The divine Gardener
(J. R. Miller, "How to Live a Beautiful Christian Life" 1880)
We may think that our lot is especially hard--and may wish that it were otherwise. We may wish that we had a life of ease and luxury, amid softer scenes--with no briers or thorns, no worries or provocations. We think that then we would be always gentle, patient, serene, trustful, happy. How delightful it would be--never to have a care, an irritation, a trouble, a single vexing thing!
But the fact remains--that the place in which we find ourselves--is the very place in which the Master desires us to live our life! There is no haphazard in God's world. God leads every one of His children by the right way. He knows where and under what influences, each particular life will ripen best.
One tree grows best in the sheltered valley, another by the water's edge, another on the bleak mountain-top swept by storms. Every tree or plant is found in the precise locality to enhance its growth. And does God give more thought to trees and plants--than to His own children? No!
He places us amid the circumstances and experiences in which our life will grow and ripen the best. The peculiar trials to which we are each subjected--is the exact discipline we each need to bring out the beauties and graces of true spiritual character in us. We are in the right school. We may think that we would ripen more quickly--in a more easy and luxurious life. But God knows what is best for us--He makes no mistakes!
There is a little fable which says that a primrose growing by itself in a shady corner of the garden, became discontented as it saw the other flowers in their mirthful beds in the sunshine, and begged to be moved to a more conspicuous place. Its prayer was granted. The gardener transplanted it to a more showy and sunny spot. It was greatly pleased--but a change came over it immediately. Its blossoms lost much of their beauty, and became pale and sickly. The hot sun caused them to faint and wither. So it prayed again to be taken back to its old place in the shade. The wise gardener knows best, where to plant each flower.
Just so, God, The divine Gardener, knows where His people will best grow into what He would have them to be. Some require the fierce storms; some will only thrive in the shadow of worldly adversity; and some come to ripeness more sweetly under the soft and gentle influences of prosperity--whose beauty, rough experiences would mar. The divine Gardener knows what is best for each one!
There is no position in this world in the allotment of Providence, in which it is not possible to be a true Christian, exemplifying all the virtues of godliness. The grace of Christ has in it, potency enough to enable us to live godly--wherever we are called to dwell. When God chooses a home for us--He fits us for its peculiar trials.
God adapts His grace to the peculiarities of each one's necessity. For rough, flinty paths--He provides shoes of iron. He never sends anyone to climb sharp, rugged mountain-sides, wearing silken slippers. He always gives sufficient grace. As the burdens grow heavier--the strength increases. As the difficulties thicken--He draws closer. As the trials become sorer--the trusting heart grows calmer.
Jesus always sees His disciples, when they are toiling in the waves--and at the right moment He comes to deliver them. Thus it becomes possible to live a true and victorious life--in any circumstances.
Christ can as easily enable Joseph to remain pure and true in heathen Egypt--as Benjamin in the shelter of his father's love. The sharper the temptations--the more of divine grace is granted. There is, therefore, no environment of trial, or difficulty or hardship--in which we cannot live beautiful lives of Christian fidelity and holy conduct.
Instead, then, of yielding to discouragement when trials multiply and it becomes hard to live right, or of being satisfied with a very faulty life--it should be our settled purpose to live, through the grace of God--a patient, gentle and unspotted life--in the place, and amid the circumstances, He allots to us. The true victory is not found in escaping or evading trials--but in rightly meeting and enduring them.
The questions should not be, "How can I get out of these worries? How can I get into a place where there shall be no irritations, nothing to try my temper or put my patience to the test? How can I avoid the distractions that continually harass me?" There is nothing noble in such living.
The questions should rather be, "How can I pass through these trying experiences--and not fail as a Christian? How can I endure these struggles--and not suffer defeat? How can I live amid these provocations, these testings of my temper--and yet live sweetly, not speaking unadvisedly, bearing injuries meekly, returning gentle answers to insulting words?" This is the true problem of Christian living.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Job 25:4-6 Worm
Job 25:4-6 (New King James)
4 How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
5 If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His sight,
6 How much less man, who is a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?”
This passage asks how man can be considered pure in the eyes of God when even the purest in His sight is blemished. Several times in the Bible is man considered nothing more than a worm?
Two different Hebrew words for worm; the first, Rimmah, means maggots (The second is “Tola or Towla”) this is symbolic. When do you see maggots? When something is rotting or decaying. In the Bible, mankind is considered rimmah, not because they are the smallest, and most disgusting of all worms, but because of the DECAY that man is constantly undergoing. We start dying from the moment we are born. It does not denote our lowliness, but our mortal sorrow; our ever-present knowledge and fear of decrement, and death from the moment we're born. Let's face it; mankind is decaying because of our sin.
Psalm 22 Gospel Account of the Crucifixion
1. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Matt 27:46 ...Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
7. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake their head saying, Matt 27:39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
8. He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him!" Matt 27:43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now ..."
12. Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. Matt 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
14. I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; ... And my tongue clings to My Jaws... John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"
16. ...The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; Luke 23:33 And when they came to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
17. I can count all My bones. They look and stare at me. John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
18. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. Mark 15:24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
John 19:30 So when Jesus received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
Jesus' last act was to sacrifice His life for us. His last words were, "It is finished".
Now consider Psalm 22:6 in particular:
"But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people"
Christ would not associate Himself with the maggots that represent a sinful life symbolized by the word 'rimmah'. Psalm 22:6 has another Hebrew translation for the word worm. "Tola"(strong’s #8438) its full name is Tola'at Shani; or Scarlet Worm (Coccus Ilicis.) This worm is actually a scale insect that feeds on the sap of an Oak Tree.
The breed is still alive to this day and can be found in and surrounding the nation of Israel.
They were oftentimes harvested by the Israelites for the worm's brilliant crimson blood. It acted as a potent dye for wool, hence its name, the Scarlet Worm.
Extracting this dye is a very difficult task, making it extremely valuable. It would have been used only for royal or holy garments, and palace or temple decorations. In some cases, it has been recorded that it was even used as rent money.
The worm was carefully removed from the tree, taken back home, and they would crush the worms body over a glass of boiling water.
Scarlet (Tola) had to use in the Old Testament sacrificial system which pointed to Christ. Exodus 39, Numbers 4 and 9, Leviticus 14 and 19:6. In Lev. 14:4-52 scarlet (Tola), wood, and hyssop were used together.
Herod put a robe of mockery on the Lord Jesus, the color was scarlet (Luke 23:11). The veil that was torn into (top to bottom) was scarlet (Matthew 27:28).
Consider the life of this Tola worm, during her larva stage, she will do her thing on the ground until maturity, when she climbs a tree, rich with branches and sap. If not harvested she will adhere to the tree without moving until (ultimately eating herself to) death. If left to die, (not to be confused with dye) her body will actually burst right on the tree leaving behind a scarlet stain.
Stuck to a tree, dying, spillage of blood?
This blood stain actually creates a thick, sticky film. In due time, when the blood finally dries, as weather affects it, it turns as white and falls off the tree, much like falling snow.
Isaiah 1:18-
"...though your sins be as (Tola) scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like (Tola) crimson, they shall be as wool."
Psalm 51:7-
7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
She lays eggs right before she dies. It is her last act in life, as well as her most important! Her sticky spilt blood acts as an incubator for the eggs. Once the pure white flakes fall from the tree, the eggs are ready to hatch. If she does not die on the tree her children cannot LIVE!!! --Hebrews 2:10; For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 9:13-14 (New King James Version)
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
After Pilate washes his hands and gives Jesus over to the mob, they assure his innocence in the matter by exclaiming, "His blood be on us and our children!" This is a picture of a perfect sacrifice. But it doesn't end there. What happens when the burden of guilt spills upon you and your children as the mob promised above? Let me show you some other instances of the Tola translation of the word worm:
Isaiah 66:24
“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Mark 9:43-48
43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 46 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— 48 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Hebrews 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Jeremiah 4:30; And you, O desolate one, what will you do?
Although you dress in scarlet,
Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,
Although you enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you make yourself beautiful
Your lovers despise you;
They seek your life.
The TRUE "Worm Theology", that everyone is missing out on, has nothing to do with our self-esteem or lack there-of. If this Tola worm (Jesus) does not die; we cannot be resurrected into heaven. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”
Job 25:4-6 again:"HOW THEN CAN MAN BE JUSTIFIED WITH GOD, or HOW CAN HE BE CLEAN that is born of a woman?
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight.
How much less man, that is a MAGGOT? And the SON OF MAN; which is a (TOLA) worm?"
Another interesting thing about the Tola worm, its taxonomic name is Coccus Ilicis. Coccus comes from the Latin, coccinus which means scarlet. It was derived from the Greek, kokkos (berry)
Ilicis is Latin; in Latin it means “It is finished”
4 How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
5 If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His sight,
6 How much less man, who is a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?”
This passage asks how man can be considered pure in the eyes of God when even the purest in His sight is blemished. Several times in the Bible is man considered nothing more than a worm?
Two different Hebrew words for worm; the first, Rimmah, means maggots (The second is “Tola or Towla”) this is symbolic. When do you see maggots? When something is rotting or decaying. In the Bible, mankind is considered rimmah, not because they are the smallest, and most disgusting of all worms, but because of the DECAY that man is constantly undergoing. We start dying from the moment we are born. It does not denote our lowliness, but our mortal sorrow; our ever-present knowledge and fear of decrement, and death from the moment we're born. Let's face it; mankind is decaying because of our sin.
Psalm 22 Gospel Account of the Crucifixion
1. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Matt 27:46 ...Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
7. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake their head saying, Matt 27:39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
8. He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him!" Matt 27:43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now ..."
12. Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. Matt 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
14. I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; ... And my tongue clings to My Jaws... John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"
16. ...The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; Luke 23:33 And when they came to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
17. I can count all My bones. They look and stare at me. John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
18. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. Mark 15:24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
John 19:30 So when Jesus received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
Jesus' last act was to sacrifice His life for us. His last words were, "It is finished".
Now consider Psalm 22:6 in particular:
"But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people"
Christ would not associate Himself with the maggots that represent a sinful life symbolized by the word 'rimmah'. Psalm 22:6 has another Hebrew translation for the word worm. "Tola"(strong’s #8438) its full name is Tola'at Shani; or Scarlet Worm (Coccus Ilicis.) This worm is actually a scale insect that feeds on the sap of an Oak Tree.
The breed is still alive to this day and can be found in and surrounding the nation of Israel.
They were oftentimes harvested by the Israelites for the worm's brilliant crimson blood. It acted as a potent dye for wool, hence its name, the Scarlet Worm.
Extracting this dye is a very difficult task, making it extremely valuable. It would have been used only for royal or holy garments, and palace or temple decorations. In some cases, it has been recorded that it was even used as rent money.
The worm was carefully removed from the tree, taken back home, and they would crush the worms body over a glass of boiling water.
Scarlet (Tola) had to use in the Old Testament sacrificial system which pointed to Christ. Exodus 39, Numbers 4 and 9, Leviticus 14 and 19:6. In Lev. 14:4-52 scarlet (Tola), wood, and hyssop were used together.
Herod put a robe of mockery on the Lord Jesus, the color was scarlet (Luke 23:11). The veil that was torn into (top to bottom) was scarlet (Matthew 27:28).
Consider the life of this Tola worm, during her larva stage, she will do her thing on the ground until maturity, when she climbs a tree, rich with branches and sap. If not harvested she will adhere to the tree without moving until (ultimately eating herself to) death. If left to die, (not to be confused with dye) her body will actually burst right on the tree leaving behind a scarlet stain.
Stuck to a tree, dying, spillage of blood?
This blood stain actually creates a thick, sticky film. In due time, when the blood finally dries, as weather affects it, it turns as white and falls off the tree, much like falling snow.
Isaiah 1:18-
"...though your sins be as (Tola) scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like (Tola) crimson, they shall be as wool."
Psalm 51:7-
7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
She lays eggs right before she dies. It is her last act in life, as well as her most important! Her sticky spilt blood acts as an incubator for the eggs. Once the pure white flakes fall from the tree, the eggs are ready to hatch. If she does not die on the tree her children cannot LIVE!!! --Hebrews 2:10; For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 9:13-14 (New King James Version)
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
After Pilate washes his hands and gives Jesus over to the mob, they assure his innocence in the matter by exclaiming, "His blood be on us and our children!" This is a picture of a perfect sacrifice. But it doesn't end there. What happens when the burden of guilt spills upon you and your children as the mob promised above? Let me show you some other instances of the Tola translation of the word worm:
Isaiah 66:24
“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Mark 9:43-48
43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 46 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— 48 where
‘ Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
Hebrews 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Jeremiah 4:30; And you, O desolate one, what will you do?
Although you dress in scarlet,
Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,
Although you enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you make yourself beautiful
Your lovers despise you;
They seek your life.
The TRUE "Worm Theology", that everyone is missing out on, has nothing to do with our self-esteem or lack there-of. If this Tola worm (Jesus) does not die; we cannot be resurrected into heaven. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”
Job 25:4-6 again:"HOW THEN CAN MAN BE JUSTIFIED WITH GOD, or HOW CAN HE BE CLEAN that is born of a woman?
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight.
How much less man, that is a MAGGOT? And the SON OF MAN; which is a (TOLA) worm?"
Another interesting thing about the Tola worm, its taxonomic name is Coccus Ilicis. Coccus comes from the Latin, coccinus which means scarlet. It was derived from the Greek, kokkos (berry)
Ilicis is Latin; in Latin it means “It is finished”
Friday, April 1, 2011
Albert Pujols by Phil Johnson
01 April 2011
Cubs' Opening Day
Albert Pujols? Seriously?
by Phil Johnson
Today I'm going to recommend a book about Albert Pujols. But I need to preface it with a disclaimer.
I really hate the Cardinals.
A little personal history: I was a casual Cardinals fan for awhile in my adolescence. I grew up in Tulsa, and the Cardinals' Triple-A farm club was based in Tulsa in the late '60s. So a local radio station broadcast all the Cardinals' games. I listened to a lot of games, and naturally, I more or less thought of myself as a Cardinals fan.
But I turned against the Cardinals during high school because (get this:) I found Harry Caray irritating in the extreme. (He and Jack Buck were the Cardinals' announcers in those days.)
After high school I went away to Moody Bible Institute and stayed in Chicago for most of the '70s. I met Darlene for the first time during the last week of June 1977, and fifteen minutes after meeting her I invited her to come with me to a baseball game that weekend. So our very first date was at Wrigley Field. (There's even a brick in the pavement at Wrigley today commemorating the event.)
Darlene and I were married two weeks shy of the anniversary of that first date, and our first apartment was a block from Wrigley. So you see: no matter how badly the Cubs do—and their bungling frequently exceeds even my worst expectations—we are locked-in, lifelong, die-hard Cubs fans.
All true Cubs fans hate the Cardinals. When you invest your emotional energies in a team who are perennial losers, it tends to stir even stronger (and certainly darker) passions than a winning team would. The Cardinals are the Cubs' closest, oldest rivals, and let's be candid: Cardinals fans are punks. Plus, the Cardinals sent Harry Caray to Chicago. So there's a lot of pent-up, well-deserved hate.
Yet (and in all candor this seriously troubles everyone else in my family) I've always liked Albert Pujols. Not when he's playing the Cubs, mind you. But when he's playing any other team, I love to see him do well. He's a truly great baseball player with the potential to be one of the greatest ever. More than that, I like it that he is bold with his testimony for Christ. But I didn't realize how bold, until I read this in Pujols: More than the Game, by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth:
When an opposing player would get to first base, [Pujols] would ask them, "What do you think is going to happen to you when you die?" or "If you died today, where do you think you’re going to go?" (p. 141)
By the way, in yesterday's opener, Pujols tied a major league record by grounding into three double plays. And that's an achievement every Cubs fan can applaud.
Thanks to TeamPyro.blogspot
Cubs' Opening Day
Albert Pujols? Seriously?
by Phil Johnson
Today I'm going to recommend a book about Albert Pujols. But I need to preface it with a disclaimer.
I really hate the Cardinals.
A little personal history: I was a casual Cardinals fan for awhile in my adolescence. I grew up in Tulsa, and the Cardinals' Triple-A farm club was based in Tulsa in the late '60s. So a local radio station broadcast all the Cardinals' games. I listened to a lot of games, and naturally, I more or less thought of myself as a Cardinals fan.
But I turned against the Cardinals during high school because (get this:) I found Harry Caray irritating in the extreme. (He and Jack Buck were the Cardinals' announcers in those days.)
After high school I went away to Moody Bible Institute and stayed in Chicago for most of the '70s. I met Darlene for the first time during the last week of June 1977, and fifteen minutes after meeting her I invited her to come with me to a baseball game that weekend. So our very first date was at Wrigley Field. (There's even a brick in the pavement at Wrigley today commemorating the event.)
Darlene and I were married two weeks shy of the anniversary of that first date, and our first apartment was a block from Wrigley. So you see: no matter how badly the Cubs do—and their bungling frequently exceeds even my worst expectations—we are locked-in, lifelong, die-hard Cubs fans.
All true Cubs fans hate the Cardinals. When you invest your emotional energies in a team who are perennial losers, it tends to stir even stronger (and certainly darker) passions than a winning team would. The Cardinals are the Cubs' closest, oldest rivals, and let's be candid: Cardinals fans are punks. Plus, the Cardinals sent Harry Caray to Chicago. So there's a lot of pent-up, well-deserved hate.
Yet (and in all candor this seriously troubles everyone else in my family) I've always liked Albert Pujols. Not when he's playing the Cubs, mind you. But when he's playing any other team, I love to see him do well. He's a truly great baseball player with the potential to be one of the greatest ever. More than that, I like it that he is bold with his testimony for Christ. But I didn't realize how bold, until I read this in Pujols: More than the Game, by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth:
When an opposing player would get to first base, [Pujols] would ask them, "What do you think is going to happen to you when you die?" or "If you died today, where do you think you’re going to go?" (p. 141)
By the way, in yesterday's opener, Pujols tied a major league record by grounding into three double plays. And that's an achievement every Cubs fan can applaud.
Thanks to TeamPyro.blogspot
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Heretic?
hy do so many evangelicals act as if false teachers in the church could never be a serious problem in this generation? Vast numbers seem convinced that they are "rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and do not know that [they] are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17).
In reality, the church today is quite possibly more susceptible to false teachers, doctrinal saboteurs, and spiritual terrorism than any other generation in church history. Biblical ignorance within the church may well be deeper and more widespread than at any other time since the Protestant Reformation. If you doubt that, compare the typical sermon of today with a randomly-chosen published sermon from any leading evangelical preacher prior to 1850. Also compare today's Christian literature with almost anything published by evangelical publishing houses a hundred years ago or more.
Bible teaching, even in the best of venues today, has been deliberately dumbed-down, made as broad and as shallow as possible, over-simplified, adapted to the lowest common denominator—and then tailored to appeal to people with short attention spans. Sermons are almost always brief, simplistic, overlaid with as many references to pop culture as possible, and laden with anecdotes and illustrations. (Jokes and funny stories drawn from personal experience are favored over cross-references and analogies borrowed from Scripture itself.) Typical sermon topics are heavily weighted in favor of man-centered issues (such as personal relationships, successful living, self-esteem, how-to lists, and whatnot)—to the exclusion of the many Christ-exalting doctrinal themes of Scripture.
In other words, what most contemporary preachers do is virtually the opposite of what Paul was describing when he said he sought "to declare . . . the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). Not only that, but here's how Paul explained his own approach to gospel ministry, even among unchurched pagans in the most debauched Roman culture:
I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Notice: he deliberately refused to customize his message or adjust his delivery to suit the Corinthians' philosophical bent or their cultural tastes. He had no thought of catering to a particular generation's preferences, and he used no gimmicks as attention-getters. Whatever antonym you can think of for the word showmanship would probably be a good description of Paul's style of public ministry. He wanted to make it clear to everyone (including the Corinthian converts themselves) that lives and hearts are renewed by means of the Word of God, and by nothing else. That way they would begin to understand and appreciate the power of the gospel message.
By contrast, today's church-growth experts seem to have no confidence in Scripture's power. They are convinced the gospel needs to be "contextualized," streamlined, and revamped anew for every generation. Forty years of that approach has left evangelicals grossly untaught, wholly unprepared to defend the truth, and almost entirely unaware of how much is at stake. The evangelical movement itself has become a monstrosity, its vast size and visibility belying its almost total spiritual failure. One thing is certain: the cumbersome movement that most people today would label "evangelical" is populated with large numbers of people who are on the wrong side in the Truth War.
We are right back in the same situation the church was in a hundred years ago, when modernists were busily re-inventing the Christian faith. Far from being a strong voice and a powerful force for the cause of truth, the evangelical movement itself has become the main battleground.
Labels: John MacArthur, The Truth War
Posted by Phil Johnson on Friday, March 25, 2011
In reality, the church today is quite possibly more susceptible to false teachers, doctrinal saboteurs, and spiritual terrorism than any other generation in church history. Biblical ignorance within the church may well be deeper and more widespread than at any other time since the Protestant Reformation. If you doubt that, compare the typical sermon of today with a randomly-chosen published sermon from any leading evangelical preacher prior to 1850. Also compare today's Christian literature with almost anything published by evangelical publishing houses a hundred years ago or more.
Bible teaching, even in the best of venues today, has been deliberately dumbed-down, made as broad and as shallow as possible, over-simplified, adapted to the lowest common denominator—and then tailored to appeal to people with short attention spans. Sermons are almost always brief, simplistic, overlaid with as many references to pop culture as possible, and laden with anecdotes and illustrations. (Jokes and funny stories drawn from personal experience are favored over cross-references and analogies borrowed from Scripture itself.) Typical sermon topics are heavily weighted in favor of man-centered issues (such as personal relationships, successful living, self-esteem, how-to lists, and whatnot)—to the exclusion of the many Christ-exalting doctrinal themes of Scripture.
In other words, what most contemporary preachers do is virtually the opposite of what Paul was describing when he said he sought "to declare . . . the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). Not only that, but here's how Paul explained his own approach to gospel ministry, even among unchurched pagans in the most debauched Roman culture:
I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Notice: he deliberately refused to customize his message or adjust his delivery to suit the Corinthians' philosophical bent or their cultural tastes. He had no thought of catering to a particular generation's preferences, and he used no gimmicks as attention-getters. Whatever antonym you can think of for the word showmanship would probably be a good description of Paul's style of public ministry. He wanted to make it clear to everyone (including the Corinthian converts themselves) that lives and hearts are renewed by means of the Word of God, and by nothing else. That way they would begin to understand and appreciate the power of the gospel message.
By contrast, today's church-growth experts seem to have no confidence in Scripture's power. They are convinced the gospel needs to be "contextualized," streamlined, and revamped anew for every generation. Forty years of that approach has left evangelicals grossly untaught, wholly unprepared to defend the truth, and almost entirely unaware of how much is at stake. The evangelical movement itself has become a monstrosity, its vast size and visibility belying its almost total spiritual failure. One thing is certain: the cumbersome movement that most people today would label "evangelical" is populated with large numbers of people who are on the wrong side in the Truth War.
We are right back in the same situation the church was in a hundred years ago, when modernists were busily re-inventing the Christian faith. Far from being a strong voice and a powerful force for the cause of truth, the evangelical movement itself has become the main battleground.
Labels: John MacArthur, The Truth War
Posted by Phil Johnson on Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Men with breast
Men with Breasts
From; Banner of Trith
Only be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:7)
We seem to be like the proverbial frog in the pan of water on the stove. As the water is slowly heated the frog is unaware of his perilous condition until it is too late and he is boiled to his death. We seem to be like fish in water. They do not know their environment because they have never known anything else. The feminization of men in the western world is a stark reality that many fail to see. It is so much a part of our culture that younger men in particular largely do not see it. If C.S. Lewis wrote of Men with Chests,1 I suggest we now have a culture of men with breasts, men who act more like women than men.
As God called Joshua to take over for Moses, as he was to lead Israel into the Promised Land, he told him to be strong and courageous, that the ground of his confidence was the fact that as he had been with Moses, so he would be with Joshua. It is time for men to be strong and courageous, but in order to be that we must see the rampant feminization of the western man. What are the characteristics of men with breasts? I list ten of them in no particular order.
One, sentimentality. Men seem to live on their feelings, being far too subjective, eschewing the necessity of objectivity. Men are told from childhood to 'get in touch with their feelings,' to express how they feel to other men, to bare their souls, to let others know their fears, struggles, and failures. Listen to how many men speak today. They say, 'I feel good about my job. I feel good about my marriage right now.'
Two, role-reversal. Moses in Genesis 1 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 both make clear that the wife is the helper of her husband. He is to tend the garden. He is to lead the family. In other words the husband is the provider and the wife is to assist him in his labours, freeing him to go out into the world and make a living for his family. Today, however, I see many couples who have this reversed. The husband is his wife’s help-mate. So, men stay home from work to babysit the children while the wife does her thing. Men who get home late from a trip and have an early morning meeting the next day are expected to stay up for an hour or two with a sick child while the wife sleeps. I know this may be controversial and by all means, husbands and fathers are to sacrifice for their families, but I wonder how much of this is fuelled by couples seeing the husband as the one to help his wife in her role.
Three, aversion to duty. We often hear today that a man ought to find a job he truly loves and do it, even if it puts a financial hardship on the family. I am all for men finding jobs they truly enjoy but what if that is not a possibility! Then what? Most men of the World War II and Korean War generations stuck with hard or boring work because they understood duty. They knew they had to provide for their families.
Four, irresponsibility. This goes back to Adam’s sin in the garden when he blamed Eve for his disobedience. Men have been doing it since, but now many take it to a higher level. Young men delay entry into the work force so they can 'hang out' in Aspen for a year or two. They delay marriage because they don’t want the responsibility, putting hardship on women whose child-bearing clock is ticking, who find it necessary to enter the job market when really what most of them want is to have children and rear them.
Five, many men today expect their wives to work outside the home, to provide a second income so they can enjoy the finer things of life. I have never said that women cannot or should not work outside the home (some really love it), only that their primary responsibility is the home. Unfortunately women who work outside the home are expected to work inside the home too.
Six, selfishness. It seems that many men today are all about their hobbies, sports, guy time, and television programmes. They seem to think they can come and go as they please. If one tendency is effeminate aversion to duty, then another is machismo, assuming they can run roughshod over their wives.
Seven, emotionalism. This is similar to sentimentality but with this difference — emotionalism is a state of being where a man is dominated by his feelings. He cannot seem to get past them. He is depressed. He is fearful and anxious. He feels bad about himself. He is paralyzed with fear. He cannot seem to get going in the morning. He wallows in his misery and looks for other men who will commiserate with him. Men’s groups like these remind me of the women in Jerry Maguire2 who are weeping and baring their souls to one another in their support group. Men who indiscriminately 'bare their souls' do not inspire leadership in their wives and children. Leadership can be a lonely existence. Sometimes a man must suffer alone, pouring out his soul to God, his only refuge and strength.
Eight, transference. Again, this is similar to irresponsibility but with a deeper meaning. I have long observed that men who became addicted to pornography, alcohol, or drugs in their teen years seem to have their emotional development arrested at the very time they began their addictions of choice. So forty or fifty year old men who began taking drugs at fifteen still act like fifteen year olds, and one of the ways this shows up is an unwillingness to accept rebuke, criticism, or to own up to one’s sinful living, just like fifteen year old boys. They are masters, yea have finely developed over the years the art of transference, blame shifting. It is always the wife’s fault, the boss’s fault. This is so terribly effeminate!
Nine, an aversion to pain and self-discipline. The effeminate man will do anything to avoid the pain of hard work, making the hard choices, telling his children 'No.' He is undisciplined in his eating and sleeping habits, sloppy in his dress and speech, inconsistent in personal and family worship. He prefers to let his wife do the hard things with the children. He sleeps in while she gets up early to feed the children. He watches television at night while she reads to them and tucks them into bed. And . . .
Ten, abandonment. While this unfortunately and dreadfully has been true in the African American and Hispanic communities for some time due no doubt to the ravages of a failed welfare system which castrates men — this is most certainly also true in the white community today. Men regularly leave their wives and children for other women, telling themselves that their wives do not understand them, don’t meet their emotional and physical needs, convincing themselves that the children will be okay with this, that they surely want to see their daddy happy. Men abandon their families for money, caving into the corporate ethos of giving one’s life for the sake of the company, telling themselves that they must work these ridiculous hours in order to provide well for their families. Do you not see this in today’s men? Why is this so and what is the remedy? See the devotional 'Why Men with Breasts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From; Banner of Trith
Only be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:7)
We seem to be like the proverbial frog in the pan of water on the stove. As the water is slowly heated the frog is unaware of his perilous condition until it is too late and he is boiled to his death. We seem to be like fish in water. They do not know their environment because they have never known anything else. The feminization of men in the western world is a stark reality that many fail to see. It is so much a part of our culture that younger men in particular largely do not see it. If C.S. Lewis wrote of Men with Chests,1 I suggest we now have a culture of men with breasts, men who act more like women than men.
As God called Joshua to take over for Moses, as he was to lead Israel into the Promised Land, he told him to be strong and courageous, that the ground of his confidence was the fact that as he had been with Moses, so he would be with Joshua. It is time for men to be strong and courageous, but in order to be that we must see the rampant feminization of the western man. What are the characteristics of men with breasts? I list ten of them in no particular order.
One, sentimentality. Men seem to live on their feelings, being far too subjective, eschewing the necessity of objectivity. Men are told from childhood to 'get in touch with their feelings,' to express how they feel to other men, to bare their souls, to let others know their fears, struggles, and failures. Listen to how many men speak today. They say, 'I feel good about my job. I feel good about my marriage right now.'
Two, role-reversal. Moses in Genesis 1 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 both make clear that the wife is the helper of her husband. He is to tend the garden. He is to lead the family. In other words the husband is the provider and the wife is to assist him in his labours, freeing him to go out into the world and make a living for his family. Today, however, I see many couples who have this reversed. The husband is his wife’s help-mate. So, men stay home from work to babysit the children while the wife does her thing. Men who get home late from a trip and have an early morning meeting the next day are expected to stay up for an hour or two with a sick child while the wife sleeps. I know this may be controversial and by all means, husbands and fathers are to sacrifice for their families, but I wonder how much of this is fuelled by couples seeing the husband as the one to help his wife in her role.
Three, aversion to duty. We often hear today that a man ought to find a job he truly loves and do it, even if it puts a financial hardship on the family. I am all for men finding jobs they truly enjoy but what if that is not a possibility! Then what? Most men of the World War II and Korean War generations stuck with hard or boring work because they understood duty. They knew they had to provide for their families.
Four, irresponsibility. This goes back to Adam’s sin in the garden when he blamed Eve for his disobedience. Men have been doing it since, but now many take it to a higher level. Young men delay entry into the work force so they can 'hang out' in Aspen for a year or two. They delay marriage because they don’t want the responsibility, putting hardship on women whose child-bearing clock is ticking, who find it necessary to enter the job market when really what most of them want is to have children and rear them.
Five, many men today expect their wives to work outside the home, to provide a second income so they can enjoy the finer things of life. I have never said that women cannot or should not work outside the home (some really love it), only that their primary responsibility is the home. Unfortunately women who work outside the home are expected to work inside the home too.
Six, selfishness. It seems that many men today are all about their hobbies, sports, guy time, and television programmes. They seem to think they can come and go as they please. If one tendency is effeminate aversion to duty, then another is machismo, assuming they can run roughshod over their wives.
Seven, emotionalism. This is similar to sentimentality but with this difference — emotionalism is a state of being where a man is dominated by his feelings. He cannot seem to get past them. He is depressed. He is fearful and anxious. He feels bad about himself. He is paralyzed with fear. He cannot seem to get going in the morning. He wallows in his misery and looks for other men who will commiserate with him. Men’s groups like these remind me of the women in Jerry Maguire2 who are weeping and baring their souls to one another in their support group. Men who indiscriminately 'bare their souls' do not inspire leadership in their wives and children. Leadership can be a lonely existence. Sometimes a man must suffer alone, pouring out his soul to God, his only refuge and strength.
Eight, transference. Again, this is similar to irresponsibility but with a deeper meaning. I have long observed that men who became addicted to pornography, alcohol, or drugs in their teen years seem to have their emotional development arrested at the very time they began their addictions of choice. So forty or fifty year old men who began taking drugs at fifteen still act like fifteen year olds, and one of the ways this shows up is an unwillingness to accept rebuke, criticism, or to own up to one’s sinful living, just like fifteen year old boys. They are masters, yea have finely developed over the years the art of transference, blame shifting. It is always the wife’s fault, the boss’s fault. This is so terribly effeminate!
Nine, an aversion to pain and self-discipline. The effeminate man will do anything to avoid the pain of hard work, making the hard choices, telling his children 'No.' He is undisciplined in his eating and sleeping habits, sloppy in his dress and speech, inconsistent in personal and family worship. He prefers to let his wife do the hard things with the children. He sleeps in while she gets up early to feed the children. He watches television at night while she reads to them and tucks them into bed. And . . .
Ten, abandonment. While this unfortunately and dreadfully has been true in the African American and Hispanic communities for some time due no doubt to the ravages of a failed welfare system which castrates men — this is most certainly also true in the white community today. Men regularly leave their wives and children for other women, telling themselves that their wives do not understand them, don’t meet their emotional and physical needs, convincing themselves that the children will be okay with this, that they surely want to see their daddy happy. Men abandon their families for money, caving into the corporate ethos of giving one’s life for the sake of the company, telling themselves that they must work these ridiculous hours in order to provide well for their families. Do you not see this in today’s men? Why is this so and what is the remedy? See the devotional 'Why Men with Breasts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Real War in Afghanistan; Evil looks out for evil
From;Voddie Bauchman
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/home.html
Thursday, September 2, 2010
There is indeed a war going on in Afghanistan. In fact, there are two. One is being fought with bullets, bombs, and boots on the ground. The other war (the one with more lasting importance) is being fought in an entirely different theater. In this other war, the real enemy of the Afghan people is sin and darkness. Perhaps the most vile expression of this is their treatment of women and boys. A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle (of all places) exposes the fact that Afghanistan is a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. This strict Muslim country has “become the [homosexual] pedophilia capital of Asia”. Joel Brinkley notes:
“For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means "boy player." The men like to boast about it.”
Brinkley’s piece, which is at times very hard to read, uncovers a dark side of Afghanistan’s already seedy culture. We know about the Taliban and the opium trade; we’ve heard the stories about the treatment of women. However, most people were oblivious to this. And we’re not talking about an isolated incident:
“In Kandahar, population about 500,000, and other towns, dance parties are a popular, often weekly, pastime. Young boys dress up as girls, wearing makeup and bells on their feet, and dance for a dozen or more leering middle-aged men who throw money at them and then take them home. A recent State Department report called "dancing boys" a "widespread, culturally sanctioned form of male rape."
Our troops, no matter how successful, will not eradicate this evil. This is not an economic, political, or social problem. This is a sin problem. In a classic example of humanistic assessment of a sin problem, the story continues:
“Sociologists and anthropologists say the problem results from perverse interpretation of Islamic law. Women are simply unapproachable. Afghan men cannot talk to an unrelated woman until after proposing marriage. Before then, they can't even look at a woman, except perhaps her feet. Otherwise she is covered, head to ankle.”
Were this the case, one would expect pedophilia to be non-existent in the permissive, semi-pornographic west, where women routinely put their bodies on display. However, this is not the case. Homosexuality is an abomination that has existed throughout much of human history (see Gen 19; Lev. 18; Rom 1, etc.), and the Bible makes it clear that it is not the byproduct of modesty (no matter how draconian the form). These men are not deprived; they’re depraved (Rom 1:26–27). This is evidenced by the fact that they continue the practice after marriage:
“Even after marriage, many men keep their boys, suggesting a loveless life at home. A favored Afghan expression goes: "Women are for children, boys are for pleasure." Fundamentalist imams, exaggerating a biblical passage on menstruation, teach that women are "unclean" and therefore distasteful. One married man even asked Cardinalli's team "how his wife could become pregnant," her report said. When that was explained, he "reacted with disgust" and asked, "How could one feel desire to be with a woman, who God has made unclean?"
While some will merely chalk this up to “strict religion,” I beg to differ. Compare this worldview with that of the Bible. Would this man come away with such an attitude after reading Song of Solomon, for example:
“You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices— a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.” (Song of Solomon 4:9–15)
I could quote more, but I think you get the point. Not all religions are created equal. The oppression and exploitation of women is a real problem in the Islamic world, and neither our bombs, bullets, nor our “Democracy” will stem the tide. These issues will not go away with the death of a few “radicals,” or the election of “moderates” who have grown up in this spiritual sewage and learned to turn a blind eye. This is a problem that requires something more powerful. Afghanistan needs the gospel of Jesus Christ!
The real battle in Afghanistan will rage long after hostilities have ceased. As the apostle Paul noted:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2 Cor 10:4–6)
The story concludes on a crucial note, “Addressing the loathsome mistreatment of Afghan women remains a primary goal for coalition governments, as it should be...But what about the boys, thousands upon thousands of little boys who are victims of serial rape over many years, destroying their lives - and Afghan society.” The long-term impact of such practices is already clear. This is a culture in bondage to sin. The next generation is being forged in the crucible of war, drugs, and sodomy. Regardless of how many “free elections” they have, Afghanistan’s future is bleak.
Biblical Christianity offers a clear alternative:
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph 5:25–33)
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Pet 3:7)
It is no coincidence that predominantly, the worst treatment of women on the planet is taking place in the Islamic World. Unfortunately, the world’s answer is to make attempts to equate Islam and Christianity as though the two are equivalent morally, and to kowtow to Muslims for fear of retribution (see here, for example). As a result, the very important discussion about the way the Bible has transformed civilization for the better has been all but silenced.
Nevertheless, we must continue to proclaim the truth. We must continue to herald the gospel to those in the Muslim world. They must know that Christ offers the forgiveness, hope and transformation they seek but cannot find. The Bible also offers a clear assessment of and answer to the sin of homosexuality. Unfortunately, while America has built an imposing military arsenal, we have decided to disarm when it comes to the spiritual side of this battle. In fact, we have our own Kandahar (i.e., homosexual hotbeds like San Francisco and New York, and organizations like the North American Man/Boy Love Association, etc.).
Remember, ours is the Country where GLSEN founder, Kevin Jennings, promotes and advances this kind of sin, then gets to work in the White House (see here). We’re the Country whose President was the keynote speaker at one of, if not the largest homosexual fundraiser in the world where he apologized for not moving faster to fulfill the promises he made to them on the campaign trail (including gay marriage, repealing don’t ask/don’t tell and DOMA, enacting hate crimes legislation, ENDA, etc.). I say this, not to change the subject, but to demonstrate the great irony. If one rejects God’s word as it relates to homosexuality, on what grounds does he object to the activity in Afghanistan? Moreover, once we have started down that slippery slope, how long will it be before we become so calloused and jaded that we are no longer burdened by stories like this one?
As we continue to pray for our men and women in uniform, let us not forget to pray for those brave souls who love our Lord, and love the Afghan people by fighting the unseen battle there. Pray for the families of missionaries who lost their lives there recently, and others who remain. And “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2) There is hope for Afghanistan. His name is Jesus; “he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21)
VB
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in TRUTH
-3 John 3,4 ESV
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/home.html
Thursday, September 2, 2010
There is indeed a war going on in Afghanistan. In fact, there are two. One is being fought with bullets, bombs, and boots on the ground. The other war (the one with more lasting importance) is being fought in an entirely different theater. In this other war, the real enemy of the Afghan people is sin and darkness. Perhaps the most vile expression of this is their treatment of women and boys. A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle (of all places) exposes the fact that Afghanistan is a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. This strict Muslim country has “become the [homosexual] pedophilia capital of Asia”. Joel Brinkley notes:
“For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means "boy player." The men like to boast about it.”
Brinkley’s piece, which is at times very hard to read, uncovers a dark side of Afghanistan’s already seedy culture. We know about the Taliban and the opium trade; we’ve heard the stories about the treatment of women. However, most people were oblivious to this. And we’re not talking about an isolated incident:
“In Kandahar, population about 500,000, and other towns, dance parties are a popular, often weekly, pastime. Young boys dress up as girls, wearing makeup and bells on their feet, and dance for a dozen or more leering middle-aged men who throw money at them and then take them home. A recent State Department report called "dancing boys" a "widespread, culturally sanctioned form of male rape."
Our troops, no matter how successful, will not eradicate this evil. This is not an economic, political, or social problem. This is a sin problem. In a classic example of humanistic assessment of a sin problem, the story continues:
“Sociologists and anthropologists say the problem results from perverse interpretation of Islamic law. Women are simply unapproachable. Afghan men cannot talk to an unrelated woman until after proposing marriage. Before then, they can't even look at a woman, except perhaps her feet. Otherwise she is covered, head to ankle.”
Were this the case, one would expect pedophilia to be non-existent in the permissive, semi-pornographic west, where women routinely put their bodies on display. However, this is not the case. Homosexuality is an abomination that has existed throughout much of human history (see Gen 19; Lev. 18; Rom 1, etc.), and the Bible makes it clear that it is not the byproduct of modesty (no matter how draconian the form). These men are not deprived; they’re depraved (Rom 1:26–27). This is evidenced by the fact that they continue the practice after marriage:
“Even after marriage, many men keep their boys, suggesting a loveless life at home. A favored Afghan expression goes: "Women are for children, boys are for pleasure." Fundamentalist imams, exaggerating a biblical passage on menstruation, teach that women are "unclean" and therefore distasteful. One married man even asked Cardinalli's team "how his wife could become pregnant," her report said. When that was explained, he "reacted with disgust" and asked, "How could one feel desire to be with a woman, who God has made unclean?"
While some will merely chalk this up to “strict religion,” I beg to differ. Compare this worldview with that of the Bible. Would this man come away with such an attitude after reading Song of Solomon, for example:
“You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices— a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.” (Song of Solomon 4:9–15)
I could quote more, but I think you get the point. Not all religions are created equal. The oppression and exploitation of women is a real problem in the Islamic world, and neither our bombs, bullets, nor our “Democracy” will stem the tide. These issues will not go away with the death of a few “radicals,” or the election of “moderates” who have grown up in this spiritual sewage and learned to turn a blind eye. This is a problem that requires something more powerful. Afghanistan needs the gospel of Jesus Christ!
The real battle in Afghanistan will rage long after hostilities have ceased. As the apostle Paul noted:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2 Cor 10:4–6)
The story concludes on a crucial note, “Addressing the loathsome mistreatment of Afghan women remains a primary goal for coalition governments, as it should be...But what about the boys, thousands upon thousands of little boys who are victims of serial rape over many years, destroying their lives - and Afghan society.” The long-term impact of such practices is already clear. This is a culture in bondage to sin. The next generation is being forged in the crucible of war, drugs, and sodomy. Regardless of how many “free elections” they have, Afghanistan’s future is bleak.
Biblical Christianity offers a clear alternative:
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph 5:25–33)
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Pet 3:7)
It is no coincidence that predominantly, the worst treatment of women on the planet is taking place in the Islamic World. Unfortunately, the world’s answer is to make attempts to equate Islam and Christianity as though the two are equivalent morally, and to kowtow to Muslims for fear of retribution (see here, for example). As a result, the very important discussion about the way the Bible has transformed civilization for the better has been all but silenced.
Nevertheless, we must continue to proclaim the truth. We must continue to herald the gospel to those in the Muslim world. They must know that Christ offers the forgiveness, hope and transformation they seek but cannot find. The Bible also offers a clear assessment of and answer to the sin of homosexuality. Unfortunately, while America has built an imposing military arsenal, we have decided to disarm when it comes to the spiritual side of this battle. In fact, we have our own Kandahar (i.e., homosexual hotbeds like San Francisco and New York, and organizations like the North American Man/Boy Love Association, etc.).
Remember, ours is the Country where GLSEN founder, Kevin Jennings, promotes and advances this kind of sin, then gets to work in the White House (see here). We’re the Country whose President was the keynote speaker at one of, if not the largest homosexual fundraiser in the world where he apologized for not moving faster to fulfill the promises he made to them on the campaign trail (including gay marriage, repealing don’t ask/don’t tell and DOMA, enacting hate crimes legislation, ENDA, etc.). I say this, not to change the subject, but to demonstrate the great irony. If one rejects God’s word as it relates to homosexuality, on what grounds does he object to the activity in Afghanistan? Moreover, once we have started down that slippery slope, how long will it be before we become so calloused and jaded that we are no longer burdened by stories like this one?
As we continue to pray for our men and women in uniform, let us not forget to pray for those brave souls who love our Lord, and love the Afghan people by fighting the unseen battle there. Pray for the families of missionaries who lost their lives there recently, and others who remain. And “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2) There is hope for Afghanistan. His name is Jesus; “he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21)
VB
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in TRUTH
-3 John 3,4 ESV
Monday, February 7, 2011
Two funerals; Why I am an Anabaptist
Over the last couple of weeks I went to two funerals related to work. The first a husband of the owner of our company, he owned several companies on his own. 62 years old and died from complications from the stomach flu. The family has assets well into the 100's of millions dollars. The man basically never attended church, cared not for Christ. But he did not worry about his eternal state because he was baptised as a baby in the Catholic church.
His funeral was in a giant Catholic church in Columbus, filled with the upper crust of society. The priest let it be known that this man was in heaven (or purgatory) because of his infant baptism. The whole crowd sang almost too joyfully Amazing Grace, as if they were resting in the same hope (infant baptism).
You see this is one of the very reasons that I align with Anabaptist theology. Resting on your infant baptism for eternal bliss and disregarding the Savior is the wide road. Matthew 7:13-14; The Narrow and Wide Gates 13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
What a cruel, wicked thing it is to teach and to reassure people that they can get to heaven by someone sprinkling water on their little head as a baby and getting a certificate to heaven. The moment after this man died he may have been wondering why he is in a place of torment, I sure he has thought it through and he bitterly hates those who assured him that he was saved.
The second funeral, a daughter of one of our district managers. 38 years old with a husband and two young sons died of breast cancer. Her funeral was in a modest funeral home which was packed with 50 or so friends and relatives. The difference, the pastor let everyone know that Jenn is in heaven because she trusted in her Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. The pastor laid down the Gospel to everyone there and challenged her husband to raise their two boys by the Bible.
Two lives one with the Lord Jesus Christ and one very likely in eternal torment partly because of good and bad theology.
Luke 16:21-23 (New American Standard Bible)
21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to (A)Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23"In (B)Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Darrell
His funeral was in a giant Catholic church in Columbus, filled with the upper crust of society. The priest let it be known that this man was in heaven (or purgatory) because of his infant baptism. The whole crowd sang almost too joyfully Amazing Grace, as if they were resting in the same hope (infant baptism).
You see this is one of the very reasons that I align with Anabaptist theology. Resting on your infant baptism for eternal bliss and disregarding the Savior is the wide road. Matthew 7:13-14; The Narrow and Wide Gates 13"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
What a cruel, wicked thing it is to teach and to reassure people that they can get to heaven by someone sprinkling water on their little head as a baby and getting a certificate to heaven. The moment after this man died he may have been wondering why he is in a place of torment, I sure he has thought it through and he bitterly hates those who assured him that he was saved.
The second funeral, a daughter of one of our district managers. 38 years old with a husband and two young sons died of breast cancer. Her funeral was in a modest funeral home which was packed with 50 or so friends and relatives. The difference, the pastor let everyone know that Jenn is in heaven because she trusted in her Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. The pastor laid down the Gospel to everyone there and challenged her husband to raise their two boys by the Bible.
Two lives one with the Lord Jesus Christ and one very likely in eternal torment partly because of good and bad theology.
Luke 16:21-23 (New American Standard Bible)
21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to (A)Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23"In (B)Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Darrell
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