seek to destroy the sheep of God! O God, strike us down if we tell such lies! Amen!

When a man wants to know how he can be sure he is saved, we must do as Paul declared to Corinthians. We are to examine ourselves and see that we are in the faith lest we not be in the faith! A true believer will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit as is written in Galatians 5:22, and those that see no fruit in their lives don't know God and shall be gathered and cast into the everlasting fire of eternal Hell!

We as mere men cannot declare a man to be saved, for only the Holy God of all creation knows the heart. All we can do is command men to repent as God has said in His Word and then tell them to examine their lives. A true believer loves God and hates his sin! A true believer, though he struggles and wars against the sinful flesh, wants Christ and nothing else! Amen!

I want Christ and to know Him more everyday! He who saved me from my sin and made me into a new creature is worthy of all my praise and worship and nothing else!

To Him be glory! Amen!

The Great Divorce Remarried Part 2: Geology

A lot of water over a little time or little water over a long time?  

That was the geological hot-button in the late 18th century through the beginning of the 19th. Before the advent of uniformitarian thought in the West, most geologic structures in the Western Christianity were interpreted through a Young Earth & a recent Global Flood lens.  Though the specifics were not known, this was the general way of thinking because the people, including the scientists (like Newton), took the Bible as the ultimate authority source, especially during and after the Reformation.  Now they knew that the Bible did not go into detail on such issues, but the historical reality of the Flood would leave reminders.

However, as the Scripture was being attacked by humanistic thinking on theologic and philosophic grounds, it was also being attacked on historical grounds.  When the history of the Bible in Genesis was denied, a wide range of emerging scientific philosophies took root. The predominant view popularized by Charles Lyell in the 19th century was uniformitarianism. Uniformitarianism is the scientific model that the present is the key to the past--i.e. most geologic structures are formed slowly over eons of time.  However, Lyell was no mere unbiased objector of the truth.  On the contrary, not only was he a rabid anti-Christian, he pushed his philosophy of uniformitarianism with great veracity, and many people bought into it. Alleged great eons of time was now theoretically available to then push the molecules to man evolution, and this is exactly what spearheaded Darwinian thought several decades later. Macroevolution (molecules to man) was already being propagated, but Darwin could popularize the teaching because of Lyell's time scale.  

We deny that the earth is billions of years old and uphold the Global Flood because of our commitment to Scripture.  Nonetheless, how has this theory of uniformitarianism stacked up in the scientific community?  Not to our surprise, many evolutionary scientists themselves deny that the earth has come to be slowly one sand grain at a time by one drop of water at at time.  Though most of them believe the earth is old, due to other philosophic assumptions they make, they do acknowledge that the geologic layers are filled with catastrophe.  Mass fossil graveyards are interpreted as occurring through catastrophic events.  

We should not be surprised when we see evidence for a global catastrophe because that is exactly what is recorded in Scripture, primarily through the Genesis Flood.  We interpret such catastrophic layering, fossil formation, mountain building, and canyon erosion through the lens of Scripture.  Much of the upper level topography that we observe today is best interpreted as being caused by the Flood or by post-Flood events like the Ice-Age and subsequent smaller local scale catastrophes.  

As for geologic structures like the Grand Canyon, we can best understand them through Biblical glasses. Only the Scriptures give us a reliable lens to interpret the world, and, though our scientific models are modified at times, the general creation model itself is sustained by Scripture.  Though it is difficult do delineate exactly what may have been formed during creation week and what has been formed after that through the Flood, we can get a general idea.  Much of the upper layers of the canyon are formed through rapid sedimentation laid down by water.  We can see this through 'bent layering', which is to say that we see many layers flowing together and then bent in one or many directions while still soft.  This must of have occurred rapidly while soft; otherwise, the layers would have been crushed upon themselves. 

As for the canyon itself, it is likely that it formed after the layers had been laid down during the Flood. Sometime before and at the end of the Flood or most probably after the Flood, giant inland lakes once existed in that area (as understood through topographical scars of such lakes).  There was a breached dam of some sort, it appears, and this could have occurred at the end of the Ice Age.  As the glaciers began to melt, large quantities of water would fill these lakes by means of rivers and such.  Eventually the lakes would have overflowed, and a water pouring out by means of a massive catastrophic breached dam would have carved out the Grand Canyon.  

The Bible had it right all along! Amen!

In The News: Currency Crises and Gold

The Euro, which was strong at one time has become increasingly weaker.  This is in turn continues to send tremors through Europe and the rest of the world.  As debt mounts in the world with very few nations willing to tighten the belt strap, there is no reason to suspect anything positive out of the Euro and many other fiat currencies in the long term. How should we think about this Biblically? Why have precious metals been on the rise, and why were they important in the Biblical world?

Fiat currencies, which are those currencies not bound to a commodity (especially that of precious metals), tend to inflate quickly over time.  The government can print money at will in order to increase its purchasing and borrowing power, not to mention redistribute wealth.  However, that devalues the currency and can make it worthless. 

Currencies that have survived any amount of time are those bound to a precious metal or other strong commodity standard of some sort, though precious metals are the best long term because of their ability to withstand environmental elements like rust, rot, rats, mold, etc.  For this reason, even those that have remained while going fiat, only go fiat for a short time and then return back to a precious metal standard. 

For this reason, the patriarchs and the great kings of times past and present stored great volumes of precious metals.  They hold their value long term because they have the intrinsic ability to outlive just about everything on earth.  The primary concern is basically thieves, which is a concern with all commodities like food storage for that matter. However, food can spoil but precious metals hang around.

Precious metals may not increase wealth over time, but they do maintain it, which is something of great value when wealth is passed down from one generation to the next.  It doesn't have to keep up with inflation because it rides parallel with it for the most part.  That's not to say that its value doesn't fluctuate, but it does remain over decades, centuries and millennia. 

Therefore, because having an asset like gold and silver is not condemned Biblically and is even considered the norm for maintaining wealth (not necessarily massive amounts but just any wealth), we should not condemn others as foolish for having it nor should we consider ourselves fools for possessing it. That doesn't mean we sell the farm and put everything in it because it does fluctuate. Rather, a diversified mentality is best.  Even Solomon, who had an enormous amount of wealth in precious metals, also had vineyards, swords, shields, land, and, most of all, Divine Wisdom from the LORD. 

Ultimately, any security in the world is illusory, which is why our hope must be in Christ not in the treasures of this life.  We are to be good stewards of any material treasure, yet such is not our everlasting hope. That only comes in Christ.

The Great Divorce Remarried Part 1: Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura

For the last two centuries, evolutionary old-earth thinking has blasted at the roots of Christianity, and this started in Genesis.  Sadly, the Church (being heavily influenced by humanist thinking beforehand) caved in and began to compromise the Word of God in numerous areas.  Truly, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps 11:3)  Christ cannot be our Redeemer if He is not first our Sovereign Creator, which John 1:1-3 explicitly states.   

What happens when Biblical Authority is denied? Sin runs wild, and man plunges into further darkness as a result.  How did this occur in the West?  Sin took root through evolutionary humanistic old-earth dogma; this was brought upon us from atheists, agnostics, and deists of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries who hated everything Scriptural.  A Great Divorce then occurred between the theology of the Bible and how we interpret the natural world around us.  Sadly, the clergy caved in to this, lest they be considered outdated and un-educated. Instead of interpreting the natural world through a Biblical lens, the authority, sufficiency, inerrancy, and inspiration of Holy Scripture was denied. That is, we left Sola Scriptura as the framework for our worldview. In its place, old-earth evolutionary humanism erected itself as the new lens by which all things should be interpreted through. The ramifications took hold quickly, and the West plunged itself into moral anarchy and lawlessness.  

Nevertheless, God's Word is the Only True Authority by which to understand all of reality, for His Word never returns empty and always accomplishes its purpose (Is 55:11). Praise God for His powerful Word! Amen!  How then do we remarry the Bible with historical and scientific reality again?  Many Christians fight issues like abortion and rightly so, but they do so without the underpinnings of Biblical Authority from Genesis to Revelation.  We must begin by asserting all of the Bible as authoritative from beginning to end.  The Bible is not a physics textbook, but, when it speaks on matters of biology, geology, history, it is always absolutely  without error.

Therefore, we must begin to rebuild the foundations that have been beaten down as we raise God's Word to its rightful position of authority (Is 58:12)! Amen!  We are then able to box without our hands tied behind our backs.  Instead, we attack the root of godlessness, which is sin, however that is manifested, and then launch heavily against the fruits of godlessness at the same time! Amen!

To Him be the glory! Amen!

Better in a House of Mourning than Feasting

Every man faces death, and we tend to be cynical or insular. Neither are Biblical, which is what makes Homeward Bound by Edward Hartman so refreshing.

Hartman brings the reader face to face with death without diminishing one's responsibilities in this life. If we are not heavenly minded, we will value that which is fleeting today. We are to value this life and the blessings in it, but we must take care not to hold on too tightly to that which we cannot keep. We are stewards, and God will honor right stewardship, yet that must be understood in the face of eternity, whether beholding the glory of God in Christ or bearing His wrath in Hell.

I love how Hartman uses Ecclesiastes (a great treasure in my heart), for Solomon goes to great lengths to describe the vanity of life apart from God. It is better to be in a house of mourning than feasting because it forces us to come to grips with our own mortality. To insulate ourselves from the reality of death is foolish, for there will be Hell to pay for dismissing the Lord's admonition to the impenitent. This is why the gospel is so glorious. Those who repent and bow before Christ no longer fear death. On the contrary, they are ever preparing to behold the Lamb of Glory into the ages! Amen!

I have said this many times and it never gets old. My greatest desire is to behold the glory of God in Christ face to face for all eternity as I fall at his feet in worship. That focus always leads me to repentance, for I do not desire sin but detest it. Woe is me when I take my sin lightly and trample upon the grace of God!

Face your own death and embrace the Lord of Glory, He who is King of kings and Lord or lords! Amen! Amen!

The Government Can't Save You!

If you are looking to anything or anyone except Christ for salvation, then you are deceiving yourself. Even confessing Christians continue to seek salvation in something or someone else besides Christ. Among the many idols that can draw us away from Christ, entitlement programs are surely at the top of the list, with the government being the origin of such benevolence.

The government is ordained by God do punish evildoers and maintain order in a society, but it cannot save the soul, and it definitely cannot create a utopia of some sort. Government cannot save because it is made up of sinful people that are at best instruments in the hands of the Almighty God.

Christ alone can bring salvation, ultimate justice, peace, joy, love, and prosperity. Such an absolute system will not occur in its fullness until Christ returns and imposes His right hand upon the world with wrath upon the wicked and gracious merciful love upon His sheep.

Therefore, cling to Christ, and do not put your ultimate hope in a politician or a political system.

To Him be the glory!

Too Many Toys!

A child does not need more toys and presents to know they're loved, and they certainly don't need more of them to have fun.  Here's a case in point.  Recently, our hot water went out, and there was a giant box that went with it of course.  The plumber asked me if could dispose of the box.  I told him I would just give it to the kids to play in and with.  He stated that kids always enjoy the box and paper more than the toy.  That's why I told him that we don't buy a lot of presents. They used that hot water heater box as a picture frame on one end, a slide when folded, a shower when standing up, and a house when they could climb in.  Shocker, kids don't need a lot of high priced junk to have a good time!

Your child will know he is loved by how much time you spend with him, not by how many toys he gets.  Your child will have more enjoyment with fewer toys and more boxes, strings, paper, etc. than with a boat load of breakable expensive gadgets.  He will be able to use his imagination, and he loves it. 

Therefore, take time to rethink about how you view gifts to your children and others. Spend wisely and don't go overboard.  It'll reduce raising spoiled brats, and it'll help out the old pocketbook too.  Say, when that hot water heater goes out or when that transmission goes down hill, you'll be glad you did.

Children and the Prison of Modern Psychology

Initially, one can become enticed to embrace a 'psychological disorder'. For example, if one has no control over being ADD, then it's easy to use the 'I have ADD' line to justify abhorrent and aberrant behavior. It may seem quite useful at times, especially in parenting difficult children who are like wild animals; we have three of them. and one on the way. The reality is that they don't have ADD, they just have energy, yet that energy must not go unchecked, lest it turn into disciplinary/obedience problems. Daily discipline is hard, monotonous, and even frustrating at times, yet that is the answer to unruly children, not a bottle of pills and/or a cop-out label. We live in a fallen world, and punishment (even corporal) for misconduct is required instead of misinformation and parental laziness.

The great tragedy of these labels is that one ultimately finds oneself in a hopeless prison. After using it as a convenient alibi for a while to evade work and discipline, eventually this mindset becomes debilitating. One no longer wants to simply blame 'bi-polar'; rather, one wants to to be set free from such problems. Many professing Christians become entangled in this web also, and much of that is due to defective biblical and systematic theology which leads to impotent applied theology (ie counseling, discipleship, and evangelism). What then is the answer?

Regular digestion and right understanding of Scripture always lays the groundwork for meaningful application. The Lord's Sufficient, Authoritative, Inerrant, Inspired, Holy Word is the only true answer for someone whose attitude and disposition is like a yo-yo all the time, as is the case with many of the 'disorders' that exist. 'Meds' are not the answer; a right relationship with the Living God is! Amen!

Taking Back the Rainbow: The Insult of Gay Marriage to the LORD God

If marriage is not defined as between one man and one woman for a lifetime, then it can mean anything. Gay marriage is only the tip of the ice-berg. Why not polygamy, or two men and three women, or four animals and a woman, or two boys and five men, etc? It just becomes that insane. Believe me, there are plenty of people waiting to jump on that crazy roller coaster of sin.

My greatest beef with the homosexual community is how they have hi-jacked the rainbow. The rainbow is one of the most beautiful phenomenon when it appears in the sky, for it is the great sign of God's grace to humanity as displayed before Noah after the Flood. Now it is a symbol of rebellion and hatred towards the LORD God! It's so bad that if you put a rainbow on your car, people think you are gay! What blasphemous times we live in! Amen!

However, like dinosaurs and every other created thing, we are taking them back as Ken Ham would say. The godless have stolen the things of God and claimed it for themselves, but God will not let His Name be trashed forever. We shall reopen the old wells and let the glory of God shine forth! Amen!

Therefore, may ye who are opposed to the LORD God repent while His grace is extended to you. Ye need not face the wrath of God and continue in your mire of vanity. This world of sin cannot bring satisfaction; it only brings judgment and personal disaster. Repent and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Amen!

Thanksgiving: Let Us Thank Him Who Died For Us

May we honor Christ this Thanksgiving with our hearts as we express gratitude for what He accomplished on the Cross for His beloved sheep.  We ought to be thankful for all that have, yet all else pales in comparison to the glory of the Cross of Christ.  Let us not be bitter and discontent, for our God reigns, and He has given us new life in Christ!

To Him be the glory!

Homeschool: Thinking Biblically

Why has homeschooling become so popular, and why do we tend to see it growing amongst Christians especially? The answer is that the Biblical worldview requires parental responsibility on education. As public education and even much of private education become more infused with naturalism, the more hostile these outlets become to Christianity. Combating 40 hours a week of secular indoctrination with a few hours here and there at home and Church is virtually fruitless.

For this reason, many Christian parents have decided to homeschool their children instead, which is not new, for this has been done for millennia. Not only does the actual education tend to be far better (more one-one-interaction, regular field-trips, etc.), but it also gives the parent more authority in raising a child in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This is what the anti-Christians condemn, for they desire nothing more than to lead our children astray with a set of values that lead to moral and salvific bankruptcy.

Home-schooling for its own sake is meaningless, but, when it is done for the right reason, the glory of God shines all the brighter as each family takes seriously the importance of raising a child according to His Word.

The Underrating of Church History

The value of Church history is underrated today because post-modern skeptical deconstructionism reigns supreme. When one takes the Scripture out of the picture, one no longer has a basis for knowing history. It becomes arbitrary and impossible to document. This mentality has permeated into the Church, and it has been devastating.

Heresies that were once dealt with have reemerged with a vengeance, especially ones like the Jehovah's Witnesses cult. Because we failed to teach the Bible as authoritative, which in turn grounds history itself, many have been deceived into this cult. Sadly, these same people think that it is novel, yet it is just a repackaged form of Arianism (early Church heresy) with its focus on good deeds and the denial of Christ as fully God.

This and many other heresies are only the tip of the ice-berg. Rather, let us stand upon God's Word, which alone forms the basis of any rationality, and proclaim the truth of God's Word that has been delivered to the prophets and kept by our fathers that have heralded orthodox truth.

The Resurrection: An Inconvenient Truth

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central question of Christianity, for it rises and falls upon the bodily resurrection of Christ.  Everything He said and did was cemented by His resurrection.  For this reason, many fables have been developed to deny His resurrection.  The stolen body, the swoon theory, the flat out denial of Jesus ever living to begin with, etc. are all vain attempts to deny Christ, who is Lord of lords and King of kings.

We just cannot get past the marvel that is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  There were so many converts to Christ from pagan cultures right from the start.  The God of the Bible is different than all the pagan deities, and the resurrection of Christ from the dead magnifies this.  Vast numbers of people literally forsook their old ways of paganism to worship the Living Christ! 

Such mass conversion would not have happened apart from the resurrection.  To wave the magic wand of materialism and simply dismiss everything is both dishonest and deceptive.  Explaining away the resurrection is a fool's work, for it forces one to deny the birth of Christianity via the resurrection and its mass propagation shortly thereafter. 

The glory of it all is that the Apostles were willing to die for a truth that no sane man would do if he knew it were a lie.  Maybe one man might die for a lie, but to believe that all of the Apostles (along with many affiliates) would do so is beyond comprehension.  Though such does not prove the resurrection, their willingness to suffer immensely for what they knew was the truth is completely consistent with reality. 

The truth of the matter is that men steal from the Truth of the Resurrection in order to argue against it, for it is God in Christ that makes sense of the world and gives us an accounting for law, knowledge, ethics, etc.  They despise the Lord of hosts, but they need Him to justify their very ability to argue and complain in a meaningful way, for, without Him, they cannot even justify the reality of their own existence.

Worldview Clash: The Wickedness of Marxism and its Opposition to Christianity

Marxism is fundamentally flawed in two ways. One is its core belief about man and the other is how it seeks to level the field of humanity into a classless society through class warfare.

Marxism assumes the inherent goodness of man, a noble savage of sorts.  It teaches that man is inherently good; it is his surroundings that corrupt him. Furthermore, private ownership is considered inherently evil.  Everyone is to share in the wealth and none are to have more than another, so it then right to desire from those who have more than oneself.  Man needs to redistribute the wealth and thus create a great eternal utopia.  Hence comes the motto: from each according to his ability and to each according to his need. 

What does the Bible say about this?

In the Bible, man is declared a sinner and cannot save himself.  He is wicked from the heart, and, though his surroundings do affect him, his sin is from conception, so he is held accountable before a Holy God. Marxism denies this because to accept this doctrine would destroy any hopes of a Marxist utopia, so the God of the Bible is thrown out totally.

Furthermore, Marxist philosophy is the pinnacle of breaking the 10th commandment not to envy.  Marxism does not honor the one who is successful; rather, it steals from the person who is successful and gives to the one who is envious.

Therefore, it should not surprise us to see that Marxism always fails because man is inherently sinful, and any attempt to divide the spoil equally will always result in a devastated economy.  Those who work hard will be taken advantage of by those who work little, and eventually the hard worker will likewise become slow of hand.

At this point, the only way to get men to work is by the sword, and this is enforced by the ruling elite who use brutality in the name of spreading the wealth in their quest of a classless utopia. Ironically, as this elite seizes power, their sin fuels their desire for more, and they become the oppressors themselves.  What foolishness!

What does the Bible say of private ownership and work.  It encourages work and each man receives the fruit of his labor, but greed and exploitation of labor are condemned.  However, when it comes to giving, we do not have the right as Christians to use the arm of the state to compel charity.  We only have the power to proclaim the gospel and let it take root in the heart of repentant men.

The answer then is not to envy those who have more; rather, we are to encourage honest labor and encourage those with wealth to give generously as He has blessed them.  Nevertheless, we are not to envy their wealth, lest we be ensnared by greed and idolatry.

Now, let us proclaim the gospel, and let Him who is King of kings of Lord of lords change the hearts of men to His glory! Amen!

Studying the Old Testament to Understand the New Testament

Many people come to the New Testament and become lost in its many allusions to the Old Testament.  However, a thorough understanding of the Old Testament is critical in understanding the Person and Work of Christ in the New Testament.  Christ is the fulfillment of the New Testament because He is the Messiah who came in space and time to redeem a people to Himself.

A helpful way to understand the New Testament is to read the context of the passages that are alluded to from the Old Testament.  For example, Romans Chapter 4 speaks at length of Abraham and his justification by faith, so a good way to better comprehend the gravity of this passage is to go back and read through the accounts of Abraham in Genesis.

Because the Old Testament is most of the Bible, a regular digestion of the Old Testament is required to further grasp the glories found in the Work of Christ. As we chew upon the many accounts, prophetic passages, etc., we see how awesome Jesus Christ is, and so we are all the more thankful for what He has accomplished for His beloved sheep.  In turn, this roots out bitterness, envy, gossip, and all other forms of idolatry and wickedness.

Go now, and read your Old Testament!

Scandal at Penn State University: A Christian Response

Allegations of sodomy and other immoral behavior have wreaked havoc upon Penn State University and its leadership.  Head Football Coach Paterno was forced to resign, which took a career of fame and turned it into brutal shame.  What can we learn from this?  When scandals occur within the Church, how are Christians supposed to handle such things?

Church discipline must me be swift and immediate, for, when a black eye smears the Church, a quick response reduces the damage and elevates the justice of a Holy God.  Likewise, if the act is criminal, it must be reported to the police as soon as possible, for the subject has not only violated the Church but also the state in its attempt to maintain order by prosecuting the wicked.

When the Church fails in one or both of the above responsibilities, a great blight continues and the faithful are shamed.  The glory of God is tarnished among men, and the Holy Spirit is grieved.  Nevertheless, God always has His vengeance, and He never fails to vindicate His Holy Name.

Finally, we are to urge repentance that the fallen saint might be restored to fellowship. That may require the loss of a position and even jail time, but God forgives the man who repents and turns to Christ.

Ultimately, all of us are rightly condemned to Eternal Hell, yet Christ laid down His life for His sheep making atonement for their sins.  Let us never forget the grace He has given to miserable men like us who are chief of sinners, and let us never boast in anyone except Christ.

Christian Unity

In the midst of much disunity over the past two thousand years, the Christian often longs for true unity amongst the brethren.  Even among the orthodox, there is disunity.  However, the True Church that consists of all believers from the beginning of mankind until now shall all one day sing unto the Lord with one voice of unity. 

Doctrine does divide, but it also purifies the Church and prevents rank heresy from continuing unchecked in the Church.  This was especially the case during the Reformation.  There was an outward unity within Europe in the Roman Catholicism, but the core doctrines of salvation had been nearly abandoned over hundreds of years of papal rule.

Nevertheless, the remnant shall never be totally dissolved, for the gospel shined forth ever so brightly during the Reformation. The Sovereignty of God, Justification by Faith, and other key doctrines were reclaimed, and the gospel marched forward changing the lives of millions of people.  Sadly, splintering did occur because of our inability to agree on doctrines like the Lord Supper, Baptism, and the role of the State. Even so, the gospel was propelled forth in an evangelistic explosion across the world. 

In the growth of missionary enterprises we see that the Lord will accomplish his purposes in spite of  conflicts amongst His people.  His truth does march on, and His kingdom grows ever stronger even when it appears to be in turmoil and confusion.

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day has become a time to remember those have served this great country in an effort to preserve liberty. Tragically, that liberty is being trampled upon with greater fervor each day.  The unborn are slaughtered, Christ is maligned, debauchery is on the rise, the family is always under attack, debt is out of control, and a litany of other issues pervade our society.

Therefore, let us honor our veterans by advocating Biblical principles that make America a beacon of hope to many persecuted people groups around the world.  Otherwise, we will end up in the ash heap of history like other fallen kingdoms, republics, and empires.

Character Assassination and the State of American Politics

For thousands of years, politics has been rife with scandal and character assassinations, and this year's presidential election is no different.  Allegations are effective in politics because they sow seeds of doubt, and that is the very point of mudslinging.  It doesn't have to be true, it just needs to knock the other guy off of his horse.

However, as Christians, we must look at a person's track record of character and not simply go with the whim of the media every time there is a piece of hearsay.  Would we want to be smeared on hearsay? Certainly not.  Therefore, we ought not engage in such practices.  We must rise above that and argue on substance and not stoop to unfounded mudslinging. 

Truly, loving your enemy is a hard thing to do, but it is what God requires of us.  Resilience in the face of adversity and boldness in declaring the truth do not require us to become the dreggs of society to fight evil.  After all, Joseph rose to viceroy of Egypt when he was smeared, so let us take heart and rest in the Sovereign God who rules all things.

Training Daugters

Daughters are a tremendous gift from the Lord. I personally have three young ones, 3, 2, and 1 to be exact. They have a special place in creation, for daughters today are mothers tomorrow.

Therefore, will you raise your daughters to be godly mothers, or will your raise them to feminists who fail to raise the next generation in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Make no mistake, a woman raised as and to be a feminist has far few children if any.  For this reason, feminism self-destructs because it produces little or no offspring.

Yet again, the Christian worldview reigns supreme, no matter how often her enemies assail her foundation, which is the Word of God. To Him be the glory!

Ye Idolatrous Generation: Part III

Ye Idolatrous Generation

Understanding Luke 4:16-30 In The Context of Elijah and Elisha

Part III: Elisha Heals the Gentile Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-27)

The Hardness of Jews Opens the Door to the Gentiles

--Many Jews had a great hatred for the pagan Gentiles in general, even their kin, the Samaritans.

--They were hypocritical in their worship of God, for their hearts were far from Him.

--They were not judged because of the detestation of godless pagan practices, but were judged because of their arrogant hypocritical hearts.

--They become enraged when their hardness was compared to the generation of Elijah and Elisha, for it meant that God would turn from them and bring salvation to the Gentiles, who were unworthy.

--In the account with Elisha and Naaman, we see the mercy and grace of God to a pagan, while judgment rested upon the Israelites. Such would soon happen to them in a short time.

The Love of God to Naaman, The Leprous Gentile

--The idolatry of Israel is great, and the people are hardened, yet God turns to the Gentiles to display His love and glory, which shames the nation given the Law of God.

--The Lord had given Naaman great victory for the Syrians, yet he was a leper.

--In one raid, they took an Israelite girl who, in God’s Providence, was used to direct Naaman to Elisha.

--This Israelite girl was concerned for the welfare of this Gentile man, yet she was a slave and did not withhold such knowledge to her mistress.

--Naaman requests leave from the King, and the King of Syria obliges and sends a letter with him.

--Naaman brought much wealth with him, yet the King of Israel saw this as provocation and tore his clothes, a sign of immense distress, for only God could do such a miraculous healing.

--When Elisha hears of the King’s distress, he sends word to the King to send Naaman to him.

--Notice that Elisha wants Naaman to know that there is a prophet in Israel, of which will ultimately show the glory of God against the pagan idols.

--Naaman came in his earthly glory to meet Elisha, yet he is angered in that Elisha does not come to the door. He has come all this way, and Elisha tells him what to do via another.

--Naaman storms out, yet his servants urge him to do as Elisha has commanded him.

--Naaman humbles himself and goes into the Jordan River as prescribed.

--Not only was he cleansed, but his flesh was restored as to that of a child!

--One can only imagine the joy, relief, and thankfulness that came from Naaman, the pagan Gentile!

--He offered gifts, but Elisha was pointed in that this was to be shown as the free gift of God.

--Interestingly, he was distraught about his paganism, and even asked for forgiveness in advance for assistance of the King in the pagan temple. Even so, Elisha told him to go in peace.

--Ironically, Elisha’s servant went before Naaman to claim some prize, yet his greed resulted in leprosy.

Application

--God is not a respecter of wealth, language, ethnicity, etc in the giving of His grace, which leaves no room for bitterness or envy.

--God is Sovereign, and He is active and not merely reactive in bringing His purposes about, so this should drive us to humility and comfort as we rest in the arms of a Mighty and Gracious God.

--God is Love, and He magnifies His love to those who deserve it the least, namely sinful man from all tribes, nations and tongues, so let us love, rejoice, and worship Him with great reverence and humility.

--God’s grace is freely given, ultimately in Christ, so it is not to be bought with silver and gold, and to think we can profit from God’s grace is greedy and deserves condemnation.

Ye Idolatrous Generation: Part II

Ye Idolatrous Generation

Understanding Luke 4:16-30 In The Context of Elijah and Elisha

Part II: Drought, Fire From Heaven, and the Coming of Rain (1 Kings 18)

The Angry Mob in Luke 4: What Drove Them to Such Rage?

--Though the specific account of Mt. Carmel is not mentioned in Luke 4, the drought era in which it referred clearly compared the angry mob to the apostate Israelites that lived during Elijah’s era.

--They detested Jesus’ proclamation of Messiahship, and they despised Christ for comparing them to an era that was judged harshly because of idolatry, an era of evil magnified at Mt. Carmel.

--Instead of repenting, they expressed hostility, yet God uses their hardness to reach Gentiles.

--Likewise, we can receive the admonition and repent or seek to drive Christ off of the cliff in rage.

--As we study Fire From Heaven, might we repent when our sin is exposed and not rebel, lest we come under judgment, for this ancient Biblical admonition against idolatry is just as relevant today.

May The True God Come Forth!

The Drought Is Severe: 1 Kings 18:1-20

--Elijah has now been commanded by God to confront King Ahab and tell him that rain was coming.

--The drought is strong and Elijah has a strong confrontation with Ahab exposing his sin.

--Elijah then charges Ahab to send all Israel and the false prophets to Mt. Carmel.

The Confrontation: 1 Kings 18:20-40

--Elijah condemns their wicked attempt to worship the LORD and Baal, and commands them to choose.

--They remain silent and have no idea what is about to take place.

--Elijah admits that he is outnumbered by an incredible margin, yet he is unmoved in his faith.

--Two bulls are prepared, one by the false prophets unto Baal and one by Elijah to the LORD.

--The hand of man shall set no fire; a plea to the divine is the only acceptable means for ignition.

--They are given the choice of which bull to prepare but are commanded again not to light it.

--They called out to this vain idol from morning until noon but to no avail.

--Elijah mocks them with several sharp remarks thereby magnifying their ludicrous efforts.

--Their efforts become desperate as they lacerate themselves in futile attempts to light the sacrifice.

--Man in his depravity would rather mutilate himself rather than bow to God Almighty.

--There was still no response from Baal; now it was Elijah’s turn.

--Elijah calls the people in. He rebuilds the altar, digs a trench around it, and places the sacrifice on it.

--Three times he commands them to pour water on the sacrifice and the wood; Elijah is determined to make a point about who the real God is.

--Giving all worship to God, Elijah now beseeches the LORD to make it known that He is God in Israel.

--With ferocity, the Fire of the LORD falls from Heaven, and even the water in the trench is licked up!

--The people fall on their faces declaring twice that the LORD is God, and the prophets of Baal are killed.

The Coming of Rain: 1 Kings 18:41-46

--The LORD in His mercy brings forth rain as he promised.

--God is a Just Judge, yet his mercy and grace are abundant all the more.

Application

--God always meets idolatry with severe judgment, so do not presume upon the grace of God, O sinner.

--No generation is without blemish, so do not turn from the conviction of the LORD.

--There is no salvation in idolatry, only judgment and despair.

--Ask God to expose the idols of your heart, and repent from them; put off sin and put on Christ.

--Meditate upon the justice and holiness of God that you might be ever thankful of His Sovereign Grace.

Ye Idolatrous Generation: Part I

Ye Idolatrous Generation

Understanding Luke 4:16-30 In The Context of Elijah and Elisha

Part I: Elijah Goes to Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-17:24)

Christ Condemns an Idolatrous Nation

--Jesus was admired from a young age, and many were glorifying Him in His official ministry, yet, in Luke 4, the crowd wanted to cast Him off of the cliff. Why?

--He never ceased to challenge the status quo, and He commanded their attention when he announced the fulfillment of the ancient Messianic prophecy.

--Furthermore, not only does He equate Himself with God, but He then implicitly compares them to the Israelites of old who lived during the age of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

--They are enraged, yet the admonition against idolatry and hypocrisy is just as clear today.

--For this reason, examining the three particular accounts involving Elijah and Elisha mentioned by Christ will likewise warn us to take heed lest we fall.

Elijah Heads to the Gentiles

Background

--The days are heavy with idolatry, and now the rains of heaven have been shut up, even the dew!

--They will be shut up until the showdown occurs at Mt. Carmel.

--The drought has now become severe, for the water source that Elijah was using has dried up.

The Divine Plan: Mercy to the Gentile Widow and Her Son but Condemnation to Israel

--God sends Elijah out to Zarephath, which is in a pagan region, and a widow will feed him.

--God could have sent Elijah anywhere, but He uses this to condemn that generation and one to come.

--Elijah heads out in great faith, for he is in dire need himself, and he meets this Gentile widow at the gate just as God has promised. What a faithful God we serve! Amen!

--He told her to bring him some water, and then food, but, when he asked for food, she turned sullen.

--She was on her last batch of flour, and she was hopeless.

--It might seem that God has brought Elijah to a woman who could not provide for his needs. You would be right because it is God that provides for needs, and He was about to show His power and great glory!

--Elijah does not blink. Immediately, he gives a word of comfort, for the Living God is merciful.

--She will not lack, yet she is to bring him some food first and then bake for her and her son.

--In baking for Elijah first she shows her faithfulness, for she had so little left, but God delivered.

--She not only had plenty for the immediate future, but the oil and flour was not spent for a long time and would not be spent until the Lord sent rain after the glory at Mt. Carmel.

--Remember, Israel is under heavy drought, and, because of the context of the passage and close proximity of this pagan land to Israel, this land was under drought as well.

--God did not send Elijah to a poor widow in Israel that was in great need, but He has shown mercy to this pagan woman instead! Woe to those who have known God’s Word and rejected it!

--Elijah continues his stay with this household, and the son becomes severely ill, yet the widow is stricken with grief as she sees this as punishment for past sin. The widow saw her sin, and God was gracious to her, but Israel did not see her sin, nor did many in the generation of Christ.

--God uses Elijah to bring this child back from the dead, which is a powerful miracle of the LORD.

--She now extols the One True God all the more. This is a Gentile, but Israel remains hardened and stiff necked under its godless rulers suffering under immense judgment.

Application

--God is serious about his holiness, and will not tolerate idolatry in any form or generation.

--God is faithful to his sheep and provides for them according to His good will and purpose.

--The Gentiles are included in the God’s Elect, so let us humbly repent and be thankful to God.