The post preceding this one showed the very commendable ability of Abraham Lincoln to interpret the times through the lens of scripture. He clearly knew and believed the Bible and had no problem using it as a source for decision making.
By extreme contrast, notice what happens when an unbeliever (President Obama) takes his very poor understanding of scripture and suggests the Bible has no place in public policy.
I think his mocking attitude toward the Bible says as much as his words. Like a true pragmatist, he will do what is right in his own eyes and use that as the lens for evaluating everything else - including the Bible!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Abraham Lincoln Quote
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation. March 30, 1863
Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.
And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
That is powerful!
A good question for us to ponder - Should our nation, as it now exists, be expecting God's blessing or God's judgement?
Perhaps some scripture would help you decide - I do not believe there is a direct correlation between OT Israel and the U.S. but as God's character is unchanging we may well take head:
That is powerful!
A good question for us to ponder - Should our nation, as it now exists, be expecting God's blessing or God's judgement?
Perhaps some scripture would help you decide - I do not believe there is a direct correlation between OT Israel and the U.S. but as God's character is unchanging we may well take head:
Deut. 8:11 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God. (NKJV)
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Friday, August 26, 2011
How do you know what to do modern person?
Sheryl Crow, probably expresses our times quite well in some song lyrics -
"If it makes you happy. It can't be that bad."
So we see rampant: Divorce, homosexuality, affairs, lying, abortion, gambling/lotteries, etc. etc. etc.....
But, perhaps we can't safely rely on our thinking and feelings -
Prov. 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. (NKJV)
Just as their are real consequences for breaking God's law, there is real hope in Jesus for those who will acknowledge their sin and be changed as they trust Him for salvation and follow Him in faith!
1 Cor. 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (NKJV)
Enough said!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
"If it makes you happy. It can't be that bad."
So we see rampant: Divorce, homosexuality, affairs, lying, abortion, gambling/lotteries, etc. etc. etc.....
But, perhaps we can't safely rely on our thinking and feelings -
Prov. 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. (NKJV)
Just as their are real consequences for breaking God's law, there is real hope in Jesus for those who will acknowledge their sin and be changed as they trust Him for salvation and follow Him in faith!
1 Cor. 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (NKJV)
Enough said!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Competent to Counsel
In 1970 Jay Adams titled a book he authored, Competent to Counsel. I would summaries Adams' premise in the book as - the job the church should be doing by teaching and applying the scriptures in the power of the Holy Spirit to people's problems, has been abandoned by us and left to secular experts with dangerous non-biblical worldviews and associated methodologies.
Adams essentially teaches that the word of God and Spirit of God are sufficient to deal with all non-physical human ailments. I am going to be teaching on one of the key biblical passages he used for under girding his work this Sunday -
Rom. 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (NKJV)
It is worth considering that before 1952 when the first DSM (Diagnostic manual used by psychologists to label people's problems) was published and before Freud late 1800's to early 1900's people still had the same kinds of problems, they were just called other things and treated in other ways.
I think it is clear that the secular experts have accomplished a couple of significant things: an ever increasing list of diagnosis' of "mental disorders", hundreds of often conflicting "right treatments", and a way to be sure money keeps flowing from insurance companies to pay for the treatments of these newly labeled conditions.
Of course this does not mean any of it is actually good and a simple look around our fully psychologised country would suggest the exact opposite!
I would recommend Jay's many books on this topic as well as those by other authors concerned with returning the counsel of people to where there is truth and power - God's word, Spirit and church. If interested the link below has many of Jay and other biblical counselors works listed -
www.gatewaybiblicalcounseling.org/resources/bookstore/
Also - I have added a very good Biblical Counseling site to "Links I Enjoy".
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Adams essentially teaches that the word of God and Spirit of God are sufficient to deal with all non-physical human ailments. I am going to be teaching on one of the key biblical passages he used for under girding his work this Sunday -
Rom. 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (NKJV)
It is worth considering that before 1952 when the first DSM (Diagnostic manual used by psychologists to label people's problems) was published and before Freud late 1800's to early 1900's people still had the same kinds of problems, they were just called other things and treated in other ways.
I think it is clear that the secular experts have accomplished a couple of significant things: an ever increasing list of diagnosis' of "mental disorders", hundreds of often conflicting "right treatments", and a way to be sure money keeps flowing from insurance companies to pay for the treatments of these newly labeled conditions.
Of course this does not mean any of it is actually good and a simple look around our fully psychologised country would suggest the exact opposite!
I would recommend Jay's many books on this topic as well as those by other authors concerned with returning the counsel of people to where there is truth and power - God's word, Spirit and church. If interested the link below has many of Jay and other biblical counselors works listed -
www.gatewaybiblicalcounseling.org/resources/bookstore/
Also - I have added a very good Biblical Counseling site to "Links I Enjoy".
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Friday, August 19, 2011
Christianity - a decision or a way of life?
A theological dictionary - by Jesus! Underlining is by me for emphasis only.
Call/Confess -
Rom . 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (NKJV)
How does Jesus define "calling on the name of the Lord"?
Matt. 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (NKJV)
Calling/confessing Jesus as Lord for salvation is defined by Jesus as valid only when it is accompanied by doing the will of the Father!
Believe -
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)
How does Jesus define belief as it relates do being an actual disciple/saved?
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV)
Jesus defines saving belief as that which is accompanied by abiding in His word!
Repent -
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, (NKJV)
How does Jesus define repentance as it relates to salvation?
Luke 3:7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (NKJV)
Jesus says that true repentance will have works to validate it.
Faith -
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (NKJV)
How does God's word elsewhere define faith? From James, but all of Bible is Jesus' words!
James 3:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (NKJV)
Saving faith is validated by a change in actions!
Jesus does not define asking Jesus into your heart, because it is not a biblical concept.
In every case we see Jesus defining a decision, whatever the terminology, in light of the changed life that should accompany it. This makes perfect sense considering the "new birth" Jesus said we need -
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (NKJV)
Below we see a description of the one who has been born again in contrast to the one who has not, regardless of whatever decision they may have made -
Rom. 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (NKJV)
When Jesus saves through the word and Spirit we are changed and continue to be changed from the inside out. To claim salvation by a decision without using the scripture/Jesus' definitions - is unwise and unable to save.
All glory to Him!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Call/Confess -
Rom . 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (NKJV)
How does Jesus define "calling on the name of the Lord"?
Matt. 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (NKJV)
Calling/confessing Jesus as Lord for salvation is defined by Jesus as valid only when it is accompanied by doing the will of the Father!
Believe -
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)
How does Jesus define belief as it relates do being an actual disciple/saved?
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV)
Jesus defines saving belief as that which is accompanied by abiding in His word!
Repent -
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, (NKJV)
How does Jesus define repentance as it relates to salvation?
Luke 3:7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (NKJV)
Jesus says that true repentance will have works to validate it.
Faith -
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (NKJV)
How does God's word elsewhere define faith? From James, but all of Bible is Jesus' words!
James 3:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (NKJV)
Saving faith is validated by a change in actions!
Jesus does not define asking Jesus into your heart, because it is not a biblical concept.
In every case we see Jesus defining a decision, whatever the terminology, in light of the changed life that should accompany it. This makes perfect sense considering the "new birth" Jesus said we need -
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (NKJV)
Below we see a description of the one who has been born again in contrast to the one who has not, regardless of whatever decision they may have made -
Rom. 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (NKJV)
When Jesus saves through the word and Spirit we are changed and continue to be changed from the inside out. To claim salvation by a decision without using the scripture/Jesus' definitions - is unwise and unable to save.
All glory to Him!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
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