Simple Gifts

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'Tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
to bow and to bend, we shan't be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right.

Simple Gifts was written by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, Jr. in 1848. It was first published in The Gift to be Simple: Shaker Rituals and Songs. Simple Gifts was a work song sung by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (more commonly called the Shakers, an offshoot of the Quakers). The bowing, bending and turning described in the song actually referred to the dancing that went along with many of their songs.

I sometimes catch myself feeling like the Shakers, Quakers and Amish. Keep it simple and basic. There is nothing wrong with a simple lifestyle, but I also catch myself finding comfort and security in this. I like to SEE that I'm doing something “for the Lord”. I know that many of the Amish today find security and comfort in their lifestyle. Why else would they continue in the inconvenience of no electricty...no phones...no automobiles if they didn't? Many of them don't act holy, but yet they continue with the outward appearance. I think many of them find their salvation in their lifestyle. Once again, I sometimes catch myself in this thinking. This thinking is not only inaccurate, but it is a sin and an insult to God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Reading through Romans this morning, I was reminded of my error. In Romans 4:4-5 it says: “⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” I know that my works do not save me. If anyone asked me that, I would 100% of the time say “NO, a persons works can't save them!” (or something close to that). Why, then, do I find comfort and security in simplicity? Is it pride and/or self-centered-ness? Deep inside of me, I can't deny that I truly believe that this is right. That a simple life is better then a fast-paced, hectic life. Spending time at home with my family. Becoming less dependent on others (by way of gardening, raising productive animals, etc.). Trying to remove distractions like television and movies and constant noise like what we might allow radio and music to become. I'm not saying that all of these things are bad. If you could find something edifying to watch or listen to, I don't see a problem with it in moderation. The problem is convincing me that anything on TV is edifying.

I guess what it boils down to is that, to me, this lifestyle is a gift as the song states. I wouldn't trade my home and land for a big city home any day. Yes, chores in the country take time and energy. The benefits far out-way the work any day. This is not my salvation, but it is truly a gift from God.

God bless!!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Church Visit

We hadn't been to church since early December. I was extremely frustrated with the church we were attending and found out some things about the church we were visiting that really turned us off. I had preached at this visiting church once and some of the members (actually more like one person) seemed to really be seeking the Lord. We stopped going there for some things we found out that we could not over-look. I have kept in some contact with the one seeking soul. Anyway, we started having church at home. I was preaching sermons or lessons after we sang hymns. Every once in a while I would find a good article or sermon from the old-time preachers on-line and would read/preach that for our service. We even delved into our vast collection of teaching/preaching tapes and CD's that we've collected over the years and listened to some of them. All was well.

I really didn't know what the Lords' plan was in all of this. Were we to stay home and worship alone forever as a family? I doubted that. Were we to start inviting others to our little services? Maybe.

Then I started getting lazy. The sermon tapes were coming out every week as opposed to once in a while. I was putting very little effort into church service. It kind of lost it's excitement. I feel terrible admitting this. I felt like I was allowing my family to spiritually starve. My own spiritual life started to grow weak.

My wife told me about a fellowship that met about 30 miles north of us a while back. She had gotten a name and phone number from a friend of ours who heard about it. Last week I felt that now was the time to call and find out about it. I got enough information about it to decide it would be a place that my family should visit, and that's what we did last weekend. Quite interesting. I wanted to share a few highlights and things that I enjoyed about this congregation and the way they conduct the service.

First off, they have one elder. They openly admit that this is not the ideal situation, but this is who the Lord has called to serve at this time. The elder told me that he has the authority to make the ruling decisions in the church, but if he did this, he would miss out on much godly wisdom the other men bring to the church meetings. They have men's meetings twice monthly. The first is a business meeting where they discuss business matters, finances and what should be done with tithes (more on tithes in a minute). The second meeting is strictly a prayer meeting. The congregation is made up primarily of farmers. There is no fashion show. Just conservative (mostly if not all) home school families. I don't believe that they are a “registered” church. That might be why, when I asked about tithing, they requested that we give cash. “There's a can that you can put it in. We prefer cash. That way the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is giving. You keep your own records at home. You are accountable to God if and what you give.” I appreciate that. Then I asked what was done with the tithe. They said that when they meet together, anybody that has a need or knows of a need will be brought up. Communion was unique. A big focus of this church is that the man leads the family. The men are responsible for the spiritual state of the family. I agree with that. The communion service went like this. A man got up and had a devotion. We sang a song. Then we meditated. When each family was prepared, the husband/father got up and gathered communion for his own family. He served his family and himself and then returned the elements to the table. I liked that, too. Each man of the church takes a turn preaching in rotation. It figures out that every second or third month, you preach a week. The elder of the church preaches every first Sunday of the month. I like that. The money a lot of churches spend on a full time paid minister could be used to help those in need (in my opinion). At the close of the service, they have a type of prayer meeting. You separate into your family groups. A man is in charge of calling on each family. The husband/father speaks on behalf of his family and makes any prayer needs known. After the family expresses the prayer need, each family prays for the need of that family. They go around the room like this until each family has an opportunity to express it's prayer needs and has been prayed for. On most Sundays, there is a fellowship meal that follows.

My wife and I really enjoyed the service. It wasn't so much the sermon, but the atmosphere. We felt comfortable and welcome there. A change for our family. We will definitely visit again. It encouraged me, also. Something I haven't experienced in a while (except by my wife). We really liked the family focus and the way each family was involved. It certainly keeps it interesting. I'll try to keep you posted on how things go.

God bless!!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Babes on Milk

I had an interesting conversation a couple weeks ago. If the person with whom I had this conversation reads this, I mean no offense by this. I enjoyed the conversation. Quite stimulating. It was regarding someone who “got baptized” one or two years ago. His speech and actions don't reflect a baptism of the heart, though. This was mentioned to someone, who right away threw up the “he's a babe in Christ on milk” argument. “He needs time to grow and mature in the Lord before he's ready for meat.” This has been an excuse I've heard so many times it's not funny. So many times it's used to try to cover for a sin(s) in a persons life. I obviously can't judge this persons heart. Only God can do that. But for someone to excuse his actions because he's a “babe in Christ”, I think is unacceptable. No where in scripture does it say that it's acceptable to do this. Where it does talk about being a babe and needing milk, it is a rebuke from an apostle (probably Paul). Hebrews 5:

⁹ And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; ¹⁰ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. ¹¹ Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. ¹² For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

The author of Hebrews is not excusing their state of immaturity. He says that "we want to tell you all the things of Christ, but we can't because you don't listen. You should be teaching others about Christ, but instead you need to be taught AGAIN the basic principles of Christ." I know that we all grow in the Lord. I know that every day should be a new experience with Him. I also know that your life reflects that growth. You don't add Jesus to your life. You give your life to Jesus. He will change it. He will prompt you to give things up. I am a firm believer that at the time of salvation, you are immediately a changed person. Back to crucifying the old man theme. Aren't we lucky that it didn't take Paul two or three years to mature in the Lord. It said that he spent certain “days” with the disciples at Damascus. Not certain years. Right out of the gates, he was on fire. That was verse 19. In verse 20 “Straightway” he's preaching Christ in the synagogues.

I think the goal of too many churches is to get someone into the water or to repeat a prayer. I've met some manipulative preachers who convince people to say a salvation prayer. Then they don't understand why these people so quickly fall away. Many of them just think, we've got to get them baptized. From there, we can wean the world out of them slowly, as not to scare them away. Or, just let the Lord “work” in their lives. Don't reveal their sin to them. Let them figure it out for themselves. That's why these people are stagnant. Because we don't reveal their sin to them. We don't encourage them to seek the Lord. We don't encourage a walk in holiness. “Here, just put on Christ, this will get you through...Oh, that one doesn't fit? Try another one. You know, one Christ doesn't fit them all!” Sounds like nonsense, doesn't it? It's because it is nonsense! But this kind of thing happens all the time. We are afraid to encourage holy living for fear of scaring people away. I say scare them away. Maybe when they're ready for a real change, they'll come back. I doubt it though. They will find somewhere that will pamper their lifestyle.

1 John 1:6 says: If we say that we have fellowship with Him (God), and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

It's doesn't say “aged” or “established” Christians. It says if we claim to have a relationship with God or Christ, and our lives don't reflect that, we are liars. And even children know where liars go. Remember that even Jesus turned the rich young ruler away. He refused to give up something in his life. There was one particular thing in his life that he wanted to hold onto. I don't think that it was just about his money either. He told another not to take the time to bury his family member. If you want to follow Him, it's right here; right now.

There was a young man in the church that we went to in High School. All of his brothers and sisters and friends were baptized at a young age. He waited; and waited; and waited. When someone would try to pressure him, he would say that he wasn't ready. I would not encourage his attitude, but I did admire him a bit. He knew this was a serious decision. He knew that changes would take place. I feel bad for people who know they need to do it, but put it off until a later date. He eventually “took the plunge”. I haven't talked with him for quite a while to see how his life is going. Hopefully his wait didn't disappoint him.

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

A Different Crucifixion

With this last weekend being Easter weekend, I did quite a bit of thinking about the crucifixion and the resurrection, obviously. My thoughts were on Jesus Christ and what He did for us by saving us from our sins. Not only saving us from the penalty of our sins, but for saving us from having to sin. I know we never have to sin, but we do. My mind was on the crucifixion of another person; myself.

Romans 6

¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I was never taught this growing up. I was taught that I will fight against sin and struggle with sin my whole life. I was taught that I will sin and, for the most part, there was nothing that I could do about it. The main scripture that I was taught was 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” A free pass to sin, right? And I did. I committed sins with every intention of asking forgiveness for it later. I felt this odd, but it went along with the teaching I'd heard. Had I ever been shown this passage in Romans (v.1), I would have known better (serves me right for not studying on my own).

I don't claim to be a perfect human. I don't claim to be sinless. With the death of Jesus, with me following Him into His death, He frees us from the bondage of sin. If He says we are dead to sin, do you think He expects us to have to conquer sin on our own. When we were resurrected with Him, we were resurrected with His power to combat sin.

When we do sin, we, being a new creature clothed with Jesus, take Jesus into that sin with us. It is not our “old man” sinning. Our old man is crucified and dead (v.6). The old man is not resurrected. If we say that our old man still lives, we say one of two things. We are not saved because we did not crucify the old man; or Jesus Christ's crucifixion was not sufficient and needs to be crucified again. We know this not to be true because of verses 9 and 10.

When we are under law, or our physical self trying to live a sinless life (or our sinful self), we are condemned by the law. We are married to that law. We want to be rid of that law and be under (or marry) grace, but we can't be married to Christ and His grace while we are married to the law. We need to wait until our first marriage partner (law) is dead. When the law is dead (allowing the old man to be crucified) we are then free to be bound to Jesus Christ and His grace. This is Romans 7:1-4.

This isn't difficult to comprehend, but it is contrary to what I have been taught. I find this right in scripture (as you see above). Jesus is not going to give me a commandment not to sin and then just leave me to figure it out on my own. He has taken care of it already. We just need to claim it. Why do we set people up to sin. Why do we expect it. It's because we have given them a free pass to sin by using the 1 John passage. This has been used by those who have tried to justify their own sin by saying we are all going to sin so get used to it; oh, and by the way, you're baptized now so here's your “get-out-of-jail-for-free” card. Yes, we are free to confess our sins to be forgiven, but this is not something we should be abusing, taking for granted or taking advantage of. This should be a rare occasion. Not something that we include in our form prayer every night before bed. This should be a sorrowful occasion. Like King David's confession in Psalm 51. He didn't weep just because he had been caught in a “big” sin. He wept and cried out to the Lord because he had sinned against God. No, this probably was not his first sin, but I'm sure he didn't hold on to the philosophy of 1 John 1:9 as a trump card either. I think we too often do.

These were my thoughts this weekend. We freely sin, hoping God's grace doesn't run out, rather than living holy lives. We want to hold on to the “old man” as a scape-goat. We need to wake up to the realization that Christ has already settled this. I think Satan makes us think it's harder than it really is. He puffs himself up by whispering to us that we have no power over sin. Sin is going to happen so just let it happen. Sin should not just happen. Our sinful self was crucified with Jesus. Let's act that way. Have you been crucified, yet?

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

My Daughter and Her Bible

My family and I were sitting on the couch having a spiritual discussion last night when one of the children asked why we don't let them do a certain thing. We tried to explain to them that we don't leave them unsupervised in public because of the predators that are out, and that they would like to hurt them. This, of course, led to more questions and to more discussion about molestation and rape. My eight year old daughter then brought up “the two girls in the Bible who made love to their dad.” I looked at her in a bit of shock. Then I looked at my wife to see the same confused look. I knew the passage she was talking about in Genesis, about Lot and his daughters. “Making love” is not a term that has ever been used in our house. Not because it's bad, but we just don't use it. I know for certain we would have not used it talking about this scenario. What went on with Lot and his daughters was not “love making”. When you get someone drunk to have sex with them, love has nothing to do with the act being committed (especially among family). This made me wonder where she would get this terminology and have it linked to this particular portion of scripture. I asked her where she heard that. It could have been something that we read to her at one time, but still would have not used “make love” in our discussion. She said that she had read it in her Bible. I asked her where her Bible was and she informed me that it was upstairs in her room. I asked her to go get it. Sure enough, that's exactly what it said. Genesis 19:33 says “That night they got their father to drink wine. Then the older daughter went in and made love to him.” Hmm. On one hand, I was very pleased that she was reading her Bible and retaining what she read. On the other hand, I don't want her to think this kind of sick perversion is Love. She was reading out of the New International Reader's Version “The Beginners Bible”. This is a Bible that her and her older brother received for Christmas a couple years ago from grandparents. Our oldest son's has already been replaced with the KJV. We have been putting off replacing my daughters for some reason. Looks like now is the time to get it replaced. I certainly don't want to discourage her from reading God's Word, but want her to get the real Word. Not something watered or dumbed down for kids. They know that if they don't understand something they read they are always welcome to ask their parents. That's not an issue. I told her not to read that Bible anymore. We have a New King James Version I told her to read until I could get her her very own 1611 Authorized King James Version. She'll love it. Her own “adult Bible”. This is one of the many problems I have with the various translations of the Bible. I know we've had this discussion in the past, and don't want to go off on it again, but this one hit pretty close to home. Maybe that's why there is no holiness in the churches today. There is no conviction in the churches. They are reading a watered down “feel-good” bible. I don't know. I'm confused and really kind of appalled about the whole thing. Maybe it's just me. Oh well. I just had to vent. I don't feel much better, though.

God Bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Advice from a Martyr

I finished reading aloud the book Martyr of the Catacombs on Thursday night. Some of the dialog was above the heads of our children. I did stop frequently to quiz them on what was going on and they did ask questions. Once again, I think it is a very good book.

Just one conversation from the book that I wanted to mention. Marcellus, the Roman soldier, is so interested in the faith and peace of the Christians that he forces one of them to take him to the many living in the Catacombs. This is where he meets Honorius, the old, wise Christian. Marcellus accepts the Lord as his savior and resigns his position as a Roman soldier, despite the attempt by his best friend and superior, Lucullus, to change his mind. The persecutions increase against the Christians and Marcellus is caught and imprisoned, to go on trial the next day. Lucullus stays all night with him in his cell trying to, first, talk him into recanting his faith. Marcellus doesn't budge. After Lucullus realizes that he will not recant, he proposes to Marcellus to remain a Christian in secret. He could once again resume his position in the Roman military service and he would in turn, be able to help the Christians more by smuggling to them the food and substances they need for survival. He mentioned the other “Christians” who were living in Rome who “profess the religion of the State but in secret prefer the religion of the Christians.” He then asked “Do you call these men hypocritical and perjurers? Are they not rather your benefactors and friends?”

I fear this is the state of many of the “Christians” today. They are living two lives. Although we don't see this type of persecution on our own soil, we are afraid of the persecution of our friends and families. If we completely sell out to Jesus as Marcellus did (as we will see by his response), you can't live a double life. It's all or nothing. It's not three times a week. It's every day of every week. Although this is a fictional book, I can only stand in awe at the faith and steadfastness that these people portrayed. I've read enough accounts of the real martyrs that follow along the same lines as these. Once again...awe.

Marcellus responds. He says “These men have never learned the Christian's faith and hope as I have. They have never known the new birth, the new divine nature, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, communion with the Son of the living God, as I know. They have not known the love of God springing up within their hearts to give them new feelings and hopes and desires. For them to sympathize with the Christians and to help them is a good thing; but the Christian who could be base enough to abjure his faith and deny the Savior that redeemed him, could never have enough generosity in his traitorous soul to assist his forsaken brethren.” He goes on a little later to say “My Savior cannot be worshiped in this way (hidden or in secret). His followers must confess Him openly. 'Whosoever,' He says, 'shall confess me before men, shall the Son of man also confess him before the angels of God.' To deny Him in my life or in outward appearance is precisely the same as denying Him by the formal manner which the law lays down. This I cannot do. I love Him who first loved me and gave Himself for me. My highest joy is to proclaim Him before men; to die for Him will be my noblest act, and the martyr's crown my most glorious reward.”

I don't think much has changed. There are still mass quantities of Christians who don't experience the change that Marcellus describes. They don't experience the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No new birth. No new divine nature. We may add Christ to our life, but we don't allow our “old man” to be “crucified”. No communion with the Son of the living God. We accept this as the norm. Just like Lucullus knew that there was a radical thread of the Christians, but he also thought of the “above ground” people to be Christian as well. He saw no problem with living a life honoring the ceremonies of the pagan Romans but being “Christian” on the inside. It can't mix. It's like oil and water. I know I sometimes try to keep my light hidden under the bowl. What a disservice and a slap in the face this must be to the one who created us as well as saved us from an eternal hell. It hurts me to think I may be hurting Him like that. I certainly have room to grow. This is not an excuse, but a challenge to myself. Hmm, taking advice from a martyr.

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Encouraging Reads

Not much today. Just a few thoughts. Regan had a good post yesterday. One that is very personal and real to me. It was about birth control, the lack of it and letting God plan your family. Maybe I'll post our testimony and how God led us into that another day. We've had a bit of a roller coaster ride.

I've debated for a few years about reading a book (Martyr of the Catacombs) to our children. I didn't know if they were ready for it. It's a book that was written in the 19^th century about a Roman soldier and the underground Christians and the persecution they went through back in the first or second century. It's a fictional book with what appears to be some historical inaccuracies, but a very good book none the less. It's a very small book of 143 pages. The first time I read it, I finished it in two sittings (which is unusual for me). The author is “an unknown Christian” The reason I debated reading it to my children is because it opens in the Roman Coliseum with gladiator fights and women and children being mauled by wild, hungry animals. Although it's not too awfully graphic, it might be disturbing to some. The reason I like it so much is the dialog that takes place between this Roman soldier (Marcellus) and his superior (Lucullus) and between Marcellus and Honorius, an old, wise Christian living in the Roman Catacombs. The book encourages me every time I read it. Similar to John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. I will admit, the first time I picked up John Foxe's book in high school, it was for the gore. After I read through a small portion of it, the gore factor faded and the inspiration and encouragement increased. What amazing testimonies these people have made for the Kingdom of God. Their faith and endurance. I don't know if we will ever see persecution like that in the United States. It appears right now, we are just persecuting innocent babies by removing them from their mothers' wombs and persecuting those who can't think as well as we do by removing their feeding tubes. The mercy God has bestowed on these people (the martyrs) to endure the pain, torture and suffering. I think books like this are a must for every family member to read, at an appropriate age. If you have not read them, I highly recommend it. In fact, I've been searching through the house for the past week looking for Foxe's Book of Martyrs. I couldn't find it anywhere. Then my wife tells me that I loaned it to someone. I asked her who. “I don't know” was all I got. We've lost so many good books that way. Oh, well. I hope whoever has it is being blessed by it. We'll pick up another copy.

One more thing I want to mention this morning. Our family doctor, Dr. Philip Chase, has a son (John) who is 14 or 15 years old. Early last year they found bone cancer in his knee. They amputated his leg from just above the knee on down. He went through chemo and they thought all was well. Last week they were doing a routine CT Scan on him as a follow up. They found spots in both lungs (a larger one in his right and a smaller spot in his left). He is scheduled to have the spot removed from his right lung on Good Friday. Please pray. Dr. chase is a home school dad of ten children and a very Godly man. Looking for another way to get encouraged and inspired? Go to this web-site (blog) with updates of John. If you are not moved to tears (or least get emotional) there may be something wrong with you. Their faith in a real and living God is a powerful thing. If you do nothing else today, read his blog. (If the link doesn't work, it's johnnychase.org).

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Protecting Your Children: Revisited

NOTE: Any parents that read this to your children, please read through this first.

I wouldn't consider myself a news junkie, but on my lunch-break at work most days, I'll point my browser to FoxNews.com to catch up on what's going on in the world. What I realize is that the news is very depressing (I know...DUH!!). Something else I realize is that my post on protecting your children is not too harsh. Possibly not harsh enough. I don't know how many articles in the last couple of months I have read or seen about child endangerment, child porn, child abuse, child abduction, child rape, child neglect...the list could go on. I understand that these things have been going on in the world for a very, very long time; but to this degree? Obviously the most publicized is the Michael Jackson child molestation trial. My wife summed it up for me when she said “What kind of monster lives inside that man that makes him want to disfigure himself like that and do the things he does?” I say he's a pervert. He's perverted sex. He's perverted life (his, his children, other peoples children). He's even perverted his physical appearance. My wife turned the radio on one morning to catch the weather. The radio was set to talk radio. The announcer was talking about this particular trial in great detail; explicit detail. This brings me to a major point. Do we need this kind of detail? This local station is supposed to be a conservative (yet secular) station. I believe they thought they were just “bringing the news”. We are being bombarded with this kind of explicit information. Once again, this may be the media's way of “bringing the news”. Maybe they hope the details will disgust us (which many times they do).

I perused one article about Hollywood filming a new movie. I was appalled, so I didn't finish it. It is a movie about a thirteen year old girl. Typically not a problem to cast a movie about a thirteen year old girl. The catch is, she was supposed to have a lesbian love scene in the movie. Now the dilemma. Who in their right mind is going to allow Hollywood to film a thirteen year old girl in a lesbian love scene? They interviewed several girls who were of age to make a movie like this “..but they all looked too old”. What are they trying to do to this country?!?! With the explicit details we get from the media mixed with films filled with this filth, are they pushing some sort of an agenda? They got the country to accept homosexuality, is pedophilia next? Is the media going to callous us regarding this while the film/entertainment industry portrays it as socially acceptable. You don't think a movie like this depicting what appears to be a thirteen year old engaged in lesbian sex is going to turn some perverted freak on? Making them want to have a young lover like that? In a society that gets what they want; and if they can't get it, they take it? We wonder why people would do harmful things to children. Two words for you: Firing Squad. I feel okay saying that. Jesus said anyone offending children would be better off with a millstone hung around their necks and cast into the sea. I think my method may be a little more humane.

It got me wondering what the consensual sex age was in the different States. It varies from 16 to 18 mostly. Some are 14 if the other partner is under 21. Did you know that many states have a consensual age for men-to-men sex and female-to-female sex? Check for yourself. Where are we headed?

Churches aren't a safe haven like many think, either. Women, please understand that men/boys are visual people. Don't tempt them with the way you dress or with the clothes you wear (or don't wear). I remember when I was thirteen. Focusing on the sermon was hard enough in itself alone. Then throw in scantily clad females and there is no way I could pay attention to the minister. I don't know the last time I was in a church that the women and girls actually dressed like modest ladies (I can think of maybe one or two, and we've visited a lot of churches). How do you expect your children to remain pure when going to school (or church) and the girls are dressed like prostitutes? Seem harsh and over-reactant? We left a church a few years back. We left for several reasons. One reason was because of the dress of some of the ladies. One lady I'll mention. She was probably fifty years old. She was not an overly-attractive women, but she kept her shape pretty well. She wore the shortest skirts I think I have ever seen. She was a Sunday School teacher for young children. When we were talking to one of the elders about why we were leaving the church, dress became a topic. He shook his head like he understood what we were saying. I mentioned “a” Sunday School teacher (not by name mind you). He said “I know who you are talking about. She has been a topic in our household.” He went on to say “Troy, how do you think it makes me feel when my five year old grandchild says 'grandpa, when our teacher bends over in Sunday School, I can see her panties.'”? I asked what the elders were doing about it. “Oh, we can't do anything about it.” I disagreed. If it makes them angry and runs them off, so be it. You don't need people like that working in the church, polluting young (and old) people.

Youth groups can be dangerous. I mentioned that before. Christian summer camp was a breeding ground for hormones (and just plane a breeding ground for some). Hundreds of kids with a few counselors to watch them all. Right. I know what goes on. So do your children.

Alright, I've vented enough. I really try to make this blog encouraging. Sometimes I succeed. I know that most times I sound angry. Usually because I am angry. Angry at what the church has become. Angry at the direction the country is headed. Maybe I'm too emotionally attached to the world. Maybe I need to focus on me and my family. I know I focus on them and their protection. Some of our family think that we are over-protective. Then I read the news and know for a fact that we are NOT over-protective.

God Bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Foolishness and Folly

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

For quite a while now I've been wanting to post on our speech and actions and how they effect our 'witness'. I just haven't taken the time to put my thoughts together on it. A couple of verses crossed my path recently that really solidified this for me. Part of it is because this might be where I struggle the most as a Christian. Keeping my speech sound. I'm really not a loud or vulgar person by nature. My problem is light-heartedness (a nice way to say foolishness). Anyone that knows me knows that I hate confrontation and conflict, so I turn to humor. I always have. Where do I draw the line? Where does humor cross over to what Paul talks about in Ephesians 5:3-4 (But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.)? I mentioned in a previous post how my 'jesting' caused a co-worker of mine to take notice, and not in a good way.

I have spoken (written) more than once in the past about how those starving in the world want something different than what the world has to offer. That's why they're starving. The world has plenty of comedians. We don't need them in the church, too. Yeah, I might make someone laugh, which makes me feel good, but have I challenged anyone spiritually? Have I encouraged someone? I really try to encourage people. I have seen enough depression in my life. If I can lift someone up, I try to do it. But, does it have to be through entertaining them? If I could juggle, I would have tried that, I'm sure. All this does is make them forget about their problem momentarily instead of pointing them to an answer to fix the problem.

I'm not proposing that we walk around sulky all of the time. I've seen Christians like that and that doesn't impress anyone. I've even had people ask me why Christians are always in a somber mood and never joyful. Like I said, the world takes notice. We should be joyful. Why would anyone want to come to the Lord if it meant we had to appear depressed all of the time? Come to the Lord to escape the worlds depression! But that doesn't mean we need to be fools. I've seen “Christian Comedians” before. Yes, they make me laugh. Most fools do. How do they expect to lead anyone to Christ? Can people actually take them seriously? I've seen them on stage making people laugh until they cry one minute, than try to switch gears and share about Jesus. It didn't do anything for me. I was thinking “c'mon, get through this and get back to the funny stuff.” It goes back to wanting to be entertained. I'm sure I've exhausted you with my torrents of entertainment in the church, so I'll save that for another day.

It boils down how people perceive you. No we should not strive to please man, BUT, if people don't respect you, they will not listen to you. How do you expect to share with people who have no respect for you? How do you expect people to respect you if life is just one big joke right after another? You don't need to go through life speaking only scriptures, but your life needs some seriousness in it. If someone has a problem, do they go to the foolish joker or do they go to the level, joyful person? I know where I would go. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill with this, but it's something I feel I need to examine in myself. I also know what the scriptures say about our speech and actions. Read through Proverbs. How often does it speak about fools, foolishness, and their follies? I also know that a little foolishness makes a man who has a reputation of wisdom and honor to stink. A little foolishness could ruin what you have worked for in a short moment.

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

Protecting Your Children

I had a minister hold up a picture of a very skinny, dirty, feeble man to show each of us in the men’s group that had gathered together one Saturday morning. It was quite possibly a homeless man. My first reaction was “sheesh…that poor guy!” I didn’t know if this was a missions pitch or what. Than he said “Would you trust this man to provide food for your family? Would you trust him to keep your family fed and nourished?” Obviously the answer was NO. His response: “Than how can you expect to spiritually feed your family when you are in this state spiritually?” That really made me stop and think. This was a church that always challenged me. They always encouraged me to dig deeper. The minister was a humble man who sought the Lord. I really took a lot away from this church. This particular instance really motivated me to stay in the Word. To keep in contact with the Lord. Sure I’ve failed at times, but I get up. I’m no better or stronger than the next guy. I know my place. I know my responsibilities and duties.

I had another minister who was anti-home schooling. I do agree that we are all entitled to our opinions in this area. I certainly feel that home schooling is the better and safer way. That’s why we do it. Anyway, the minister said that he would have never pulled his kids out of school if things were going rough (his children are grown up and out of the house). If they were having problems at school or getting in trouble, he would wait till they got home, he would fill them up with God and send them back out into the world. Sounds good, but each of his four children fell away in high school. His daughter had two children out of wed-lock with two different men. His one son (they claim) was possessed by a demon. Three of them ended up back in church. One of the children actually lives a somewhat spiritual life. He was a busy minister, caring for the needs of the community. While neglecting his flock at home. The somewhat spiritual one is following the same path. Her and her husband have three children now and they are always leaving them with someone while they go on mission trips, or go to evangelize. Don’t misunderstand me. Evangelizing and missions are very important, but look at the state of most missionary families. Especially the missionaries who leave there children behind. We have seen a lot of missionaries in our short years. The number of fallen children is amazing to me.

That was just my introduction. Deuteronomy 6 says :

¹ Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: ² That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. ³ Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: ⁵ And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. ⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: ⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. ⁸ And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. ⁹ And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Now I believe the Jews maybe took the frontlet part a little overboard. They were doing what the Jews were notorious of doing. Taking God’s heart commandments and making them physical laws. My point is that we are supposed to be training our children in this. In our speech and actions. Twenty-four/seven should be spent in communion with our children and the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 says:

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

When we send our children off to school for seven or eight hours a day, we are giving up our parental right for that time period. Not only are we giving up our parental right, we are shaking off our parental responsibilities and duties. You are no longer “mommy” for your seven year old. There’s another “mommy” teaching and training your children. And just because they are certified by the state certainly does NOT mean they know what’s best for your children. God gave your children to YOU, not the state or government. Just like the second minister I told you about. His “salt and light” theory is so anti-biblical. Where in the Bible does it say to send out a fool to teach the world the gospel (Proverbs 22:15 says: foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child…). And no, James Dobson does NOT know what’s best for your children. Train your children up in the Lord and establish them on a firm foundation before you send them out. Trust me, that doesn’t happen at seven or eight years old (or usually even 12 or 13). Why send your children to be subjected to the peer-pressure that you gave into? Why send them to fellowship with the dark world (2 Corinthians 6:14)? Do you really expect them to stand fast when being bombarded with profanity and pollution? How do you stand up against eight hours of bombardment of evil? Do you ever give in? Ever? Maybe that one dirty joke you laugh at? That one inappropriate conversation you take part in? 1 Corinthians 15:33 says: ³³ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. What makes you think your child is exempt from this? You don’t throw one good apple into a basket of rotten apples and expect that one good one to make good the basket. Usually the opposite happens (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9 a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump).

“You’re being too protective” or “You’ll make them anti-social”. Yes, I have seen a few home school families that have backward children. A very few! Try interacting with some. See how they open up. Just because my children aren’t climbing the clothes racks at the department store doesn’t make him socially retarded. It makes him well behaved. Just because we don’t allow them to run through the parking lot or roam the stores alone; because we don’t send our children to school or youth group parties or to spend the night at peoples homes. Does this make us too protective? Look at the news. The abductions. The molestations. The rapes and murders. The teachers having sex with the students? Youth group children having sex on youth outings? It happens. I have heard first hand from several people that lost their virginity at a youth gathering. Many times on the church bus or right in the youth leaders house. And you will send your children out into this? And I’m being too protective?

“But they’ll be naïve and will not be able to function in society because it will be such a shock.” What the world calls naïve, the Bible calls pure. I would rather my children not understand a dirty joke they might hear. It keeps them pure (Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart…). And I do think my children should know what evils are going on in the world. The world should not be teaching them, though. If I teach them at home, I will teach them with a Bible in my hands explaining why it’s an abomination and why it displeases God. If you allow them to learn from the world, they will learn it as exalted. The world tries to exalt their sin. Do you want your children to learn about sex, drugs, adultery and all that goes along with it in an exalted light or a revealing light that shows what evil it truly is?

Men, these children were given as a gift to you. View them as a gift and not an inconvenience. Know your responsibilities, though. When you send your children out into the world for seven or eight hours a day, that leaves you with maybe four or five hours with them. You will have to un-do eight hours of teaching in four hours before bed. Do you think this will confuse your children? “If it’s so wrong, why do they send me here?” Read through Titus 2. This is not just about mothers and wives. It tells what a man should live like also. This is the Biblical principle we try to instill in our children. I leave you with one last verse. Matthew 18:6 says:

⁶ But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

I believe parents are offending their own children every day by not watching over them. By letting them roam. By not holding them accountable. I believe we are hurting God as well. By not taking care of the gifts he has blessed us with. Saying that “I don’t offend them, but their teachers might and that’s just the way the system is and there’s nothing I can do about it” is nothing more than a cop-out. Bring your children home. Protect and shelter them. Show them that you love them. Be home for them.

I know I went a bit long today. I hope you stuck it out. This is not a post trying to push you into home schooling. This is a post about protecting your children. To me, this is one of the no-brainer ways to do it. Feel free to comment with any questions.

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14