A Note for Travelling

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

- Deuteronomy 31:6

"Here Be Dragons"

There is a myth* that ancient map-makers would put an elaborate picture of a dragon and the label "Here Be Dragons" on uncharted areas of ancient maps. (I personally sometimes use that phrase to address topics I think are better left alone.) This map label is an interesting response to a case where someone found the problem of limited information. We encounter this same problem when we study God's Word.

There are many areas in Scripture where there isn't sufficient information to fully discern particular aspects of reality or God's plans for the future. Like the old map-makers, ("cartographers" for the tediously precise,) in these cases we have two options:

Speculate Upon (Make Up) the Unknown Details.
How many cases do we see people defending doctrines and scriptural speculations, (often, figuratively, "to the death") on questions where the Bible does not forthrightly provide information. (Example: Anyone want to argue pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, or amillenialism?)

Just Admit that You Don't Know. (Post Dragon Warnings!)
By admitting that we don't know we are spared the tedious discussions and arguments as answers are inferred for areas of interest. We can just move on to acting on the information that is given plainly.

It's interesting to note that the Bible doesn't leave any gaps in the information when it comes to the topic of what we are to be doing and how we are to be living. (A message there, perhaps?) Aren't problems usually found because people are not acting on the directions that have been given, rather that bad acts caused by incomplete instructions?

Yes, we can also always benefit from examination of Scripture. Theologiocal speculations have a place, sometimes an important place, but that place is after obedience to our Lord's commands.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

May I suggest that a key word here is "work", not "talk". Too often speculations on obscure areas of theology take a higher priority than following the plain instructions we've been given for how to live as followers of Christ.

For further information: Consult Your Father.

* _{To learn more about this myth, "Google" the phrase "Here be Dragons on old maps". The results are interesting if you like such things.}

Philippians

On the advice of a very dear friend, I started a study of the book of Philippians a couple of weeks ago. I’ve spent most of my most devoted study in the Old Testament and I have always found many of the writings of Paul somewhat inaccessible. I’ve never been that bothered because the gospel is so wonderfully presented in the Old Testament. I have naturally gravitated toward that area and to those epistles that are structured similarly to the Old Testament context.

But I picked up a McGee commentary on Philippians and hove to. The book has opened up like a flower, praise God! What a wonderful letter! Thank you Father!

Paul's Little Stinger

The book of Philippians is a love letter from Paul to Christians who hold a special place in Paul’s heart. But, in a passage commending Timothy to the Philippians, Paul sticks in this little stinger about believers at other churches. Referring to Timothy, Paul says:

“I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

- Philippians 2:20-21

"…everyone looks out for his own interests…" Oh, how that arrow strikes home in my heart. How much of American Christianity is founded on the concept of “As soon as I’ve gotten mine, I’ll spent some time serving God.”

`Amazing how that mindset makes true servitude impossible. First, rare indeed is the person who ”arrives” at a point that they can turn wholly to God, and then, even if they do, they are constrained by the limit of only serving God only to that extent which leaves their financial security intact.

Can we truly follow God if God has to follow any other thing in our lives?

Any Chance We're Getting a Little Loose with Scripture These Days?

Today I picked up my copy of "The Guys with Greying Dark Brown Hair Named Vearl Who Live in Northwestern Arizona and Work at a Bank Daily Chronological Study Bible" (NBRISV* with snap enclosure and the "Robin's Egg Blue", soft-touch faux leather cover)...

Enough said?

_{NBRISV: That's the "New Bankers Revised International Standard Version" translation...}

More from The Berean Call.

They titled today's newletter, "Distinguishing Christians"

"Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, [living in such places] as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers...They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives...they are reviled and bless."

-Author unknown,
written to an inquirer named
Diognetus in the 2nd century

_{Quoted in The Berean Call's daily newsletter, "TBC Today", February 18, 2009.
To subscribe go to The Berean Call}

Music Ministry?

All my life my Mother has been a church pianist/organist. I love listening to the words and the music of the old, standard hymns. Some of the old hymns are also really effective at teaching the Bible. I believe the old hymns have great value.

On the other hand my grandfather belonged to a Church of Christ that allowed no instruments beyond the human voice. The special, accapella music they sang at his funeral is still with me today. But I always have thought that banning all instruments is "a little uptight." I mean instruments and music are in the Bible, right? So what's the problem? Grumpy old-Farts?

Today, after visiting church after church, I see large portions of the services are built around mood music with self-aggrandizing lyrics. The music is often in a format that that is centered on the musicians rather than God. Many musical pieces involve repeating the same phrase repeatedly in a manner akin to chanting. Whether whipping the congregation into a frenzy or creating a calm serenity the music appears intended control and manipulate moods.

The average church service today has 2 to 7 minutes of God's Word followed by 15-25 minutes of illustration on that passage. We spend about 3 to 5 minutes of prayer and 3 to 5 minutes on announcements. The rest of the time, the majority of the time, is spent on music.

Y'know, there isn't much time for worship in today's worship service. I've really started to wonder if my grandfather's church didn't have it right.

Is it possible that banning musicians is the only way to curb the self-centeredness and ambition in music ministries? Have past generations found that banning musicians and music programs is the only way to curb this problem? In other periods in history the church has disallowed all music other than the singing of scripture. Was this a response to similar problems?

Or maybe I'm just ahead of the curve on my Old Fart Development program... I've always been outstanding in my field... (...me and Nebuchadnezzer, y-know!)

More soon...

More from those Wascally Wabbits at the Berean Call

Today's Update

"Not called!" did you say?

"Not heard the call," I think you should say!

Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there.

And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."

- William Booth (1829 - 1912)
British Methodist preacher
Founder of the Salvation Army

_{Quoted in The Berean Call's daily newsletter February 10, 2009.
To subscribe go to The Berean Call}

Why You Go To Hell

In keeping with my recent post about "Getting People Lost, so You Can Get'm Saved" I have often encountered an argument that just blows my mind, but it is a common misconception based upon the regular faulty transmission of "the gospel" as portrayed by the dominant media culture and cults.

"God wouldn't/couldn't/shouldn't send me to Hell,
I'm not a BAD person!"

Silly Rabbit! You won't go to Hell because you're BAD! You'll go to Hell because you CHOSE to!

We all like to quote wonderful John 3:16...

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

- John 3:16 NIV

But don't overlook John 3:17 - 19 because it tells you why you'll go to Hell!

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil

- John 3:17-19 NIV

You will have no complaint against the Lord God Almighty if you end up in Hell. God made the path as open and free as anything you will ever see offered in this life.

Make no mistake: if you end up in Hell, it'll be because you insisted on going there. Know that now!

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

- 2 Peter 3:9

An Order of Worshipful Worship

A couple months ago our church was having a "special emphasis" Sunday where they were stressing a particular point. They gave the service over to a different format that went something like this:

You came into the sanctuary and the lights were low and music was softly playing. A fabric screen was stretched across the front of the church so that the musicians were not in view. A person came out and introduced the service, welcomed the worshippers and guests and, quickly gave the announcements. Then they referred to the projection screen, (we use one for all of that "praise" music that gets sung,) and asked us to be prayerful and led in prayer and worship by what was on the screen.

From that point on the service was mainly just scripture coming up on the screen followed by a point or question (also on the screen) and you sat in the dark and followed along and prayed and communed with God. Music continued to play from behind the screen and this continued for the entire service. It was you and a room full of brothers and sisters seeking the face of God. It was amazing and wonderful.

At the end, after being dismissed, I stood up and said to myself, "Y'know, I worshipped more this morning than I probably have in any 3 months' worth of regular services."

I genuinely love my church, many of the people and the ministries there. However, if I knew a (doctrinally sound, Bible-believing) church that used this form of worship every Sunday I would have to seriously consider leaving my current church to join it.

It was a thinker.

23?

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

- Michael Phelps,
Olympic Medalist,
upon being unmasked
as an illicit drug user.

I'm from West Virginia. Many of the old stereotypes are no longer valid, but I have met people who were married and parents at age 13. I've known people who took over the support of their family at a very early age following the death of a father. "Responsibility" comes to a person when they accept it, no matter what the age.

Some of my greatest regrets in this life are reflections upon my past irresponsibilities. I've learned, sometimes to my own chagrin, that personal integrity, responsibility and character are not biological functions nor a product of experience. Like all, I hope to do better, (and I'm 46 years old.)

In my lifetime I've watched the age of accountability go from 16 to 18. It used to be accepted that by 16 years old a person should have begun to think and act somewhat as an adult. Then we began believing that High School graduates were too immature to be held responsible for their actions. Next we started treating 20 year olds as victims of their youthful judgment. Now we're to accept the age of accountability is after the age 23?

Sure, we all know that Michael Phelps' statement is a simple lie attempting to do damage control on the tens of millions of dollars of product endorsements that might be effected by the revelation of his conduct. The irony of his statement claiming "youthful" "bad judgment" is that it is a finely polished piece of cynical and calculated damage control.

Phelps' statement appears to take responsibility, while avoiding it entirely. If Phelps had turned himself in to the police and asked to be charged for drug possession while making that statement... That would've impressed me... a lot! His actions would then have given his words, these same words, a much different meaning. (Forgive me. I live in a dream world.)

I've had a great deal of contact with top tier "amateur" (or, according to Phelps, "amature",) swimmers and there is nothing about Phelps' behavior that is inconsistent with that experience. Following that time I came to agree with Charles Barkley's "I'm not a role model" campaign that says we should look to different areas other than sports for examples or those to give our respect. Is the problem the atheletes, the people who worship them or both? We don't have time for that discussion.

I can't believe that we are to be willing participants in saying that an exceptionally accomplished, well educated, professionally-advised 23 year old is too immature to be held responsible for his actions. If this is true, (as many in the media appear to wish,) then there is no accountability at all.

Oh well, as usual there's nothing new here, either. We always have wanted to avoid responsibility and find another place to put the blame:

“The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

- Adam,
upon being unmasked as
a forbidden fruit muncher.

As they say back in West Virginia, "We came by it honest."

The Boss

I'm sitting here watching the SuperBowl halftime show by Bruce Springsteen. It takes me back to a roommate I had in college. Bobby was a BIG big BIG Bruce fan. Bobby would have loved that show.

Bobby was in a wheel chair due to the progressive terminal illness that would eventually kill him. We lived in the "wheel chair wing" of our dorm. We had a couple of born-again Christians living across the hall from us.

One of the fellas across the hall, (who, like me, was not in a wheelchair,) was a charismatic young man who was a leader in a local university student ministry. He used to tell the fellows in wheelchairs that "If you have enough faith, God will take you out of that chair." Watching the guys in chairs trying to earn their healing by "believing harder" was one of the cruelest things I've ever seen in my life.

If you're confined in a chair for life, there is nothing you want more than to be freed from that confinement. To attribute it to a spiritual deficiency in addition to a physical limitation was just horrible. It was just one of those cases where a young person can be so right they can't help being wrong. I guess we've all been there in our own ways. But when I think of Bobby, my fur still get up a little bit about that incident.

Tonight, 24 years later, I realize what I should have told that guy across the hall back then: "If YOUR faith was sufficient you'd be able to heal them." (Hey! Peter just had to be asked!)

It didn't need to be said. I need to get over it...

(However, this does set a personal record for "Longest time after the fact to think of the perfect comeback.")