The Seventh Sola

Seeing God . . . Or Not

2012-01-27T06:00:00.010-06:00

It seems we go through spates now and then where people claim to have gone to heaven and seen God, along with all sorts of things in heaven—from the beautiful to the bizarre.

I'll never forget one such book back in the late 80s or early 90s talking about seeing replacement body parts hanging from the wall to be sent here to earth for people who needed them. Um, yeah.

I've got some views on that subject after some Bible study and prayer. My views might irritate a few people, but that's par for the course. Whatever the case, here is mine. As always, let's go first to God's Word to discern truth about our chances of physically seeing God and visions of heaven that we can come back here to tell the world on television, radio and magazines.

First, let's go to Exodus 33, when Moses asked to see God's glory, God replied:

And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” Then the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

This is backed up in the New Testament too:

Joh 1:18* No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

1Ti 6:16* who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

The reason for this is that man in his sinful, fallen state cannot behold the spiritual face and glory of God unveiled. When God did appear in visible form to man after the fall, it was generally in the form of an angel, or in the account above, God hid most of His glory with His hand and Moses was only allowed to see His back. Even then, when Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone so brightly the people were afraid and Moses had to veil his own face until the shining dimmed. God also occasionally appeared in visions, which isn't like seeing Him directly face to face. Appearances of God in Scripture are called "theophanies."

The Lord Jesus is God the Son - God Incarnate, meaning God clothed in human flesh. Immanuel means "God with us." Here is what Scripture (Hebrews 1:1-3) says about Jesus:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.."

The disciples were given a glimpse of Jesus in His glory in what is called the Transfiguration. The verses are in Matthew 17 . . .

"Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

Interesting that instead of telling them to go blab it right away, the Lord restricted them. The Transfiguration would have more resonance after the miraculous Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead.

One final thing to note: the Apostle Paul saw the Risen Christ, and at one point, he was taken to heaven in a vision. But he was forbidden by the Lord to reveal what he saw while there. In the context, he begins by saying "I know a man," but when you keep reading it's clear he was talking about himself. This is in 2 Corinthians 12:

"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak."

Paul even said that the Lord had give him a "thorn in the flesh" because of the greatness of the revelation - to keep Paul's sin nature from exalting himself.

To me, this is sort of the clincher with all these people claiming to have seen God face to face and having visions of Heaven. God's revelation to us in Scripture is His final Word, and if the Apostle Paul was forbidden to reveal what he saw, that makes me very skeptical of those who are out there writing books about it now and making television appearances. So many of these people reveal the bogusness of their stories when they say things that are completely UNBIBLICAL in the telling of their stories.

Rest assured of this—God will never contradict His written Word. Never!

Deadline at Dawn: Great One Liners

2012-01-26T19:13:00.000-06:00

A brief diversion. If no one has ever seen "Deadline at Dawn" from 1946, it's a must see. Lots of film noir elements, but with hysterically funny lines, especially from Paul Lukas, who plays the cabbie/-co-detective in the film.

A smattering of lines: "The water evidently tasted good, so she jumped down the well." (Spoken to Lola Lane's dead character).

"Let us pause for station identification." (Spoken by Susan Hayward doing a double-take at something Bill Williams said)

"A kamikaze with hair on her head." (Lukas again, spoken to Lola Lane's corpse. He really didn't like the woman.)

"People with wax heads shouldn't stand in the sun." (Joseph Calleia to Jerome Cowan)

You've gotta see it. In glorious black and white, and lots of shadows. And a surprise ending.

Love? Is That All?

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's post is a brief thought-provoker. It's about something that is so simple—yet so complex and multi-faceted in how it is lived out. But it still is pretty simple if we could only grasp it.

Most Christians know what the greatest commandment of God is. In case you don't know, here it is, given when someone asked the Lord a question about it . . .

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40).

Did you notice that last sentence from Jesus? On those two commandments the WHOLE LAW AND THE PROPHETS DEPEND!

Let's put it even more simply. If I love God, I will not want to do anything to wrong Him. Period. In fact, He said, "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

If I love you, I will not want to do anything to wrong you or anyone else. As the Apostle Paul puts it, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law." (Romans 13:10).

Now, there is quite a bit of unpacking to do there, and how we live out that love day by day. And in this life, none of us do it perfectly. But it begins by having a saving relationship with Christ, believing that He died on the cross for our sins, and rising again from the dead for our justification. Only then, through His indwelling Holy Spirit and empowerment, can we truly begin to love as God loves.

John Calvin an "Occupier?"

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

Every now and then, I encounter an article or report that simply leaves me speechless—at least until I get my breath back.

Today's stunner was revealed by the Institute for Religion and Democracy, a group that works toward reform in mainline churches that have gone astray from their biblical moorings. In this article published by IRD, they discuss Dr. Setri Nyomi's claim that John Calvin would have sympathized with the Occupy Wall Street crowd. Dr. Nyomi, by the way, is general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

As you'll see from the article, Dr. Nyomi really stretches the rubber band to the breaking point. While I would agree that Calvin would have been concerned about true economic injustices, I do not agree that he would have embraced Occupy's general economic theories or tactics. He certainly would never embrace liberal theology in any way, shape or form.

I am especially irritated at the way Dr. Nyomi describes Calvin as a man bound by the times in which he was living. In other words, because Calvin was alive in the 1500s and lived by the practices of the day, that explains his position on women being role-restricted in the home and in the church. In other words, Calvin held to a complimentarian position, not an egalitarian position.

Sorry. If Calvin was bound by anything at all, he was bound by Scripture. As he (and all of us) should be.

Under the Weather . . .So Solameanie Presents:

2012-01-24T11:01:00.000-06:00

. . . David Limbaugh, brother of Rush.

I haven't felt well since Sunday, but realize I need to get a post up. So I'd like to share these recent columns by David, the first of which highlights liberal columnist Maureen Dowd and her realization that Barack Obama isn't all they thought he'd be.

Next, David takes up something I noted earlier about Newt Gingrich. He will stand up and fight! Although he seemed to reel a bit last night in the Florida GOP debate. We'll see how Newt recovers in the days ahead.

Speaking of recovery, pray for mine. I really feel lousy.

Everyone's Talking and No One is Listening

2012-01-22T16:16:00.001-06:00

I was in a Facebook discussion of sorts today with a friend who is a fellow Christian, yet falls on the far left end of the political spectrum. I, of course, am on the right and it's an election year.

After a few exchanges back and forth on the subject of liberal media bias and whether there was such a thing (as if any more documentation was necessary) I finally threw my hands up and posted this (minor edits to improve clarity):

What good would it do to offer you any quotes? I've done that in the past and it seems to me (perhaps I have Alzheimers) that when I do, you impugn the source. If I were to mention Brent Bozell and his media watch dog group, you would immediately slag it off as right wing propaganda much as I probably would raise my eyebrow if you were to post something collected by Move On or Air America.

As to the food stamp thing, I hear one thing and you hear another. I hear Republican candidates say they want to move people off of food stamps and into productive work—for them to have the climate where productive work i.e. good jobs will be available. In other words, wanting the best climate possible for those on food stamps (whatever the race) to be able to improve their condition and get OFF food stamps. You hear a racist rant and code words to hate blacks. I think we're at an impasse, quite frankly.

I don't care much for Gingrich, to be honest. I like Rick Santorum much better, and Mike Huckabee even better than Santorum. But Huckabee isn't running. I don't believe any of them are racists. To hear this accusation aimed at them is just as offensive to me as it is to those on the left when some Republicans accuse liberals of wanting to keep blacks on the plantation. When liberals accuse Republicans of wanting to bring back Jim Crow etc, that is every bit as bomb throwing. And here we are, at an endless back and forth of who can urinate the farthest. What good does it do?

I can already imagine the comeback, but I'm tired of the discussion. I'm tired of politics, and tired of such little interest in truth from all sides. No doubt this will come as a surprise if you've read my previous posts through the years on political matters, but something unusual is in the air, and in my psyche. I am truly getting sick of it all. Crosby Stills and Nash (liberals to the core) once sang something in their song called "Daylight Again" with which I agree completely . . . "when everyone's talking and no one is listening, how can we decide?"

Perhaps when the whole globe is burning, the politicians and their acolytes will be satisfied. There, rant over.

Politics: Bringing a Nerf Bat to a Knife Fight

2012-01-20T18:21:00.002-06:00

As much as I insisted on trying to ignore the political after leaving radio broadcasting completely earlier this year, I can't stand it. Once a news director and political analyst, always a news director and political analyst.

Listening to the talking heads, some if not most are wondering how Newt Gingrich could surge in the polls after all of his personal baggage has been aired again—most recently with the damning interview given by Newt's ex-wife Marianne, as to his adultery and character.

If you're looking at a gut answer as to why Newt is rising, I'll give it to you straight. And my doing so is not an endorsement of Newt's character or theology. Not at all.

Newt is catching fire precisely because he is doing what the Republican rank and file have been begging from the establishment of the party for eons. "Give us a candidate who will FIGHT!"

Whatever his personal baggage, Newt Gingrich is not intimidated or fearful of his leftist, Democratic opponents. He is not afraid of using the Democrats' politics of personal destruction, scorched-earth tactics against them. Newt is not afraid of a street fight. He won't bring a Nerf bat to a knife fight. When the Democrats (or whoever) decide to hit below the belt, Newt will return a knee in the groin, a backhanded chop to the Adam's Apple, and eventually disembowel any opponent he encounters in a debate with joie de vivre.

And that is what Republicans who are tired of being pinatas for the Democrats have been longing for. Someone who will actually fight back. And fight back with a vengeance.

Those of my generation will remember Congressman Bob Michel of Illinois. An honorable chap for the most part, but under his leadership in the House, it was more go-along and get along rather than fight for principle. We're tired of it. We're tired of falsely being called racists from the Alinskyites. We're tired of being told we don't have compassion. And we're tired of being called sleazy by people whose lives would have alleycats look virtuous in comparison. Tired through and through.

Point to be made in closing. Even as I say what I said above, as a practicing and believing Christian, I believe the truth will win out in the in when properly and forcefully told. I don't think one needs to resort to dirty or underhanded tactics to be successful. I write this strictly in the role of an analyst trying to make sense of the current political milieu. What I have often found is that the truth is hurtful and embarrassing enough. One doesn't have to hit low blows to bring it to light.

Of course, many on the left consider bringing the truth to light a low blow.

Seventh Sola Flashback: Caning and Mr. Chips

2012-01-18T10:07:00.001-06:00

I don't often go back and repost things I have written in previous years. But today I'm going to break that tradition, because one particular post I made back in 2008 continues to get comments to this day—and I find that fascinating.

I'm talking about this post on corporal punishment in British schools before it was outlawed. I had been watching the 1939 classic "Goodbye, Mr. Chips, which has a caning scene or two, so it got me curious about the subject.

As you will see from the comments section of that particular post, corporal punishment of any kind—whether it's in school or done privately in the home by parents—remains a hot button issue with many people. What I found even more funny that the first commenter in the meta thought I was the retired schoolmaster who wrote the article and accused me with finding some sort of pleasure or delight in inflicting punishment (I had made it clear in "Sola's Note" before the article that it had been written by someone else).

I also made it pretty clear in the meta discussion that I was not advocating the extreme of what the British public school system once employed (although, having said that and seeing some of the behavior I see these days, I might change my mind on that one).

So, just for grins, I am pointing back to that 2008 post again today. We'll see if the meta explodes again, unless total apathy has metastasized in four years.

Yes, but . . .

2012-01-16T19:02:00.001-06:00

I honestly don't quite know what to do with this ongoing story/saga.

A young "spoken word artist" (is that another euphemism for rap or hip-hop?) has released a video called "I Hate Religion, Love Jesus. Many young "hip" evangelicals no doubt driven by Mark Driscoll's type of young hip evangelical love it, while others—especially non-believers or non-orthodox believers—have used it to bash the church at large.

To his credit, the video's creator, Jefferson Bethke of Tacoma, Washington (and a congregant of Mark Driscoll), came out strongly in a warning for people not to use this video to bash the church. That wasn't his intent . . .

If you are using my video to bash ‘the church’ be careful. I was in no way intending to do that...The Church is Jesus' bride so be careful how you speak of His wife. If a normal dude has right to get p****d when you bash His wife, it makes me tremble to think how great the weight is when we do it to Jesus' wife. The church is His vehicle to reach a lost word. A hospital for sinners. Saying you love Jesus but hate the Church, is like a fiancé saying he loves his future bride, but hates her kids. We are all under grace. Look to Him.

I can agree with Mr. Bethke here, and I can say a hearty amen to many things in his video. But there are aspects of this whole thing that do make me very uncomfortable.

I don't think I need to rehash my position on Christians having potty mouths. We disobey the Lord (and His revealed Word in Scripture) when we cuss like sailors. To this day, Mark Driscoll has the reputation among some for being the "cussing pastor." And even if one isn't technically "cussing," there is an element of crudity and vulgarity that Christians are expected to eschew. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

Some are concerned because of Bethke's criticism using the word "religion," which some define as man's way of dealing with the subject of Deity. The way Bethke and most evangelicals define religion, it is man's efforts to gain God's approval through his own efforts, rather than trusting in the means God has provided to deal with our sin—the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead for our justification. That's the simple, life-changing Gospel as defined by 1 Corinthians 15. There's a lot to unpack in there as to how the Gospel is lived out day-to-day, but the Gospel itself is so simple "even a child can understand it."

I think our chief worry (at least mine is) that people will approach this issue in a postmodern mindset and want to quibble about words, meanings, etc, when the plain meaning is as obvious as the nose on one's face.

Another concern expressed by others that I share regarding Bethke's video is the (perhaps unintended) notion that one can go on living their sinful old life unchanged—the Lord's forgiven you and accepted you as you are, so don't worry about it. You aren't expected to live up to anything. If that WAS his intent to express, I couldn't disagree more with him. That's antinomianism, and is heretical. We still have to obey Christ's commands as Christians. Obedience to His commands does not save us, but it proves we are His disciples. It proves we love Him and love one another. If I say I love the Lord, yet proceed to live an unchanged life like an unbeliever, how is that expressing and showing love for the One who said, "If you love Me, keep my commandments."

That includes watching your mouth.

Sola's note: Take a peek at this updated article the Christian Post. Seems like the guy's heart is in the right place, and he accepted correction very well.

Behaving Badly in Hollywood...Again

2012-01-16T05:24:00.000-06:00

I suppose we should be thankful Ricky Gervais held his stinger in for the most part at this year's Golden Globes Awards. At least that's what the linked article indicates.

Having said that, you'll also note from the article that the evening was laced with penis jokes and the "F-bomb" on a few occasions. Am I surprised? No, I'm not. We've seen worse behavior at this and other awards shows in the past few years, and will probably see even worse as time marches on.

It would be interesting for me—if I could go back in time—to an Academy Awards dinner back when Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia deHavilland, Joan Fontaine, Norma Shearer, Kay Francis, William Powell and Myrna Loy reigned supreme. Somehow, I have a hunch things would have proceeded as the Golden Age displayed on camera—with class and elegance.

Seems like the new crowd could learn a bit from their predecessors.

Gingrich's Spiritual Tragedy

2012-01-13T09:03:00.000-06:00

Newt Gingrich is making some news that will probably not be picked up by the mainstream news media. In this Christian Post article, Gingrich talks with South Carolina pastors about his spiritual journey.

I call this a spiritual tragedy for a few reasons. First, it's obvious that the young Gingrich had a lot of spiritual confusion from being bounced around from church to church as a child.

Second, he gets established in the Southern Baptist Convention, where one would presume that he was exposed to the biblical Gospel and thus hopefully would have become saved. The article hints at a potential issue when one of the churches Gingrich describes left the SBC—and I am assuming that this was due to the conservative-liberal battle within the SBC. If you remember, former president Jimmy Carter helped gin that up because he didn't like conservative Bible doctrine and interpretation. This led to the creation of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship—basically a collection of moderate to liberal Baptist churches. Depending on the preaching and teaching Gingrich was receiving, this no doubt led to further confusion.

Then he ends up in Roman Catholicism—which I consider to be a false religion because it offers a false Gospel of works, no matter how much they deny it. Scripture teaches that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, with Scripture alone as our authority, and to God alone be the glory. Pope Benedict recently reaffirmed foundational Catholic belief that we evangelicals do not belong to "true churches." The Roman Catholic Church also still holds to the Council of Trent, which contains many "anathemas" against people who believe as evangelicals believe. So Rome isn't the innocent, picked-on party when we, as evangelicals, choose to defend ourselves and what we believe. Rome throws down the gauntlet, we respond accordingly.

Newt's tragedy is this—that he could reject the biblical Gospel and end up in the arms of Rome. And I have to wonder if any of those evangelical pastors in the meeting with Newt even challenged him on it. Newt himself will stand before the Lord and bear responsibility. But so will the preachers and teachers who might have helped out with Newt's spiritual confusion.

More On The Taliban/Marines Controversy

2012-01-12T18:28:00.001-06:00

I've been doing some more thinking this evening on the Marines/Taliban corpses controversy, and have one more point to make about it.

While not excusing the actions of this particular group of Marines alleged to have urinated on the corpses of Taliban fighters, I think we ought to review the record of the Taliban before engaging in too much hand-wringing. We can look no further than this CNN article documenting some of the horrific things done by these animals to their own people.

It seems to me that the Taliban's outrage (not to mention that of the Afghan government) is a bit misplaced. They ought to begin with themselves, and questioning what gives them the right to brutalize their people regardless of age. At least the fighters who got a little wet were dead and couldn't feel what was being done to them (We'll leave the subject of Hell aside for the moment). Not the case for the Taliban's victims. In light of this history, one can at least understand why some Marines might have done what they did, and even more the case if some of their buddies got killed at Taliban hands.

Having said all this, there is a code of conduct in the military, and it must be followed. We do have high standards of behavior and morality, and they ought to be upheld for our witness and example around the world. The Marines who did this (if in fact they were really Marines and this wasn't a staged incident) must be disciplined.

But the Taliban have very, very little about which to complain. If they were noble warriors instead of cowardly thugs who hide behind masks and civilians, I might feel a bit more sympathy.

Note: Here is an update on the situation. Looking grim.

Curious Timing and the Taliban

2012-01-12T14:18:00.001-06:00

I sometimes wonder if having a suspicious mind is a normal part of the aging process.

I'm talking about this linked Reuters story regarding a video that purports to show U.S. troops urinating on the corpses of some Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Let me be clear. I have no doubts that terrible things happen involving troops during armed conflicts. Americans are human beings—outside of Christ, fallen human beings just like everyone else—and are just as capable of committing atrocities as any other human being. However, it is not the norm and not representative of American values.

In addition, American men, women and children are capable of being very stupid. And that is what bothers me about this particular incident. Were these troops really so stupid that they thought they could send a cell phone video to someone and not have it get out? This is the Internet age. This is the age where videos go viral, as is the case with this particular video. How could they be so dumb?

And the next question. Who posted the video online, and why? Were they so stupid not to realize that posting it could have serious international ramifications? If they were so concerned about these guys being punished, why not turn them in to military brass? Why post it in public where it could do the most damage, endangering the rest of our troops as well as our country's reputation? Maybe that was the idea, and if so, that's as reprehensible as the incident.

Of course, it's possible it was posted in the mindset of juveniles who laugh at passing gas. Think Beavis and Butthead as adults who haven't learned much. But it does seem very, very suspicious to me.

Testimony Time . . . Or Not?

2012-01-11T06:00:00.003-06:00

Addendum: I'm adding this preamble to the post below because I have performed some minor edits on it. Also, I think something needs to be said at the outset that I didn't say earlier today. I have tried to say it before, but I'll say it again because there will be many who are reading me on this stuff for the first time.

The whole subject of tattoos in the church brings about an amazing amount of volcanic debate. There are those who hoist their flag completely in the arena of "Christian freedom," which does have a legitimate expression. There are those who hoist their flag in the arena of unabashed, ultra-fundie legalism, where having a tattoo is tantamount to having the Mark of the Beast. (Okay, that was for rhetorical effect, but you get the idea). My desire has always been to try and strike a balance, yet I probably fail in that effort. I want Christians—especially young ones—to think about what they're doing, especially things that will have lifetime ramifications. I want Christians to consider their testimony, and what message they are sending to the culture at large. A cavalier treatment or dismissal of Scripture does not advance the cause of Christ very well.

One more thing. When I make posts such as this, they are not intended as personal attacks on the individual mentioned in the post. When something or someone is in the news, I comment on it and the issue in question. False teachers who ought to know better will get a sharper handling from me than those who are immature or untaught. I also do not expect non-Christians to act or think like Christians. However, we ought to expect Christians to act like Christians, and encourage one another to hold to high standards, not for our glory, but for our Savior.

Now, here's the revised post . . .

Here we go again.

Fox News's website has yet another article discussing the purported Christian faith of young celebrities. As you'll see from the picture above, singer Justin Bieber made the news for his new Jesus tattoo, shown in the right-hand photo prominently on his leg.

You all know how I feel about tattoos, especially on the bodies of believers who are supposed to care about what God thinks. Just to repeat, I don't believe in a legalistic sense that having a tattoo will keep a Christian out of heaven. We aren't saved by works. We are saved by grace. But I think I can make a fairly strong biblical case that marking one's body displeases the Lord, who warned the children of Israel not to do it. They were to remain separate and distinct from the unbelieving nations around them, where the people often tattooed themselves as part of their idolatrous religious expression. God didn't say that one could tattoo as long as the tattoo was clearly representing Him i.e. YHWH, the God of the Bible. He just said don't do it.

Now, I can hear the challenges already. "Well, if you think it displeases God to have a tattoo, then you're accusing the tattooed person of sinning. You're a legalist." No, it would be more in the line of "all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable." (1 Corinthians 10:23) I would also counter that challenge by asking a question. If we do things that God has clearly commanded us not to do, is that sin?

Next will come the challenge of this being a situation where Christians aren't supposed to be under the Law of Moses. Several other Old Testament commands will get brought up, with the rapid fire questions to follow . . . "Are we allowed to do this? We're not supposed to do this either. Is this a sin today?" And so on.

And all of this misses the point that I am making, probably badly. I want people to THINK about what they are doing. I want people to THINK about WHY God makes certain prohibitions, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament. He had His reasons. And even if you could make the technical case that you could get by with doing such and such, is it really a good idea? Is it really a witness? Or is it more truthful to say that it's just something that you want to do, and you'll find any argument under the sun to justify whatever it is you want to do?

I think we all wrestle with this. But, back to the tattoo and the related news story.

Regardless of all of these questions, many Christians are joyfully inking themselves up with abandon, thinking they're making such a bold witness for the Lord, or maybe for less spiritual reasons. Maybe they just think it's cool self-expression. Whatever.

Having said (or reviewed) all that, Justin's new tattoo and the quotes from other young celebrities is not actually the thing that grabbed my attention and spurred this post. It was this quote from Justin that jumped out at me . . .

"A lot of people who are religious, I think they get lost. They go to church just to go to church. I'm not trying to disrespect them, but for me, I focus more on praying and talking to him," Bieber says. "I don't have to go to church."

To be fair to Justin, I would need to know more of what he means by that statement. I would agree with him that many people are "Sunday go to meetin" types whose relationship with God is only lip deep. It's tradition and appearance, not a real relationship with God.

But what did he mean by "I don't have to go to church?" What does Scripture say on that subject?

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25).

I don't know about you, but I take that as a biblical command that we are not to forsake assembling together with other believers to worship God, fellowship with one another, and to learn the Word of God to be equipped for ministry. Jesus said if you love Him, you are to keep His commandments. It's really a no-brainer. But instead, we have Christianity by cafeteria plan these days. Keep what you like, skip the rest.

Again, to give Justin the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he meant that just going to church doesn't make one a Christian. If that was his meaning, I agree wholeheartedly. But if he meant that going to church wasn't necessary, I disagree emphatically. And so does God's Word.

In fact, I would say that biblical illiteracy is the scourge or cancer of this generation of believers, and when I say "generation," I don't mean just the young, like Justin. I am talking about this generation of believers currently alive.

A Bible verse that I love says, "I will hide Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Nowadays, we use the Bible to look for loopholes, to reinterpret or misinterpret it, or to argue its meaning in postmodern fashion. We don't seem to want to read it, exposit it, memorize it, or worse yet, actually obey it.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe I'm just an old curmudgeon. Then again, maybe I'm not too far off target.

A postscript to this post: I was reading how Justin is handling some of the attacks that come his way, and thus far, he's been pretty charitable and Christian in his response, because there have been many who have been outright ugly. So kudos to him on that, along with a friendly caution on a statement he made in the media about Michael Jackson's lyrics being always clean. Um, no. He's dropped the F-Bomb in a song or two, and several are clearly sexually suggestive, including his videos. So Michael wasn't the Patron Saint of Disney Bubblegum.

The Skipping Record of Politics

2012-01-10T06:00:00.007-06:00

I suppose I am dating myself by referring to skipping records.

Yes, I mean the vinyl discs that used to be sold in music stores, and you'd take them home and play them on record players. Nothing annoyed an LP record audiophile more than a skip on a record. There was little chance of repairing a skip, so you'd have to go buy a new album.

Having said all that, I'm going to be the skipping record today and chime in on something countless people say each and every political season.

I am sick of the nasty, frivolous attacks waged by both sides of the political spectrum, whether it's in a debate or via commercials.

Why can't candidates for office simply lay out their positions on issues, and then fairly and honestly critique their opponents' views, and say where they believe their opponents are mistaken. Then articulate why their views are superior to those of their opponents and why they would work more effectively. Skip the gloom and doom ads with the mushroom clouds, narrators putting on their most histrionic or damning tones of voice, not to mention the lies, distortions, damned lies and lying figures. Skip the cheap shot personal attacks in debates or in media appearances. They only show the lowness of the person delivering them.

Case in point—the infamous snotty remark by the late Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) aimed at Vice President Dan Quayle in the vice presidential debate in 1988. Quayle had been taking flack over being too young for the presidency, and Quayle was attempting to point out the parity of ages between he and John Kennedy when Kennedy became president. What did Bentsen say? "I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." The audience howled, and a stunned Quayle could only say, "Senator, that was completely uncalled for."

It was a classless, gutless attack. If I had been Quayle, I would have retorted, "You're correct, Lloyd. I am no Jack Kennedy after all. My wife knows where I am at night." That would have brought the house down and rubbed Bentsen's nose in his own effluent.

But, that's remembering some of my own outrage in wishing this kind of bovine fecal matter would stop. It's childish. It's cheap. It's unintellectual. It's devoid of principle. It is a disservice to the country. It feeds a media only intent on the show and not to do what's best for the country.

I know some will argue that nastiness has been part of politics as long as there have been politics. Maybe. And I have to confess—in my younger years I'd cheer at a sharp put-down along with the rest and gloat when a campaign ad would put down a candidate that I opposed.

But I hope I have matured somewhat sense then. Now I hate it. I hate it with a passion. And I'm beginning to wish the American body politic would begin punishing candidates who engage in it, and DEMANDING that they deal with issues in a fair, dialogue-friendly manner. And then give the American electorate credit for having enough intelligence and discernment to figure out who makes the most sense and who is worthy of office. As an aside, we'll have to have a few media takeovers first, or at least to make the media pay by losing advertisers for not being fair and objective.

We can start with complete reform of debates. These events today are not debates. They are glorified press conferences, and the media controls what gets asked and what questions get their 60 seconds of soundbite. Back to the Lincoln-Douglas format, and the media can go jump in the lake. Plus, let's drag the public to watch by scruffs of their necks, and make them pay attention and use their brains.

I can dream, can't I?

Lines in the Nuclear Sand

2012-01-09T08:47:00.000-06:00

A rather interesting statement by U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta over the weekend. He said that Iran "developing a nuclear weapon" would be a "line in the sand," in addition to Iran attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz. That statement goes along with this AP article on the subject of Iran enriching uranium.

This leads me to wonder something. I hate it when I wonder things. But here goes my wondering as I wander.

If Iran develops a bomb, isn't it a bit late to draw a line in the sand? If Iran has a workable nuclear explosive, isn't it reasonable to assume that they would detonate it if we attacked? They don't need to have an intercontinental ballistic missile to make an enormous mess.

I am far from being a war hawk. Like most Americans, I am tired of the U.S. getting involved in every conflict around the globe and having to be the policeman of the world. At the same time, I am also not naive. The world is a dangerous place, and there are plenty of people out there who despise America. They would love nothing better to see America destroyed. In fact, Mr. Achtungdinejad has already made that feeling crystal clear.

If there ever was a reason to act, this is it. Preferably in concert with other nations, but alone if need be. We do not need to have mullahs with nuclear weapons. It's bad enough Pakistan has nuclear capability. That should have been stopped, but it wasn't. And who knows where unstable Pakistan will end up in the days ahead. Let's hope the India card can help restrain things.

Like it or not, folks, the nuclear genie is out of the bottle. Let's just hope and pray no one says "Shazam."

Pray for Pastor Chuck Smith

2012-01-05T10:25:00.001-06:00

Please take some time today (and on an ongoing basis) to pray for Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of the Calvary Chapel fellowships.

It came out this week that Chuck has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Fellowship in Riverside, CA (a member of the Calvary Chapels), is going to interview Chuck before his scheduled surgery to remove the lung tumor.

While I never had the opportunity to attend the original Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA, when I lived out there in the early 80s, I did visit Greg Laurie’s church in Riverside and enjoyed the fellowship. Many of those who came of age in the “Jesus Movement” days will remember Chuck and his “father figure/mentor” status with many of the early contemporary Christian music groups back in the late 60s and early 70s. Remember Love Song, Mustard Seed Faith, The Way, Honeytree, Paul Clark, and a host of others? The list could go on and on. I’m thankful for the impact of Chuck Smith on the lives of so many, and for all who have been brought to Christ through his ministry, and through those who came to faith through his preaching.

A word about doctrinal issues. The Calvary Chapels are a very low-key, charismatic fellowship, typically emphasizing Bible teaching and preaching more than sign gifts, even though the practice of sign gifts is allowed. The day I attended Harvest, I might have well been attending a Baptist church with contemporary music. The preaching was thoroughly biblical and no sign gifts were in evidence on that day. The Chapels are also typically Arminian in emphasis.

I might not be in agreement with every jot and tittle of theology, but this is a prayer request for a brother in the Lord who has been a faithful preacher of the Gospel for many years.

Colson on the Cult of Celebrity

2012-01-04T10:44:00.003-06:00

The cult of celebrity . . . my, that's an easy target. But what a target!

In this Christian Post article, author and Prison Fellowship head Chuck Colson takes up the subject of celebrity cults, and especially the version of them that some have created within the church.

This has been going on for quite some time, and I'm afraid that it's only accelerated in recent years. It's not just movie stars and musicians now. Nationally-known pastors have almost acquired rock star status, much to the detriment of their ministry, and as Colson points out, eventually their own walk with Christ.

I have told this little story before, but I'll share it again because it's so relevant. A large local church in my environs used to have an old, huge wooden pulpit up on the platform before the plexiglass skinny podium and now, couch, became popular for platform settings. When the preacher of the day would get up to deliver his sermon, he would see before him this little, engraved metallic plaque affixed to the lectern where he would place his Bible and notes:

"Sir, we would see Jesus."

Colson's warning is one that we'd best not forget, while always remembering the message of that little sign.

Review: The World Tilting Gospel

2012-01-03T06:38:00.001-06:00

One of my chief regrets these days is the lack of time to read. I have a library literally overflowing with books just begging to be picked up and read, but instead I run around like the proverbial headless chicken. But this one I was determined to not only read, but also finish AND review.

I'm talking about one of two new books by Dan Phillips—his first—called "The World Tilting Gospel." I had become acquainted with Dan through his well-written, well-thought-out blogging with Phil Johnson over at Pyromaniacs. In addition to his blogging there, Dan also maintains his own blog, Biblical Christianity.

This is a book that is sorely needed. Today's evangelical church is becoming more known for losing a biblical worldview than it is for maintaining one. Generations of self-professed Christians have a hard time even understanding the Gospel, and all of its implications. Don't get me wrong—the Gospel and its implications are wondrous enough that even long-term, dedicated believers will always find new riches within its depths—but we're talking basics here. What is the Gospel, what does it mean, and what does it do? Those are the salient questions.

The World Tilting Gospel drew me in immediately—right from the outset. Dan's introduction to the book is good enough on it's own, and spot on enough, to serve as a stand-alone even without the rest of the chapters. Here's the clip that got me on my feet:

"The first Christians didn't have any power base whatsoever. They didn't control the local media. They had no big name celebrities giving concerts with two-minute "testimonies" at the end. They didn't have massive popular numbers. They didn't have PR firms shining their image.

They didn't have lines of clothing, entertainment, or holy hardware. They didn't even own buildings. Their assemblies could mostly be contained in people's houses. They didn't control any institutions—religious, educational or political. They didn't have money, equipment, or rapid-transport vehicles. They couldn't even have Twitter!

Yet they created something like blind panic virtually everywhere they went. How did they do it?"

Wow. By this time I could have been on my feet yelling and cheering as if I were at a football game, and I hate football. And I wasn't even out of the introduction! I kept stumbling across further phrases that grab you by the throat and rattle your cage—lovingly, of course. People thinking of the Lord as "co-signer instead of Savior." Grasping the "transformative implication of the Gospel." The folly of self-diagnosis. One line that had me in a belly laugh was a reference to John Calvin's "Institutes" as "brain jerky" for theologians. But it really was intended for devotional purposes.

But there's more to the book than the introduction. Dan's point, or I should say, one of many fine points, is that today's professing church isn't turning the world upside down as did the early church. It's not professing and living out a "world-tilting Gospel." Dan's intent is to help us rediscover, relearn and live out the wonderful, life-changing, glorious truth that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dan lays out his case like a master builder, beginning at the beginning. If you don't believe the opening pages of the Bible, why are you going to take the rest of it seriously. There is far more in the Bible's account of the fall of man than most realize. The implications and reality are enormous. The cataclysm of the fall will take something far more powerful to deal with its consequences. And God had the solution already in mind—the world-tilting Gospel.

From there, we are taken step-by-step through biblical history, but also some surprising introductions. We get introduced to the biblical God. What a concept! But the introduction is necessary, because this generation doesn't have a clue of who He really is, His character, His love, His justice, or of His purpose. We are introduced again to Jesus, who is God Incarnate.

Then we get to the heart of the matter—what is the Gospel and what does it do for us? It should not only "tilt" us, but we also ought to be out "tilting" the world with it. It's that glorious. Far more than fire insurance, the Gospel is transformative. Completely transformative. If we would only grasp it, believe it, and live it. God had this plan laid out meticulously from before the beginning. Jesus Christ Himself is the center of the plan. As Dan puts it . . .

"For, you see, the Bible is clear that the miserable, lonely death of the Son of God was absolutely necessary for the recovery and redemption of men and women. If such extreme measures were an absolute necessity—and they were—then the ruin from which we needed to be rescued must have been far worse, and far more comprehensive, than many imagine. As we are about to see, the cross of Christ underscores the truth of what we just learned about man, and our need for what we are about to learn.

From there, Dan walks us through, step by step, through the magical mystery tour of what God Incarnate did on that cross—dying for our sins, rising from the dead for our justification, and most wonderful of all, being able to declare as righteous all who believe. The wonder and NECESSITY of being clothed in the righteousness of Christ, because we have none of our own.

After covering that ground, Dan begins taking apart some of the things that render churches and individual Christians ineffective in proclaiming and living out that glorious truth. And seriously, each chapter hits right between the eyes. But don't misunderstand. Dan is not writing in the vein of someone intent on disemboweling the reader. He is not condemning, but convicting. There is a difference. This is steel wrapped in velvet. But it's a hunk of steel that we need to grasp and hold on to like a precious metal.

I don't want to give away too much. I want you to go out and buy the book. Buy lots of them and give them to friends. Do all you can to get it into your church library. And I'm about to say something that might shock those who know me well, because I don't do this very often when it comes to Sunday school materials.

Get it for your Sunday school classes!

Yes, Joel just said that. I've never been a huge fan of studying with books other than the Bible in church. We have an entire generation of Christians growing up biblically illiterate. We need to be studying God's Word and hiding it in our hearts. I usually tell people to throw the curriculum books and other men's books out, and pick up the only book that really matters—the Bible. Study it and learn it. Front and back, backwards and forwards. Keep other books for personal amusement, but let's study God's Word in church.

I am making an exception here. I believe The World-Tilting Gospel is that important a book for this generation. When reading it, keep a Bible alongside because you will be using it. Dan's book will help make sense out of things that even those who have been years in the faith have difficulty grasping. And for those new to the faith, it will help them—in most user-friendly fashion—understand what God has done for them through His eternal plan.

The World-Tilting Gospel should be available through most Christian bookstores. It is published by Kregel, and can also be obtained via Amazon.

Sola's note: Dan also has a new book on Proverbs. More on that later.

So Much for Ecumenism

2012-01-02T04:23:00.002-06:00

Well, well, well. Something has happened for which I thank my Lord and Savior, although to some it will seem like an odd thing for which to be thankful. Thankful, but saddened also.

It looks like Pope Benedict has thrown ecumenism under the bus. He has reaffirmed historic Catholic belief that all other churches are not true churches, and that their priestly orders have no value. Why am I glad? Because it's time that this issue was exposed loudly and publicly, especially because there has been so much pressure on evangelicals to throw their doctrinal standards out the window and "come home to Rome." Ecumenism with Rome is impossible if one is going to maintain biblical fidelity and fidelity to the Lord.

Unless Rome repents.

I am often amazed by how many Catholics I meet believe that Vatican II did away with all of this stuff, opening the door to fellowshipping with other believers. I am also amazed by the number of Protestants out there who believe it, and think that it really doesn't matter. It does. It matters because the Gospel itself is at stake.

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, under the authority of Holy Spirit inspired Scripture alone, and to God alone be the glory. Christ alone is the one mediator between God and man, and we need no other to step in His place. Mary is not co-redemptrix and co-mediatrix. That is blasphemy. God will share His glory with no other, and no other paid the price for our salvation but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the cross.

The issue is, and always has been, justification. How are we made right before God i.e. justified. Evangelicals believe we are justified by God's grace alone. Catholics believe in a mixture of grace and works, no matter how much they insist otherwise. There's plenty of documentary evidence out of the Magisterium to prove that fact.

It is important for all would-be ecumenists to remember that Vatican II did NOT do away with the Council of Trent, nor its hundreds of anathemas (curses) who believe as evangelicals believe. Vatican II reaffirmed Trent. And until Rome repents of this, there will be no unity. Unity has to be around biblical truth. Period.

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.001-06:00

On behalf of me and my family, The Seventh Sola wishes one and all a happy, and most blessed 2012. And may it be one in which the Gospel advances full steam ahead, with many coming to repentance and saving faith in the Lord Jesus. My own personal "resolution" for 2012 is to be bolder with my witness, and more loving in my character.

Robert Osborne on Classic Films

2011-12-31T13:25:00.000-06:00

This is a real treat for me to post, especially one paragraph in particular. To read the whole interview with Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies fame, you can click here.

To what paragraph am I referring though? This one . . .

We hope that someone who never saw our channel will watch Lord of the Rings and come back and discover John Garfield. I was at an event the other night and Lauren Bacall was talking and she said, "If you've never seen Topaze starring John Barrymore from 1933, then to you that's not an old film - it's a new film." She's right. If you've never seen Casablanca, made in 1943*, then that's a new film. She was talking about Turner and what an adventure it is to have these new experiences if you've never seen these movies before.

As noted many times on The Seventh Sola, my movie tastes are firmly stuck in Hollywood's Golden Age. However, from time to time I have had the chance to have younger relatives (or adopted relatives) overnight from time to time, and I have showed some selected films to them. Black and white, and usually film noir, although now and then I'll show them an old comedy such as "The Man Who Came to Dinner" or "The Philadelphia Story" or "Bringing Up Baby."

Almost without fail, they are engrossed in a short amount of time. They find the film noirs very gripping and well acted. The comedies they find uproarious, with (in their words) such witty dialogue. And best of all, I don't have to be worried about language, blatant sex or gratuitous violence. In discovering my beloved old films, they have discovered a whole new world.

Lauren Bacall was right. It doesn't matter how "old" a film is. If you haven't seen it, it's a new film to you. And worth the watching!

*Sola's note: Actually, I am surprised Robert made the date error on "Casablanca." The film was actually filmed in 1942, but it was released to general audiences in 1943. Then again, I shouldn't charge the master with an error. The release date is probably from where he dates all films.

Alistair Crowley and Anonymous?

2011-12-29T09:18:00.001-06:00

I ran across something rather interesting today when doing an online search of the anti-sec group "Anonymous," which claims responsibility for the hacking troubles faced currently by Strategic Forecasting, otherwise known as Stratfor. I found it via Wikipedia which, of course, has had credibility issues through the years. However, this little clip below had the ring of truth. Look at the alleged quote from Trent Peacock, and then I'll make my point:

“	We [Anonymous] just happen to be a group of people on the internet who need — just kind of an outlet to do as we wish, that we wouldn't be able to do in regular society. ...That's more or less the point of it. Do as you wish. ... There's a common phrase: 'we are doing it for the lulz.'	”
—Trent Peacock. Search Engine: The face of Anonymous, February 7, 2008.^[9]

Definitions tend to emphasize the fact that the concept, and by extension the collective of users, cannot be readily encompassed by a simple definition. Instead it is often defined by aphorisms describing perceived qualities.^[2] One self-description is:

We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.^[10]

Hmmm. "Do as you wish." What a phrase. If you look back in history, this is very similar to what notorious British occultist Alistair Crowley once said. His philosophy was pretty much, "do what thou wilt."

I also find the last bit interesting. "We are Legion." Biblically astute people will recognize this phrase as coming out of the demon-possessed man set free by the Lord Jesus. Alistair Crowley's philosophy, borne out of the demonic. And a plan of action using the words of demons - evil creatures all.

Somehow, it just makes sense. And like all devils, there is a final destination for them. It won't be pleasant. And they won't be allowed to "do what they will."

Margaret Thatcher: The Film

2011-12-28T10:26:00.001-06:00

There has been lots of buzz about the new film, "The Iron Lady," starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Even her friends and supporters are divided about the film's merits and fairness to Mrs. Thatcher's legacy.

Here is a link to Nick Robinson's view of the film. Nick is one of the BBC's political analysts who began covering Mrs. Thatcher toward the tail-end of her tenure at No. 10 Downing Street.

As many of my readers are aware, I'm generally not one who likes new films. I am firmly stuck in the Golden Age of Hollywood (1930-1955) and especially film noir. And it has to be black and white. However, this is one that I will be interested in seeing.

I have often wished we had an American Margaret Thatcher. We no longer have Ronald Reagan, and none of our current GOP offerings are Reagan. I think I'd take Margaret Thatcher — even with diminished mental faculties — over what our current offerings are on both sides of the political spectrum.

I know I'll have to pick someone to support eventually. But I'm sure not thrilled about the prospects.

At Last! Someone With a Backbone!

2011-12-27T13:27:00.000-06:00

I needed some post-Christmas cheer, and I have an Air Force Base commander to thank for giving it to me.

As you'll see from this Christian Post article, the commander in question basically told a group of militant atheists to go pound sand when they demanded he take down a Nativity scene erected at the base.

I'm glad, and three cheers to the Air Force. I agree with his assessment of the Constitution, and I would even go farther than him.

It never ceases to irritate me when I consider how the courts and modern politicians have distorted the so-called Establishment Clause beyond recognition. All this provision of the Constitution was intended to do was to prevent Congress from establishing a state religion, with the Church of England as a comparative example. Congress shall not "establish a religion, nor PREVENT THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF." That's all it means. No more, no less. It was never intended to ban Nativity scenes or anything of the sort. A Nativity scene is not establishing a state church.

If our Founding Fathers were still alive—men who might actually know a little something about the Constitution because they wrote it—they would be aghast at what today's courts and politicians have done. And someone would get quite the lecture.

As a final aside, I can't help but be amused a bit with militant atheists. They're so threatened by something in which they claim not to believe. Some atheists I know personally actually share my opinion, finding it amusing as well.

"Anonymous" Hacker Thugs

2011-12-26T12:41:00.005-06:00

Once again, the computer hacker group "Anonymous" has struck. This
time, the victims are the subscribers to the global security think tank
"Stratfor," shorthand for Strategic Forecasting.
Here is a link to Forbes Magazine's" article on the infuriating event, if
you want the whole story. Below is the pertinent paragraph on what happened:

The hackers posted a list online that they say contains Stratfor’s confidential client list as well as credit card details, passwords and home addresses for some 4,000 Stratfor clients. The hackers also said they had details for more than 90,000 credit card accounts. Among the organizations listed as Stratfor clients: Bank of America, the Defense Department, Doctors Without Borders, Lockheed Martin, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the United Nations.

The group also posted five receipts online that it said were of donations made with pilfered credit card details. One receipt showed a $180 donation from a United States Homeland Security employee, Edmund H. Tupay, to the American Red Cross. Another showed a $200 donation to the Red Cross from Allen Barr, a recently retired employee from the Texas Department of Banking. Neither responded to requests for comment.

Why the photograph of the old Stateville Prison electric chair in Illinois? Because it's what I think this group of morons deserves, although I wouldn't follow through on it in reality. I am only in favor of the death penalty for murder, which I think is biblical enough. However, this kind of stuff makes me mad enough to want to throw the switch.

These clowns think they're somehow noble in lashing out at various firms and entities. But they don't seem to realize that the ones who are getting hurt are more often than not everyday folks who have families to feed and businesses to run — businesses that employ a whole lot of people. The person or persons behind this "Anonymous" group aren't noble. They aren't brave. They aren't striking a blow for humanity. They're criminals.

They deserve to be in jail, and I hope they will be soon.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:32:00.000-06:00

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21).

The Seventh Sola wishes one and all a most blessed Christmas!

Janet Boynes and Hope

2011-12-22T06:00:00.002-06:00

For today's post, I am going to highlight a feature that I saw yesterday. It might seem strange to post an article dealing with coming out of the homosexual lifestyle right before Christmas, but I think the feature does deserve some attention. The coming of Jesus into the world provided hope to a lost world, and I can't think of a group more in need to hope than those trapped in the so-called "gay" lifestyle.

When you get a few minutes, read this linked article about Janet Boynes and her ministry. Janet herself is a former lesbian. Aside from her wonderful testimony about being set free by the power of the Gospel, the most telling thing to me about the article was the level of hate and vitriol she has endured since leaving the lifestyle. That goes against the approved narrative, you see.

But our God has the power to change anyone's life, no matter how deeply into sin the individual might be.

That's the hope of the Gospel and the love of Christ.

On a Christmas Day . . .

2011-12-21T10:46:00.002-06:00

Actually, the photo on the right got me thinking of "California Dreamin," by the Mamas and the Papas. The song contains the line "I went for a walk on a winter's day."

That in turn led me to remember the Simon and Garfunkel song, "Hazy Shade of Winter." That song contains the lyrics . . .

"But look around,
leaves are brown now
And the sky
is a hazy shade of winter

Look around,
leaves are brown
There's a patch of snow on the ground."

Don't ask me why my mind works the way it does. I could blame it on my early years in radio, where I had to listen by force to song after song in all sorts of different genres. But it is what it is.

The photo was taken last winter while I was driving to work early one morning. It had been snowing overnight and the sun was trying to peek through the clouds. Many people would find such a scene gloomy, and no doubt Paul Simon had the gloominess of winter on his mind when he wrote "Hazy Shade." But to me, every season has its beauty. I see a stark sort of beauty in that cold picture, with cold snow on the ground, a cold freeze in the air, yet the light of the sun managing somehow to break through the frost and shine its light.

Isn't that what happened on the first Christmas Day long ago? A light broke out into a cold, dark world with the promise of eternal hope. The child in that manger was actually God Incarnate, who grew to become a man, and our Savior. He gave His life on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead to justify all who would believe in Him as Savior and Lord.

That ought to warm our hearts even though the outside might be frightful. Our Savior is the greatest gift of all.

And Then There's Reality . . .

2011-12-20T10:43:00.001-06:00

There are times when I dread the end of the year. And it's not because of Christmas. Indeed, Christmas is a wonderful reminder that we serve a sovereign God who is in firm control of His creation.

No, my dread has more to do with the endless re-run of all the horrible stories from the previous year. We'll have to re-live the Japanese tsunami, earthquake and nuclear disaster, the death of Kim Jong Il, economic turmoil, political turmoil, scandals, and a host of other grim fare followed by hand-wringing and prognostication about what 2012 will bring. Many are expecting disaster, and are making plenty of money selling the idea and how to escape it unscathed. People get ready! It's coming!

Far be it from me to not recognize that we live in a perilous, fallen world. We do. Christians such as myself believe that things on the planet will indeed get much worse before they get better. In fact, the last seven years of this world order will be the worst ever experienced by mankind. We are told by the Lord that . . . For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days (Mark 13:19-20).

When we look at the world right now, it does seem like it's too much for anyone to solve. Europe is in a world of hurt with debt, and the United States seems bound and determined to jump off the same cliff like a herd of lemmings. Everyone wants cuts, except don't cut their piece of pie.

Thank the Lord that He knows the end from the beginning. And thank the Lord that He came to earth, took on the form of a man, died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead for my justification. And thank the Lord that He will return one day to receive His own.

That really is the Christmas message — the one true hope of fallen mankind.

The Bible and the Welfare State

2011-12-14T11:47:00.000-06:00

The issue of caring for the poor has always been a concern in the Christian world. Jesus was concerned about it, and the Old Testament has plenty of passages dealing with being charitable.

However, in this day and age, the government has gotten involved in the picture and it's no longer the sole purview of the religious community to care for the needy. And the government, of course, handles things through confiscatory taxation. The far left confiscatory crowd loves this, of course. I often wonder if their concern is really for the poor, or if it's solely for perpetuating their political power. Give out money and get votes in return.

Thanks to Dan Phillips for pointing out this essay on the subject. I also posted this over on my Facebook page, and no doubt it will get plenty of comment.

I am getting tired of the Sojourners-types and Democrats saying that conservatives don't care about the poor. It's a canard and a wearisome one. We do care. We just have a different way of going about it than picking other people's pockets by force.

Looking for God?

2011-12-13T12:04:00.005-06:00

Now and then a science story grabs my attention. It's usually because there is some theological angle attached to it, and this is no exception.

Fox News did a little piece on the so-called "god particle," or in its proper name, the "Higgs Boson." The original headline on Fox's home page said something like "God remains elusive."

I don't know whether to be sad or to chuckle. They're working so hard on finding the meaning of the universe, and they won't accept the real explanation. What is that, you might ask? Or better yet, Who?

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17).

Clue. He's not a "particle."

Israel: Newt and Joseph are Right!

2011-12-12T09:50:00.003-06:00

It figures.

The one time I decide to sit out a Republican debate, there has to be a little donnybrook over Israel. And the fallout will be interesting to watch.

In case you missed it, Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily recaps the story here, with a companion link to an article he had written some years earlier on the same subject.

Needless to say, the anti-Israel types (as well as the politically-correct types) are frothing at the mouth. Too bad. It's about time someone had the courage to point out the truth about Israel. Good for Newt and good for Joseph Farah. Let's hope the story gathers some steam.

A Dirty, Dirty Business

2011-12-06T07:38:00.003-06:00

I think most of us know that the upcoming presidential election in the United States will be one of the dirtiest campaigns in American history. I'm not looking forward to it at all. Looking at the cliff depicted in the photo on the right, it makes me wonder if we as a nation aren't about to careen right over it.

Have a gander at this article in American Thinker. It's a sobering read. While you're at the site, go to the home page and scroll down to the James Lewis article on "Why Newt Will Do."

I sympathize with much of what is said in both articles, especially the stakes of this election for the country. However, as a believer, I have serious misgivings about the "end justifies the means" position of the first article. Serious misgivings.

It's not that I don't agree with the writer that the left will play every conceivable dirty trick in the book on the Republican nominee. But if someone claims Christ as their Savior, that places one's actions on a totally different moral and ethical plane. Both Barack Obama and Newt Gingrich have professed Christ, at least with their mouths, and for quite some time. That doesn't seem to have stopped either of them from engaging in questionable conduct. And there is quite a double standard in the media about this sort of thing. It's okay for the left to engage in it, but since Republicans typically uphold a high standard in principle, they get bashed mercilessly when there is any deviation. The pecadillos of the liberal candidates get ignored or whitewashed.

In my view, just tell the truth. Loudly and articulately. The truth about Barack Obama is damaging enough all on its own. No need to lie or get in the gutter.

Unfortunately, many Republicans seem to shrink with distaste from even telling the truth about their liberal opponents. They see it as unseemly. The Lord only knows why.

Politics isn't country club fare. It's bare knuckle. But you don't have to abandon morals or ethics to engage. Case in point: if the media had done its job and due diligence on Barack Obama, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Liberation Theology and a host of other things, Mr. Obama never would have been elected president. Those issues are real and not manufactured. Full disclosure of them is not dirty politics.

Now, does it seem like I just contradicted my main point in this article about not getting in the gutter? Read what I've written carefully. I don't think so. My concern is over what was expressed in the first linked article. It all depends on what the writer means by being willing to get in the mud. If it means lying and making up things about your opponent, no way. If it means telling the truth, fine.

Of course, then we'll have to have an argument about what constitutes truth.

Leon, Stifle Yourself!

2011-12-03T13:18:00.004-06:00

This weekend, I am disappointed - to put it mildly - with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. But I really shouldn't be surprised at his Israel comments given the Obama Administration's attitude toward the Jewish state.

Here is the offending article in question if you want to see it in context. In a nutshell, Panetta thinks Israel needs to do more to make peace in the region, the same old weary litany . . .

"For example, Israel can reach out and mend fences with those who share an interest in regional stability -- countries like Turkey and Egypt, as well as Jordan," he said. "This is not impossible. If the gestures are rebuked, the world will see those rebukes for what they are. And that is exactly why Israel should pursue them."

I really do get tired of this bovine effluent coming out of the mouths of our present government. Panetta's statement is either wildly naive or intentionally insulting and provocative. Israel has bent over backwards to make peace with her neighbors. Repeatedly. And instead of making genuine reciprocal actions, all we hear from the Palestinian/Arab/Muslim street is "more, more, more." You'd think they were singing disco with the late Andrea True.

The Islamic side of this equation has done precisely what Panetta references - rebuked the gestures Israel has made ad infinitum and ad nauseum. Unfortunately, the world does NOT see these rebuffs for what they are. Israel has her back against the wall, and now she can no longer count for certain on her greatest ally.

Let me rephrase that. Her greatest EARTHLY ally. She still has the God of the Bible who does not slumber or sleep. Mr. Panetta and the rest of his colleagues in our government would do well to remember that.

Stricken Joplin Still Gives

2011-12-01T12:49:00.005-06:00

Here's a nice story to kick off December and the Christmas season.

As you can see from the memory-jogging photo, the city of Joplin, Missouri, has had a rough year and that's putting it mildly. A huge section of the city got buzzed to the ground by a killer tornado last spring. But that's not stopping the people of Joplin from showing their generous side.

According to this Christian Post article, a total of 12,000 shoeboxes for needy children have been given out of a city where many were already made homeless and possessionless after a terrible natural disaster. Wonderful.

Just what we need to see while much of the media is focused on the nasty side of humanity.

As an aside, I would like to take this opportunity to throw a plug in for the ministries of Slavic Gospel Association. If you check out their website, they're gearing up to help churches in Russia and the former Soviet nations reach out to needy children through SGA-sponsored Immanuel's Child and Orphans Reborn ministries. The former is a ministry geared to link North American churches with evangelical churches in Russia to reach needy children at Christmas with the Gospel. The latter — Orphans Reborn — is an SGA-sponsored ministry to orphan children year-round, but also includes a special outreach at Christmas.

You don't hear much about it in the news these days, but poverty remains horrendous in the former Soviet nations, even though some are doing well in the major cities. The rural villages are where life is the hardest, and the churches there have scarce resources.

Pray for these ministries, and indeed all evangelistic and humanitarian ministries in the days ahead. So many need the life-changing Gospel, as well as a helping hand.

Blogger GRRRRRR

2011-11-30T12:17:00.004-06:00

The folks here at Blogger - bless them - have changed something, as you no doubt can tell from the different fonts and Grand Canyon-type spacing between paragraphs in the past few posts. I can't figure out how to fix it. The last normal, as usual-looking post was on November 17 when I riffed on the "Occupy" crowd. Since then, even the dashboard place where you write your posts doesn't work and act the same, and I haven't switched to the updated Blogger interface. I don't want to switch. I was happy the way it was. Leave it alone!

I left a note on the "help" forum, which might result in some help and then again it might not.

Whatever. The long and short of it is this. I wish they would give you the OPTION of letting them play with how your blog looks. I liked the way things worked before just fine. Now they've messed me up. They haven't made things "better" by a long shot, at least for me. If I had wanted it changed, I would have asked for it.

Okay, rant for the day over.

The Popularity of Jesus?

2011-11-30T06:00:00.001-06:00

I don't know whether I love or hate polls.

David Letterman once used to joke, "If you've ever been polled, you know how painful that can be." I ran across one reported this week in The Christian Post that claims the Lord Jesus Christ is the SECOND most popular person in America. Who's in first place?

Abraham Lincoln.

I suppose I should be thankful in a wry sort of way. I was expecting to be horrified that Lady Gag(a) would have come in there, but they surprised me with Jesus being rated so high.

Don't get me wrong. As my Lord and Savior, he's number one and always will be. I don't consider as having won the battle to make him totally sovereign in my life yet, but that is my goal and with His empowerment, trust that He will complete the work He began in me so long ago. My surprise comes in that the culture at large put Jesus so highly. I was less surprised that all Republicans polled rated Jesus highly. There was no comment in the story about where Democrats rated the Lord. I found that a curious omission, because I know that there are born-again Christian Democrats out there.

We must keep in mind that you have to be careful with polls. How a poll question gets answered is often helped along on in how the question is asked. This poll was done by the "Public Policy Polling" outfit, and I don't know much about them, quite frankly.

This was a survey of 800 American voters by telephone from November 10-13, 2011. The margin of error is at +/-3.5%. But what to make of it?

My comment is that all too many Americans really don't know Jesus for who He is. That perhaps is a "duh" sort of statement. I would further add that I doubt most Americans have saving faith in Christ, although I am not the judge of their hearts or the final arbiter. Another "duh" observation.

My real surprise is that the Lord didn't come in much lower, given the amount of rebellion against God and His Word that is rampant in the country these days. In fact, the Lord Himself gave us a forewarning about the world's attitude toward Him, and toward His followers, in the latter days . . .

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’ (John 15:18-25).

Rather sobering analysis, isn't it? Hence my statement that most Americans don't have a clue about who Jesus really is. To many, he's just a religious figure or great moral teacher. He's no different than Mohammed, Buddha, or any other spiritual teacher. Others have a vague notion that He is the Son of God, and have a basic knowledge of the Christian story, but no more than that. It has no meaning or bearing for their own lives.

If most recognized Him for who He truly is — God Incarnate who came to this world in human form, died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead for our justification — and will return again soon to judge the world and everyone in it . . . they probably would have a much more hostile reaction unless the Lord was in the process of drawing them to Himself in saving faith.

It's a clue to me that we as individual believers and as church congregations need to do a much better job at evangelism. And people will respond in two ways as they hear the Gospel, maybe three. They will repent or they will get angry, as the Wesleys used to point out. Or they will be indifferent and put it off until later, which could have eternally deadly consequences, as no one is guaranteed a tomorrow. After you die, it's too late.

But as long as they are allowed to have this vague notion of Jesus as the gentle shepherd on the mountainside and moral teacher who did a lot of good, they'll be content with that. That's not threatening to their personal autonomy and self-centered pursuit of their own goals in life. Jesus as Lord and Judge is disconcerting, disquieting, and even frightening. So they'll fight that tooth and nail. Yet the Lord in His mercy will save some.

It really is as C.S. Lewis once brilliantly put it . . .

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -‑ on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg ‑- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse."

Then Lewis adds: "You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

Saluting the American Diner

2011-11-29T12:51:00.003-06:00

Too busy to post today, so I will give you a treat from the BBC website.

It's a great little story about the great American diner, which oddly enough I had thought was going by the wayside. Apparently not, as it's got the attention of our UK cousins.

Enjoy!

The Paramount Importance of God's Word

2011-11-27T13:12:00.004-06:00

A good post-Thanksgiving Sunday to all. I hope and pray that you had a wonderful, thankful time together with family and/or other loved ones. I pray especially that it was centered on Christ, to whom we ought to be truly thankful. Without Him, we are nothing.

Eventually, I plan on getting back to posting excerpts from The Fundamentals, which I had been doing each weekend. Due to reasons of which most readers are well aware, I've let the blog slip some. But today (following a most excellent worship service at my church), I have something else on my mind. God's Word, and what its place should be in the household of God.

Over on my Facebook page, I posted this: Churches: Preach the Bible. Teach the Bible. Live the Bible. Stay away from fads. Fads fade. The Bible is timeless.

While there are many Scriptures to contemplate that reinforce my statement, I'll just pop this one in for our contemplation and meditation:

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Churches get into trouble when they begin falling away from the primacy of Scripture in their preaching and teaching. This also includes Sunday schools, small groups, "Bible" studies, children's ministries and youth ministries. Why did I place quotes around "Bible" studies? Because I've seen otherwise. What are supposed to be Bible studies (or Sunday school classes) end up studying someone's book instead of THE book. The book might have a few Scriptures thrown in here or there, or it might actually be a solid book with solid biblical doctrine. It would be a fine work for personal edification in companion to Scripture. But often, these things — from the bad to the great — end up being replacements for Scripture rather than using Scripture itself as our primary teacher and text.

It's the same thing with sermons. Expository preaching — book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and explaining the meaning — is by far the best and most profitable way to do it. Instead, we often see Readers' Digest-type stories with a few Bible verses thrown in, or topical sermons throwing together a bunch of Scriptures to make a point. Topicals are okay to do from time to time as long as you're taking the whole counsel of God and not cherry-picking Scripture to make your case, i.e. eisegesis instead of exegesis. But exposition is really the way to go. And the Bible must be the center of it all.

When churches fall for fads, it might seem to go well for a while and attract some people. It might amuse a bored congregation. But sooner or later, their biblical literacy will go straight out the window and the entire church will suffer. They will become sitting ducks for the deception of the enemy. That's not just coming from me. The New Testament if not the entire Bible is chock-full of warnings about this. "I will hide Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

Stick with the Bible folks. That's all for today.

Don't Cry, Octopi!

2011-11-25T06:00:00.001-06:00

I realize this is a bit out of the ordinary for The Seventh Sola, but I couldn't resist posting it. As usual, what prompted me to post it is a strange tale in and of itself.

Check out this Orion article on intelligent octopi. It's a bit long, but also kind of cute in that the people studying (or visiting) these octopi develop relationships that seem strangely mutual.

The term "octopi" (plural for octopus) reminded me of "hippopotami," the plural of "hippopotamus." Why? Because Al Stewart of "Year of the Cat" fame once did an amusing ditty called "Hipposong." While I don't agree with the reincarnationist twist at the end of the song, it was funny, with the immortal line, "Hippopotami are not supposed to cry."

So there you have it. Only from an ex-radio guy's obscure mind, borne out of a library of many obscure songs of which no one else has heard.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

To you and your families from The Seventh Sola: have a most happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day and weekend!

Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord, and I will sing praises to Your name (Psalm 19:49).

Carter Strikes Baptists Again

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Well, Jimmy's at it again. Only this time, instead of meddling in global affairs, he's once again meddling with Christian theology, and more specifically with conservative, Bible-believing Baptists.

Check out this Christian Post article about Carter's "New Baptist Covenant." As you'll see, he's not really doing anything more than he's always done — to try to water down biblical authority and orthodox doctrine with liberal theological bromides. Here is a short clip from the Post article:

As the creator of the New Baptist Covenant, Carter sought to make “a positive, non-exclusive program of sharing the Gospel of Christ” that lacked “the legalistic interpretation of Scripture.”

The New Baptist Covenant has a three-fold mission that involves creating “an authentic and prophetic Baptist voice,” emphasizing “traditional Baptist values, including sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and the promotion of various social causes like feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and protecting religious diversity.

When you flesh out what he means by "legalistic interpretation of Scripture," you will no doubt find holes large enough to accommodate a Greyhound bus. Carter is clueless not only about "traditional Baptist values," he's also clueless when it comes to biblical doctrine.

A Catholic Conscience

2011-11-22T09:12:00.003-06:00

Every now and then, former House Speaker and fervent liberal Democrat Nancy Pelosi steps in it. And the media usually give it a pass.

Thanks to Michelle Malkin and the folks at Hot Air for catching a rather breathtaking statement on abortion and Catholics by Ms. Pelosi — herself a Catholic who supposedly loves her faith. Here's the whole article if you want to read it. And below is the pertinent clip:

Given the Catholic Church’s ban on contraception, the bishops’ position shouldn’t come as a surprise to Ms. Pelosi — but she still manages to be baffled by the their concern for conscience protections for health insurers who might not want to have to cover birth control just to be able to provide other types of health insurance.

Similarly, she was skeptical earlier this year that Republicans would fight for conscience protections for health care providers out of any noble motive. Republicans must want women to “die on the floor,” she said, just because they don’t want to compel health care providers to assist with abortions.

She still thinks that — only more so, if that could possibly be.

“[Those who disagree] may not like the language,’’ she told The Washington Post, “but the truth is what I said. I’m a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it . . . but they have this conscience thing [that puts women at risk.]”

Shame on us! How dare we have a conscience!

Remarkable, isn't it? A "devout" Catholic who "honors and loves" her faith, yet blasts it because she finds its moral teachings on a social issue politically inconvenient. And this hysterical phrase about women "dying on the floor" is demagoguery at its worst.

I really hope Nancy gets politically clobbered on this one. As a matter of fact, the Pope should excommunicate her and teach her a lesson.

Musing on Thanksgiving

2011-11-20T14:04:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving isn't until Thursday, but I've been doing some musing of late on the whole idea of walking in thankfulness. Or perhaps it would be better to put it this way - walking and living in an attitude of thanksgiving.

Scripture makes it fairly clear that the Lord expects this attitude from His children. In Philippians and Colossians, the Apostle Paul speaks of thanksgiving in our prayer lives. Often when people pray, it's generally to present our requests, needs and concerns to the Lord, but Paul says that thanksgiving should not be omitted even if we're praying about a need.

Like most people, I've had my share of trials and tribulations in my life. I've had my share of heartbreak and crises. But taken as a whole, I have much, much more for which to be thankful. And that begins with being thankful that I have a Savior who loved me enough to die on the cross for my sins, and rising again from the dead for my justification.

We're thankful for our home. We're thankful for our food. We're thankful for gainful employment. We're thankful for friends and family. We're even thankful for trials, because they produce endurance (James 1:3). But most of all, we're thankful for Jesus.

That's what's on my mind this week. And I hope it continues to always be on my mind.

One More Word On the "Occupy" Crowd

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

Conservative pundits and bloggers (and the occasional TV reporter -network biases aside -) have done their work in revealing the true nature of these "Occupy" protests that began in New York and have now spread to other cities.

Try as they might, the talking heads and liberal politicians who have tried to tie these agitators and professional squallers to the Tea Party have largely failed. They have little in common, and certainly are no where near in comparison in behavior with the vast majority of Tea Party protests, Town Halls and demonstrations. For one thing, the Tea Partiers made their point, and then they went back home. First, they cleaned up the grounds where they held their events, and often left them in better shape than they were when they got there.

Not so this bunch. They're anarchist or communist in many cases and not very unified in message, with the exception of wanting to cause as much agitation as possible. Many demand the entire overthrow of our free enterprise system in favor of some sort of socialist communitarian utopia. They are damaging things, vandalizing, urinating and defecating on public and private property, spreading disease, with reports of rapes and other crimes. They're quite a bunch.

In our American system, we don't handle protest the same way they handle protests and agitators over in Europe - even in "democratic" Western Europe. When things get out of hand there, out come the water cannons and the truncheons until the crowd is broken up and dispersed. We're reluctant to do that here, as we really value First Amendment protections of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Here's one of the problems as I see it. Many of these "Occupiers" are not engaging in peaceful, lawful protest. They're acting like criminals. From what I can gather, there is nothing really constructive about what they want, except some vague slogans and catchphrases about "overthrowing Wall Street." The real culprits are the "community organizers" and wealthy types (reminds me of George Soros) helping to fund this kind of stuff behind the scenes. They're well trained in Saul Alinsky methods in raising a ruckus, with a touch of Cloward-Piven thrown in for good measure. Create as much havoc and strain on the system as possible until it cracks and breaks under the pressure.

If these people get their way, the very rights and constitutional protections they demand are the first ones they would waste no time in taking away from the rest of us if they got their way. In their world, owning and operating a successful, profitable business would be nigh impossible. They really are iconoclasts interested only in destruction.

My one hope is that people are finally beginning to weary of their antics. As I've mentioned earlier, even liberal mayors out in California, Oregon and elsewhere are beginning to see that enough is enough. Mainstream America is really beginning to get irked, and this will only end up hurting the Occupiers in the long run. Rather than getting their way, the ones they want elected to office will be defeated in a landslide.

I'll conclude by saying this, and for many on the outside, it will be a surprise coming from an American. I don't mind legitimate demonstrations. I don't mind orderly, lawful demonstrations. I support free speech. But I do NOT support lawbreaking and disorder, nor do I support the shutting down of lawful commerce and the normal warp, woof and life of a city just so a bunch of do-less good-for-nothings who haven't bathed in weeks can stand out and block traffic to yell and scream at the top of their lungs. I think they need to stop it and stop it now. Do something constructive. Run for office, or support candidates who feel the way you do. Do it nationally, do it statewide, and do it locally. Get a job. Help at a soup kitchen. Mentor a young boy or girl who needs a role model. Join the Peace Corp. Join the mission field, that is assuming you're a Christian (and from what I've seen thus far, there aren't many). But knock off this nonsense.

Otherwise, I'm fine with the authorities bringing in the water cannon and using all necessary force to restore order. Read Romans 13 if you think I'm being over the top. The state's job is to maintain order.

KJV's 400th and Sundry BBC News

2011-11-16T11:39:00.005-06:00

For today's post, we make a friendly visit to our friends at the BBC in the United Kingdom.

First, on a happier note, there is a story about Queen Elizabeth and other notables attending a service/observance reflecting the 400th anniversary of the venerable King James Version of the Bible. It would have been nice to have seen some more evangelical representation in the story, but at least it's largely a positive account and respectful.

The next story is not so pleasant. Are you ready?

It appears there's a new Spanish-origin play about the Lord Jesus on stage in France, and it's causing quite the controversy. Here's a clip boiling down the dispute to a nutshell:

Another senior Catholic cleric, Bishop Dominique Rey of Frejus-Toulon, condemned what he said was Garcia's depiction of Christ as "madman, dog, pyromaniac, messiah of Aids, devil-whore, no better than a terrorist".

Garcia himself said his play, which depicts the life of Christ through shocking images of contemporary consumer society, was a reflection of everyday reality.

Too bad we can't just be satisfied with the biblical account. That describes the life of our Lord quite accurately, and most importantly, offers up the purpose of His earthly sojourn - God the Son becoming our sin-bearer, laying down His life, dying on the cross for our sins and rising again from the dead for our justification.

I expect we'll continue to see stuff like this and much worse as time moves on toward the Lord's return - this time as judge. Sir Ian McKellen can tear out all the pages of Scripture he likes when he finds Gideon Bibles in motel rooms. Dan Radcliffe can tell the BBC and other media how much he "hates" Christians and others who call homosexuality what it is - sin. The world can continue on hating God, hating His Son, and hating His people. And it will until God says enough.

And until we get to that point, Christians will go on lovingly proclaiming the Gospel. The Lord will lovingly and graciously draw people to Himself in salvation, and the Lord will go on building His Church. And one day only known by Him, He will return and receive His people to Himself, and we will be with Him for eternity.

And there will also be a final judgment of all who reject Him. Final and eternal. Repent while you still can.

"Occupy?" I've Got a Few Suggestions.

2011-11-15T21:31:00.005-06:00

Thus far, I haven't had much to say about the "Occupy Wall Street" frumpuses going on in New York and other cities across the country. Although I knew largely who and what was behind it and that it had little to do with the same kind of spirit that drove the Tea Party gatherings last year, I wanted to wait and see if what I expected came to pass.

And yes, largely it has. The "Occupiers' have shown themselves to be largely nothing but ne'r do well left-wingers, anarchists, communist-socialist sympathizers who are more interested in disruption and bringing down the country's system more than they are actually accomplishing anything positive or wholesome. They're right out of the Saul Alinsky/Cloward-Piven school. The Tea Party was largely civil and organized, had a constructive message, and moreover, they cleaned up after themselves and went home. This bunch seems to attract every kind of lout, with rapes, vandalism, sanitary problems, violence etc. now being daily occurrences, or so it seems. Many of them seem to be anarchists. Literally.

It's doubly telling to me that even liberal Democratic mayors in Oakland (right across the water from Berkeley and San Francisco) and other locations have had a gut-full, and are beginning to order the protesters to disband, cease and desist.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for legitimate protest, and the right of the people to bring their grievances to governing authorities in a respectful, orderly manner. We have the right of free speech, which is precious.

But you do not have the right to rape, pillage, vandalize, trespass on private property, disrupt legal commerce, and the other high-jinks being performed by the Occupy crowds. Most of them don't even have the foggiest idea of what they're doing out there. They've said their piece, now they need to go home. And if they're not willing to go home, then they need to be given new digs in the closest county jail.

Bryan Duncan's New Project!

2011-11-14T14:22:00.003-06:00

I've always been a fan of Bryan Duncan, dating back to the time when he was lead singer of Sweet Comfort Band. If I had to pick a favorite solo recording of Bryan's, it would be his album "Strong Medicine."

According to this news item at Christian Music's website, Bryan is planning a new album and he'd like some help from his fans and supporters.

A clip from the release says that the purpose of doing this through Kickstarter is to help "fund the release of his 23rd album and the re-issue of eight out-of-print CDs. The campaign runs through December 16, 2011, and, according to Kickstarter’s policy, must reach its goal to receive any funding." Here's more . . .

Kickstarter.com is a web site that describes itself as a new way to fund & follow creativity. “The cool thing about Kickstarter” says Duncan, “is fans get to be a part of my music project. That’s a lot better than re-tweeting something I said or tagging me in a photo.”

Duncan’s supporters can also receive special incentives for participating in the Kickstarter campaign - autographed albums, house concerts, duets in concert or on their own albums -- and the chance to talk with Duncan by phone or videoconference.

“My fans and I share many of the same experiences. We’re all just learning what it means to experience God’s grace in all of life’s circumstances. Interaction with them often is the inspiration for songs,” Duncan says. “ So it’s exciting to have a way to connect with some of them during the writing and recording process.”

Duncan views music as a calling, so he’ll be writing and singing as long as he’s able, with or without a record company.

“If you’ve got a calling, you’re compelled to do it -- regardless of how painful it gets or what everyone else thinks about it. I’m grateful, though, that there are people who have listened to my music and supported me for so many years.”

I plan on contributing, and I'd encourage you to do so as well.

As a final note, Bryan, along with Sweet Comfort Band-mates Randy Thomas (Allies) and Rick Thomson, are working on a new SCB album. In part, this will be in memorial of SCB founder and bassist Kevin Thomson, who passed away last year after a long illness.

As to whether there will be an SCB tour, it remains to be seen. Pray for God's provision and direction for Bryan, Randy and the band.

"Explicit" Christianity

2011-11-13T19:42:00.004-06:00

Well, it's happened again.

I don't know what it is today with these young stars and starlets who vocally identify themselves as Christians, only to compromise their testimonies by crude, sinful or idiotic behavior.

Do I need to make a list? Katy Perry, who decided to tip her bonnet to lesbianism (I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It). Miley Cyrus, former Disney star of Hannah Montana, who has done all sorts of fun things including pole dancing and seeming endorsement of pre-marital sex plus homosexuality. We had the brother band "Hanson," who identify themselves as evangelical Christians, yet refuse to talk about their faith and at least one got his future wife pregnant out of wedlock.

Now we have Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. This group of brothers have identified themselves as Christians. So please tell me why Joe felt the need to have rapper "Lil' Wayne" appear on his solo album and contribute "explicit lyrics." Here is a brief account of things.

"Let no corrupt speech proceed from your mouth." I could give you a whole host of other Scriptures that are pertinent to the subject. But I am beginning to wonder whether I should bother.

This up and coming generation of professed believers seems to have forgotten the Word of God. They have a "whatever" attitude, and don't you DARE judge them. Even though Scripture makes it plain we are to exercise judgment on the behavior of believers in the church. No matter.

Wanna have sex outside of marriage? Go for it. Wanna cuss up a blue streak in the name of being "authentic?" Go for it. Don't bother us with what Scripture says, especially when Jesus says - "If you love Me, keep my commandments."

We are not saved by commandment keeping. But our desire to be obedient to the Lord is a pretty good bellwether of our spiritual health. Do we love Him, or do we not?

The Big "O" Got Caught!

2011-11-08T10:20:00.005-06:00

Beware of open microphones.

They always used to tell us that in radio broadcasting. Anytime there was a microphone present, you had the potential of being broadcast over the air. Watch your mouth.

Too bad President Obama and French president Nikolas Sarkozy didn't learn that lesson. Or perhaps they don't care. As this published report indicates, Obama and Sarkozy engaged in some trash talk aimed at Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Personally, I'm glad they got caught. We have long suspected Obama of being anti-Israel and his actions thus far have borne that out in my humble opinion. As for Sarkozy, I'm not surprised given Europe's general anti-Semitism. I think he's probably on his way out in the next French election, but we'll see.

I can only hope Obama is on his way out as the U.S. president in the next election. Sadly, he can still do a lot of damage to the country between now and January 20, 2013.

Loving Christ . . . Really

2011-11-01T13:43:00.003-05:00

Now and then I have my introspective moments, usually triggered by something I see around me. Today is one of those days.

For some time now, I've been increasingly bothered by the growing inability to distinguish between saved and unsaved people. I don't mean to suggest that saved people (meaning those having a saving faith and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ) don't struggle with the sin nature and stumble from time to time. I am talking about those who claim such a relationship with the Lord, yet their lifestyles, choices and speech does not reflect anything at all of the Savior — His holiness, His purity, His love, His zeal and passion for truth, not to mention His zeal and passion for the lost.

Today, we have believers who think nothing of enjoying pornography or skating as close to it as they can get. We have believers who don't just enjoy a sip of wine at dinner, but routinely get roaring drunk out at the bars without an afterthought — except perhaps bemoaning their hangovers.

We have a whole host of young evangelicals (and some not so young) who think it's perfectly okay to fornicate (sex outside of marriage) or to see just how close they can come to it without actually "going all the way." And then there's the language thing. Most of us stumble with our tongues from time to time, especially when greatly angered. And most of us with the indwelling Holy Spirit feel horribly convicted about it and their hearts are repentant. But not the current crew in this generation. They cuss like sailors and are proud of it. Some of it can even come from the pulpit.

More and more, it's a matter of pride to look as gaudy and worldly as possible. Between the nose rings and ear-lobe rings the size of Frisbees, and tattoos almost to the point of making people look like cave paintings, it almost makes you feel like you're going to get mugged or smell the distinct whiff of body odor the closer you get. But maybe I'm thinking of the Wall Street protests. I'll have to think about it a while.

But what about God's Word? What about the Lord's commands not to engage in sex before marriage? What about not letting corrupt, vulgar speech proceed out of your mouth? What about the myriad Scriptures condemning drunkenness? What about not putting any marks on ourselves? Oh, please. You're being a legalist. Who are you to judge my heart? I know I'm going to heaven, so what I do really doesn't matter.

How antinomian. And quite frankly, how tragic, especially from people who say they identify with the One who paid the price for our sins on the cross.

Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep my commandments." Think about that one a while.

We are not saved by commandment keeping. We are not saved by works and performance. But our obedience is a sign and a testimony that we have been saved.

I have to wonder how many out there these days truly are.

Watching Over Me

2011-10-28T10:24:00.006-05:00

Now and then the subject of "guardian angels" comes up, and as usual, we get a plethora of opinions about them. Sometimes they are biblically sound and reasonable, and others are really whacked-out with little basis in Scripture, or a verse is cherry-picked and a whole doctrine is built around it, which is an exegetical no-no.

I look at my own life and how the Lord Himself has engineered things to take care of me and my family. While angels might have been involved in some of it, I have to give the Lord Himself the glory for how things work out. Today I received one more of those little "God moments," and I'll get to in in a moment. But let me tell the whole story first.

When I first moved out from Rockford, IL, to my little rural village about 40 miles off, I had really prayed for a good location, especially keeping in mind that I would be taking my elderly mother and stepfather in to live with me eventually. I needed a good, peaceful quiet location for them so they could live out their last years in a modicum of comfort and peace.

The Lord seemed to confirm every step of the way, and I ended up in this little village. Come to find out, the chief deputy sheriff of the county is a believer, and goes to a nearby Evangelical Free Church — my denomination. He lives right up the road from me. His mother and father live next door to me, and keep an eye on Mom for me when I have to be away on business. His mother in law — also a believer — lives right up the road. A further jump up the road on the outside of the village, there is another dear couple who attend my church and are in the Sunday school class I teach. They walk by my house and say good morning every day.

But it gets better. I ended up having to switch banks because my bank went belly up, so I switched to a local branch in the main town nearby. The bank manager turns out to be a believer who goes to my church!

Once when Mom needed a caregiver during the day post-surgery, I chose a local firm to help and the first one they sent out here turns out to be a believer who loves the Lord, and she took excellent care of Mom.

Today, my car broke down, so I took it to the local Buick dealership for service. The man who runs their shuttle service to take me back home recognized my voice, and it turns out he is a believer and attends my church.

It seems like the Lord has graciously surrounded me and my mother with His people. It is such a blessing and encouragement to both of us. The enormity of the blessing hit me rather forcefully this morning, so I just wanted to say "Praise God," and have you join me in offering Him glory and thanksgiving. He always looks after His people!

Dawkins Ducks Debate over Atheism

2011-10-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

This one really takes the cake.

No doubt, many of you have heard that Christian apologist William Lane Craig has been trying to get virulent atheist Richard Dawkins to debate on the subject of God's existence etc. Dawkins generally refuses to accept these challenges, but this time he really irritated me.

Check out this little London Guardian column on the subject. A key reason Dawkins says he refuses to debate Craig is the idea that Craig would defend a God who is "guilty of genocide." What a hoot and what a load of malarkey. I suspect the real reason is that William Lane Craig would hand Dawkins his head.

Note also the undercurrent smug arrogance of Richard Dawkins. As if he has the right to sit in judgment on an omniscient Creator for executing righteous judgment that only He has the right to execute. Mr. Dawkins ought to do some research on Canaanite culture and some of their grotesquely wicked practices before he gets in a huff at God. Oddly enough, if he doesn't believe such a God exists, it's interesting that he gets so excised over the subject.

Richard Dawkins can feign anger and outrage at William Lane Craig and other Christians all he wants. But his real problem is much more serious. Deep down inside, denials aside, Dawkins KNOWS there is a God, and that he is one day going to have to stand before that God and give an account for himself. That makes him angry and full of wrath, much like the reality of this causes Satan to have great wrath, because he knows his time is short.

Unless Dawkins has a serious change in attitude, repents of his sins and acknowledges Christ as Savior, Lord and God, their future encounter will not go very well.

The Government/Psychiatric Tandem

2011-10-25T14:22:00.005-05:00

I don't know if you've ever heard of 30-year-old Stanley Thornton, Jr. He's the man who wants to live like a baby. If you haven't yet heard of him, I'm sure most of you have heard of Dr. Keith Ablow, who recently contributed this opinion piece to Fox News Channel.

I remember something of this story before, and it made me pretty mad. It's making me mad again, and I think Dr. Ablow is spot-on in his criticism of both the government and modern-day psychiatry/psychology.

At its root, psychology is "study of the soul." I have little use for it, and my attitude has been formed from personal experience witnessing its tender, loving ministrations in the lives of loved ones. Studying the history and background of psychology hasn't helped, especially when you consider the atheistic Freud and the occult leanings of Jung. Sounds to me like they got most of their ideas out of the pit, if you get my meaning.

I don't mean to suggest that there aren't real psychological problems. I also don't mean to suggest that there can't be psychological issues with underlying medical causes i.e. chemical imbalances etc. But in my humble opinion - based on the truth of God's Word - you can't ignore the spiritual, especially the role of the demonic in deceiving people.

Sometimes people don't need a pill. Sometimes they just need a good kick in the pants. And the Gospel.

Sex Selection Abortions?

2011-10-24T12:09:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Frank Turk of Pyromaniacs for the heads up on a very thought-provoking essay by Michael Stokes Paulsen, who serves as University Chair and Professor of Law at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. Professor Paulsen is also the co-director of its Pro-Life Advocacy Center (“PLACE”).

The essay can be seen here at The Public Discourse website. It deals with the troubling subject of abortion, and makes the case that some minds might be changed on the subject if they realized that many abortions are being done on the basis of sex selection. And the ones harmed the most? Females.

Oh, the tragic irony of it — the thought that some women are hell bent on "the right to choose," and it turns out that females are the ones getting aborted.

And when I say tragic, I mean it.

Gilad Shalit: What Price Freedom

2011-10-18T12:39:00.003-05:00

As with most supporters of Israel, I was pleased to see IDF soldier Gilad Shalit released from his captivity by Hamas terrorists. This linked article from the BBC has more details of Sgt. Shalit's release.

The thing that I find particularly galling is that young Shalit was freed only after Israel bit the bullet and agreed to release 1,000 Palestinian terrorists. Israel freed 477 Palestinians on Tuesday, including people convicted of murder and of planning suicide attacks. Another 550 jailed Palestinians are to be freed next month under the deal. To get one young man freed, they had to let more than 1,000 killers or would-be killers go. And of course, global attention is applauding the terrorists and continuing to condemn Israel.

I suppose you could look at it this way - at least Israel will no longer be responsible for the feeding and housing of these thugs. And we can hope that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not hesitate to order severe military strikes should any of these released terrorists return to their murderous ways.

But for now, I will celebrate young Gilad's release, and I can only imagine what he endured in captivity. I will also continue to be amazed at the double standard aimed at Israel by the bulk of the media and the international community.

Birthday Posts

2011-10-17T00:05:00.004-05:00

Today is my 51st birthday, so that's my excuse for being a slacker on blog posts. We won't discuss the other postless days, shall we? I thought not.

Anywhoo, allow me to point you to a couple of things that caught my attention, one great and one, ahem, not so great. I'll start with the not so great one first.

Harold Camping's recent stroke has apparently done nothing to rattle his cage about false prophecies and false teaching. As the linked Christian Post article shows, he's doubling down on his errors, with a bit of adjustment on the horrific level of doomsday. I wish his family would step in and yank the microphone away from this guy. It's really, really sad.

On a happier note, Pastor Tullian Tchividjian has written a great little column on the issue of law and Gospel. Legalism never helped anyone live a holy life. If anything, it leads to licentiousness.

Amen, preach it brother!

Rick Perry Has a Choice

2011-10-11T18:21:00.003-05:00

Today, Governor Chris Christie endorsed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for president. In their remarks, both Romney and Christie said that anyone who agrees with this week's statement by Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress about Mormonism being a cult is "not worthy of being president."

Excuse me?

Let me say at the outset that I'm not a huge Rick Perry fan. His stance on illegal immigration is troublesome, plus some other concerns. Having said that, he claims to be a strong evangelical Christian. He will increase my respect for him if he responds appropriately to Romney and Christie throwing down this gauntlet. He can't stay above the fray any longer, even though he was not personally responsible for Pastor Jeffress' statement.

Perry's answer ought to be this: "In making this demand, Governors Christie and Romney are asking me to deny my faith. They are asking me to do what I cannot do: to deny the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If I have to make a choice between being faithful to the biblical Gospel and the biblical Jesus Christ or being president, I will choose being faithful to the Gospel and to my Lord."

What this does is throw the ball back in their court and require them to define the Gospel and define the biblical Jesus Christ. That opens the door to examination of exactly what Mormonism believes, and how it departs from historic, biblical, evangelical Christianity. And that would be somewhat harmful to Gov. Romney's cause among conservative, Bible-believing Christians. And quite possibly to the wider body politic. Most Christians do not believe that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer, nor do they believe that they will one day become gods and create their own planets.

Let me be clear on something. I do not believe we ought to have religious tests for office, nor did our Founders. This really should not have been brought up in the context of a political campaign. But the gauntlet has now been thrown down.

Now we will see who has biblical integrity.

P.S. I also hope that Chris Christie's statement disabuses some Christians from thinking he's such a godsend to conservatives.

Family Movies Do Well! (Duh?)

2011-10-10T09:43:00.004-05:00

Amid flaps this past weekend over politics and Mormonism, I have decided to call some deserved attention to another story. This time, we turn to Forbes columnist Paul Jankowski, who writes of some interesting findings regarding family films. You're going to be shocked, shocked!

They do well at the box office. And shhhhh . . . they do better than films with sex, drugs and violence.

No surprise to us and perhaps Paul, but it seems to always shock the Hollywood folks. Think they'll learn something by this?

I doubt it. It's too much a part of their hard-wiring to be "edgy and subversive." But then again, maybe I should be hopeful. The dollar can be a powerful motivator, even if it has no ultimately eternal value. Sometimes you just wish they'd do it because it's the right thing to do.

Don't Sell Your Soul to Politics

2011-10-08T13:07:00.005-05:00

My, my. I haven't posted since Monday. To assuage my guilt, a story tailor-made for The Seventh Sola dropped into my lap from the world of politics. Especially because the political intersected with the spiritual.

At the moment, the media — not to mention the GOP and the Dems — are all aflutter. Why? Because Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, dared to say something in reference to Mitt Romney that evangelicals have always taught and believed. What did he say? He said that Mormonism is a cult and not biblical Christianity. Here's a link to the story in case you haven't read it or heard about it yet. Fox News was jumping into the fray, and that's how I first heard about the story.

This is a classic example of why Christians — and by that I mean true, Bible-believing Christians who have a saving knowledge of Christ — need to be wary of hitching their wagons to any political party. There will be times when we will be tempted to be silent about our convictions because of political expediency, and there are some things that we cannot be silent about because the very nature of the Gospel is at stake.

Mitt Romney may well make a capable president. One does not have to be an evangelical Christian to make a good president. However, I am very disappointed at Rick Perry and others at Fox News who have identified themselves as Christians for running as hard as they can from Pastor Jeffress' comments. In fact, the purportedly evangelical Perry flatly said "No!" when asked if he agreed with Pastor Jeffress. Tragic, because in essence that means Perry just denied the Gospel.

The correct answer should have been something along the lines of this: "It is no secret that evangelicals such as myself disagree with Mormonism in terms of what true Christian doctrine is. But a political campaign is not the venue to discuss those differences. We do not have religious tests for public office, and other Mormons have served with distinction in elective office, such as Governor Romney's father and the late Ezra Taft Benson, who served as a Cabinet member of a past administration. If you want to know what evangelicals believe about Mormonism, that's another discussion for another time and in another venue."

Instead, we have compromise for the sake of political expediency from some within the evangelical camp who ought to know better. I will be watching very closely to see what Mike Huckabee has to say when he chimes in.

Late addendum: Reuters weighs in on the story. Thanks to Frank Turk for the heads up on this. I'm glad Reuters actually demonstrated where Mormonism departs from orthodox Christianity. And there's much more than Reuters revealed.

Circus Evangelium?

2011-10-03T12:46:00.003-05:00

For this afternoon's offering, I take you to the Pyromaniacs blog, where Phil Johnson offers some comments on the current campy state of evangelicalism.

I say that with a wince, because I am still trying to hold on to the term "evangelical" for myself, with a deep nod of appreciation for its original definition and original stances on doctrine.

If the decay continues within the evangelical camp, I'm going to have to find another word or series of words. It's not as easy as it might sound, because we live in an age where everything gets redefined within weeks or months of its original usage.

In Memoriam: Rev. Lacy A. Williams (1923-2010)

2011-10-02T17:41:00.002-05:00

Today (Sunday, October 2, 2011) was a normal day in some respects. My mother and I arose early. I put the finishing touches on my Sunday school lesson on 1 Timothy. Then we both headed out for Sunday worship and fellowship with other believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

But today was also a difficult day, especially for my mother. It is the first anniversary of my stepfather's homegoing, and it's remarkable that this first anniversary was also on a Sunday — the Lord's Day — as it was last year.

We're taking it kind of quiet today and for the next few days. In the meantime, my family and I honor the memory of Lacy A. Williams, a gentle, quiet man of God who desired to honor the Lord with his life and in his calling as a preacher of the Gospel.

May I remain as faithful a servant of Christ for as long as Lacy, should the Lord in His grace allow me 87 years of service.

Redefining the Faith?

2011-09-27T10:15:00.001-05:00

If any of you have ever read "1984" by George Orwell, you will remember that poor Winston Smith worked at the strangely named "Ministry of Truth." The main job of the place was basically pro-regime propaganda, even to the point of constant re-definition of terms to be sure things fit the official line. When an inconvenient truth happened to pop up, it was placed in a "memory hole," where it burned up in a flash, never to be remembered again.

There are times when I feel that this is happening within evangelicalism to a certain extent. Perhaps an extreme example, but you'll get my point. A ruthless regime is out to replace biblical Christianity with a new one, changing word meanings and long-held biblical doctrines to buttress their position. Read this excellent column by Dr. Al Mohler, and you'll see what I mean. Dr. Mohler does a tremendous job showing how a cadre of "theologians" has over time attempted to change the very nature of biblical Christianity.

I can almost see Brian McLaren as "O'Brien," and a whole host of these revisionist types engaging in a "Two Minutes Hate" daily at those who want to preserve the true faith "once and for all delivered to the saints."

Yeah, maybe that's an unfair comparison for the time being, but let's wait a while. I hope it doesn't end up that way.

Poor Arkansas!

2011-09-26T09:58:00.002-05:00

I guess you've arrived when universities etc. begin doing studies on you and popular music references you. Then again, maybe not.

Check out this rather interesting piece" on why Arkansas can't seem to shake its hillbilly, redneck image.

Like most Southern states, the culture has changed there somewhat from earlier days. People have moved in from other parts of the country due to the scenic beauty and lower cost of living than you find in major urban centers. New people slowly bring changes to things and not always for the better. Case in point, last year a grocery store in Mountain Home, AR, caved in to homosexual activists after a row in which the store tried to remove magazines and tabloids showing same-sex couples kissing etc, especially because children are often in grocery stores with their families. In earlier days, the activists would have been shown the door, and then some. In this day and age, the store caved. The times they are a'changin in the Land of Opportunity.

For the record, there is much more to Arkansas than the occasional redneck. It's a great state and I hope to retire there someday in the region from where my family hailed originally. I still have family there. They're not hayseeds and rednecks either.

Yay for Al Mohler and NPR!

2011-09-23T11:10:00.003-05:00

We conservatives tend to pick on National Public Radio (NPR) quite a bit, but I want to give them kudos today for this discussion on the reliability of Scripture. Basically, it was a liberal professor from Calvin College debating Genesis etc. with Dr. Al Mohler, whom regular readers of this blog know I hold in very high respect.

Usually, when the left-leaning media choose evangelical spokespeople for venues such as this, they're typically ones who come across as hillrods or make you wince in other ways. Dr. Mohler represented conservative, evangelical Christianity very well in this dialogue, and starkly illustrated the issue at stake when people who identify themselves as Christians began softening on the reliability and authority of Scripture.

Today, good for NPR! And thanks to Phil Johnson of Pyromaniacs for the heads-up on this interview.

An Apology for Kelo and Eminent Domain

2011-09-20T09:11:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I waxed eloquent on the subject of eminent domain, and how the U.S. Supreme Court's infamous Kelo decision has allowed local governments to abuse eminent domain, i.e. taking private property and giving it to private business for "economic development." A horrible precedent.

Now there's an interesting development. According to this Courant.com story, a state Supreme Court justice who helped set the stage for the U.S. Supreme Court decision has apologized to Suzanne Kelo, the plaintiff in the original case.

What will be the long-term impact of this? Who knows. But I hope it helps lay the groundwork for the Supreme Court to make things right and reverse its ridiculous Kelo opinion.

Pat Robertson Strikes Again

2011-09-15T10:35:00.004-05:00

Televangelist Pat Robertson is the gift that keeps on giving, and I say that with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Apparently, (go check out the Christian Post for the original story), Pat gave carte blanche for someone to divorce a spouse who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. In this separate Christian Post column, Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention (pictured right) issues one of the most powerful rebuttals I have seen. I truly believe he hits the nail right on the head.

I know living and caring for sick loved ones can be difficult. I've lived it myself for the past couple of years. But the notion that someone can divorce a spouse because mentally "they're not there anymore" seems to me to violate the very core of what Christ expects. We're not talking adultery, infidelity, fornication or even physical abuse. We're talking illness.

What in the world was Pat thinking?

Hyper-Fundamentalism

2011-09-14T12:20:00.003-05:00

Thanks today to head Pyromaniac Phil Johnson for putting us aware of a new anthology with a contribution by Kevin Bauder. In his book, he discusses eight characteristics of hyper-fundamentalism. In this instance, we're talking hyper-fundamentalism of the Christian variety.

Many people don't realize that there is a difference between Christian fundamentalism and evangelicalism. But there is. While conservative, Bible-believing evangelicals share many if not all of the core doctrinal positions of fundamentalists, most evangelicals do not go to some of the lengths many fundamentalists do in terms of "separation" and other legalistic requirements.

No doubt this will poke a stick in a hornet's nest, but sometimes it's worth doing precisely that.

Media Birds of Prey?

2011-09-13T20:00:00.002-05:00

Long time readers of this blog know that I take the conservative, biblical position on homosexuality and most social issues in general. Today, the folks over at WorldNetDaily posted this thoughtful piece on Chaz Bono, the mannified name of the former Chastity Bono, daughter of Sonny and Cher. Chastity has been undergoing sex change therapy to become a man. As Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association points out, the surgery and therapy will do no good. She will still be a woman no matter what.

I posted the photo of Sonny, Cher and Chastity, because that is the Chastity I remember from her long-ago television appearances - a sweet, smart little girl. She obviously grew up a very troubled young woman. I posted the link to Bryan's column because I think he's on to something. Aside from the sin of homosexuality and all the heartbreak that often attends those who fall into it, there is also the sin of a media who loves to feed on this kind of thing for all sorts of varying agendas. Profiteering on tragedy and wickedness. It's no different than the Coliseum entertainment of yesteryear. Bread and circuses for the masses to help distract people from the real problems of society.

Today, they're celebrating and promoting perversion. Next they'll make a spectacle out of ridiculing people who stand for truth and righteousness. And ridicule will only be the beginning. In fact, it's already started. I'm waiting for them to throw Christians to the lions again. It's coming, because we will never approve of what the media culture approves.

What's ahead for our culture unless the Lord intervenes in His grace and mercy? The Apostle Paul gives a pretty sober warning:

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:28-32).

Note the last line? "Give hearty approval to those who practice them." Reminds me of another Scripture. "Woe to those who call good evil, and call evil good."

Abortion in the UK

2011-09-07T11:23:00.002-05:00

American Sensationalism?

The BBC carried this rather disturbing article this morning on an abortion-related battle taking place in the British parliament.

Tory MP Nadine Torries has been pushing for changes in how women receive abortion counseling in the UK, and this has generated quite a firestorm, although Ms. Torries herself insists she is "pro-choice" on the subject of abortion.

The accusation I found curious and bothersome was that of introducing "American sensationalism" into the discussion.

American sensationalism? Abortion is the same tragedy no matter where it happens. I realize Europe is more liberal than the U.S. on many social issues, but I hardly think the pro-life cause is being ginned up solely from America. There are conservative Christians born and bred in the UK who object to abortion on moral and biblical grounds, and who are quite vocal about it. They need no prodding from their American brothers and sisters.

Coarse Culture

2011-09-06T13:47:00.002-05:00

For today's post, I am linking to a column written by One News Now columnist Marcia Segelstein. In this article, she discusses Laura Ingraham's new book "Of Thee I Zing."

Sounds like it's worth reading.

Creation, the Emergents and Biblical Truth

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Once again, Dr. Al Mohler performs a tremendous service to the church.

In Christian Post article, Dr. Mohler discusses the renewed debate over creation, the historicity of Adam and Eve, and why it is so important to the overall message of the Gospel.

Figured prominently in this most recent discussion is Emergent guru Brian McLaren. After reading his comments on this subject, it amazes me all the more why anyone claiming to be an orthodox Christian pays him any mind.

Christian Celebrity Culture

2011-09-01T10:05:00.001-05:00

Something has been on my mind a lot of late as I observe “Christian culture” at large, and going back even into the 1980s when we had the televangelist scandals. It's about time that I posted something, so here goes.

I really believe we have too much of a celebrity culture in the church. I say that as someone who has been in the public eye for a long time, and as someone who’s had the chance to be around people who are considered really, really “high profile.” My late stepfather told me of an incident when he was out in California working as a custodian at a popular ministry often featured on TBN — and this particular ministry is now defunct after the leader was caught up in a scandal. My stepfather personally witnessed high profile speakers coming in, and after events, briefcases with thousands of dollars would be put into the trunks of limousines when the speakers would depart. And many of these guys off camera would be some of the most arrogant people you could imagine.

I would watch the same speakers in public appearances or on television/radio, and they would typically be on the receiving end of effusive praise. “Oh, you’re such a gift from the Lord. Oh, what a powerful message from a powerful man of God. Oh, you’re so talented and gifted. Oh, you’ve changed my life . . . “ and so on. Once in a great while, someone might actually give a little credit to the Lord, for which He could have said, “Thanks for the crumbs from your table, Mrs. Dives.”

I’ve seen the same thing myself over the years up close and personal, and not just on media. I’ve seen it in churches with pastors and speakers/teachers. It really gets nauseating after a while, and all the more so because it is such a trap to the human ego. People love being stroked and praised. At first, it starts out with no doubt genuine pleasure that someone has been blessed through their ministry. But after a while, the praise and hero worship becomes like an addictive drug. And the One being robbed of His glory is God. In the end, He ends up having to kick the slats out from under the one doing the robbing, because He will not give His glory to another.

This is a serious problem to which we all can be susceptible, even if we are not in a high profile role. So much of this could be solved and resolved if we would just hold our praise and give it to Whom it really belongs. If you’ve ever been blessed by anything I’ve done, taught, written or said, wonderful. Praise God. And I do mean — PRAISE GOD. Not me. When someone begins gushing over me, the first thing I’m tempted to do is to follow the example of Barnabas and Paul in Acts 14 and “tear my robes.” Trust me, that would not be a pretty sight if I actually followed through!

Scripture: Taking Its Proper Place

2011-08-23T10:20:00.004-05:00

I've been reading from an anthology edited by Dr. Norman Geisler called "Inerrancy." Specifically, the subject is biblical inerrancy. Along with that, I've been re-reading portions of "The Battle for the Bible" by Harold Lindsell. But Dr. Geisler's anthology is what has my attention today.

While skimming through it, I came across a chapter written by Dr. Robert Preus of Concordia Seminary, where Dr. Preus reviews Martin Luther's attitude toward God's Word. I'd like to excerpt a portion of the chapter to encourage your hearts today:

But there is another reason why Luther valued the Scriptures so highly, namely, their power; power to comfort, to save, to regenerate, to lead the child of God to eternal life. In this sense and for this purpose God speaks mightily to us in the sacred Scriptures. This is the very purpose of the Holy Spirit, even as He diligently describes the most shameful, adulterous history, the most despised, filthy, and damnable things in Scripture: to teach, reprove, admonish, bless, and save us. Luther never tires of extolling the practical value of Scripture for the life of a believer.

It makes us happy, trustful, confident Christians and puts us at peace with God. It is our defence against the temptations of the devil, the world, and our flesh. It instructs us in the true worship and service of God and in how to be a good theologian. It sanctifies, reforms, and comforts us. But most important of all, we learn about God and His grace in Scripture, and so we gain eternal life. In this is the great power of the Scripture. For Scripture not only points us to Christ, it shares Christ with us and bestows Him on us. It brings us to faith, and through it the Holy Spirit comes to us with all His treasures and blessings. Scripture does all this; it possesses the intrinsic power to do so because it is God's Word, because the Spirit of God is never separated from it, and because its message is Christ. "All the works which Christ performed are recorded in the Word, and in the Word and through the Word He will give us everything, and without the Word He will give us nothing.

To be sure, the preached Gospel has all the power of the written Word of Scripture; but the preached word (and all theology) is to be drawn only from the one divine foundation of Scripture.

In this day and age where the Word of God is under renewed attack, this is a good reminder of how closely we as believers need to hold to biblical truth. No matter how unpopular we get, or how much the world mocks.

God's Word is a sure foundation.

Hans Litten: What a Story!

2011-08-22T05:21:00.002-05:00

The World War II period has always fascinated me. Not only was it populated by "the greatest generation," it also is the source of many, many stories of personal courage, devotion and sacrifice for a greater good.

Today, the BBC has profiled an upcoming drama based on the life of Hans Litten, a Jewish lawyer who was among the first to recognize Hitler for what he was, earning the Fuhrer's everlasting hatred. This is one drama I wish I could see. I am posting the link this morning as I think you'll find it inspiring as well.

Mindless Legalism? Um, No.

2011-08-18T07:35:00.004-05:00

So why am I posting a pix of Dana Carvey's "Church Lady" character? Because I'm irked.

One of the things that really jerks my chain is when people get accused of "legalism" when they actually dare to say that Christians ought to be biblical in their behavior. Dr. John MacArthur, whom I really respect as a Bible teacher, gets accused of it quite often.

What provoked the most recent brouhaha? John wrote this blog post expressing concern about churches becoming known as "booze" ministries. He wasn't making the case that partaking of alcohol is sin. He is concerned about the testimony of churches that link evangelism around alcohol etc.

Now John's well-considered post appears to have provoked a firestorm. Some blogger known as "Zionica" posted this mocking retort in the past few days. I think he completely missed the point of what John was saying, as John's most vocal critics often do.

I personally had a chance to watch John's alleged "legalism" at work over in Moscow, Russia. He was teaching at a pastor's conference, and if you know one thing about Russian Baptist churches, some of them do wrestle with legalism. The gathered pastors were trying to get John to say that smoking was a sin, but John told them plainly that he could not make such a statement because smoking is not addressed in Scripture. You can make a case that it's a stupid thing to do as it can harm the body. You can make a case that it doesn't help one's witness. But he could not declare it a sin because the Bible does not say so.

Finally, after being questioned and questioned and questioned over and over again, he wanted to move on to other subjects and light-heartedly said, "Okay, okay. Smoking's a sin! I'm not going to die on that hill." Most everyone in the room got the joke and laughed along with John.

John MacArthur is NOT a legalist. I think many people don't even understand what the term actually means when they fling the charge. As I understand legalism, it is attaching certain actions and behaviors to salvation, i.e. you have to do X, Y, and Z to be saved or abstain from X, Y, or Z to be saved. In other words, salvation by works. That is not what John believes, and that is not what I believe. However, God's Word does command that His people be set apart, sanctified, and to not identify with the world. We keep His commands because we love Him, not because we think commandment-keeping earns our way to heaven.

When the behavior of believers is indistinguishable from the world, Houston, we have a problem.

Boy, do we have a problem.

Vaporings about Church and State

2011-08-09T09:20:00.006-05:00

Texas Governor Rick Perry has been causing quite a stir of late. It's not just because he's thinking of running for president.

Gov. Perry recently led a prayer meeting that has all sorts of people in a tizzy. Take Amy Sullivan's column in Time about the prayer meeting. Apparently she has a problem with the governor leading and organizing the prayer meeting. Violates church and state separation. You know, the same old folderol.

Let me educate a bit. The U.S. Constitution says that the Congress shall make no law ESTABLISHING a religion, i.e. making a national church like the Church of England. That's it. Period. The Constitution goes on to say that the free exercise of religion may not be prohibited. Period.

Now, the courts and politicians have done their level best to torture and stretch that out of the meaning of the Founders. Governor Perry has the same religious rights as any of us. It doesn't matter whether he holds public office. If he wants to personally call a prayer meeting in the Christian faith, he has the right to do so. He is not establishing an official state church by law.

It's time for people to quit bellyaching and vaporing over this, and stop trying to drive religion out of the public square. For the record, I have my own concerns about Governor Perry as a presidential candidate. I might even have issues with his prayer meeting on a theological level if I found it to be overly ecumenical. However, I have no problem at all with the fact that the governor organized, called and participated in a Christian prayer meeting.

I am pretty certain our Founding Fathers wouldn't have been bothered in the least either. Get over it.

Another End of Era Moment

2011-08-08T09:26:00.003-05:00

As most of you who follow this blog (patiently, I might add) know, I have spent much of the spring and summer caring for my ill mother, who turned 88 this past June. I haven't had a lot of time for posting, or following up on comment threads that need answers. I will get things back to normal in time, and thank you for praying for us.

In the meantime, Mom and I have been talking quite a bit about "days gone by," and how more and more of the "greatest generation" — the World War II era — have been leaving us. Today, this headline from the BBC hit, telling us of the passing of "White Mouse." This special lady was among the Gestapo's most wanted during World War II because she helped people escape from occupied France. She always managed to elude the Gestapo's grasp, which wasn't an easy task in those days.

I hope you'll be inspired by her story. I wonder at times if anyone in our modern-day world has the character needed to survive such times if we're ever faced by them again in this country. I pray so.

Miley, Miley, Miley!

2011-08-01T11:12:00.002-05:00

Miley Cyrus seems bound and determined to dive headlong into the gutter and make a mockery of God in the process.

Check out this new little controversy over at The Christian Post. The actual controversy began on Miley's Twitter account, but the Post picked the story up. And the story is maddening, but not unexpected given her trajectory of late.

Earth to Miley. Yes, "God is love," as you state. But part of loving God is obeying Him. Scripture (God's Word) is abundantly clear on the subject of homosexuality. Reject His Word and His commands, and you reject God. Jesus Himself said, "If you love Me, keep my commandments."

One more thing. Someone needs to educate Miley on the subject of judging, which she misunderstands and misapplies like many others. We are not to judge hearts and motivations, but we are to judge actions and behaviors. Jesus also said "judge with righteous judgment." We are to judge those within the church when they fall into sin and false teaching, and are unrepentant.

Miley Cyrus has made much of her Christian faith. So she's due for a bit of correction by her brothers and sisters in Christ. And that's assuming she is truly saved, which I am beginning to question.

Summer Fun

2011-07-25T03:38:00.003-05:00

Again, very limited time today for blogging, but I offer up this little cartoon sent by a friend. It just about explains my feelings toward the excessive heat of late.

Have a great day!

Democrats and Memory Holes

2011-07-21T20:37:00.005-05:00

I have been neglecting this blog horribly, with a comment from a prior post yet to be answered. But with more health care stuff going on in the family tomorrow, it may take a bit longer to get back to my normal routine.

I couldn't let this story pass without comment, though. I was yelling at the television earlier when I saw the Democratic talking heads out there trying to use Ronald Reagan in the current budget impasse. "Reagan was willing to compromise and raise taxes."

Thank God for Michael Reagan, who (in the linked article) reminds us that the Democrats in Reagan's day reneged on spending cuts they had promised when Reagan was forced into the tax increases. The spending cuts never happened. We ought to remember that and shout it from the housetops.

Because they'll do it again. Count on it.

Control Screaming Kids?

2011-07-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Surely, you jest!

I had to chuckle grimly a bit over this little story. Apparently, a restaurant wants to ban the under-6 crowd from their establishment because older clientele complained about their "unruly" behavior.

I read with interest, because I've been greatly annoyed by trying to eat an expensive dinner in an upscale establishment, with a 5-year-old boy at the next table lying on the floor kicking and screaming, and his oblivious parents doing nothing about it. The article goes on to discuss the behavior of kids on airplanes, and the resultant furor.

But then, do parents dare do anything about their kids' tantrums in this Spockian statist day and age? These days, if a parent so much as says "boo" at their kid in a public place -- much less warm the brat's rear -- they get turned in to the child protection authorities and possibly arrested for abuse. Even though corporal punishment by parents is still legal in the U.S.

I'm not posting this to get into another knock down-drag out on the merits of corporal punishment. But I have to laugh at the complaints of society about bratty kids when society itself contributes to the problem by over-policing how parents correct their children.

Resting in God's Grace

2011-07-12T10:34:00.003-05:00

Yes, folks . . . I'm still alive. And so is my mother, praise God.

It's been a pretty rough year, and things intensified beginning in February when Mom began developing heart trouble. Then skin cancer. And surgeries involving both. Tough, but God is faithful, as always, walking right through it with us.

Today, both Mom and I are feeling ill with a flu bug or something. In the midst of feeling miserable, Psalm 23 came to my mind, so I thought I'd post it today.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

That's a wonderful promise for those who trust in Him. And I need Him today.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T11:24:00.002-05:00

The Seventh Sola wishes everyone in the U.S. a very happy, blessed Independence Day. My hope is that we will all remember our history, and be thankful for the blessing of living in a free country. A freedom, by the way, that we are in great jeopardy of losing if we don't wake up.

My posting on The Seventh Sola has been much more sporadic than I would like, and this week will be no different. My mother is facing heart surgery, and at age 88, that is no light matter. I would appreciate everyone's prayers for her, and for our family. I probably won't be posting much this week, so I leave you in God's grace, and hope to be back here pontificating as usual very soon. There's a comment from an earlier meta that I haven't answered yet, but I will. Dungy, that's a promise. My apologies for neglecting you. My hands have been rather full of late!

Losing Yarnell's?

2011-06-30T10:50:00.003-05:00

With this tragic story from Arkansas, I feel like a tree that's suffered an ax-blow near the roots.

It looks like Yarnell's Ice Cream will soon be no more. This Searcy, Arkansas-based ice cream maker is known for it's Ozark Black Walnut variety, and I tried to make a point of enjoying it whenever I was back down there. In recent years, my mother and I found a way to wrap the half-gallon containers in newspaper and then put in ice-packed coolers to survive the 10-hour trip back to Illinois. I can't get down there at the moment, and I am panicking. I'll have to see if some relatives can't grab me a couple and keep them in their freezer for me.

By the by, while I mourn the loss of the ice cream, my deeper concern is for the company and its workers. More than that, I'm concerned about the fact that this is yet another indication of the trouble our country is in economically. It's already in tatters spiritually. The economy is a by-product.

Somehow, I hope and pray that Yarnell's can find a way to re-open. And I also hope and pray that we will get rid of the batch of idiots currently running the country and replace them with people who have a clue economically, and with a determination to put our nation back on the course laid by our Founding Fathers.

And while we're at it, deport George Soros.

America Unraveling

2011-06-28T10:14:00.001-05:00

Those who have followed the The Seventh Sola for some time will know that I had the privilege of attending Dr. John MacArthur's "Shepherds' Conference" back in 2007. I posted some of the conference content here on the blog both during and after the event. It was truly stellar.

Dr. Steve Lawson was one of the keynote speakers at the conference then, and he was also at a local conference in my area not too long ago (First Baptist Church in Freeport, IL, hosted the event). Dr. Lawson — pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, AL — recently keynoted at the Resolved Conference in southern California. In his address covered by the Christian Post, Dr. Lawson makes the case that America is "unraveling like a cheap sweater" due to its growing ungodliness and immorality.

This is worth pondering and making a matter of prayer. Our nation is indeed in trouble, and the only solution is the Gospel. Churches need to quit entertaining the masses and get back to preaching it.

Clueless is as Clueless Does

2011-06-22T13:16:00.001-05:00

Who is Trevor Phillips?

That was my first question after seeing this little ditty of an article over at the Christian Post. Apparently Mr. Phillips has some issues with Christians actually daring to stand up for historic biblical Christianity.

This particular flap is taking place over in the United Kingdom. But never despair, we have enough silliness happening on this side of the pond as well. Apparently some New York atheists are mad at a memorial for some 9/11 fallen NYC firefighters. They find "Seven in Heaven" offensive.

I used to get mad at this stuff, but now I pretty much just roll my eyes and point the upturned noses wearing duncecaps back at Scripture . . . that is after rubbing their noses in their own effluent for a while. What still makes me mad is when Christians allow themselves to be cowed or intimidated by this nonsense. There's no need to be. Keep speaking and standing for truth whether anyone else likes it or not. They only get away with it when Christians are silent and timid.

No Con-Con!

2011-06-21T10:11:00.003-05:00

From time to time on this blog, I've brought up various dangers to the United States' constitutional system, including the possibility of rewriting our founding document entirely.

Today, David Limbaugh discusses the issue, and spells out the horrible things that could happen if today's society gets hold of a constitutional convention.

I hope and pray people heed the warning.

110-Year-Old Lightbulb?

2011-06-18T11:34:00.002-05:00

For today's post, how about a little fun and oddity for a change? I could use some.

This little tidbit from Fox News shows a lightbulb at the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire department that's been burning for 110 years. The longest lasting bulb ever.

Can you imagine all the world events that have taken place, and yet the bulb keeps burning. And think of the spiritual applications or analogies that could be drawn. Christ is the light of the world and is eternal. Christians are supposed to be salt and light in our dark culture.

Something to think about for a Saturday.

Southern Baptists Take a Stand

2011-06-16T18:19:00.003-05:00

Talk about chutzpah. Looks like a coalition of homosexual groups decided that they were going to take on the Southern Baptist Convention. They don't like the fact that the SBC thus far stands for biblical truth and orthodox teaching on sexual matters. As you will see from the article, the SBC did not back down. President Bryant Wright (pictured right courtesy of Baptist Press) delivered the message kindly, but plainly.

I'm glad to hear it. All too many people these days are letting themselves be cowed by these groups. That includes politicians as well as an increasing number of so-called Christian denominations, to their everlasting shame.

The SBC struck exactly the right tone. Preach biblical truth concerning sin, yet with love and compassion. This won't be sufficient for militant gays. They say they just want tolerance, but they want more than that. They want acceptance and approval.

That is something that Bible-believing, Bible-preaching churches can never do.

Satanic Wickedness in Mexico

2011-06-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

For some time, I have wondered whether Mexico has not finally fallen to the level of being what is called a "failed state." This is a term used in international diplomacy whenever a country's government no longer has any control, and where "every man does what is right in his own eyes."

Yesterday, I saw this in-depth article about Mexico's drug cartels and the levels of bestial brutality to which they'll sink. It's a heartbreaking story. Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor) has also done quite a bit of research into this subject. The picture they paint is truly alarming, showing that the cartels are increasingly using military weapons, uniforms, equipment and tactics in their illegal operations. Violence has already crossed the border into the U.S. and that trend is likely to continue unless something is done.

It is only a matter of time before the U.S. military has to take a hand in this. And who knows where that will lead in the end. In the meantime, Christians have an awful lot of Gospel-preaching to do.

Christians Actually Evangelize? The Horror!

2011-06-14T10:05:00.003-05:00

I really need to get over being irritated at churches doing and saying idiotic, unbiblical things. But I can't help it. It's infuriating.

Note this little blog post where some are taking Dr. Al Mohler to task for saying that Congressman Anthony Weiner of Weinergate fame needs Jesus. Imagine that! Christians actually evangelizing the lost. Oh, the humanity! Oh, the horror!

Note also the reaction of some United Church of Christ congregations and those of apostate like mind. Tsk tsk. Let's just throw the Lord Jesus Christ's Great Commission under the bus, shall we?

In Galatians and 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul talks about "false brethren." In 2 Thessalonians, he talks about the coming apostasy of the last days. The Apostle John described such false teachers and "brethren" in stark terms . . . They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:19).

Dr. Mohler is absolutely right and on target. Anthony Weiner does need to come to repentance and put his trust in Christ for salvation. There is no other way to the Father but through Christ. Scripture makes no apologies for this truth, and neither should those of us who call ourselves Christians.

Atheists and Prayer?

2011-06-13T12:39:00.004-05:00

The battle that militant atheists wage against public expressions of interaction with God seem to ebb and flow depending on circumstances hither and yon. Sometimes the news has nothing to do with prayer in school or "In God We Trust" on coinage. Sometimes it enters the news when a well-known vocal atheist such as Christopher Hitchens gets terminally ill and people begin praying for him.

In this World Magazine column, Tony Woodlief expresses the view that atheists ought to encourage prayer instead of fighting against it. I appreciate the sentiment and get a chuckle out of it, even while agreeing with Tony's grim conclusion. However, I don't think militant atheists will appreciate the advice very much.

While you're at World's website, look up Marvin Olasky's latest column on expository preaching and story-telling. Worth the read.