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It is those things that are deliberately left out of the public debate that hide the evil, the government coercion that is not always seen, but is always around the corner.
Quality Health Care Grows Out of the Barrel of a Gun by Doug Wilson
....But he left out of the picture the one thing that government agencies are very effective at doing, and that is the task of increasing their budgets every year, and staying in business regardless of their inefficiencies in performing their appointed tasks.
If the post office had been subject to full-throated competition, they would have been out of business by now. But the post office does not solely rely, as private delivery companies do, on revenue from their business to fund future operations. They get to supplement their income by means of lots of money collected from the people by men with guns and big, block letters on the backs of their jackets. The issue is coercion.
So the private companies that are threatened by the coming government intrusion should take up the president's challenge, but with this proviso. "Deal. But leave the guns at home. Then bring it on."....
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Great bargain Gun Ideas
Massad Ayoob is the man! From way back in the 80's I have read his stuff. Heavy on common sense, street smarts with practicle applications.
Here is a great essay on picking guns on a budget. Ht to Lew Rockwell.
An economical battery of guns for the backwoods home By Massad Ayoob
...A "battery" of firearms is a selection of guns that will cover multiple needs. The collector has "a collection," but the person who uses guns as tools has a working "battery," like a carpenter having multiple saws for different cutting purposes, and different screwdrivers for dealing with different sizes of screws....
Here is a great essay on picking guns on a budget. Ht to Lew Rockwell.
An economical battery of guns for the backwoods home By Massad Ayoob
...A "battery" of firearms is a selection of guns that will cover multiple needs. The collector has "a collection," but the person who uses guns as tools has a working "battery," like a carpenter having multiple saws for different cutting purposes, and different screwdrivers for dealing with different sizes of screws....
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Why some things dont work and need all this govt "help"
Everything Wilson has done in his Obama Nation building series is sweet. He is so needed today.
A Fat Roll of Twenties, by Douglas Wilson
....The rule of law is quite different from the rule of arbitrary rules, however legal those arbitrary rules might be. Rules that can be altered at a whim, rules that can be issued today and countermanded tomorrow, rules that squeak through Congress, may all be legal, but they do not represent the rule of law. In this sense, legality is not the same thing as lawful. The rule of law is that system of governance which enables the citizens of a society to predict what the other players, preeminent among them the government, will be bound to honor the day after tomorrow. Without that key element of predictability, rational preparation for the future ceases. When bills are rushed through Congress in order to address the current emergency, the current emergency will always require the alteration of the rules. That alteration may be perfectly legal, but it destroys the rule of law. May be legal, but it is not legit.
Suppose we gave referees the authority to constantly move the goal posts throughout the game. There is no way to do this without destroying the game, and under such conditions, there would be no real way to coach under such a system. Wait, I take that back. There is a way to coach under such circumstances, and that is to have a fat roll of twenties in your windbreaker, so that you can slip one to the refs as your circumstances warrant....
A Fat Roll of Twenties, by Douglas Wilson
....The rule of law is quite different from the rule of arbitrary rules, however legal those arbitrary rules might be. Rules that can be altered at a whim, rules that can be issued today and countermanded tomorrow, rules that squeak through Congress, may all be legal, but they do not represent the rule of law. In this sense, legality is not the same thing as lawful. The rule of law is that system of governance which enables the citizens of a society to predict what the other players, preeminent among them the government, will be bound to honor the day after tomorrow. Without that key element of predictability, rational preparation for the future ceases. When bills are rushed through Congress in order to address the current emergency, the current emergency will always require the alteration of the rules. That alteration may be perfectly legal, but it destroys the rule of law. May be legal, but it is not legit.
Suppose we gave referees the authority to constantly move the goal posts throughout the game. There is no way to do this without destroying the game, and under such conditions, there would be no real way to coach under such a system. Wait, I take that back. There is a way to coach under such circumstances, and that is to have a fat roll of twenties in your windbreaker, so that you can slip one to the refs as your circumstances warrant....
As incoherent as it really is
Discipleship, we need to get this.
Vision and discipleship, it pertains to all walks of life, family is where you learn about, and first practice it, which then prepares you to press out in dominion to disciple the Nations.
On the way back from a mountain trip last week the family listened to the Disney discussion cd’s from vision forum. I have mentioned these before. This time while hearing Botkin talk about Walt Disneys Victorian understanding of morality, which was apart from real biblical moorings. (Wholesome goodness will always get punked, by the shifting sand of humanism that’s its resting on) The big lesson is on how Walt had no understanding of discipleship. After his death his successors made off with his creation.
I have been reading about Westminster, the college that Machen built in the 1930’s when the liberals hijacked, what had remained of the Old Guard Christian thinking. I have talked of Machen before here.
Machen built up this college, New Westminster and had Cornelious Van Til on staff. Lead by Van Til, Westminster was an island in a sea American Relativism. Van Til tore up humanism on a presuppositional level. Machen died shortly after starting the college and could not disciple, mentor an succensor .
The college came to actively oppose the very biblical vision that started it! I can now see and am aghast at how this happened over and over and over the last couple of hundred yrs as the church took the great commission, to make disciples of every nation, and put it on a slim fast diet that became, getting people saved. As an institution the church finds itself pushing back against Christian dominion and discipling nations, its seen as interfering, with the real work of the gospel. Who’d thunk it?
As a part of modernity, the concern is about “who“ is best equipped to grow, this, or that institution, rather than who has the correct understanding of what was the primary vision.
Countless foundations, universities and institutions are now adrift,or worse, deliberatly used in manners contrary to their design, as no one at the top discipled or set in place the importance of this understanding. Proposition: We miss it at the institutional level because we missed it at the family level.
As a father, your primary calling is the discipling of your children. Not maybe, not kind of. This needs to be a burning mission, your back ground music as it were, in harmony with glorifying God. Done right, this will pass on a vision that goes beyond the family and even leaves your children’s children with an understanding of how they are a part of something that is Galatic and eternal in scope. Increasing the kingdom of God for His own glory. (Doug Phillips had a great teaching on how God makes clear, that for many key men he used, He knew, they would pass on to their children his truth, and it was a factor in their being used by him. Abraham, Noah.)
We must throw away, discard, the Amercana lie about how “they” must decide. Our kids had no choice over being born, or when, or to what mom, or dad, or what their moms and dads strengths and weakness’s would be, or the historical family heritage it is a part of , or what continent, what nation, what state, what city or neighborhood, or house. They do not decide how tall they will be, hair color, facial features, big boned, male or female, basic gifting and talents, all are divinely chosen by God as creator. He does not work from our preference sheet, when he knits us together in our mother’s womb (Isaiah 44:24 )
Along with every other created thing in the universe they didn’t get to sign off about being a part of glorifying God. When thought of in this manner, the idea that they would be shot out as arrows to move in terms of Gods word is totally normal in the context of a Biblical Christian family. It’s such a crock, the idea, that “they should decide” and must be seen as incoherent as it really is. There is no neutral ground here, either you aim them, or the culture/state will do it, all the while saying, “they are making their own decisions.”
We must direct them, aim them out as arrows, as commanded by scripture, filled with purpose that is in harmony with who God has made them. No beards for our daughters, not equipped to cut their husbands off at the knees to control them, but womanly enough to pick up a rifle/handgun and help defend the family if need be.
We men cannot be tyrants as fathers but we must develop enough back bone to stand up and say no! to those ideas and worldviews that are contrary to Gods word.
We don’t let our kids make up their own minds about gravity. We instruct them on its reality as best we can. My kids are not allowed to decide for themselves if two and two is four. And so it should be with every truth we know of in life. Hopefully that’s a deep well of biblical understanding we dish out and continue to ladle out until there is no more breath in us. Be wise,surround yourself with men and families who get this!
Broadly speaking this was integral to the message of Deuteronomy, and played out in proverbs and a part of the worship of the Psalms to be pressed into our childrens understanding. The Bible is full of verses like this.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Psalms 127:3-4 (NKJV)
28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You." Psalms 102:28 (NKJV)
4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; Psalms 78:4-7 (NKJV)
They are given to you as arrows first, for His own glory, and the aspect that they are little Americans, should be way down the list.
Vision and discipleship, it pertains to all walks of life, family is where you learn about, and first practice it, which then prepares you to press out in dominion to disciple the Nations.
On the way back from a mountain trip last week the family listened to the Disney discussion cd’s from vision forum. I have mentioned these before. This time while hearing Botkin talk about Walt Disneys Victorian understanding of morality, which was apart from real biblical moorings. (Wholesome goodness will always get punked, by the shifting sand of humanism that’s its resting on) The big lesson is on how Walt had no understanding of discipleship. After his death his successors made off with his creation.
I have been reading about Westminster, the college that Machen built in the 1930’s when the liberals hijacked, what had remained of the Old Guard Christian thinking. I have talked of Machen before here.
Machen built up this college, New Westminster and had Cornelious Van Til on staff. Lead by Van Til, Westminster was an island in a sea American Relativism. Van Til tore up humanism on a presuppositional level. Machen died shortly after starting the college and could not disciple, mentor an succensor .
The college came to actively oppose the very biblical vision that started it! I can now see and am aghast at how this happened over and over and over the last couple of hundred yrs as the church took the great commission, to make disciples of every nation, and put it on a slim fast diet that became, getting people saved. As an institution the church finds itself pushing back against Christian dominion and discipling nations, its seen as interfering, with the real work of the gospel. Who’d thunk it?
As a part of modernity, the concern is about “who“ is best equipped to grow, this, or that institution, rather than who has the correct understanding of what was the primary vision.
Countless foundations, universities and institutions are now adrift,or worse, deliberatly used in manners contrary to their design, as no one at the top discipled or set in place the importance of this understanding. Proposition: We miss it at the institutional level because we missed it at the family level.
As a father, your primary calling is the discipling of your children. Not maybe, not kind of. This needs to be a burning mission, your back ground music as it were, in harmony with glorifying God. Done right, this will pass on a vision that goes beyond the family and even leaves your children’s children with an understanding of how they are a part of something that is Galatic and eternal in scope. Increasing the kingdom of God for His own glory. (Doug Phillips had a great teaching on how God makes clear, that for many key men he used, He knew, they would pass on to their children his truth, and it was a factor in their being used by him. Abraham, Noah.)
We must throw away, discard, the Amercana lie about how “they” must decide. Our kids had no choice over being born, or when, or to what mom, or dad, or what their moms and dads strengths and weakness’s would be, or the historical family heritage it is a part of , or what continent, what nation, what state, what city or neighborhood, or house. They do not decide how tall they will be, hair color, facial features, big boned, male or female, basic gifting and talents, all are divinely chosen by God as creator. He does not work from our preference sheet, when he knits us together in our mother’s womb (Isaiah 44:24 )
Along with every other created thing in the universe they didn’t get to sign off about being a part of glorifying God. When thought of in this manner, the idea that they would be shot out as arrows to move in terms of Gods word is totally normal in the context of a Biblical Christian family. It’s such a crock, the idea, that “they should decide” and must be seen as incoherent as it really is. There is no neutral ground here, either you aim them, or the culture/state will do it, all the while saying, “they are making their own decisions.”
We must direct them, aim them out as arrows, as commanded by scripture, filled with purpose that is in harmony with who God has made them. No beards for our daughters, not equipped to cut their husbands off at the knees to control them, but womanly enough to pick up a rifle/handgun and help defend the family if need be.
We men cannot be tyrants as fathers but we must develop enough back bone to stand up and say no! to those ideas and worldviews that are contrary to Gods word.
We don’t let our kids make up their own minds about gravity. We instruct them on its reality as best we can. My kids are not allowed to decide for themselves if two and two is four. And so it should be with every truth we know of in life. Hopefully that’s a deep well of biblical understanding we dish out and continue to ladle out until there is no more breath in us. Be wise,surround yourself with men and families who get this!
Broadly speaking this was integral to the message of Deuteronomy, and played out in proverbs and a part of the worship of the Psalms to be pressed into our childrens understanding. The Bible is full of verses like this.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Psalms 127:3-4 (NKJV)
28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You." Psalms 102:28 (NKJV)
4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; Psalms 78:4-7 (NKJV)
They are given to you as arrows first, for His own glory, and the aspect that they are little Americans, should be way down the list.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
...the pressing political need to browbeat people into denying the obvious...
My muddled brain cannot always see the stiches on the fastball so I do enjoy sitting next to those who can see it, and tell me what I was just hit with. Because his archives are so big, i might not ever find something that i thought was so juicy, so i put parts of it where i will find it. On my blog. Some tidbits...
He Who Says A, Must Say B, by Doulgas Wilson
Bear with me a moment. I would like to sketch the outlines of an argument showing how a denial of Calvinism will lead (over time) to the canons of political correctness. But before doing that, allow me to define both terms. By Calvinism I mean the doctrine of God's exhaustive sovereignty. By political correctness, I mean the pressing political need to browbeat people into denying the obvious.
As soon as Calvinism is denied, divine predestination is denied. And when predestination is denied, it soon occurs to the ranking civil authorities that the role of "predestinator" is vacant. The job of running everyone's life (as God had previously been thought to do) is now vacant. And so the State applies for the job (and not surprisingly, hires itself). The choice is simple -- either God is acknowledged as the one who predestines, or man will attempt to become the one who predestines....
Now we are not yet at this stage, although we are rapidly getting there. The rot of intellectual dishonesty that produces this is very much at the center of our current cultural consciousness. This is the mindset of the intolerista, and this is where political correctness comes in. PC thot is the attempt (frequently successful) to make people deny the Screamingly Obvious through sheer, brute intimidation. If you don't like what someone is saying, don't refute him. Don't engage him in debate. That would be too much like civilized discourse. What intoleristas do is shout people down, file bogus complaints, and tell the authorities that those people over there are "not zoned for disagreeing with me." Coercion is the standard method employed by the failed god. It is the signature of the failed god. And the more clear this becomes, the more necessary it is to resort to continued attempts at coercion.
Examples abound, but I will just use one. When did we have the national debate, after which debate we decided through our elected officials to put women in combat? Some people started to have that debate, but the next thing we knew, the armed services were running down the sidelines waving the egalitarian football over their heads. And then we were suddenly into this war, see, and now every politician alive -- left, right, and center, the ones with the flag lapel pins and the ones without them -- is on television extolling our brave men and women in uniform. You're not against that, are you? Go ahead, say something. I dare you....
The reason certain people get pounded is that they dare to raise "the problem of evil" in the presence of the reigning deity. They dare to point out what must be diligently ignored if the pretension of deity is to be maintained. And their problem is not that they are technically correct while the reigning authorities are technically incorrect. It is nothing so subtle. The problem is that the State is claiming to be able to make water flow uphill, and someone is brave enough (not smart enough, brave enough) to point out that it is doing no such thing.
He Who Says A, Must Say B, by Doulgas Wilson
Bear with me a moment. I would like to sketch the outlines of an argument showing how a denial of Calvinism will lead (over time) to the canons of political correctness. But before doing that, allow me to define both terms. By Calvinism I mean the doctrine of God's exhaustive sovereignty. By political correctness, I mean the pressing political need to browbeat people into denying the obvious.
As soon as Calvinism is denied, divine predestination is denied. And when predestination is denied, it soon occurs to the ranking civil authorities that the role of "predestinator" is vacant. The job of running everyone's life (as God had previously been thought to do) is now vacant. And so the State applies for the job (and not surprisingly, hires itself). The choice is simple -- either God is acknowledged as the one who predestines, or man will attempt to become the one who predestines....
Now we are not yet at this stage, although we are rapidly getting there. The rot of intellectual dishonesty that produces this is very much at the center of our current cultural consciousness. This is the mindset of the intolerista, and this is where political correctness comes in. PC thot is the attempt (frequently successful) to make people deny the Screamingly Obvious through sheer, brute intimidation. If you don't like what someone is saying, don't refute him. Don't engage him in debate. That would be too much like civilized discourse. What intoleristas do is shout people down, file bogus complaints, and tell the authorities that those people over there are "not zoned for disagreeing with me." Coercion is the standard method employed by the failed god. It is the signature of the failed god. And the more clear this becomes, the more necessary it is to resort to continued attempts at coercion.
Examples abound, but I will just use one. When did we have the national debate, after which debate we decided through our elected officials to put women in combat? Some people started to have that debate, but the next thing we knew, the armed services were running down the sidelines waving the egalitarian football over their heads. And then we were suddenly into this war, see, and now every politician alive -- left, right, and center, the ones with the flag lapel pins and the ones without them -- is on television extolling our brave men and women in uniform. You're not against that, are you? Go ahead, say something. I dare you....
The reason certain people get pounded is that they dare to raise "the problem of evil" in the presence of the reigning deity. They dare to point out what must be diligently ignored if the pretension of deity is to be maintained. And their problem is not that they are technically correct while the reigning authorities are technically incorrect. It is nothing so subtle. The problem is that the State is claiming to be able to make water flow uphill, and someone is brave enough (not smart enough, brave enough) to point out that it is doing no such thing.
"Secularism can only fake tolerance, diversity and inclusion'
Rushdoony used to point out that the cry for tolerance is used by outsiders, to gain positions on the inside, and then tolerance is forgotten about. It is a weapon when one wants to get rid of an old orthodoxy and bring in a new one. Here Wilson says it so well, its from 2005...
But Secularism Really Is Ugly, by Douglas Wilson
In the world of postmodern politics, truth does not matter -- and pressure does. One of the reasons postmodern theorists say that all truth constructions are really just disguised power grabs is to disable any who oppose them. Once the decks are cleared for action, up they jump with their own construction which (mysteriously) is not a power grab, in order to proceed with their power grab.
Another way of putting this is that Intoleristas are one-way relativists. They use relativistic "who's to say" arguments to deal with any and all rival truth claims, but when the smoke clears from those battles, they advance their own claims, against which they will brook no dissent whatever. This is why they have richly earned their name -- Intolerista. They will not allow any of their assumptions to be questioned or challenged, and if you try, they will brand you as someone peddling "hate." Hatred, of course, is defined as differing with them....
But Secularism Really Is Ugly, by Douglas Wilson
In the world of postmodern politics, truth does not matter -- and pressure does. One of the reasons postmodern theorists say that all truth constructions are really just disguised power grabs is to disable any who oppose them. Once the decks are cleared for action, up they jump with their own construction which (mysteriously) is not a power grab, in order to proceed with their power grab.
Another way of putting this is that Intoleristas are one-way relativists. They use relativistic "who's to say" arguments to deal with any and all rival truth claims, but when the smoke clears from those battles, they advance their own claims, against which they will brook no dissent whatever. This is why they have richly earned their name -- Intolerista. They will not allow any of their assumptions to be questioned or challenged, and if you try, they will brand you as someone peddling "hate." Hatred, of course, is defined as differing with them....
Friday, June 19, 2009
Serrated Edge III
This is from 2005,Wilson responding to those Christians pooh poohing his book.
The Nail Can of Bitterness Douglas Wilson
....Thus far the only thing that most of my critics can demonstrate that they took from the book was the title -- critics now regularly refer to the "serrated edge," and they do so with disdain. But for the rest of the book, the only answer people feel compelled to give is a broad and dismissive "I am not convinced," leaving it at that.
I know of only one person who has attempted seriously to interact with the arguments in the book. All the others just wave the hand, and say that they don't really "agree with" the serrated edge approach. Do I raise this point because my feelings are hurt? Do I bring it up because I am standing on my dignity and think that people don't take me seriously enough? Not at all. I bring it up because I intend to make fun of it in a minute.....
....In polemical exchanges, good humor trumps pursed lips. The dour countenence gives way before the gut chuckle. Cavalier Puritans gallop in circles around the prissy puritans, falsely so-called, along with their stick horses of legalism. Whenever these two approaches clash, the contest is unequal. And that is a central reason that objections are raised to a weapon that one side knows how to use and the other doesn't. There is a mystery here. The reason good satire works is that it is driven by affection and love. The reason that bad-humored-eat-your-spinach admonitions are no fun is that they are driven by bitterness, envy, and a gnawing fear that somebody out there might have discovered that Jesus Christ was not a schoolmarm.
The Nail Can of Bitterness Douglas Wilson
....Thus far the only thing that most of my critics can demonstrate that they took from the book was the title -- critics now regularly refer to the "serrated edge," and they do so with disdain. But for the rest of the book, the only answer people feel compelled to give is a broad and dismissive "I am not convinced," leaving it at that.
I know of only one person who has attempted seriously to interact with the arguments in the book. All the others just wave the hand, and say that they don't really "agree with" the serrated edge approach. Do I raise this point because my feelings are hurt? Do I bring it up because I am standing on my dignity and think that people don't take me seriously enough? Not at all. I bring it up because I intend to make fun of it in a minute.....
....In polemical exchanges, good humor trumps pursed lips. The dour countenence gives way before the gut chuckle. Cavalier Puritans gallop in circles around the prissy puritans, falsely so-called, along with their stick horses of legalism. Whenever these two approaches clash, the contest is unequal. And that is a central reason that objections are raised to a weapon that one side knows how to use and the other doesn't. There is a mystery here. The reason good satire works is that it is driven by affection and love. The reason that bad-humored-eat-your-spinach admonitions are no fun is that they are driven by bitterness, envy, and a gnawing fear that somebody out there might have discovered that Jesus Christ was not a schoolmarm.
Christs kingdom extends to everything
Here are three related links for those that have an open ear for the topic of the Lordship of Christ over law and government, kings and presidents.
This first link is for Kevin Swanson and his talk on whether Christians should be in Government and implementing a biblical standard. Very well layed out, addresses most
Christian positions and compares them to Gods word. Mp3
Second is for a Sunday sermon by Douglas Wilson to President Obama. It’s a practical application that, all authority has been given to Jesus Christ. May the land someday ring from Sea to Sea with messages like this. Only 30 minutes. Mp3
Third is a posting of one of the Bayly brothers, joining with Wilson in declaring The Lordship of our savior to the Nation, from a Sunday sermon. More perspective on self defense, the role of magistrates and perspective about taking justice into our own hands, as in G Tiller’s killing. A taste…
"…..The kingdom and authority of Christ right here, right now is the reason the Gospel is so often a threat to earthly rulers. Earthly rulers live for today, not for the tomorrow of life beyond the grave. If our declaration of Christ’s authority is only future, it contains not the slightest threat to earthly kings who care nothing for the future. But Jesus is King right now. And every government and ruler which stands in opposition to the authority of Jesus Christ is a government and ruler which stands under the judgment of God now, not merely in eternity.
Yes, God will judge in eternity. But God causes kings and emperors to fall today. Herod is eaten by worms. Caesar is assassinated. Jerusalem is destroyed. Rome falls. God judges kings and kingdoms in human history as well as in heaven…."
This message is a powerful declarative word. I am going to read it to the family as a devotional. David Bayly is not confused about who is Lord. He is risen indeed! Makes me want to buy a scottish kilt and start walking around going "Aye....."
This first link is for Kevin Swanson and his talk on whether Christians should be in Government and implementing a biblical standard. Very well layed out, addresses most
Christian positions and compares them to Gods word. Mp3
Second is for a Sunday sermon by Douglas Wilson to President Obama. It’s a practical application that, all authority has been given to Jesus Christ. May the land someday ring from Sea to Sea with messages like this. Only 30 minutes. Mp3
Third is a posting of one of the Bayly brothers, joining with Wilson in declaring The Lordship of our savior to the Nation, from a Sunday sermon. More perspective on self defense, the role of magistrates and perspective about taking justice into our own hands, as in G Tiller’s killing. A taste…
"…..The kingdom and authority of Christ right here, right now is the reason the Gospel is so often a threat to earthly rulers. Earthly rulers live for today, not for the tomorrow of life beyond the grave. If our declaration of Christ’s authority is only future, it contains not the slightest threat to earthly kings who care nothing for the future. But Jesus is King right now. And every government and ruler which stands in opposition to the authority of Jesus Christ is a government and ruler which stands under the judgment of God now, not merely in eternity.
Yes, God will judge in eternity. But God causes kings and emperors to fall today. Herod is eaten by worms. Caesar is assassinated. Jerusalem is destroyed. Rome falls. God judges kings and kingdoms in human history as well as in heaven…."
This message is a powerful declarative word. I am going to read it to the family as a devotional. David Bayly is not confused about who is Lord. He is risen indeed! Makes me want to buy a scottish kilt and start walking around going "Aye....."
Away with chestless Christianity
Passed on the Wilson book “The Serrated Edge” That was a fun! and most informative read. Most of it I read in bed, and at the end when Douglas makes a comment about a prearranged signal and throwing dinner rolls at Pat Robertson…I laughed out loud… almost woke the wife. sshhhh
Heard Sproul Jr from a San Antonio film festival talk on beauty, He mentions how he emphasizes David hacking off Goliaths head when he tells that story to his kids. More of …“doesnt seem Christiany” …as we have seen it portrayed. Modern Christians are used to bearded women and chestless men now. Rob I heard what you were talking about and didn’t understand it either.
Recently Gary North commented on how the most frustrating thing for him is, how people will be unable to see what he has said, and instead impose their accepted understanding onto what he writes.
I recently read in a quick fashion through the book of Acts and noticed just a boatload of things that happened, that didn’t fit in my modern “Christ like behavior “ sensibilities. But there it was, over and over again. I think that helped prepare me to read Wilsons book and not drop my plate.
Remember Jesus walking along the road after his resurrection talking with the men…..
….that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him….. luke24
Later it says at verse31 ….Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
The bible doesn’t say what restrained their eyes but it’s safe to say they didn’t expect to see Jesus walking about. In the same way we will see what we expect to see …even if its not there. Example from Gary North, and me reading a map on directions to a cabin this weekend. "But its supposed to be over there....."
Later still in luke we read…. 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. 36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you." 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.Luke 24:33-37 (NKJV)
I noticed It doesn’t say, all were terrified, except the two who had seen him earlier.
How about what Jesus said to the two men who emotionally had just been through the most traumatic three days of their life ….. 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Luke 24:25 (NKJV)
If anyone says something like that, would we shoot off …”that wasn’t Christ like!” I really don’t expect Jesus to berate, to verbally tear off a piece of someone’s bottom...."Master you offend them when you say that"....So how are my eyes restrained?
At first I tried to impose Jesus gently, understandingly, saying..... "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!.... that makes Jesus sound silly and what do I do with the exclamation point at the end of the sentence.
If I have it all figure out, everything that doesnt fit, will be thrown out. "What happened to the baby?" Constant prayer for my eyes to be opened.
Heard Sproul Jr from a San Antonio film festival talk on beauty, He mentions how he emphasizes David hacking off Goliaths head when he tells that story to his kids. More of …“doesnt seem Christiany” …as we have seen it portrayed. Modern Christians are used to bearded women and chestless men now. Rob I heard what you were talking about and didn’t understand it either.
Recently Gary North commented on how the most frustrating thing for him is, how people will be unable to see what he has said, and instead impose their accepted understanding onto what he writes.
I recently read in a quick fashion through the book of Acts and noticed just a boatload of things that happened, that didn’t fit in my modern “Christ like behavior “ sensibilities. But there it was, over and over again. I think that helped prepare me to read Wilsons book and not drop my plate.
Remember Jesus walking along the road after his resurrection talking with the men…..
….that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him….. luke24
Later it says at verse31 ….Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
The bible doesn’t say what restrained their eyes but it’s safe to say they didn’t expect to see Jesus walking about. In the same way we will see what we expect to see …even if its not there. Example from Gary North, and me reading a map on directions to a cabin this weekend. "But its supposed to be over there....."
Later still in luke we read…. 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. 36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you." 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.Luke 24:33-37 (NKJV)
I noticed It doesn’t say, all were terrified, except the two who had seen him earlier.
How about what Jesus said to the two men who emotionally had just been through the most traumatic three days of their life ….. 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Luke 24:25 (NKJV)
If anyone says something like that, would we shoot off …”that wasn’t Christ like!” I really don’t expect Jesus to berate, to verbally tear off a piece of someone’s bottom...."Master you offend them when you say that"....So how are my eyes restrained?
At first I tried to impose Jesus gently, understandingly, saying..... "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!.... that makes Jesus sound silly and what do I do with the exclamation point at the end of the sentence.
If I have it all figure out, everything that doesnt fit, will be thrown out. "What happened to the baby?" Constant prayer for my eyes to be opened.
What are your Daughters being taught?
Very interesting interview with both Botkin sisters at Chalcedon
Serrated Edge II
I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Douglas Wilson has said, that at times, it was like falling down a flight of stairs and hitting your head on each step as he learned and came to a place of understanding about different topics of our faith, especially those areas that were contrary to what he had understood. He started with a 70’s Jesus people kind of fellowship, with all the normal evangelical understandings and baggage.
He also noted that one time when God revealed something to him it was like “wwhhheeeeeee! Lets do it again daddy! As he left one understanding and moved into a correct one.
Last night I read the second chapter of “A Serrated edge” Wilsons book , defending biblical satire and ridicule. If I had paid $50 for this small book I would’ve called it worth it, for this one chapter. 8 pages? If the entire 120 pges of the book delivered just the understanding , all of the nuggets that were falling out all over the place from this one chapter, I would’ve raived about it. I thank God for giving Wilson the ability to understand, and then be able to communicate such a complex topic in such a understandable manner. That too was a separate part of my fun, to even think that he explained what he did, in that small amount of space.
I read the chapter twice and as I laid down to go to sleep, just a ton of issues, between Christian, non Christian and Christian and Christians came flooding by. I wanted to get up and grab the yellow pad and take some notes but was too tired and just laid there grinning. …..”lets do it again daddy!” is right.
The chapter is called “the meaning of arrogance”
Pg23 …” We see the same thing in the conflict between Biblical and Modern theories of preaching. The biblical preacher is a herald, a steward. He has been entrusted to declare something that would have been true if he had never been born. He is to preach it with a strong view of his own ultimate irrelevance . He is to get into the pulpit and say “Thus says the Lord….” And to the modern world this is insufferable arrogance.
In stark contrast with this, the modern pretty boy preacher- excuse me , a pretty boy communicator- gets up front and can talk about himself the entire time he is there. He is open, transparent, honest, and emotionally approachable. He is humble, or so it is thought. The evidence? He is humble because he has talked about himself a lot. And the other one, the insufferable one, he must think he has a personal pipeline to God. He must think that God wrote a book or something….wait.”
For pastors, elders this one chapter will help you to gird up your loins and understand why people react as they do. For anyone else you will see with a different light what is happening around you in theculture, the news, your families and even our emails.
We are loaded down with things that have come from our culture, and are at war with our Fathers Word. We will find ourselves standing with those who opposed Jesus saying “by what authority do you do these things?” Or as Doug pointed out, today its.... “who do you think you are” and “who died and left you king”
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Prov 4:7 (NKJV)
There is no neutral ground, even how we listen, how we look at anything, comes from a theological position. Its unavoidable.
If you have it all figured out, don’t worry about it. If you are thirsty for more understanding, see if this book is collecting dust on your shelf and put it on your short list.
Douglas Wilson has said, that at times, it was like falling down a flight of stairs and hitting your head on each step as he learned and came to a place of understanding about different topics of our faith, especially those areas that were contrary to what he had understood. He started with a 70’s Jesus people kind of fellowship, with all the normal evangelical understandings and baggage.
He also noted that one time when God revealed something to him it was like “wwhhheeeeeee! Lets do it again daddy! As he left one understanding and moved into a correct one.
Last night I read the second chapter of “A Serrated edge” Wilsons book , defending biblical satire and ridicule. If I had paid $50 for this small book I would’ve called it worth it, for this one chapter. 8 pages? If the entire 120 pges of the book delivered just the understanding , all of the nuggets that were falling out all over the place from this one chapter, I would’ve raived about it. I thank God for giving Wilson the ability to understand, and then be able to communicate such a complex topic in such a understandable manner. That too was a separate part of my fun, to even think that he explained what he did, in that small amount of space.
I read the chapter twice and as I laid down to go to sleep, just a ton of issues, between Christian, non Christian and Christian and Christians came flooding by. I wanted to get up and grab the yellow pad and take some notes but was too tired and just laid there grinning. …..”lets do it again daddy!” is right.
The chapter is called “the meaning of arrogance”
Pg23 …” We see the same thing in the conflict between Biblical and Modern theories of preaching. The biblical preacher is a herald, a steward. He has been entrusted to declare something that would have been true if he had never been born. He is to preach it with a strong view of his own ultimate irrelevance . He is to get into the pulpit and say “Thus says the Lord….” And to the modern world this is insufferable arrogance.
In stark contrast with this, the modern pretty boy preacher- excuse me , a pretty boy communicator- gets up front and can talk about himself the entire time he is there. He is open, transparent, honest, and emotionally approachable. He is humble, or so it is thought. The evidence? He is humble because he has talked about himself a lot. And the other one, the insufferable one, he must think he has a personal pipeline to God. He must think that God wrote a book or something….wait.”
For pastors, elders this one chapter will help you to gird up your loins and understand why people react as they do. For anyone else you will see with a different light what is happening around you in theculture, the news, your families and even our emails.
We are loaded down with things that have come from our culture, and are at war with our Fathers Word. We will find ourselves standing with those who opposed Jesus saying “by what authority do you do these things?” Or as Doug pointed out, today its.... “who do you think you are” and “who died and left you king”
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Prov 4:7 (NKJV)
There is no neutral ground, even how we listen, how we look at anything, comes from a theological position. Its unavoidable.
If you have it all figured out, don’t worry about it. If you are thirsty for more understanding, see if this book is collecting dust on your shelf and put it on your short list.
Incredible book. A Serrated Edge
This morning I started on and finished the first chapter of “ A Serrated Edge, a defense of biblical Satire and Trinitarian skylarking” by Douglas Wilson.
What he says about satire, fits in, with what is on our plates.
“...that the simple fact that the Bible contains such language is by itself entirely unconvincing. And this is because certain non-Christian assumptions have come to dominate how we read the Bible.
When Jesus looked on the rich, young ruler and loved him, it is very easy for us to say that we should be loving as He was. When preachers make such applications, no one thinks anything of it. But when Jesus looked on the rich, old rulers and insulted them, why do we tend to assume that this is never, ever to be imitated? It is conceivable that such a division is defensible, but why does it never have to be defended? Some might say (and do say) that we are not Jesus, and so we do not have the wisdom to insult properly. Fine. So why then do we have the wisdom to love properly? Can’t we screw that up too?
Instead of seeking to learn our paradigms of behavior from the Scriptures, we tend to bring our assumptions, learned elsewhere and from others, and view the Scriptures through those assumptions. This is not a superficial problem; it goes down to the bone....”
Emphasis mine. Can we let the Bible dictate everything? Only if we think it applies to everything. May it be so, more and more.
What he says about satire, fits in, with what is on our plates.
“...that the simple fact that the Bible contains such language is by itself entirely unconvincing. And this is because certain non-Christian assumptions have come to dominate how we read the Bible.
When Jesus looked on the rich, young ruler and loved him, it is very easy for us to say that we should be loving as He was. When preachers make such applications, no one thinks anything of it. But when Jesus looked on the rich, old rulers and insulted them, why do we tend to assume that this is never, ever to be imitated? It is conceivable that such a division is defensible, but why does it never have to be defended? Some might say (and do say) that we are not Jesus, and so we do not have the wisdom to insult properly. Fine. So why then do we have the wisdom to love properly? Can’t we screw that up too?
Instead of seeking to learn our paradigms of behavior from the Scriptures, we tend to bring our assumptions, learned elsewhere and from others, and view the Scriptures through those assumptions. This is not a superficial problem; it goes down to the bone....”
Emphasis mine. Can we let the Bible dictate everything? Only if we think it applies to everything. May it be so, more and more.
Loving God III
So when thinking about “how do you Love God” which will have a knowing God component to it. I went and looked at what God/Jesus/HS themselves say about the subject.
To me it was mind bending that He associates Loving the Lord your God , so tightly with his commandments. My comments are about what we see from his word. I am noting what He has said. What He has said is worthy to think about, meditate on.
We all want to jump on the “heart” aspect of loving God. That idea has a ready place of acceptance because of romanticism and our emotion based society. But God chose to mention it less and instead kept pushing forward something we think is wooden and dry. God doesn’t stutter or struggle for the right words to use.
If one says that through Jesus the law is of not applicable to us, then why does not the same Jesus take care of loving God with all of our hearts too? Is our concern that we really love him with all our hearts, another form of legalism, as the term has been used.
To me it was mind bending that He associates Loving the Lord your God , so tightly with his commandments. My comments are about what we see from his word. I am noting what He has said. What He has said is worthy to think about, meditate on.
We all want to jump on the “heart” aspect of loving God. That idea has a ready place of acceptance because of romanticism and our emotion based society. But God chose to mention it less and instead kept pushing forward something we think is wooden and dry. God doesn’t stutter or struggle for the right words to use.
If one says that through Jesus the law is of not applicable to us, then why does not the same Jesus take care of loving God with all of our hearts too? Is our concern that we really love him with all our hearts, another form of legalism, as the term has been used.
Loving GodII
What does the Bible say about Loving God?
I was surprised to find out the phrase love the lord thy God doesn’t show up until God gives his covenant with Israel. Not with Adam, Abraham, Isaac , Jacob, Noah.
Where can we find the largest body of testimony from God about loving him? Song of Solomon? Psalms? Which book does God use this phrase “Love the Lord thy God” more than any other?
Between Deuteronomy and Joshua the phrase is used 12 times and 1 time the statement of loving him is used.
When the commandment to love the Lord thy God is used there are terms to help shape and understand what God means. He defines what loving Him means.
You will find things like... all your soul ,all your strength, all your might ,all your heart ,walk in his ways, fear him, hold fast to him, obey his voice, keep his commandments. Which one is the most crititcal part of loving God, what should we emphasies to our kids about loving God. Do any occur more than the others?
roughly as I kept nodding off last night....
all your soul ( 4 times)
all your strength (1 time)
all your might (1 time)
all your heart ( 4 times)
walk in his ways ( 5 times)
fear him (3 times)
hold fast to him (4 times)
cling to him (1 time)
obey his voice (1 time)
keep his commandments (13times)
Every time God commands, to Love the Lord thy God, HE associates keeping his commandments as part of it. Every time. Most often in the same verse but sometimes a few verses away, but as part of the same thought.
Walking in his ways is in second, which i think that can only happen by knowing his commandments, and all your heart shares third place with all your soul. dooh!
Love God, keep his commandments, peanut butter and jelly. Its part and parcel with loving Him. We moderns can go on about our hearts and loving God but God is looking for something a little different from what we are used to.
I still don’t fully get it, but I know its there, I know the problem is my idea of what loving God should look like. We are handicapped because we think we have to understand it first.
Jesus repeats it...If you love me keep my commandments, John the beloved repeats it 4 times in 1st and 2nd John.
Deu 6:1-5 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: 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. 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. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
Deu 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
Deu 13:3,4 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him
Deu 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
Deu 30:6-8 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Jos 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Jos 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
Jos 23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
Jos 23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
Jos 23:9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
Jos 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Jos 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Deu 10:13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
Is this not about Lordship, and obedience to your lord? Is it not all about God, and for his own glory?
The phrase from Jesus about “why do you call me Lord, and do not do the things I say?” comes to mind. Its the good news
I was surprised to find out the phrase love the lord thy God doesn’t show up until God gives his covenant with Israel. Not with Adam, Abraham, Isaac , Jacob, Noah.
Where can we find the largest body of testimony from God about loving him? Song of Solomon? Psalms? Which book does God use this phrase “Love the Lord thy God” more than any other?
Between Deuteronomy and Joshua the phrase is used 12 times and 1 time the statement of loving him is used.
When the commandment to love the Lord thy God is used there are terms to help shape and understand what God means. He defines what loving Him means.
You will find things like... all your soul ,all your strength, all your might ,all your heart ,walk in his ways, fear him, hold fast to him, obey his voice, keep his commandments. Which one is the most crititcal part of loving God, what should we emphasies to our kids about loving God. Do any occur more than the others?
roughly as I kept nodding off last night....
all your soul ( 4 times)
all your strength (1 time)
all your might (1 time)
all your heart ( 4 times)
walk in his ways ( 5 times)
fear him (3 times)
hold fast to him (4 times)
cling to him (1 time)
obey his voice (1 time)
keep his commandments (13times)
Every time God commands, to Love the Lord thy God, HE associates keeping his commandments as part of it. Every time. Most often in the same verse but sometimes a few verses away, but as part of the same thought.
Walking in his ways is in second, which i think that can only happen by knowing his commandments, and all your heart shares third place with all your soul. dooh!
Love God, keep his commandments, peanut butter and jelly. Its part and parcel with loving Him. We moderns can go on about our hearts and loving God but God is looking for something a little different from what we are used to.
I still don’t fully get it, but I know its there, I know the problem is my idea of what loving God should look like. We are handicapped because we think we have to understand it first.
Jesus repeats it...If you love me keep my commandments, John the beloved repeats it 4 times in 1st and 2nd John.
Deu 6:1-5 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: 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. 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. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
Deu 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
Deu 13:3,4 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him
Deu 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
Deu 30:6-8 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Jos 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Jos 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
Jos 23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
Jos 23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
Jos 23:9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
Jos 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Jos 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Deu 10:13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
Is this not about Lordship, and obedience to your lord? Is it not all about God, and for his own glory?
The phrase from Jesus about “why do you call me Lord, and do not do the things I say?” comes to mind. Its the good news
Loving God
Noting some things. Being aware of the times.....latent affects of Romanticism on a culture.
Emotions are king today. Politicians ,especially bad ones, self serving ones, do not try to make arguments for what they want to do. They seek to make emotional connections and on the emotional basis, “they are trying to help people”, push forward things that can fly in the face of reality.
Example: Most of our incorrect parenting springs from emotions. What the word says to do concerning raisng children is totally counter intuitive to our emotions.
Example: Homosexuality has been given a bath to the modern culture by constantly presenting to us homosexuals on TV and movies, whereby, they display and portray them in a manner that causes the culture at large to emotionally connect with them. Acceptance goes way up
The biblical Example for us: John was called the Beloved. He got to lean against the lord! Who wouldn’t like to be able to do that in the flesh! The disciple Jesus loved. Doesnt that make you drool?
I brought up on Sunday at Legacy, that when you look at the NT, all of it, and specifically at the writings of John what do you see? What? did our triune Godhead, leave through John, the bloved, as the expression of the thinking of someone who was able to, in the flesh, experience, feel, the love of Jesus.
Think tone and tenor. Go to any of the NT, but right now just and the 4 different books left for us by John, do they have the same tone and tenor as the Song of Solomon?
Not that it is all wrong, just noting what the overriding tone and tenor can be so often for us modern believers. The bookstores are full of it. What and how we connect, certain things, as Loving God, Loving Jesus. Whoa unto them that disparage our emotional certainties.
Compare that to the record, that the bible left us, on how it expresses, what and how, the love of the father and Son should look to us. This record was left to us by the God of merciful loving kindeness, everything touched by him sprang from righteousness. He is self defined as love. The Song of Solomon is there, praise God, but is it not, just one more aspect, rather than a controlling tone and tenor? It has a place,but not a controlling place.
Emotions are king today. Politicians ,especially bad ones, self serving ones, do not try to make arguments for what they want to do. They seek to make emotional connections and on the emotional basis, “they are trying to help people”, push forward things that can fly in the face of reality.
Example: Most of our incorrect parenting springs from emotions. What the word says to do concerning raisng children is totally counter intuitive to our emotions.
Example: Homosexuality has been given a bath to the modern culture by constantly presenting to us homosexuals on TV and movies, whereby, they display and portray them in a manner that causes the culture at large to emotionally connect with them. Acceptance goes way up
The biblical Example for us: John was called the Beloved. He got to lean against the lord! Who wouldn’t like to be able to do that in the flesh! The disciple Jesus loved. Doesnt that make you drool?
I brought up on Sunday at Legacy, that when you look at the NT, all of it, and specifically at the writings of John what do you see? What? did our triune Godhead, leave through John, the bloved, as the expression of the thinking of someone who was able to, in the flesh, experience, feel, the love of Jesus.
Think tone and tenor. Go to any of the NT, but right now just and the 4 different books left for us by John, do they have the same tone and tenor as the Song of Solomon?
Not that it is all wrong, just noting what the overriding tone and tenor can be so often for us modern believers. The bookstores are full of it. What and how we connect, certain things, as Loving God, Loving Jesus. Whoa unto them that disparage our emotional certainties.
Compare that to the record, that the bible left us, on how it expresses, what and how, the love of the father and Son should look to us. This record was left to us by the God of merciful loving kindeness, everything touched by him sprang from righteousness. He is self defined as love. The Song of Solomon is there, praise God, but is it not, just one more aspect, rather than a controlling tone and tenor? It has a place,but not a controlling place.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Readers read what they want to believe.
This is from Gary North. At one point in time I never would’ve believed what he is saying. Now I have seen others and myself do it so many times that I know its true.
The word says as a man thinks, so is he. What you are, what you are becoming, can be unrelated to reality. I was given an education that was devoid of the fear of the Lord. By biblical definitions I have not been taught to think properly. I was taught to be…wise in your own eyes.
This was reinforced in church….”What does this verse mean to you?”
Fits into the “do not be taken captive” category of scriptures.
From Gary North, June 5, 2009
“The most frustrating aspect of my life as a writer has always been this: readers read what they believe into what I write. Some of them simply cannot process information counter to what they believe.
This is how sleight-of-hand artists accomplish their tricks. Magicians do, too. They work in terms of what they know people will notice and not notice….
When making key decisions, you had better pay close attention to what is said or written. If you process the information in terms of your present understanding, forcing the new material into the pattern established by your present understanding, you risk misinterpreting what is written.
In this case, the man read the opposite of what I had written -- not in one article, but in
two….”
I think that this is absolutely rampant in the church today.
The word says as a man thinks, so is he. What you are, what you are becoming, can be unrelated to reality. I was given an education that was devoid of the fear of the Lord. By biblical definitions I have not been taught to think properly. I was taught to be…wise in your own eyes.
This was reinforced in church….”What does this verse mean to you?”
Fits into the “do not be taken captive” category of scriptures.
From Gary North, June 5, 2009
“The most frustrating aspect of my life as a writer has always been this: readers read what they believe into what I write. Some of them simply cannot process information counter to what they believe.
This is how sleight-of-hand artists accomplish their tricks. Magicians do, too. They work in terms of what they know people will notice and not notice….
When making key decisions, you had better pay close attention to what is said or written. If you process the information in terms of your present understanding, forcing the new material into the pattern established by your present understanding, you risk misinterpreting what is written.
In this case, the man read the opposite of what I had written -- not in one article, but in
two….”
I think that this is absolutely rampant in the church today.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Abortion shooting
In a weird twist this topic actually came uop at church on sunday at lunch. Killing of abortionists.
Here are a few good links on this issue tgwo from Wilson and one from
Phillips, Rc had a good one too, sent around by email.
As many of you have now heard, the late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller was shot in a vigilante execution yesterday.... The comments were of interest too.
This is the follow up to the first and is excellent.
The execution of Tiller is the kind of thing that reveals the glaring weaknesses in contemporary theology when it comes to dealing with the magistrate....
Tiller the Killer” is dead. Who will mourn for this man?
Here are a few good links on this issue tgwo from Wilson and one from
Phillips, Rc had a good one too, sent around by email.
As many of you have now heard, the late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller was shot in a vigilante execution yesterday.... The comments were of interest too.
This is the follow up to the first and is excellent.
The execution of Tiller is the kind of thing that reveals the glaring weaknesses in contemporary theology when it comes to dealing with the magistrate....
Tiller the Killer” is dead. Who will mourn for this man?
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