AFRICAN AMERICAN, NOT – A couple of “Musings” back I used the term “African American” and a dear friend and fellow B.C.P. missionary set me right when he told me, “I am not an African American, I am a Black American, born here in the U.S.A., not Africa.” He made it adequately clear that had he been born in Africa the title would fit but it does not since he was born here in the States. I also learned that people like Jessie Jackson and others had started the term African American as the politically correct term to use. His suggestion made sense to me and I stand corrected. What I would like to know, if a poll of blacks in this country could be taken on this subject, how many would prefer Black American in contrast to how many may have bought into the African American pitch by the liberal circle of Jessie Jackson’s, Al Sharpton’s and others?
OUR SHRINKING GLOBE – I am not a world traveler, nor were my parents or grandparents. Please understand I am not using the term in any political sense. As far as I know my parents and grandparents probably never left this country. I have been in Canada several times and on one occasion did park on this side of the Mexican border and walked into a small sleepy town right on the border to visit a few shops and the sights of Mexican’s on a sleepy afternoon who were slowly setting up the area for some celebration for some time in the future. We walked in because we didn’t have Mexican insurance for the car, knowing they wouldn’t accept our insurance if there should be an accident. Younger family members are becoming world travelers. My son-in-law did some computer work for hospitals on a couple of West Indies Islands and Patty went with him on occasion. My grandchildren, while in Bible College traveled abroad with their singing groups. Now, my granddaughter and her family are missionaries in Brazil and her mother has just returned from visiting them. Other missionaries travel back and forth to whatever country God has called them. People of means now take vacations in all sorts of places around the world and our politicians as well. The military travels great distances around the world in very short periods of time. Truly, our world has shrunk, considering the rapid means of travel by air. A generation or two ago most people could only dream of other lands they might read about. Our world has really changed and the stage is being set for all the prophetic events that the Bible tells us about. Wow!
ANGRY REPORTERS & WASTE – You probably heard the news this week as I did, telling how Barack Obama had a secret meeting with Hillary Clinton while reporters sat on a plane expecting Obama to return to the plane and fly to Washington D.C. Instead of Obama returning for the flight the plane flew all the reporters to Washington D.C. without him. They were told Obama had not returned, they had simply assumed he had. I think I would be angry too after such a wait and then needlessly being flown to a destiny where they could not continue their reporting assignment. On top of that, just image not only the waste of the reporter’s time but also the waste of expensive flight fuel without cause or reason! Obama is known for his inexperience and now you can add his wastefulness of expensive fuel to the list of his shortcomings. I wonder if this will affect reporters seeming approval of Obama as their choice for the presidency? (Smile)
PRESIDENTIAL IGNORANCE OF ISLAM – I don’t know if you have heard of President Bush’s orders to prevent offending Muslim Jihadists. Quoting Robert Spencer’s article, “No Jihadis Here!” in Human Events for May 5th, 2008: “Fantasy-based policy making is never wise. Yet that is what the Bush Administration has embarked upon – yet again, years after the President proclaimed Islam a “religion of peace” – with these Orwellian new directives.” This was said in relation to, “Last week the State Department, the department of Homeland Security and National Counter Terrorism Center issued new guidelines forbidding personnel from using the words “jihad” or “jihadist” in reference to Islamic terrorism and its perpetrators. A Homeland Security report tellingly titled “Terminology to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslins” explains that this initiative comes from a concern not to offend moderate Muslims. By calling the terrorists “Jihadists,” American officials could be “unintentionally portraying terrorists, who lack moral and religious legitimacy, as brave fighters, legitimate soldiers, or spokesmen for ordinary Muslims.” Using the term “jihad” may not be “strategic.” Why not? “Because it glamorizes terrorism, imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have and damages relations with Muslims around the world.” American officials “should not concede the terrorists’ claim that they are legitimate adherents of Islam.” – The reality is, jihad” is the Koran’s term that their believers are to practice in the process of converting unbelievers to their faith that includes the murder of unbelievers if they fail to convert or to yield to a special taxation. This is a real part of their religion. Someone needs to educate the President and the nations liberals to the reality of what Islam believes and practices, the destruction of any who do not convert to their religion. There are no real “Moderate Muslims” if they believe their own Shari’ah Law, the Koran and their faith. Such misunderstandings are going to lead our nation down the rose strewn path to destruction if they don’t wake up before it is too late! Some serious reading and study would lead the President and the liberal media to the truth rather than listening to the American Muslin Council.
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS – Scriptures give a promise of long life (Eph. 6:1-2) to those who obey their parents. Sometimes children think their parents are tyrants that are trying to keep them from enjoying life. In reality, the majority of parents want the best for their children, even hoping and praying they will be far more successful in life than themselves. There are times when a parent’s warnings or “don’ts” are for their children’s protection. My daughter Patty could testify to the following incident that was for her own protection and she wisely listened to what we told her, even though we were not free to express our reason for the warnings or direction at the time. A young man in one of our churches took an interest in her and would drive her from church to home and also took her out to lunch or dinner several times. I had learned things about the young man I was not at liberty to share at the time and I had asked Patty to very carefully break off seeing him and to no longer let him drive her home after church, etc. Many girls would have argued, rebelled and maybe sneaked around to continue seeing the boy, thinking I was trying to keep her from enjoying the company of a friend and needlessly interfering in her life. She chose to obey her parents and in time she understood our instructions. The young man had not only stolen from us but from others. In time he ended up in trouble with the law and was eventually sent to prison. By obedience Patty was spared some dangerous circumstances and what could have been a life of heartbreak.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
May 2008 #5
E-MAILS ABOUT OBAMA – I keep getting e-mails forwarding information from missionaries in Kenya declaring Obama to be a Muslim. I haven’t read Barack Obama’s books about his life, nor do I plan too, but I understand he had ties there as a small boy. I also know that he now professes to be a Christian. I know people make pretenses relating to faith to be Christians for business and political purposes. Whether this is the case with Obama I do not know. With the continuing discussions about his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, questions are certainly raised relating to hate America speeches. I do know that Scriptures tell us we will know people by their “fruits.” I keep looking for the “fruits” that will verify the claim but I have not seen them yet. These things will no doubt become clear as the election process grinds on.
OBSERVING PEOPLE – I suppose most of us have taken pause and watched people passing by and trying to determine things about them, wondering if they are Christians, etc. when we are at the shopping mall. We may also be observant of people in church, not trying to be critical or judgmental but rather to manifest our concern for needs. Not playing an active part as in the past, I have a little more time for observations than in the past. The sad eyes of a woman attending Bible study, or perhaps it was just weariness from her many duties and home schooling of her several children. Her clothes were modest and clean and she did seem intent upon the lesson. I know she loves the Lord and her family. I sent up a prayer for God to strengthen her for her tasks of caring for the family and serving in her local church. It might be the recognition of a need or heartache of those with whom we worship and study God’s Word. We don’t have the interaction in one another’s homes as much as in years gone by and consequently we may miss an opportunity to minister to the needs of those in our own church family. We really do need to pray more for one another and care for one another as needs are recognized. Such care in the early church made them distinct from the world around them. That closeness made an impact on their world that is missing in so many churches today, minimizing the churches impact upon their community. Strong and outstanding churches have developed practical concerns for their people as well as their neighbors that many gospel-preaching churches have failed in doing. This is something to think and pray about.
SEPARATION – In years gone by we use to hear and read considerable about the doctrine of separation. I know I preached my share of sermons on the topic as well. I seldom hear anything about it any more and I wonder if this isn’t a part of the “falling away” or “apostasy” of the last days. It was probably never a popular teaching among Christians but it was a vitally important one. It was usually divided into two separate conditions: Personal separation, which most believers understood quite well because it involved all the don’ts of faith that preachers continually laid out before them. At times they often got mixed in with cultural issues of the times such as men with long hair and women wearing pants, that was taken from the Old Testament admonition about women not wearing what pertains to a man. The second was ecclesiastical separation, separation from the many false and misguided religions. Today we have been led to believe that we should not offend anyone by making the Biblical distinctions that are so clearly delineated in our Scriptures. Both the media and today’s churches have repeatedly brought us to this false belief of making no offense. At the same time, repeatedly, sacred Scriptures clearly draw lines that were needed at the beginning of time and they continue to be needed to this very day. Human nature being what it is, humanity has a tendency to move away from God’s established standards. Our national constitution has probably been partially responsible for this by allowing so many strange religions contrary to our Christian moorings, declaring freedom of religion and freedom of speech. This is something we want to preserve but it has allowed for some strange religious practices in the land. Even with that being the case, there are times when we need to draw lines of personal practices and ecclesiastical differences. I am fearful that Christianity has lost much of it’s effectiveness by no longer declaring distinctions of separation. We don’t want to be known for our continual harping, nor should we want to lose our Biblical distinctiveness that makes us true Christians. When we walk the walk of separation it is noted by those around us and will often open the door to questions and discussions through which we can declare our faith. An example from the past, not being a Methodist, but recalling a practice from their past, when quarterly, by sermon or in their Sunday school material, they would have a “Temperance Sunday” when the use of alcohol and it’s harm was dealt with. I doubt that practice is still continued today but it does speak to churches of the past maintaining their moral and biblical standards. I am confident the local saloons, bars and those who frequented them did not appreciate being marked by those quarterly messages or lessons but they did have an impact in those days. Are we making a moral impact by our practices of separation and Distinctives today?
LIST OF DON’TS – I remember one church I pastored having a list of don’ts drawn up in its constitution before I came on the scene. These types of practices can lead to a legalism that drives people away before they can be taught Biblical truths and practices. As an example of what I mean, there was a lady and her young teenage son who attended our church and both were believers, though her husband was not. He was a farmer that never did attend our services and we prayed often for him. That dear lady and her son wanted to join our church but there in the constitution was that list that made playing cards one of the churches don’ts for its members. Playing cards with their farmer neighbors was one of the few social outlets this lady had with her unsaved husband and teir neighbors and she could not honestly meet that requirement of the church. Had there been gambling associated with the practice that would have been one thing, but as a social outlet of playing bridge, that was another. I was eventually able to take care of the list and the lady and her son were united with our church. In times gone by playing cards were shunned and considered taboo because of their original design to placate a mad king and their association with gambling and drinking alcoholic beverages. Our younger generation does not know about those distinctions from the past and there were reasons for them. Most taverns or saloons in days gone by had card tables and gambling was central to playing card games. Whether that is still true today I don’t know but you can see why the strong opposition to playing cards in times past. Of course today’s casinos that I mentioned recently, that would still be the case and Christians certainly should not be associated with those types of things. Though I don’t like to see legalistic lists of don’ts included in church constitutions, I do believe our preaching, teaching and example, as Christians should provide guidelines to a believer’s style of living distinctively from that of the world.
OBSERVING PEOPLE – I suppose most of us have taken pause and watched people passing by and trying to determine things about them, wondering if they are Christians, etc. when we are at the shopping mall. We may also be observant of people in church, not trying to be critical or judgmental but rather to manifest our concern for needs. Not playing an active part as in the past, I have a little more time for observations than in the past. The sad eyes of a woman attending Bible study, or perhaps it was just weariness from her many duties and home schooling of her several children. Her clothes were modest and clean and she did seem intent upon the lesson. I know she loves the Lord and her family. I sent up a prayer for God to strengthen her for her tasks of caring for the family and serving in her local church. It might be the recognition of a need or heartache of those with whom we worship and study God’s Word. We don’t have the interaction in one another’s homes as much as in years gone by and consequently we may miss an opportunity to minister to the needs of those in our own church family. We really do need to pray more for one another and care for one another as needs are recognized. Such care in the early church made them distinct from the world around them. That closeness made an impact on their world that is missing in so many churches today, minimizing the churches impact upon their community. Strong and outstanding churches have developed practical concerns for their people as well as their neighbors that many gospel-preaching churches have failed in doing. This is something to think and pray about.
SEPARATION – In years gone by we use to hear and read considerable about the doctrine of separation. I know I preached my share of sermons on the topic as well. I seldom hear anything about it any more and I wonder if this isn’t a part of the “falling away” or “apostasy” of the last days. It was probably never a popular teaching among Christians but it was a vitally important one. It was usually divided into two separate conditions: Personal separation, which most believers understood quite well because it involved all the don’ts of faith that preachers continually laid out before them. At times they often got mixed in with cultural issues of the times such as men with long hair and women wearing pants, that was taken from the Old Testament admonition about women not wearing what pertains to a man. The second was ecclesiastical separation, separation from the many false and misguided religions. Today we have been led to believe that we should not offend anyone by making the Biblical distinctions that are so clearly delineated in our Scriptures. Both the media and today’s churches have repeatedly brought us to this false belief of making no offense. At the same time, repeatedly, sacred Scriptures clearly draw lines that were needed at the beginning of time and they continue to be needed to this very day. Human nature being what it is, humanity has a tendency to move away from God’s established standards. Our national constitution has probably been partially responsible for this by allowing so many strange religions contrary to our Christian moorings, declaring freedom of religion and freedom of speech. This is something we want to preserve but it has allowed for some strange religious practices in the land. Even with that being the case, there are times when we need to draw lines of personal practices and ecclesiastical differences. I am fearful that Christianity has lost much of it’s effectiveness by no longer declaring distinctions of separation. We don’t want to be known for our continual harping, nor should we want to lose our Biblical distinctiveness that makes us true Christians. When we walk the walk of separation it is noted by those around us and will often open the door to questions and discussions through which we can declare our faith. An example from the past, not being a Methodist, but recalling a practice from their past, when quarterly, by sermon or in their Sunday school material, they would have a “Temperance Sunday” when the use of alcohol and it’s harm was dealt with. I doubt that practice is still continued today but it does speak to churches of the past maintaining their moral and biblical standards. I am confident the local saloons, bars and those who frequented them did not appreciate being marked by those quarterly messages or lessons but they did have an impact in those days. Are we making a moral impact by our practices of separation and Distinctives today?
LIST OF DON’TS – I remember one church I pastored having a list of don’ts drawn up in its constitution before I came on the scene. These types of practices can lead to a legalism that drives people away before they can be taught Biblical truths and practices. As an example of what I mean, there was a lady and her young teenage son who attended our church and both were believers, though her husband was not. He was a farmer that never did attend our services and we prayed often for him. That dear lady and her son wanted to join our church but there in the constitution was that list that made playing cards one of the churches don’ts for its members. Playing cards with their farmer neighbors was one of the few social outlets this lady had with her unsaved husband and teir neighbors and she could not honestly meet that requirement of the church. Had there been gambling associated with the practice that would have been one thing, but as a social outlet of playing bridge, that was another. I was eventually able to take care of the list and the lady and her son were united with our church. In times gone by playing cards were shunned and considered taboo because of their original design to placate a mad king and their association with gambling and drinking alcoholic beverages. Our younger generation does not know about those distinctions from the past and there were reasons for them. Most taverns or saloons in days gone by had card tables and gambling was central to playing card games. Whether that is still true today I don’t know but you can see why the strong opposition to playing cards in times past. Of course today’s casinos that I mentioned recently, that would still be the case and Christians certainly should not be associated with those types of things. Though I don’t like to see legalistic lists of don’ts included in church constitutions, I do believe our preaching, teaching and example, as Christians should provide guidelines to a believer’s style of living distinctively from that of the world.
May 2008 #4
I’M ENCOURAGED – I am receiving more and more responses to these “Musings.” A home schooling mom thanked me for them and then told me that she uses some of them as she teaches her children. A home missionary wife wrote about illustrations, “My husband keepings telling people, “Speak, I need an illustration.” One “Musing” caused one lady to write with a question I was able to answer and hopefully remove some confusion she was having about a passage of Scripture. The President of our Mission told me he wished more of the retirees would take the time to write similar things. Others tell me, “Keep them coming, we enjoy them.” About 240 receive them and if you can send me other e-mail addresses to add to the list I would appreciate it. I’ve only had two ask to be removed from the mailing list in all this time. A couple of times I have been corrected which is acceptable with me. We are not always going to find agreement but we learn and grow from those experiences. Please keep the comments coming.
FAMILY REASONS & HOW MANY’S – One of the reasons I write these “Musings” is that my kids have asked me to write a book about my life and experiences but I really don’t feel prone to do that and this attempts to supplement that request. When I asked the questions in the last “Musings” of “Thinking About My Life” and the "How many’s” was stimulated by their request. Hopefully others might also get a smile or a memory from them, not experienced by our younger generation. Moving on to the “How many things I have sold or tried to sell by direct sales and other odd jobs,” I am reminded of the director of the CBA Churches in Oregon telling me, “I wish all our pastors could have the experience of selling insurance for a couple of years so they would learn how to deal with people.” That is one I tried, having sold hospital insurance and a little life insurance during a difficult time of my earlier years when jobs were scarce. I sold shoes and other clothing items for J. C. Penney’s and separately. Going back earlier, as a boy I sold papers in Baker, Oregon on street corners. I helped a friend do the same in a suburb of Los Angeles as a teenager. In Junior High I set pins at a bowling alley and worked on numerous truck farms using a hoe and gathering crops. I also boxed (rather than bagging) groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store. Later when pastoring a small church we distributed an area paper in Ogallala, Nebraska, picking them up from the bus stop and seeing that the deliver boys got their allotment, including my own boys. Just out of high school I went to Western Union’s training school and worked in several of their offices. In fact, during my junior year of high school I delivered telegrams for Western Union in Baker, Oregon to pay room and board. During those earlier struggles in Oregon I sold cemetery lots for a while. Also in Ogallala when the church was so small they didn’t properly care for their pastor I did a number of different things. I dug a few ditches and drove a dump truck hauling and spreading manure. My wife always hated for me to come home for lunch. During the same period I mowed city park lawns and helped a drugstore set up new store shelving and counters. When I started our first church in Federal Way, Washington I was working for Boeing Aircraft and when that became too much while ministering and putting up the church building, I took odd house painting jobs and painting trim on houses newly resided. I also worked with a friend installing insulation, mostly in new homes. That was a terribly itchy job. I use to receive a “Specialty Salesman Magazine” and I tried selling five year light bulbs, calendars, shoes, boxed greeting cards and AMWAY to mention a few things done to keep body and soul together while ministering to small churches. Amway was something I got into that also gave the boys something to sell helping toward their college expenses. I once managed chain variety stores before ministry days (that is where I met my wife) and then in a variety store while ministering to a small church. I drove school busses in two different places while ministering in churches in Federal Way, Washington and also in Blue Rapids, Kansas. I haven’t counted all these things but it does give you an idea of things that occupied my earlier years. At one point I worked for the Oregon Temperance League raising funds to teach high school students of the harm of using alcohol. I finally decided this was a secondary issue and preaching the Gospel was more important because as people get saved the use of alcohol stops. These are out of sequence but it gives you a broad view of things I have done before and during ministry years. Its enough to make my head spin thinking about it. I’d better move on to something else.
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE LAWS – Grassfire and the Liberty Counsel are warning us that the California Supreme Court has ruled that homosexual marriages are legal and though there is a referendum coming up in November to pass a constitutional change defining one male and one female marriages, they are expecting thousands to rush to California to get married. All these coming from other states will then create problems and bring pressures here in Ohio and elsewhere. You can contact Grassfire or Liberty Counsel and sign a petition to try and stop this nonsense.
GLOBAL WARMING/NOT – Constant pressures and added expenses are being placed on us by environmental causes that are ridiculous. There have always been climate cycles that bring about these changes. The carbon output of industry and our cars is only a minimal fraction of what volcanoes are belching out into the air. As much as I believe man should give care and reason in their use of our environment, environmentalists are forcing unnecessary expenses on us. I recently read where we are actually in a cooling cycle and will be for the next ten years. Still, they keep screaming global warming at us and pushing their “green” policies on society from grade school children on up the line through businesses in general. Where does it end and when do people get past the politically right agenda and collect their senses. I’ll remind people again, when God brought into existence His creation, He also put in the safeguards and all that was necessary for our continued existence for another thousand plus years when He will bring about His new heaven and earth for the eternal estate. Knowing this truth ought to bring Christians to realize it is futile to be taken in by all this “green” hype. So much for Al Gore and the position he has made for himself and others with all this nonsense.
FOOD BILLS, Etc. – I commented on this prophetically in my last “Musings” and I am just adding some currant details going on now, that I suppose most are aware of as well. With truckers having to spend over $1,000.00 to fill up their tanks at an even higher diesel price than for gasoline, we are really beginning to see prices go up in the grocery store. More and more families are going to have to return to cooking from scratch and forget the prepared foods so readily available today. I don’t know how to do those things and further, all that preparation for just two, when we aren’t eating nearly as much as in the past I am not sure it would work for us. This is particularly true with Betty and her condition and the little she eats. Guess I should have taken home economics in high school to know how to deal with such matters. Who would have ever dreamed of that need so many years ago? Times surely are changing and with both husbands and wives working I don’t know how they will have the time to do that kind of preparation either. Our dilemma grows and people are beginning to think and search for cost saving answers to the crisis. I am suspecting that the fast food places and restaurants may begin to feel the pinch too as families have to cut back. Bicycles may be coming back but I really don’t see how they will be very practical considering the distances people have to travel to work and purchase groceries these days. Even vacations may be cut back for closer to home plans. Maybe our politicians will get smart and come up with some answers. That is not likely! (Smile)
FAMILY REASONS & HOW MANY’S – One of the reasons I write these “Musings” is that my kids have asked me to write a book about my life and experiences but I really don’t feel prone to do that and this attempts to supplement that request. When I asked the questions in the last “Musings” of “Thinking About My Life” and the "How many’s” was stimulated by their request. Hopefully others might also get a smile or a memory from them, not experienced by our younger generation. Moving on to the “How many things I have sold or tried to sell by direct sales and other odd jobs,” I am reminded of the director of the CBA Churches in Oregon telling me, “I wish all our pastors could have the experience of selling insurance for a couple of years so they would learn how to deal with people.” That is one I tried, having sold hospital insurance and a little life insurance during a difficult time of my earlier years when jobs were scarce. I sold shoes and other clothing items for J. C. Penney’s and separately. Going back earlier, as a boy I sold papers in Baker, Oregon on street corners. I helped a friend do the same in a suburb of Los Angeles as a teenager. In Junior High I set pins at a bowling alley and worked on numerous truck farms using a hoe and gathering crops. I also boxed (rather than bagging) groceries and stocking shelves in a grocery store. Later when pastoring a small church we distributed an area paper in Ogallala, Nebraska, picking them up from the bus stop and seeing that the deliver boys got their allotment, including my own boys. Just out of high school I went to Western Union’s training school and worked in several of their offices. In fact, during my junior year of high school I delivered telegrams for Western Union in Baker, Oregon to pay room and board. During those earlier struggles in Oregon I sold cemetery lots for a while. Also in Ogallala when the church was so small they didn’t properly care for their pastor I did a number of different things. I dug a few ditches and drove a dump truck hauling and spreading manure. My wife always hated for me to come home for lunch. During the same period I mowed city park lawns and helped a drugstore set up new store shelving and counters. When I started our first church in Federal Way, Washington I was working for Boeing Aircraft and when that became too much while ministering and putting up the church building, I took odd house painting jobs and painting trim on houses newly resided. I also worked with a friend installing insulation, mostly in new homes. That was a terribly itchy job. I use to receive a “Specialty Salesman Magazine” and I tried selling five year light bulbs, calendars, shoes, boxed greeting cards and AMWAY to mention a few things done to keep body and soul together while ministering to small churches. Amway was something I got into that also gave the boys something to sell helping toward their college expenses. I once managed chain variety stores before ministry days (that is where I met my wife) and then in a variety store while ministering to a small church. I drove school busses in two different places while ministering in churches in Federal Way, Washington and also in Blue Rapids, Kansas. I haven’t counted all these things but it does give you an idea of things that occupied my earlier years. At one point I worked for the Oregon Temperance League raising funds to teach high school students of the harm of using alcohol. I finally decided this was a secondary issue and preaching the Gospel was more important because as people get saved the use of alcohol stops. These are out of sequence but it gives you a broad view of things I have done before and during ministry years. Its enough to make my head spin thinking about it. I’d better move on to something else.
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE LAWS – Grassfire and the Liberty Counsel are warning us that the California Supreme Court has ruled that homosexual marriages are legal and though there is a referendum coming up in November to pass a constitutional change defining one male and one female marriages, they are expecting thousands to rush to California to get married. All these coming from other states will then create problems and bring pressures here in Ohio and elsewhere. You can contact Grassfire or Liberty Counsel and sign a petition to try and stop this nonsense.
GLOBAL WARMING/NOT – Constant pressures and added expenses are being placed on us by environmental causes that are ridiculous. There have always been climate cycles that bring about these changes. The carbon output of industry and our cars is only a minimal fraction of what volcanoes are belching out into the air. As much as I believe man should give care and reason in their use of our environment, environmentalists are forcing unnecessary expenses on us. I recently read where we are actually in a cooling cycle and will be for the next ten years. Still, they keep screaming global warming at us and pushing their “green” policies on society from grade school children on up the line through businesses in general. Where does it end and when do people get past the politically right agenda and collect their senses. I’ll remind people again, when God brought into existence His creation, He also put in the safeguards and all that was necessary for our continued existence for another thousand plus years when He will bring about His new heaven and earth for the eternal estate. Knowing this truth ought to bring Christians to realize it is futile to be taken in by all this “green” hype. So much for Al Gore and the position he has made for himself and others with all this nonsense.
FOOD BILLS, Etc. – I commented on this prophetically in my last “Musings” and I am just adding some currant details going on now, that I suppose most are aware of as well. With truckers having to spend over $1,000.00 to fill up their tanks at an even higher diesel price than for gasoline, we are really beginning to see prices go up in the grocery store. More and more families are going to have to return to cooking from scratch and forget the prepared foods so readily available today. I don’t know how to do those things and further, all that preparation for just two, when we aren’t eating nearly as much as in the past I am not sure it would work for us. This is particularly true with Betty and her condition and the little she eats. Guess I should have taken home economics in high school to know how to deal with such matters. Who would have ever dreamed of that need so many years ago? Times surely are changing and with both husbands and wives working I don’t know how they will have the time to do that kind of preparation either. Our dilemma grows and people are beginning to think and search for cost saving answers to the crisis. I am suspecting that the fast food places and restaurants may begin to feel the pinch too as families have to cut back. Bicycles may be coming back but I really don’t see how they will be very practical considering the distances people have to travel to work and purchase groceries these days. Even vacations may be cut back for closer to home plans. Maybe our politicians will get smart and come up with some answers. That is not likely! (Smile)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
May 2008 #3
THINKING ABOUT MY LIFE – Do you ever take pause to evaluate or think about your life and all the things you’ve done, places you’ve been and the “how many’s” of certain things you’ve done in your life? For example: “How many years have I lived?” I sometimes stop and wonder, “Am I going to be 78 or 79 this year? That one is real easy right now because I just having my 79th birthday, but sometimes I actually have trouble trying to remember which it is. Some other “how many’s:” “How many places have I lived and in how many different houses have I lived in?” “How many different jobs have I had?” “How many countries have I been in?” How many cars have I owned (or worked at buying)?” “How many real friends do I have?’ “How many friends would I have had if I hadn’t offended some along the way?” “How many different kinds of things have I sold or tried to sell by direct sales?” I was just thinking about this last one and I may actually try to figure that one out, an insight into a part of my life most today wouldn’t know. You’ll maybe laugh when you see that list. As ridiculous as these questions may seem to you, being the product of a broken home and having been passed back and forth from time to time or ended up as a Church Planting Missionary, the numbers get a little ridiculous compared to the average farmer who has always lived in the same state, county and maybe on the same farm all his life. I’ll probably get back to you on some of these after I’ve had time to think about it and tried to put some numbers together. I don’t have the best memory, so I may be off a little when I do, but it will be interesting (to me and a few family members and friends, maybe).
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OUR SCHOOLS – This past week we had a school in Columbus that almost had a Columbine experience. A high school boy was planning to use grenade type bombs to kill dozens of fellow students. Thankfully his plan was discovered the day before he had intended to carry it out. It seems ever since the Columbine case in Colorado several years ago, there has been incidence after incidence of this type of thing happening, not only in high schools but in colleges and elementary schools. It use to be that schools were relatively safe places to send children. Little things like spit wads, hair in ink wells, carvings on desks, fist fights and hair pulling were the type of incidents children got sent to the principal’s offices for. The fallen human nature has always manifested itself over the centuries, but what is going on today is much, much worse and increasingly wide spread. Public education is suppose to improve society, according to the politicians, but it seems to be an increasingly fearful debilitating experience, that is requiring sane parents to become home-schoolers. Conditions suggest the need to establish more Christian schools. Sadly, Christian schools seem to be in decline. Wow, what to do, what to do. Remember, they got rid of prayer and the Bible and now they are reaping the consequences.
ARE PROPHETIC BELLS GOING OFF IN YOUR MIND – I am not a prophet not the son of a prophet, but just being aware of Biblical prophecy, in the light of current events that keep setting off bells in my head. I’ve lived in earthquake areas and been shaken in bed, on a ladder, seen merchandise falling off store counters as well as facades off of store buildings. It is a frightening experience. I’ve heard prophetic teachers tells us there would be an earthquake someplace during the week of meetings and there were. You could make the same statement every week and be correct. I’ve looked up on the inter-net to read the increasing prevalence of earthquakes around the world. In the past several weeks they have reported a number of earthquakes in this country and given new warnings of potential devastating quakes in California. Add to that the thousands killed in China this past week by earthquakes and my prophetic bells keep going off. Matthew 24:7 reads, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” (Also Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11) There are mountain-shaking verses of judgment in the Old Testament as well. Believers can take comfort from passages like Psalms 46. Please take time to read it. (God will also use similar quaking events in Revelation 11:13, 16:18 & 19, but these are for the Tribulation judgments.) I am not saying the day has arrived, but we are certainly seeing an increase of these events all the time. Let me give you another one to think about.
INFLATION & FAMINE – Famine was mentioned in the Matthew 24 passage and I want to also add Revelation 6:6 into my prophetic comments, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius;” Using corn to make ethanol to supposedly help the price of gasoline, is running up the price of grain to feed live stock (raising the cost of meat) and it is also raising the price of bread. This will surprise some, but I can remember a loaf of bread costing 10 cents. The change in the price of Wonder bread since 2003 has gone up 74%. In that same time the price of a boneless center-cut pork chop has gone up 124% and a rib-eye steak 64%. Have you noticed? The “denarius” of Revelation 6:6 was the equivalent of a day’s wages when Revelation was written. In the last couple of weeks Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club and other bulk stores have started limiting the amount of rice people can purchase. Though we aren’t presently expecting great shortages in this country, there are countries that are having serious problems finding or being able to afford basic grains. Are the prophetic bells I mentioned in the previous paragraph going off again with this as well? Famine is a reality in a number of African countries. The terrible hurricanes in Myanmar (Burma) are causing starvation and shortages of water there. Our hearts go out to all these suffering and dying peoples. Their own governments in Africa and now Myanmar are greatly responsible for the lack of aid, even stealing and hording supplies from the common people that other countries provide. Many things are contributing toward the famines presently on going but the reality of these conditions, it seems to me, are building toward these prophetic conditions. Adding these things into the equation of the Scriptures, along with the “nations rising against nations” (that would take more than another paragraph to discuss) and we are observing the development of matters that could very well drive the world toward what God has told us will take place leading up to and on into the Great Tribulation. I am not trying to create fear-mongering, I am only suggesting that Christians need to be looking up expectantly and suggesting that as you do so, seek opportunities to lead family and friends to Christ while there is still time.
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OUR SCHOOLS – This past week we had a school in Columbus that almost had a Columbine experience. A high school boy was planning to use grenade type bombs to kill dozens of fellow students. Thankfully his plan was discovered the day before he had intended to carry it out. It seems ever since the Columbine case in Colorado several years ago, there has been incidence after incidence of this type of thing happening, not only in high schools but in colleges and elementary schools. It use to be that schools were relatively safe places to send children. Little things like spit wads, hair in ink wells, carvings on desks, fist fights and hair pulling were the type of incidents children got sent to the principal’s offices for. The fallen human nature has always manifested itself over the centuries, but what is going on today is much, much worse and increasingly wide spread. Public education is suppose to improve society, according to the politicians, but it seems to be an increasingly fearful debilitating experience, that is requiring sane parents to become home-schoolers. Conditions suggest the need to establish more Christian schools. Sadly, Christian schools seem to be in decline. Wow, what to do, what to do. Remember, they got rid of prayer and the Bible and now they are reaping the consequences.
ARE PROPHETIC BELLS GOING OFF IN YOUR MIND – I am not a prophet not the son of a prophet, but just being aware of Biblical prophecy, in the light of current events that keep setting off bells in my head. I’ve lived in earthquake areas and been shaken in bed, on a ladder, seen merchandise falling off store counters as well as facades off of store buildings. It is a frightening experience. I’ve heard prophetic teachers tells us there would be an earthquake someplace during the week of meetings and there were. You could make the same statement every week and be correct. I’ve looked up on the inter-net to read the increasing prevalence of earthquakes around the world. In the past several weeks they have reported a number of earthquakes in this country and given new warnings of potential devastating quakes in California. Add to that the thousands killed in China this past week by earthquakes and my prophetic bells keep going off. Matthew 24:7 reads, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” (Also Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11) There are mountain-shaking verses of judgment in the Old Testament as well. Believers can take comfort from passages like Psalms 46. Please take time to read it. (God will also use similar quaking events in Revelation 11:13, 16:18 & 19, but these are for the Tribulation judgments.) I am not saying the day has arrived, but we are certainly seeing an increase of these events all the time. Let me give you another one to think about.
INFLATION & FAMINE – Famine was mentioned in the Matthew 24 passage and I want to also add Revelation 6:6 into my prophetic comments, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius;” Using corn to make ethanol to supposedly help the price of gasoline, is running up the price of grain to feed live stock (raising the cost of meat) and it is also raising the price of bread. This will surprise some, but I can remember a loaf of bread costing 10 cents. The change in the price of Wonder bread since 2003 has gone up 74%. In that same time the price of a boneless center-cut pork chop has gone up 124% and a rib-eye steak 64%. Have you noticed? The “denarius” of Revelation 6:6 was the equivalent of a day’s wages when Revelation was written. In the last couple of weeks Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club and other bulk stores have started limiting the amount of rice people can purchase. Though we aren’t presently expecting great shortages in this country, there are countries that are having serious problems finding or being able to afford basic grains. Are the prophetic bells I mentioned in the previous paragraph going off again with this as well? Famine is a reality in a number of African countries. The terrible hurricanes in Myanmar (Burma) are causing starvation and shortages of water there. Our hearts go out to all these suffering and dying peoples. Their own governments in Africa and now Myanmar are greatly responsible for the lack of aid, even stealing and hording supplies from the common people that other countries provide. Many things are contributing toward the famines presently on going but the reality of these conditions, it seems to me, are building toward these prophetic conditions. Adding these things into the equation of the Scriptures, along with the “nations rising against nations” (that would take more than another paragraph to discuss) and we are observing the development of matters that could very well drive the world toward what God has told us will take place leading up to and on into the Great Tribulation. I am not trying to create fear-mongering, I am only suggesting that Christians need to be looking up expectantly and suggesting that as you do so, seek opportunities to lead family and friends to Christ while there is still time.
May 2008 #2
TIMES HAVE CHANGED & SO HAVE I – A week or so ago I was walking toward AAA where my daughter-in-law works. As it turns out the door was locked as they had closed earlier than I expected. Donna was still inside and she saw me coming and opened the door to see what I wanted. As she opened the door she told me what her co-worker had said, “I wonder what that old man wants that is coming here?” That really marked me as I was walking in my slow gait. Between my sore joints, balance problems and white hair, this old man has slowly arrived to a time of slow motion. Moving on with the thought that struck me as I learned of that reference to “that old man,” I never referred to my Father as “the old man.” I always thought it disrespectful when people referred to their fathers as “the old man.” Until later years most fathers are active, still doing their job, etc. and I don’t think the term fits. I don’t think my own children have ever spoken of me in that manner and have always shown the respect do to a father or parent and so it should be. When you evaluate the biblical, patriarchal system the father was highly regarded. Elders are always referred to in a respectful manner, recognizing authority or their wisdom and care they have provided the children when they were growing up. Too much of that seems to be discounted and disregarded today. My father professed to have been saved as a young man but never lived as though he was all the years I knew him, but I still respected him as my father. I guess I should have saved this one for Father’s Day rather than right after Mother’s Day. Since Mother’s Day has just passed I will acknowledge the same respect attitude toward my mother even though I know she lived far from a believer’s life all the years I knew her. It is so strange that both my parents had godly parents and made early professions but did not end up living the life. They paid a price for turning their backs on their moorings but still, I respected them and never used the “old lady” or “old man” terminology that some do.
ISSUE ORIENTATION – When I started out in ministry Dr. Robert Ketchum was the head of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. He kept the issues of ecclesiastical and personal separation before the fellowship and the world at large. Modernism, Neo-evangelicalism and the various doctrinal issues such as the Virgin Birth, a literal interpretation of Scriptures that included revealing those who denied the miracles found in the Bible. I often wonder where his counterparts and others like him are today. The young pastors in evangelical and fundamental churches stick real close to their expository preaching (teaching) and issues are seldom if ever raised. If that is too broad a stroke please let me know but I believe the statement is generally true. If the issues of sin, false teachings and movements are not mentioned how do we expect young Christians to be on guard and protected from the wiles of the devil? If issues are not dealt with in today’s preaching, why not in writings? The “old timers” preached on these things and wrote about them both. Expository preaching doesn’t have to be neglected while dealing with the issues. They can be intermingled, believe it or not! Have issues relating to sins and areas of separation departed from our midst? I think not! Sin continues on an ever-growing scale, as do biblical and moral issues. What is happening is that the prophetic events of the “falling away” as described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 are taking place. We are fearful people will no longer listen to the truth if we don’t stay on a non-confrontational positive presentation. Are we yielding to events of the last day apostasy as mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 that ends with “Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth?” Or perhaps those described in 2 Timothy 4:3 when people “will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears?” I guess I have gone to preaching now but I fear we have taken a considerable departure from yesterdays preaching. One of the benefits of expository preaching is that as you systematically work through you can hit on all the sensitive topics without being accused of preaching at particular people, that is if you give the issues and opportunity to come through, illustrated with current events. There are times when topical preaching is needed but often those areas of need can be fit into the expository messages.
ILLUSTRATIONS – I remember leading one of our church plants through the process of call their first regular pastor. We continued to live in the area and attend the church when we were at home. Sometimes my wife and daughter attended while I was traveling. The young man always had a good Biblical outline but they were a little flat but I said nothing. One day when I was home the pastor called on me and asked my advice on how to find illustrations for his sermons. Since he asked I was free to tell him what he needed to know without offense and I gave a bit of advice that really changed his messages from flat to interesting. I remember having the same problem years earlier. I bought a couple books of illustrations but they didn’t work too well as they were mostly from another age and didn’t fit too well. I finally dumped the books of illustrations having learned there are ample illustrations in every day life. I shared with the young pastor that as he goes about his business, doing his visitation etc., he would have plenty of illustrations if he would just open his eyes to them. He was sharp and began using natural everyday events (and issues) to illustrate his sermons. When you live your life among people as you minister the illustrations will come. Of course you have to be careful to not let what you observe come through as personal, involving individuals that might be hurt or embarrassed.
OBAMA’S TAX BILL – There is not much in Barack Obama’s brief Senatorial experience for him to point to that helps build his case toward elect ability this fall. Recently Barack has sponsored the Global Poverty Act (S.2433) that will force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product or $845,000,000,000.00 on welfare to third-world countries. This could come up for a vote as early as May 24th. U.S. citizens need to wake up and scream to the high heavens about the terrible disaster this would bring on our nation. While your complaining about this one, remember the other tax increases he is for and if your planning to vote for this man this fall, you’d better find someone far better to vote for. Check out Human Events and The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF.ORG) if you want confirmation about this Senate Bill. We aren’t doing too well on many welfare issues that already exist here at home without adding this to monies already going abroad to nations that hate us.
DECLINING DOLLAR – The decline in the value of the dollar is adding to inflation in this country and making it difficult for our missionaries to continue their ministries of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Be much in prayer for them.
ISSUE ORIENTATION – When I started out in ministry Dr. Robert Ketchum was the head of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. He kept the issues of ecclesiastical and personal separation before the fellowship and the world at large. Modernism, Neo-evangelicalism and the various doctrinal issues such as the Virgin Birth, a literal interpretation of Scriptures that included revealing those who denied the miracles found in the Bible. I often wonder where his counterparts and others like him are today. The young pastors in evangelical and fundamental churches stick real close to their expository preaching (teaching) and issues are seldom if ever raised. If that is too broad a stroke please let me know but I believe the statement is generally true. If the issues of sin, false teachings and movements are not mentioned how do we expect young Christians to be on guard and protected from the wiles of the devil? If issues are not dealt with in today’s preaching, why not in writings? The “old timers” preached on these things and wrote about them both. Expository preaching doesn’t have to be neglected while dealing with the issues. They can be intermingled, believe it or not! Have issues relating to sins and areas of separation departed from our midst? I think not! Sin continues on an ever-growing scale, as do biblical and moral issues. What is happening is that the prophetic events of the “falling away” as described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 are taking place. We are fearful people will no longer listen to the truth if we don’t stay on a non-confrontational positive presentation. Are we yielding to events of the last day apostasy as mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 that ends with “Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth?” Or perhaps those described in 2 Timothy 4:3 when people “will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears?” I guess I have gone to preaching now but I fear we have taken a considerable departure from yesterdays preaching. One of the benefits of expository preaching is that as you systematically work through you can hit on all the sensitive topics without being accused of preaching at particular people, that is if you give the issues and opportunity to come through, illustrated with current events. There are times when topical preaching is needed but often those areas of need can be fit into the expository messages.
ILLUSTRATIONS – I remember leading one of our church plants through the process of call their first regular pastor. We continued to live in the area and attend the church when we were at home. Sometimes my wife and daughter attended while I was traveling. The young man always had a good Biblical outline but they were a little flat but I said nothing. One day when I was home the pastor called on me and asked my advice on how to find illustrations for his sermons. Since he asked I was free to tell him what he needed to know without offense and I gave a bit of advice that really changed his messages from flat to interesting. I remember having the same problem years earlier. I bought a couple books of illustrations but they didn’t work too well as they were mostly from another age and didn’t fit too well. I finally dumped the books of illustrations having learned there are ample illustrations in every day life. I shared with the young pastor that as he goes about his business, doing his visitation etc., he would have plenty of illustrations if he would just open his eyes to them. He was sharp and began using natural everyday events (and issues) to illustrate his sermons. When you live your life among people as you minister the illustrations will come. Of course you have to be careful to not let what you observe come through as personal, involving individuals that might be hurt or embarrassed.
OBAMA’S TAX BILL – There is not much in Barack Obama’s brief Senatorial experience for him to point to that helps build his case toward elect ability this fall. Recently Barack has sponsored the Global Poverty Act (S.2433) that will force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product or $845,000,000,000.00 on welfare to third-world countries. This could come up for a vote as early as May 24th. U.S. citizens need to wake up and scream to the high heavens about the terrible disaster this would bring on our nation. While your complaining about this one, remember the other tax increases he is for and if your planning to vote for this man this fall, you’d better find someone far better to vote for. Check out Human Events and The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF.ORG) if you want confirmation about this Senate Bill. We aren’t doing too well on many welfare issues that already exist here at home without adding this to monies already going abroad to nations that hate us.
DECLINING DOLLAR – The decline in the value of the dollar is adding to inflation in this country and making it difficult for our missionaries to continue their ministries of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Be much in prayer for them.
May 2008 #1
CASINOS – Thirty-eight states have casinos and the states surrounding Ohio all have them. We are presently seeing ads promoting a casino for Ohio as though the state was missing something of value and that we are behind the times. The ad tells us that money is leaving Ohio at sixty-five miles an hour. When we were in Oregon for John’s funeral we parked a car in a casino parking area on the way to the coast as we all got into another car to save gas. It was a huge place with a very large parking lot just about packed to capacity on a Sunday afternoon. When we returned from the ocean that evening the casino was brightly lit and the parking lot was still full. People do go to these places in large numbers and most of them lose money doing so. Gambling seldom pays off and those who do win usually turn around and lose it again hoping to win more. Gambling is a sinful way of wasting money. It involves greed, the desire to have or to gain what someone else has. It may also be called covetousness, something the Bible clearly condemns. If people have such access funds to spend (waste) there are many needy projects and hurting people who need help. Further, where there is gambling there is usually criminal corruption. So often they make promises to provide better education or some other social or community benefit, with little actually being so applied while pockets are lined. All to often people who cannot actually afford to lose their money do. Many are the stories of peoples lives ruined by gambling. No, I really don’t think Ohio needs a casino to keep up with the bad standards of surrounding states.
FAMILY UPDATE – My daughter-in-law in Oregon is finally back to work. - Ben’s new heart is doing fine but his kidney’s are giving him some problems. It is difficult getting his rejection meds properly adjusted. – Little Logan is adjusting well to his chemo treatments and will have a new MRI of his brain tumor in a week or so. Your continued prayers for this family are still appreciated. / Betty will get a second treatment of the new chemo on the 15th. I am still wearing a heart monitor and will for 30 days. The irregularity causes me tiredness. A shot of cortisone has eased the pain and swelling some in my knee. So much for the medical reports, thanking you for your prayers.
HATE SPEECH ?? – Friends, going back many years, sent me a commentary on “Faith and Politics” by Bill Tammeus in Kansas. Part of the heading was “Preaching is both a burden and a marvelous opportunity.” Tammeus’s comments related to Sen. Barack Obama and his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. sermons. He also recalled what he referred to as “anti-Catholic hatred” when he was a boy. He also stated: “Throughout Christian history preachers have been free to preach the gospel as they understood it. The task for people hearing sermons is to discern prophetic preaching from hate speech.” I would agree with his assertion that Dr. Wright’s sermons “were not just words about injustice but “expressed a profound distorted view of this country.” Preachers do get themselves into predicaments through their preaching by bad choices of words and sometimes through listeners who misunderstanding their purposes. Having said all this, the word that stood out to me was “hatred.” Wise pastors will avoid giving any impression of “hatred” in their attitudes and expressions but there is more involved here. We have come to a day when Canada has passed laws against “hate speech” that has hampered the ability of pastors and others to make any comparisons between the truths of the Gospel and the different existing religions. Similar laws are being attempted in this country where a pastor could be imprisoned for comparative expressions in their preaching and teaching. I have read of people moving to this country because they could no longer write about and teach their religious differences in Canada. The day may well arrive here as well. Still, I know of no better way of teaching doctrinal truths than by comparing Biblical truth with false doctrines. These new laws will not allow such teaching and that is an attack on our religious freedoms. It is not hate speech to make such distinctions. If I preach and teach against false teachings that go against the Scriptures to protect my congregation, that is not “hate speech,” it is a matter of love to protect people from the false and teachings that lead people into an eternal damnation. We need to be on our guard to not allow such laws to take effect in this country.
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT – David Little, President of Baptist Church Planters graciously stopped in to see us this week on his way through the Columbus area from another stop. It was a delight to see him and to talk about things in common relating to the mission. He brought a potted plant for Betty, something she always enjoys. We rejoiced in the mission’s growth and development in various ethnic ministries. The growing Hispanic ministries are a great delight of God’s blessing. I also mentioned my concern over the declining outreach to African Americans. At one time our mission had a great church planting outreach to African Americans. Several things are causing this, age and retirement without others stepping up to take their places. Another is that a number of our black missionaries have remained with their churches after starting them rather than going on to repeat the process. We really need to be praying for and seeking conservative, fundamental black men to once again recognize the great need in this nation for church planters. One school in the Kansas City area is no longer producing church planters as it once did. There is another area of decline that concerns me. We had a growing ministry to the deaf and that is in decline. Oh, that God would raise up new people to minister in these two areas as they once did for an increase of saved souls and new outreach. PLEASE PRAY WITH US TO THIS END!
MORE ABOUT BLACK MINISTRY – There was a time at Fellowship Baptist Church when a believing African American lady visited our church. I called in the home to encourage her husband to attend with her. He eventually accepted the Lord and I had the privilege of baptizing him. It was my hope and prayer that they might become the nucleus to bring in others. They were not with us long as they came to the conclusion that they wanted their son to grow up in the black culture and moved on. That was such a point of discouragement to me. I might add, that under our present pastors leadership, there have been several other ethnic groups that have become members of our church for which I praise the Lord. It should be our prayer that their numbers increase as we see the multiplicity of different cultures in our area. Let’s not be afraid to make friends with many around us of different cultures in an effort to point them to Christ and our churches.
JEWISH CONCERNS – In the early church Jews and Gentiles alike attended the same churches. For many years now mission agencies have sent out missionaries to reach Jews for Christ, ministering within the culture, but not bringing the two together. I don’t understand why that has been the case. Both are equal in Christ when redeemed.
FAMILY UPDATE – My daughter-in-law in Oregon is finally back to work. - Ben’s new heart is doing fine but his kidney’s are giving him some problems. It is difficult getting his rejection meds properly adjusted. – Little Logan is adjusting well to his chemo treatments and will have a new MRI of his brain tumor in a week or so. Your continued prayers for this family are still appreciated. / Betty will get a second treatment of the new chemo on the 15th. I am still wearing a heart monitor and will for 30 days. The irregularity causes me tiredness. A shot of cortisone has eased the pain and swelling some in my knee. So much for the medical reports, thanking you for your prayers.
HATE SPEECH ?? – Friends, going back many years, sent me a commentary on “Faith and Politics” by Bill Tammeus in Kansas. Part of the heading was “Preaching is both a burden and a marvelous opportunity.” Tammeus’s comments related to Sen. Barack Obama and his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. sermons. He also recalled what he referred to as “anti-Catholic hatred” when he was a boy. He also stated: “Throughout Christian history preachers have been free to preach the gospel as they understood it. The task for people hearing sermons is to discern prophetic preaching from hate speech.” I would agree with his assertion that Dr. Wright’s sermons “were not just words about injustice but “expressed a profound distorted view of this country.” Preachers do get themselves into predicaments through their preaching by bad choices of words and sometimes through listeners who misunderstanding their purposes. Having said all this, the word that stood out to me was “hatred.” Wise pastors will avoid giving any impression of “hatred” in their attitudes and expressions but there is more involved here. We have come to a day when Canada has passed laws against “hate speech” that has hampered the ability of pastors and others to make any comparisons between the truths of the Gospel and the different existing religions. Similar laws are being attempted in this country where a pastor could be imprisoned for comparative expressions in their preaching and teaching. I have read of people moving to this country because they could no longer write about and teach their religious differences in Canada. The day may well arrive here as well. Still, I know of no better way of teaching doctrinal truths than by comparing Biblical truth with false doctrines. These new laws will not allow such teaching and that is an attack on our religious freedoms. It is not hate speech to make such distinctions. If I preach and teach against false teachings that go against the Scriptures to protect my congregation, that is not “hate speech,” it is a matter of love to protect people from the false and teachings that lead people into an eternal damnation. We need to be on our guard to not allow such laws to take effect in this country.
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT – David Little, President of Baptist Church Planters graciously stopped in to see us this week on his way through the Columbus area from another stop. It was a delight to see him and to talk about things in common relating to the mission. He brought a potted plant for Betty, something she always enjoys. We rejoiced in the mission’s growth and development in various ethnic ministries. The growing Hispanic ministries are a great delight of God’s blessing. I also mentioned my concern over the declining outreach to African Americans. At one time our mission had a great church planting outreach to African Americans. Several things are causing this, age and retirement without others stepping up to take their places. Another is that a number of our black missionaries have remained with their churches after starting them rather than going on to repeat the process. We really need to be praying for and seeking conservative, fundamental black men to once again recognize the great need in this nation for church planters. One school in the Kansas City area is no longer producing church planters as it once did. There is another area of decline that concerns me. We had a growing ministry to the deaf and that is in decline. Oh, that God would raise up new people to minister in these two areas as they once did for an increase of saved souls and new outreach. PLEASE PRAY WITH US TO THIS END!
MORE ABOUT BLACK MINISTRY – There was a time at Fellowship Baptist Church when a believing African American lady visited our church. I called in the home to encourage her husband to attend with her. He eventually accepted the Lord and I had the privilege of baptizing him. It was my hope and prayer that they might become the nucleus to bring in others. They were not with us long as they came to the conclusion that they wanted their son to grow up in the black culture and moved on. That was such a point of discouragement to me. I might add, that under our present pastors leadership, there have been several other ethnic groups that have become members of our church for which I praise the Lord. It should be our prayer that their numbers increase as we see the multiplicity of different cultures in our area. Let’s not be afraid to make friends with many around us of different cultures in an effort to point them to Christ and our churches.
JEWISH CONCERNS – In the early church Jews and Gentiles alike attended the same churches. For many years now mission agencies have sent out missionaries to reach Jews for Christ, ministering within the culture, but not bringing the two together. I don’t understand why that has been the case. Both are equal in Christ when redeemed.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
April 2008 #4
BELATED – I didn’t get a “Musing” out last week. If I hurry I may get this out before the month is completely over. Doctor’s appointments and needs that arose at the home such as a garage door opener going bad and our water cooler going out all took time. I was not feeling good with some problems so I went to my doctor for some tests. This Friday they are going to put a heart monitor on me for two weeks and see what is going on as the EKG showed some problems. Getting older does have its problems but it is also a reminder of the better day we look forward to in God’s presence.
STILL TEACHING – Several months ago the pastor of Fellowship Baptist in Dublin, where we attend, decided to start small group Bible studies in different areas. The youth pastor, who works full time at a secular job, was to teach one small group at the church on Wednesdays. He often has to be out of town and I was asked to co-teach with him. I agreed to help by teaching when he had to be away, which I have been doing. I appreciate the opportunity to still share the truths of God’s Word.
SHORT NOTICE PREACHING – In the church where I gained my first opportunities to serve I use to pick up children in my car and take them to Sunday School. When Sunday school was over I would drive them back home. It always made me a little late for the morning service and I recall one Sunday morning returning to see a deacon leading the singing rather than the pastor who usually led the singing. I had no more than sat down by my wife and boys to enjoy the service when the deacon stepped down from the platform and told me the pastor was ill and he needed to take him home and that I would have to preach. I had only preached one other time when the pastor had asked me to preach when he went on vacation. On that occasion I studied for two weeks (not knowing what I was doing) and I ran out of steam (message) after ten minutes. Thankfully I had been reading my Bible and had written some things in the margin of my Bible that became my sermon on short notice. The Lord blessed and the people seemed to enjoy what I had shared. Whether they appreciated it because it was better than nothing I’ll never know, they were gracious. That experience as a young man, when serving as a deacon, led me to something I did a number of times over the years as a pastor. Believing that deacons should be able to step in at a moments notice to meet special needs in the local church, I would prepare a very brief outline of a message: Topic, point 1, 2, 3, 4 and a Scripture verse for each, typed up on separate 3 x 5 cards. Without warning on Sunday evening, just before the service, I would pass those cards out among the deacons and ask them to present that part of the message at sermon time. They had about a half hour during the song service to gather their thoughts from the topic and verse given to present their portion of the sermon. The deacons gained an experience in ministry and we had great fellowship doing this. It also helped prepare the deacons to minister on a moments notice if needed. When you think this through, we are often caught in situations where we need to give an answer for our faith and share a witness among others without warning. Deacons, as well as all believers, are to become familiar with their Bibles and be prepared to witness on a moments notice. So, I utilized such means to get our people thinking and sharing their faith. Who does such a thing in these days when churches demand such professionalism and degrees or doctorates for their pastors? I had to learn to minister through experience and opportunities that my pastor gave me in those early years. Our churches should be giving their people an opportunity to learn and grow spiritually.
PIANISTS – Being a church planter I often struggled to find someone to play the piano as we start a new plant. Neither my wife, nor myself, knew how to play the piano. Music and a pianist are so important to a church and if you don’t have a pianist or a good singer to lead the music, the new church is handicapped. I recall starting the church in Clarinda, Iowa. Shortly after the beginning of our new work a schoolteacher who played the piano came our way. What a blessing. We also had a twelve-year-old girl who was taking piano lessons and she asked me if she could play the piano for us. She had not learned to play hymns yet but I told her if she would promise to practice hymns I would make her my official Sunday School pianist. She meant business for the Lord and just about drove her parents crazy practicing. She made mistakes but we encouraged her and gave her an opportunity to so serve. A warning went out from me to the people to encourage her and to overlook her mistakes, which they did. It wasn’t long until she turned out to be a very nice church pianist. Young people that are willing to endeavor to serve the Lord should be given opportunities to do so. Everything in church does not have to be done by a professional; the church is to be a training center for believers to learn to serve the Savior. New church plants often give people an opportunity to grow and serve (out of necessity) that too seldom happens in larger more established works, seeking a greater degree of professionalism. I suppose, living in a day of polished entertainment via TV, etc., people are expecting the same of their churches and they fail to recognize the local church as a training center where believers can prepare and learn to serve.
GAS PRICES – Thankfully I am not driving the many miles I use to have to drive, with such high gas prices now. I can remember 22 and 23 cents a gallon for gas. The rising gas prices are going to ruin our economy if the government does find a way to bring it under control. At one time I thought maybe ethanol was going to help but the more I think about it, the more I believe it is the wrong direction to take. The cost of its production and what it takes away from the food market is counter productive. There is no way we can meet the need for energy with ethanol. Trying to do so is running up the cost of grains that may lead to shortages and higher prices for food. If the politicians would stop being led around with a ring in their noses by the environmentalist’s cry of global warming, they might come up with a solution. We have plenty of oil available if they will only allow for it to be drilled and if they would allow for the development of new refineries. The huge profits of oil companies are nothing less than greed, pure and simple. Can you imagine the benefits and corrections for this problem if more of those huge profits were being applied to the creation of newer and better energy resources? They advertise they are doing so but the evidence is not any too apparent. If the additives the oil companies are required to put in gasoline to meet the California pollution standards were applied to all the gas produced, there would be better mileage per gallon than we are presently experiencing. But then the oil companies would not be able to sell quite as much gas. Check out the following lengthy inter-net ad: “Gas Secrets” marketing@solitairelogbook.net about additive savings.
STILL TEACHING – Several months ago the pastor of Fellowship Baptist in Dublin, where we attend, decided to start small group Bible studies in different areas. The youth pastor, who works full time at a secular job, was to teach one small group at the church on Wednesdays. He often has to be out of town and I was asked to co-teach with him. I agreed to help by teaching when he had to be away, which I have been doing. I appreciate the opportunity to still share the truths of God’s Word.
SHORT NOTICE PREACHING – In the church where I gained my first opportunities to serve I use to pick up children in my car and take them to Sunday School. When Sunday school was over I would drive them back home. It always made me a little late for the morning service and I recall one Sunday morning returning to see a deacon leading the singing rather than the pastor who usually led the singing. I had no more than sat down by my wife and boys to enjoy the service when the deacon stepped down from the platform and told me the pastor was ill and he needed to take him home and that I would have to preach. I had only preached one other time when the pastor had asked me to preach when he went on vacation. On that occasion I studied for two weeks (not knowing what I was doing) and I ran out of steam (message) after ten minutes. Thankfully I had been reading my Bible and had written some things in the margin of my Bible that became my sermon on short notice. The Lord blessed and the people seemed to enjoy what I had shared. Whether they appreciated it because it was better than nothing I’ll never know, they were gracious. That experience as a young man, when serving as a deacon, led me to something I did a number of times over the years as a pastor. Believing that deacons should be able to step in at a moments notice to meet special needs in the local church, I would prepare a very brief outline of a message: Topic, point 1, 2, 3, 4 and a Scripture verse for each, typed up on separate 3 x 5 cards. Without warning on Sunday evening, just before the service, I would pass those cards out among the deacons and ask them to present that part of the message at sermon time. They had about a half hour during the song service to gather their thoughts from the topic and verse given to present their portion of the sermon. The deacons gained an experience in ministry and we had great fellowship doing this. It also helped prepare the deacons to minister on a moments notice if needed. When you think this through, we are often caught in situations where we need to give an answer for our faith and share a witness among others without warning. Deacons, as well as all believers, are to become familiar with their Bibles and be prepared to witness on a moments notice. So, I utilized such means to get our people thinking and sharing their faith. Who does such a thing in these days when churches demand such professionalism and degrees or doctorates for their pastors? I had to learn to minister through experience and opportunities that my pastor gave me in those early years. Our churches should be giving their people an opportunity to learn and grow spiritually.
PIANISTS – Being a church planter I often struggled to find someone to play the piano as we start a new plant. Neither my wife, nor myself, knew how to play the piano. Music and a pianist are so important to a church and if you don’t have a pianist or a good singer to lead the music, the new church is handicapped. I recall starting the church in Clarinda, Iowa. Shortly after the beginning of our new work a schoolteacher who played the piano came our way. What a blessing. We also had a twelve-year-old girl who was taking piano lessons and she asked me if she could play the piano for us. She had not learned to play hymns yet but I told her if she would promise to practice hymns I would make her my official Sunday School pianist. She meant business for the Lord and just about drove her parents crazy practicing. She made mistakes but we encouraged her and gave her an opportunity to so serve. A warning went out from me to the people to encourage her and to overlook her mistakes, which they did. It wasn’t long until she turned out to be a very nice church pianist. Young people that are willing to endeavor to serve the Lord should be given opportunities to do so. Everything in church does not have to be done by a professional; the church is to be a training center for believers to learn to serve the Savior. New church plants often give people an opportunity to grow and serve (out of necessity) that too seldom happens in larger more established works, seeking a greater degree of professionalism. I suppose, living in a day of polished entertainment via TV, etc., people are expecting the same of their churches and they fail to recognize the local church as a training center where believers can prepare and learn to serve.
GAS PRICES – Thankfully I am not driving the many miles I use to have to drive, with such high gas prices now. I can remember 22 and 23 cents a gallon for gas. The rising gas prices are going to ruin our economy if the government does find a way to bring it under control. At one time I thought maybe ethanol was going to help but the more I think about it, the more I believe it is the wrong direction to take. The cost of its production and what it takes away from the food market is counter productive. There is no way we can meet the need for energy with ethanol. Trying to do so is running up the cost of grains that may lead to shortages and higher prices for food. If the politicians would stop being led around with a ring in their noses by the environmentalist’s cry of global warming, they might come up with a solution. We have plenty of oil available if they will only allow for it to be drilled and if they would allow for the development of new refineries. The huge profits of oil companies are nothing less than greed, pure and simple. Can you imagine the benefits and corrections for this problem if more of those huge profits were being applied to the creation of newer and better energy resources? They advertise they are doing so but the evidence is not any too apparent. If the additives the oil companies are required to put in gasoline to meet the California pollution standards were applied to all the gas produced, there would be better mileage per gallon than we are presently experiencing. But then the oil companies would not be able to sell quite as much gas. Check out the following lengthy inter-net ad: “Gas Secrets” marketing@solitairelogbook.net about additive savings.
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