Good words from Kansas
Servants of God,
“Do not be deceived my beloved brothers. Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights... View MoreGood words from Kansas
Servants of God,
“Do not be deceived my beloved brothers. Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights
with whom there is variation or shadow due to change.”
-James 1:16,17
Among the first things parents ordinarily try to teach a child is how to say please and thank you. These are civilizing words. They help the child know that the blessings and benefits of life should be recognized and properly acknowledged. Ungrateful and entitled children are annoying little creatures. It only gets worse with age. An ungrateful and entitled adult can leave a trail of broken relationships punctuated with complaining and the claims of victimhood. They often heap blame on others while refusing to take personal responsibility. Can you imagine a world filled with people like that? Well, have you looked around lately?
One of the things that happens to us when we experience spiritual new birth is that we begin to understand that God our Creator is the source of all good and that every benefit we receive comes from His generous hand. Teaching children to be thankful is part of bringing them to the knowledge of God and to their need for reconciliation to God.
The founders of our nation understood that God was the source of blessings. When the Plymouth pilgrims survived that first brutal year of sickness and death, they were able to harvest a crop. In response to being alive and having a harvest, they gave thanks to God. As the colonist sought to become an independent nation, they sought God’s guidance and repeatedly gave thanks to God who preserved them. During times of war Presidents Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt made official Presidential Proclamations and called the nation’s citizens to repentance and to render thanksgiving to God.
Since World War II our nation has experienced a period of economic blessing of unparalleled magnitude in human history. Since that time our nation has become increasingly secular and self-centered. Each year the thanksgiving holiday has become less important to the American people. The holiday is marked by gorging on turkey and football and perhaps a nod to being thankful in some generic and non-specific manner. Then there is an insane head-long rush into the hedonistic revelry of black Friday. If we think this is a genuine thanksgiving, we are deceiving ourselves.
A lack of genuine thankfulness brings consequences. Ungrateful people are people who invite God’s judgment. Romans 1 teaches that humans who do not honor God and do not give thanks to God begin to lose their minds and to abuse their bodies. Increasingly we are seeing both of those things in our culture. If ever there was a time when Christians need to recalibrate our hearts to God via genuine thanksgiving, it is now.
It is not just children who need to be thankful. Being thankful reorients us to the glorious goodness and tender mercies of God. Christians are people who know that God owes us nothing and yet out of His great love He has showered us with all good things. Our supreme blessing is the privilege of being saved. God has plucked us out of darkness and placed us into the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). Through faith in Jesus Christ God has reconciled us to Himself. Genuine Christian faith involves having our hearts and minds recalibrated by the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the ways we show that we truly belong to Jesus is by humbly giving thanks for who God is and what God has done. This recalibration of the heart helps keep us from being deceived.
My prayer for each of us is that we will take time to give thanks and that we will call others to join us in the robust worship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as individuals and families.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you dear saints.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas
Servants of God,
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to ... View MoreGood words from Kansas
Servants of God,
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…”
-2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Which war is most important? Is it the one in Ukraine? How about the war in Gaza? In reality these are shadows of the true war—the war between God and the forces of darkness. If you are like me, you find it hard to decide what to be most concerned about. The human trafficking and fentanyl flood grieves me. The wanton destruction of innocent human life through abortion makes me sick. The horrible fascination with death and darkness that surrounds Halloween saddens me. I could go on and you could too. All these things are aspects of the real war—the spiritual war against God. Years ago, Dr. Henry Morris wrote a book about what he called “The long War Against God.” In it, Morris detailed the vile consequences of rejecting biblical truth about creation and the Creator. He argues that communism, Nazism and racism (and much more) can be traced to a rejection of the sovereignty of God.
In a world gone mad, Christians must realize the true nature of the battle. We are called to wage war, but not with guns and bombs (2 Cor.10:3-6). We must go after the source of the chaos and carnage. The real battle is in the spiritual realm. If we want true peace in Ukraine, Israel or in the United States, we must refuse to put our primary emphasis anywhere except in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I believe the U.S. should aid and encourage Israel, but neither we nor Israel is entitled to act rashly or with unbridled military power. God is concerned about righteousness in every arena of life including military action.
America is reeling and wobbling morally. I do not trust the leadership of our nation to make wise decisions. I hate to say that, but I know I am not alone. As a nation, we are in grave danger of a financial collapse which could easily bring social chaos. As belief in law-and-order wanes, our national wisdom shrinks and our national will weakens. The notion of equal justice under the law is fading fast. Our military now resembles what was once said of the British forces “an army of lions led by donkeys.” No nation can deny and disregard God without reaping the whirlwind of disaster. Sending bombs, bullets or care packages overseas is not enough to deal with the true issue—the hatred of God and the disregard of God’s right to rule over the entire world.
President Biden recently called for the United States to be the “arsenal of democracy” and tried to make the case for the U.S. as the “indispensable” nation. This sort of neocon talk is bellicose at best and idolatrous at worst. Biden also argued that America’s economy is helped by the manufacture of more arms to be sent overseas. No doubt the major arms manufactures are richer, but the American taxpayer is poorer. All this betrays a naïveté unbecoming of a responsible national leader. We have bullied our way with impunity across the Middle East for decades. We could have fostered the spread of the gospel in that region of the world. Instead, we have angered and disrespected most of the nations we have dealt with. Such arrogant behavior has not gone unnoticed. People in that part of the world (unlike Americans) have long memories.
The Muslim nations of the Middle East are not the same backward countries they were a few decades ago. Both Iran and Turkey are manifestly dangerous and need to be treated with respect. We might want to recall that most of the 911 terrorists were Saudis. A wise nation would be most careful when the stakes are highest.
Technology has changed our world. Rather than beat our national chest and deploy more aircraft carriers, we might want to consider that naval warfare is changing. In reality, there are now two kinds of ships: submarines and targets. Americans are liable to wake up one morning to the horrifying reality that hypersonic missiles and inexpensive but lethal drones have reshaped the battlefield. Military power, used righteously can be a good thing. Waging endless war and blustering about it is not wise. It is a sign of a sick and faltering nation.
I hope you will join me in praying for peace and for the spread of the righteous reign and rule of Jesus. Plato reputedly said, “only the dead have seen the end of war.” We could well add, “only the saved know which war is truly worth waging.”
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas
Servants of God,
Recently my wife and I took a 3,000-mile road trip. In part we were taking time to reflect on what will soon be (God willing) fifty years of marriage. We ... View MoreGood words from Kansas
Servants of God,
Recently my wife and I took a 3,000-mile road trip. In part we were taking time to reflect on what will soon be (God willing) fifty years of marriage. We spent several days with family and a few days as a couple seeing some sites and traveling some roads just because we had the time and the inclination. One thing became evident, we live in a wonderfully beautiful and diverse country with an amazing history. Repeatedly we remarked to each other about the beauty and bounty of the land as we traveled along secondary roads—particularly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. God truly has shed his grace on this land and on us as a people. We have much to be thankful for. It was a delightful trip with many interesting stops, but we always knew that when the journey was over our desired destination would be…home. A trip needs a purpose and a final destination.
It is important for the American Church to make our journey through the here and now in a purposeful manner and we must always keep in mind where we are headed. Is the purpose of our earthly existence to escape trouble and to find ease and comfort? Or is it to live in a manner that exalts Jesus Christ and to call as many people as possible to be reconciled to God? Eternity with God is our ultimate destination but right here and right now counts too. Even a cursory view of the news these days reveals that we are living in troubled times. The challenges our nation faces call for a people to have clear moral principles and the will to do what is pleasing to God and helpful to our fellow humans.
The land we live in remains a beautiful setting but the beliefs of the people of the land are growing increasingly worrisome. Americans, not so long ago, were largely a Christian (or at least a Christianized) people. We knew there was a God to whom we owed allegiance and to whom we would give an account for our lives. We also knew there were rules to live by. Treating other humans with dignity and respect was our spiritual duty. That no longer appears to be the dominant view.
The recent show of support among American liberal politicians and academics for the terrorist organization Hamas, coupled with condemnation of Israel, is a troubling sign that our nation is losing its moral compass. When murder and kidnapping are no longer condemned but excused as justified actions, we are watching a dangerous development. The war in Israel calls for clear thinking and bedrock moral principles. The world is one or two bad decisions from a catastrophic conflagration. As a nation, we need strong and godly principles to guide us. Unfortunately, our culture appears to be headed in the opposite direction.
As Christianity wanes among the American population, belief in false gods waxes. There is no such thing as a non-religious people. We move either toward or away from a right relationship with our Creator, the true and living God. Sadly, we are slouching toward Gomorrah. Abortion, the rite of killing a baby to improve the life of the mother, is not unlike the practices of ancient pagans. The headlong pursuit of sexual abominations mirrors the practices in ancient pagan temples. As we traveled, we noticed a plethora of billboard advertisements inviting travelers to visit haunted houses and other ghoulish destinations. The dominant themes in all of them were blood, death, chaos and fear.
The message of the gospel is that God, through Jesus Christ, can bring life from death and order from the chaos of sin and self-exaltation. The American church has waffled and weakened on matters of morality because we have given up on the authority of the Bible. God has spoken to us, but we have refused to listen and obey. Christians, without the vigor of Holy Spirit given convictions, have lost the influence of being salt and light. The nation has moved faster and further into spiritual darkness. When Christians held to a high view of marriage families were more stable. When Christians opposed gambling there were fewer people wasting hard-earned resources believing that blessings come via chance. When Christians refused government handouts and valued hard work, there was less government dependence and more vigorous labor. The pursuit of the good, the true and the beautiful has been replaced with the exaltation of human desire for fleshly pleasures and the love of life has yielded to the exaltation of the world, the flesh and the devil. Christians are called to be the light of the world. We are called to challenge lies with the truth and to pursue lives that are “… self-controlled, upright and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12).
Our lives on this planet are a journey. John Bunyan’s great Christian classic calls it the Pilgrim’s Progress. That journey was headed toward the celestial city. Christians used to sing “We’re marching to Zion, the beautiful city of God.” The old negro spiritual spoke of going home to live with God. Christians must remember that while we are on the journey, we must strive to do the will of God. And we must never forget that we are headed toward a real destination—the new Jerusalem.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reig... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots….
18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.’ ”
-1 Kings 8:10,11 & 18
No doubt you have heard the warning: Be careful what you wish for because you might get it! Ancient Israel demanded that they have a king. The prophet (and judge) Samuel, at the direction of God, told the people they would have a king. Then he laid out what that would mean. He told them that the monarch would become increasingly harsh and demanding. He warned that rather than gaining from a human king, it would end up in the king taking from them. He said that the king would take the best from them and reallocate those good things to increase his own power and wealth. This is the inevitable trajectory of human government throughout history. The only truly trustworthy ruler is God and humanity regularly refuses God’s rule and God’s rules (His revealed instruction for life). America’s bloated federal government is a monster that is eating its citizens’ life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
As our nation grows increasingly secular, it takes more and more wealth and freedom from the citizens that fund it and like the ancient kings, allocates it to the advantage of those in power. The longer Americans fail to demand responsible fiscal behavior, the longer the charade continues. Particularly at the federal level, the government is careening toward disaster. You only have to consider the current rhubarb over funding the government to see this in action. Almost everyone knows that the federal government’s spending is out of control but the current crop of politicians does not have the will to stop the madness. Because this is God’s universe, eventually it will all come to its inevitable (and painful) end. Politicians keep feeding the public lies and obfuscations hoping they will be dead before the economic piper demands payment.
All of life is spiritual and there is no such thing as spiritual neutrality. A truly secular nation is an atheistic nation. Any nation that denies God is sowing to the wind and will reap the inevitable whirlwind. Spending money is a profoundly moral act. So is mowing your yard or feeding your cat. Nothing escapes accountability to God. Christians know that everything—even mundane things like eating and drinking have significant potential to bring glory to God or to steal His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). As believers we must live in accord with that reality and speak of it whenever God brings us an opportunity.
The consequences of irresponsible behavior, whether it is financial, educational, sexual or anything else, usually come gradually until they come suddenly (to borrow from Steinbeck) with disastrous suffering and sorrow. Jesus came that we might have abundant life and that comes only when our trust is in Him and our guidance for life is from Him. So, all of us need to be careful wishing for the government to do too much for us. It just might.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
-Jesus (Matthew 6)
Is it okay to be a stick-in-the-mud? That phrase is not often considered a complement, but I think we should happily be sticks-in-the-mud if doing otherwise is to compromise truth and dishonor God. Some things (like the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture) are worth holding on to no matter what the crowd around us might say or do.
Recently the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who holds the second-highest position in the Church of England said that the Lord’s Prayer is “problematic” because it uses the term, Father. He believes victims of abuse by a father (or some other man) can be harmed by being forced to think of God as father. He is not alone in such foolishness. It has become something of a spectator sport to see how much you can deny and denigrate the church while still claiming to be a part of it. Much of the media find it exciting and cutting edge to publicize heresy and laud heretics. It is all so progressive…don’t you know!
The last fifty years or so there has been a concerted effort to update, modernize and gin up the Christian faith. Parallel to that effort has come a moral degradation and collapse of church attendance. Could it be that in giving up solid and proven beliefs and practices the church has poisoned itself with changes that cannot bear the theological freight the way the old ways could?
The American mainline churches have rushed to embrace both female and homosexual clergy. Now they are scrambling to include transexual clergy. As they throw the front door of the church open to the unorthodox and the heretical, their members who still believe in the God of the Bible are going out the back door in search of something theologically solid. If you wonder why the United States has gone into such a steep moral nosedive you might consider that the Bible teaches that God grants a blessing for those who love Him and a curse for those who hate and reject Him.
The unregenerate world cannot abide the idea that God is both a Creator and the true Father of his children. Evolution is not a scientific fact; it is a religious and philosophical theory. It is a belief system that rejects God’s rightful claim on the universe. It demands allegiance to a made-up explanation for the universe. Christianity relies on the Bible as God’s revelation, to give us a plausible and reasonable explanation for all that exists. One relies on human speculation and the denial of observable reality; the other relies on revelation from God and careful observation of the same reality. We all have the same facts to observe. How we observe them depends on our core beliefs.
The Bible makes it clear that the universe is created, not accidental. The binary reality of male and female is undeniable to the rational mind. Fathers matter as do mothers and they both exist to image and to bring glory to God the Heavenly Father.
No amount of denial of the Fatherhood of God will make God go away. No fairy tale idea of God is sufficient to explain His sovereign and providential rule and reign. Heresy is not new and improved Christianity; it is heresy.
Christians must hold to sound biblical doctrine and proclaim even more boldly the fatherhood of our loving and beautiful Heavenly Father. In addition, we should pray that Archbishop Cottrell and his ilk will repent.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Enjoy life with the wife whom you love…because
that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.”... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Enjoy life with the wife whom you love…because
that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.”
-Ecclesiastes 9:9
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;”
-1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Yesterday, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful day together. We left home early. By the time our heads hit the pillow we had driven several hours, attended the funeral of a dear brother in Christ, visited with family and friends, taken a short detour to see a gorgeous new church building, bought cat food, shopped at a thrift store, viewed a movie and shared a nice meal after the show before making our way back home. It was a good and full day that was a gift from God. Life is supposed to be good and full. More often than not, it is, but this life is not our final destination. It is a gift from God when we share a day filled with good things because it portends something much better that is coming for the saints of God.
For most people, marriage is the context for a good life. I am on a personal crusade to try to convince as many young men as possible that the most significant thing they are likely to do is to marry a Christian girl and form a family to the glory of God. No job or accrued fortune is likely to give a young man a fraction of the joy and satisfaction that a godly wife and children will bring him.
As we sat at our table last night, I could not help but remember that nearly fifty years ago when we were college students and newly married in Manhattan, we used to go to the Palace Drug Store in Aggieville on a Sunday evening to share a meal. In those days it was our habit to buy one egg salad sandwich and a coke which we then shared. All these years later, there is nothing I enjoy more than a simple meal shared with the wife I love. I could not have imagined our shared life with all its twists, turns and challenges, but God could, and I am so very thankful for the journey.
We went to see the movie “Sound of Freedom” starring Jim Caviezel. It is based on the true story of Tim Ballard, a man who has been involved in rescuing enslaved children and working to expose the evil networking of human sex trafficking.
Many in the leftist press have been trying to denigrate the film and paint Caviezel, Ballard and those in their influence as extremist and charged them with exaggerating the sex slavery issue. They do this in part because they tacitly endorse this dark and perverted reality. Part of why our nation’s Southern border is so open is because individuals at the highest level of our federal government are in sympathy with the sexual perversions fueled by the availability of hundreds of thousands of young boys and girls whose identities cannot be traced once they enter the country illegally. The open border policy creates a pedophile’s paradise. It is criminal that children can be bought and sold in such a way that no one can prove the identity of the children or that they even existed. The number of humans in slavery today is greater than any time in recorded history and our federal government’s policies make much of the sex slavery possible.
Christians need to teach and model godly behavior—including godly sexual behavior. If you have believed the lie that Christians should never discuss or engage in politics, you are inadvertently helping fuel the evil of sexual perversion that is destroying precious children and tearing apart the social fabric of our nation. Believing such lies helps to keep criminals from being held accountable. God calls each Christian to do what we can to promote good and to hinder and thwart evil. I urge you to see the film and to pray, inform others and work to be part of the resistance to the sex slavery trade.
People with families know they must work and teach today so that tomorrow will be safe for the generations that follow us. Even if my wife and I live long lives, we do not have much longer to live on this earth. We want to give our time, energy and resources to fighting evil and promoting good. Every conversation matters. Every letter or email or post on social media matters. Every contribution to a righteous cause makes a difference. As Christians we must all use our ordinary daily opportunities to bring honor to Jesus and hope and help to our fellow human beings.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
From my daily devotional today.
Romans 2:1-16
Enjoy a radical life change
God loves you. He wants the very best for your life. He does not want you to mess up your life. Sin takes us ‘on a dark spir... View MoreFrom my daily devotional today.
Romans 2:1-16
Enjoy a radical life change
God loves you. He wants the very best for your life. He does not want you to mess up your life. Sin takes us ‘on a dark spiral downwards’ (v.1, MSG). ‘God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change’ (v.4, MSG).
Paul speaks of the ‘wrath’ of God (vv.5,8). This is God’s loving, righteous anger against sin. But Paul does not begin with the ‘wrath’ of God. He begins with ‘the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience’ (v.4). God is love. His anger is the very last resort – for those who are ‘self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil’ (v.😎.
God loves everyone. He ‘does not show favouritism’ (v.11). He loves both Jew and Gentile alike. God is impartial. He is a righteous judge.
All of us have sinned and have no excuse: ‘Every time you criticise someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanours’ (v.1, MSG).
It is so easy to judge other people about the very things we do ourselves. We tend to look at ourselves through rose-tinted glasses and look at everyone else through a magnifying glass. A judgmental mind focuses on what is wrong with others, rather than on what is right.
The opening five books of the Old Testament establish God’s relationship with his people and give instructions on how to live. But ‘merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands’ (v.13, MSG). So all of us will be judged by what we know. For some, that will be God’s law, for others their own consciences: ‘Something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong’ (v.15, MSG).
All of us need to repent. God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance. The moment you repent and turn to God, you get another chance, the possibility of a new life. Repentance is not just about turning away from sin but turning towards God.
Lord, forgive me for the times when I judge others. Thank you that every day is an opportunity for a new start, another chance.
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
-Hebrews 4:11
Don’t fall for lies. Those touting a new and improved version of Christianity that includes openly practicing sin while claiming to be believers in Jesus are doing the devil’s work. The Christian life is a daily battle for truth and the glory of God. Christians must engage the enemy of our souls here and now in the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we are right to long for the true promised land—the future state when we will experience true rest in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As part of our devotion time this morning my wife and I sang “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks”. It’s an old song that helps the believer think about and long for heaven. It describes the Christian life as a longing for the true Canaan land of eternal rest in the presence of our great God and Savior. It reminds the singer that our full and complete spiritual treasures exist in the presence of God—not this broken world.
After devotions I opened my computer and was immediately greeted by a barrage of anti-God and anti-Christian ads. The screen seemed to be a patchwork quilt of false claims against God and His people. One ad attacked the biblical account of creation as a myth and offered the scientific “proof” of evolution based on millions of years. Another proclaimed the glories of transgenderism. Several others offered praises of the world, the flesh and the devil. I have seen this sort of demonic propaganda before, but I do not recall seeing so many similar ads together. I am certain that there is a web-based algorithm driving it and some demonic being behind the veil controlling it. Our battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6).
Christians know that the Christian life is spiritual warfare, but I have noticed a recent change in the battlefield. Not so long ago it was the atheists and unbelievers who ranted and raved against Jesus and His church. Lately, it has become popular for individuals who claim to be Christians (or that they were “formally” Christian) to denigrate the Bible and attack Christian cultural traditions and institutions. Sometimes these people are the children of high-profile pastors or other Christian leaders.
The most vicious attacks on the church are now being leveled by men and women who claim to be enlightened beyond the gospel truths that Christians have held for centuries. It is not unusual to read of some fantastic “hidden” or “lost” book of the Bible that these enemies of the cross tout as newly discovered. Perhaps you have noticed that it has recently become fashionable to claim to be a “gay-Christian” or a “transgender-Christian.” More alarming is that many Christians are now finding it convenient to claim to be “allies” with those who are in open rebellion against the Creator God. Too many inside the church appear to glory in playing “dog pile on the rabbit” with the bride of Christ and it is disgusting.
I suspect they have swallowed the lie that being critical of the church will keep the spiritual barbarians from attacking them. It is a foolish sort of spiritual appeasement. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, folks who think there is a future in feeding others to the alligators need to remember that in the end, the alligators will eat them last!
I am not a fan of modifying the noun, Christian. Strong nouns do not need adjectives to enable them to carry the freight in the world of good communication. I understand the use of terms like genuine Christian, but truly, there is no other kind. There is, however, no such thing as a gay Christian or a trans Christian. There are only deluded individuals who think it is possible to serve God and continue willfully in their sin. Christians are those who have experienced the new birth and who choose the narrow way. Christians know we are called to put to death what is earthly in us (Colossians 3:5). Christians can and do struggle against sin, but they do not rejoice in and celebrate their sin. To be a Christian means to be born again and duty-bound to honor God in all we think, feel and do (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Gameplaying with words can lead many astray. Christians are people of reality. We know that God has communicated clearly to us in His Word and in His Creation. By God’s grace we have come to see the reality of our condition—broken by sin and needing help from God every second of every day. We know the church is not perfect, but we also know that humans can be born again (John 3) and that we cannot embrace, endorse and ignore the danger of sinful rebellion against God.
Christians know that playacting is easy. It is tempting to think that placating evil will make it go away. In reality, appeasement of evil feeds it and causes it to do even more damage to the precious souls of men and women (and boys and girls).
God is calling us to proclaim the truth about life, death and eternity with tender hearts and clear heads. We must bathe our souls in scripture and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to kill sin in our own lives and to urge others to do likewise. The demonic tide of rebellion against God is no surprise to our Heavenly Father and it should not surprise us either. Christians must battle for truth, and we must remember that after the battle, true rest awaits us in the true Canaan land.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Truth from Kansas!
Servants of God,
“…Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor... View MoreTruth from Kansas!
Servants of God,
“…Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Perhaps you have a dear family member or friend who is practicing a lifestyle that is dominated by sexual behavior that God condemns as sin and warns will keep such practitioners out of the Kingdom of God. Many, if not most of us, do. How do you best love and care for that precious human being? One thing you must not do. You must not compromise the clear teaching of scripture. It is a sin to willingly embrace a lie and it is a sin to deny and be ashamed of Jesus and His words (Luke 9:26). Let’s consider why Christians must not celebrate June as so-called “pride” month.
You will perhaps remember that in the not-so-distant past, those now pushing the pride agenda simply wanted to be recognized as people who were free to practice their “alternative lifestyle.” Since the infamous Stonewall uprising in New York in 1969, the pride agenda has expanded from gay rights to the demand that any and all sexual behaviors be not just tolerated but embraced as good and celebrated. The movement has co-opted the rainbow as its symbol and has made its way around the world.
What is wrong with all of this? Well, first of all, it is rooted in rebellion against God and rejection of the created order. That ought to be enough for Christians. If God is our Creator and if God has authority to proscribe and prescribe human behavior, then denying God’s authority is a grave sin. If the Bible teaches truth about God and His creation, then celebrating the pride agenda would be cruel and hateful both toward God and those practicing the elements of the pride agenda. That has been the clear understanding of Christians and Jews for thousands of years. Sodom and Gomorrah became a metaphor for living in rebellion against God for a good reason. God visited His wrath on those cities because they had become so rebellious that He would no longer tolerate the evil being perpetuated there.
The Bible speaks a great deal about the sinfulness and danger of human pride. Pride is rooted in failure to honor God as God. Pride refuses to be properly thankful to God. It seeks to put the human “self” in the place of God. Proverbs teaches that the human arrogance that pride produces is an abomination to God and will not go unpunished (16:5). Of course, human pride does not always manifest itself in sexual sin, but the open practice of sexual perversion is a particular affront to the Creator. Humans were created in the image of God and were not created for the purpose of dishonoring God and one another with their bodies. All sin dishonors God, but sexual sin particularly dishonors God and it is a violation of one’s own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Christians must not engage in supporting any behavior that God condemns and warns against. Ask yourself this: Can I claim to love and care for another human being by encouraging that person to disobey God, dishonor his or her own body and believe lies about God and His created order?
It is time for American Christians to wake up. Everyone is being harmed by the glorification of human pride but women and children (who are always the most vulnerable in any society) are at greatest risk. That means that it is time for Christian men to step up and show genuine, humble leadership of homes, churches and other institutions as God provides opportunity. It is time for believers to believe God when He says that He “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The gospel truth is that Jesus Christ died to save sinners of all sorts. People like me and you. Those caught in the deceptive web of sexual sin of whatever sort need forgiveness and reconciliation to the Creator God. Let us all speak gospel truth and live our lives consistent with God’s mercy and grace. May we never celebrate what God hates or hate what God loves.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Do this in remembrance of me…”
-Jesus Christ... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Do this in remembrance of me…”
-Jesus Christ
It is possible for a nation to forget the God who shed His grace on it. Remembering the past and learning from the past is an important part of maintaining virtue and freedom. Disaster often comes slowly then suddenly. Don’t think it can’t happen here. America needs healthy memory. If you think the destruction going on in Ukraine is bad, you would be right, but it is not the first terrible disaster to happen in that “bread basket” land. The soil of Ukraine is highly fertile and wonderful for growing grain. It is known as “Chernozem” (black soil in Russian). When Stalin ordered the liquidation of the land-owning farmers known as Kulaks, an unintended consequence was a severe famine. The Ukrainians called it Holodomor. It was particularly terrible in 1932-33. Soviet authorities took all the grain from Ukrainian villagers. Over three million starved to death.
The Soviets substituted governmental expertise for the time-honored practices of the individual farmers. They distributed Ersatz bread made from non-grain substances including sawdust. In Kyiv, Oleksiy Sorokin, a brave church choir director saved samples of the “bread” wrapped in a note to document the horrors. He was discovered and sent to the gulag in Siberia for his crime. The tyrannical government, drunk with power, denied reality and punished anyone who would not conform to the lie that the Soviet agricultural plan was a grand and glorious success. Millions knew it was a lie, but they went along with the communists’ line because it was not safe to disagree with the all-powerful state authority. The experts did not tolerate anyone who disagreed with “the science” of collective farming. Smart people decreed it to be so. Who were ordinary farmers who knew how to raise grain following the wisdom of the previous generations that they should question the government experts?
It is no accident that the liberal elites in our nation want to control everything from light bulbs to electric cars. They want to control the interpretation of our nation’s history. The pushing of the notion that everything and everyone in the nation’s past was either racist or terribly unjust in some other manner is intended to de-moralize the country. If even part of the nation’s history is noble or honorable, then it could bring into question the frantic and irrational push to “fundamentally transform” America. Don’t be surprised if the next target of the secular left is the 4th of July. If the founders of the country were all despicable reprobates, how can the fruit of their labors (like the constitution or the celebration of the Declaration of Independence) be good things? It is time for Americans to remember the past and glory in the good and learn from and avoid the bad.
This past Lord’s Day when our dear brother Jim Smith (walking on a new knee) delivered the meditation prior to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. He asked the simple question Who is the “me” in the “Do this in remembrance of me”? Then he taught us the importance of remembering the character and nature of the person and the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah whose body was broken and whose blood was shed so that we might receive the gift of forgiveness of our sins. Sometimes the most obvious lessons need to be taught again. Jim held our collective spiritual feet to the fire. If we forget Jesus, we have forgotten all that is of eternal importance. Without properly remembering Jesus, the Lord’s Supper is an empty shell.
In our nation, Memorial Day, rooted in the massive struggle of the great civil war, offers us a time to remember that men and women wearing our nation’s military uniforms, have died to preserve our freedom. Many were gallant and courageous heroes. Most were ordinary human beings who were willing to serve the nation and to defend her against all enemies “foreign and domestic.”
As Christians, we draw great strength from God, not only in the here and now, but in remembering what He has done for us in the past. We are not people who sadly desire to live in the past. We live soberly, leaning forward because we know that God has promised a glorious and fully restored future for us. We are marching to Zion trusting the God who has been our help in ages past to be our only true hope for the years to come. As Americans we must remember the past and learn from it. We dare not dishonor the memory of those who served and sacrificed for us so that we might live, love and work as free men and women. How much more should we remember our precious Lord Jesus and all He did for us while we were yet sinners!
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram `Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“There is a way that seems right to a man,... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.”
Proverbs 14:10
Humans never stop being moral beings. Whether they admit that they are religious or not, they are. Everyone has some sense of right and wrong. Even those who claim to be atheists live by some standard. Increasingly, we hear cultural elites demanding obedience to their arbitrary woke standards. We are told that we are morally deficient unless we use the pronouns they designate. They condemn anyone as “evil” who does not celebrate the sexual perversions they adore. They liken wind and solar energy to magic that will heal all earthly problems. Now there is an ever-growing movement to grade the rest of us to see if we measure up to their woke morality. Molech and Dagon have to move over for the gods of green energy.
Perhaps you have heard of “ESG.” A couple of decades ago UN general secretary Kofi Annan began the push to bring pressure on financial institutions to bend the knee to the global warming / green energy scam. Originally the initiative was called “SRI” (Socially Responsible Investing). The idea was to use financial pressure to force large companies to embrace the notion that humans must save the planet by ending the use of fossil fuels. SRI has morphed into ESG (Environmental and Social Governance). In 2004 The UN argued that “A better inclusion of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions will ultimately contribute to more stable and predictable markets, which is in the interest of all market actors”. The title of the compact was “Who cares win – Connecting Financial Markets to a Changing World”. The not-so-subtle message: either support the green agenda or be a loser.
Now, two decades later, the ESG movement is trying to choke off money that might be invested in anything that they deem as “bad” for the environment. This means (among other things) that oil companies and anyone in a business that touches fossil fuels find it increasingly difficult to borrow money to expand and grow. If a company has a “bad” ESG score, the woke mob insists that no one invest in that company. The morality of ESG is driven by a utopian works theology. It is a deadly part of a new paganism. Christianity calls us to worship the God of creation because we are right with Him. ESG calls us to worship the earth or be dammed as a climate change denier.
ESG is a good example of what humans do when they forsake God and God’s instructions for life. As G.K. Chesterton said, when humans cease to worship God, they do not worship nothing, but worship everything. Humans remain under the creation mandate to take dominion of the earth as God’s agents. No Christian should willfully damage the environment, but no thinking Christian will buy the lies that the environment is a god to be worshipped and obeyed (Romans 1).
The church is charged with teaching as well as evangelism. If a man or woman is truly saved, he or she will begin to desire to please God in every arena of life. The worship of the Creator involved thinking right about both God and His creation. Proclaiming the gospel involves the claim that God has been wronged by human treachery and that He demands justice. Sin (including thought sins that rob God of His glory) must be justly punished. That is exactly what happened on the cross. A perfect and innocent man died as the substitute for sinful men and women. When we receive the gift of salvation we enter into blessings and riches purchased by another. Our proper response of thankfulness involves telling the truth about our Savior—including the truth that the earth belongs to Him! It is a great privilege to steward the earth and a great evil to worship the earth. Christians with renewed minds (Romans 12 and Ephesians 4) will battle pagan practices like ESG scores because we know they dishonor God and rob our fellow humans of their rightful stewardship of the earth.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before!”... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before!”
Why did Fox News get rid of Tucker Carlson? Of course, the situation is complicated, but the bottom line is that Tucker was far too concerned about truth than the powers at Fox could tolerate. It did not matter that Tucker’s show was the crown jewel of the company’s “news” products. Perhaps the straw that broke the Fox camel’s back was the speech Tucker gave at the Heritage Foundation on the Friday evening before he was fired (de-platformed) on Monday. In that speech, Tucker spoke of the evil of lying and called for all Americans to spend ten minutes a day praying to God on behalf of the nation.
When did moral sloth and cowardice become virtues? The Christian life is war, and every true Christian knows it. We know it because we battle our own temptation to sin every day. When American evangelical Christianity became reduced to mumbling a sinner’s prayer then racing off to indulge the flesh, it became weak. It now borders on apostate. We see this playing out on the stage of American culture. American Christians rarely openly oppose the godless and tyrannical powers of government, entertainment and education. American Christians no longer see themselves as soldiers who have taken an oath of allegiance, received training, make regular formation (ask someone who served in the military!) and actually deploy to fight real battles against real enemies.
But what can the average person do? Let me make a few “modest proposals.” First, you can make concerted, daily effort to build up your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Get grounded in God and His word. Learn the importance of daily personal and family worship. Build your life upon and let your roots sink deeply into the things that matter (Colossians 2:7,8 etc.). If you are not spending significant time in Bible study and prayer, you are part of the problem (sorry, but it is the truth).
Secondly, you can become a part of a real church—a group of people who not only trust in Jesus for their eternity but who are learning to give true worship to the living God and to obey Him by openly opposing evil here and now.
The third thing you can do is make an honest effort to value and promote the things God says are important. You notice that I did not simply say “value.” Christians must promote—speak well of, sacrifice for and be willing to cling to (under threat of harm) God and the things of God.
What would that look like? Well, here are a few suggestions: Tell the truth. Do not go along with the insane notions that the things God calls abominations have somehow morphed into acceptable “life style choices.” Of course, they are choices—sinful ones (Read Romans chapter 1). They are rebellion against God and abuses of human beings. You know two homosexuals can never constitute a marriage. You know doctors should not be sterilizing children! You know a man cannot transform into a woman. You know a country—any country—needs borders to keep its citizens safe. You know that creating money out of thin air leads to inflation (which always hurts the poor the most). If you know, then do what you can to impede the spread of these evils. Do not sit on your hands. Get to work to eradicate the evil philosophies that promote such insanity. Act, in righteous, Christ-like love. Speak truth.
Christians must battle to keep families intact. Divorce is an evil that brings broken relationships, poverty and life-long suffering. Innocent children get cheated and often abused by the self-centered adults who choose their own “happiness” rather than the welfare of the child.
If there is any hope for the future of America it will come through children who grow up to be godly, clear-thinking, responsible citizens. The seed planted by one American adult who gets married, raises a family, teaches children to work and be frugal by living within his means and is generous in serving God and others is worth more than a hopper full of wind bag politicians. The adults of tomorrow must be taught and trained to live godly lives today. One family who decides to bring up children in the fear and admonition of the Lord is worth more than a college full of Ph.D.’s who spout nonsense about diversity, inclusion and equity (die?). In reality, truth learned in Sunday School will be of far more value than a college degree based on lies about God and the world around us.
It is not difficult to discern that Americans in general have plunged head-long into the pursuit of sports, hedonistic adventures and the accumulation of trinkets and toys. Only the blind could miss that American schools have become instruments for undermining Christian values of discipline, hard work and honoring God as the Creator of all things. The sad truth is that too many who call themselves Christians are perfectly content to let this degradation continue without saying a word or striking a blow to stop the madness. “Cooperate and graduate” is a deadly philosophy.
When Christian soldiers do not take the role of soldier seriously, they rationalize that it is preferable to become a POW of the woke culture. Here is a news flash: the evil that is afoot in our nation is not interested in taking you prisoner. You either enlist in the enemy’s army or the enemy will attempt to destroy you. Evil takes no prisoners. Tucker Carlson is high-profile proof that evil hates to be exposed.
The question is not whether or not a great spiritual war is raging. The question is whether or not we are soldiers in Christ’s army. If we are Christian soldiers, then let us ride!
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
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