Political Combinations...Democrat...Republican...The Worst...The Christian

Among the two major political parties, Democrat and Republican, there seems to be a general rule as follows:

REAL Democrats are fiscally and socially liberal...REAL Republicans are fiscally and socially conservative.

Moderate or independent voters tend to be in some kind of middle...Fiscally liberal and socially conservative or fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

From where I stand, I believe the WORST combination is not fully Democrat or fully Republican, but the Moderate: fiscally conservative/socially liberal.

Why? This seems to lead to the greatest oppression. The rich, fiscally conservative, tend to oppress the poor, as the Bible says. I've got money, why don't you. Likewise, the socially liberal tend to allow individuals to destroy themselves all in the name of freedom. Put them together and you get Marie Antoinette's, "Let them eat cake!"

I believe the CHRISTIAN political combination would be the Moderate: fiscally liberal/socially conservative. Whether rich or poor, the fiscally liberal tend to be more charitable. The greatest part of social services come from this point of view: charity. Socially conservative may err in this arena, but they tend to be of the mindset that we need to protect people, even if it is from themselves. Parents who care about their children will be like this. Parents who don't won't.

Those are my thoughts...What are yours?

Triablogue: Against Calvinism: Reviewed

Triablogue: <em>Against Calvinism</em>: Reviewed

The Training of the Twelve...Still a Great Book on Christian Leadership

A. B. Bruce wrote this book quite some time ago. I first read this book as a new Christian at college, and since I was new, I didn't really understand many of the stories much less the application.

As a somewhat more mature Christian, rereading this book, I have a greater respect for the insights of its author.

On page 112, in my edition, when referring to the commission of the disciples on their first missions and Christ's instructions to take nothing, Bruce hit very close to home for me. He wrote:

"So understood, the words of our Lord are of permanent validity...Many a minister and missionary has obeyed these instructions almost in their letter, and many more have kept them in their spirit. Nay, has not every poor student fulfilled these injunctions...gone forth...without money in his pocket either to buy food or to pay fees."

I have struggled for years debating about getting more intense theological training. On one hand, I feel as though God is calling me. On the other hand, I make excuses, asking God to provide the means, and then I will go. When all the while, God says, "Go. Take nothing. I will provide."

May God help me to move.

Pop Christian Songs Aren't Always Theologically Precise, Or Even Close When It Comes To The Gospel

I was listening to a Christian radio station earlier today and heard something that got me thinking.

The song, to paraphrase, said that mercy doesn't care what you've done. Obviously, this was intended to say the normal synergistic, "Come as you are to Jesus."

While it is true that we are sinners, and we do not wait until we are perfectly holy to repent and believe, the phrase "mercy doesn't care what you've done," I believe, is not just imprecise, but thoroughly unbiblical.

Why?

First, Jesus, the Son of God, died to pay the penalty for what we've done. So, I'd say he would beg to differ. It does matter what we've done.

Second, we wouldn't need the "mercy" had we not done what we've done. The "mercy" exists, because God loved His people so much that He provided the mercy and payment for the sins they've committed. He gave them that which they did not deserve.

Third, I think the above phrase demonstrates that the writer doesn't understand the wickedness of sin. Ps. 5:5 and Ps. 11:5- Need I say more?

Fourth, God most definitely "cares," because we must REPENT in order to come. What are we repenting of, but that which we've done? What is it that we confess, but that which God has already said about our sin? We confess that we are sinners and rightly condemned for so being.

Finally, what will men be judged for, in the end, but the works done in the flesh?

Please, make no mistake, God does care what we have done and what we do. As Ps. 51 notes, it does matter what is on the inside, but what we do on the outside, comes from within.

You cannot truly come to God without REPENTING for your sins.

Repent, believe and flee the wrath to come.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 The Byrds and the Dogs

Ecclesiastes 3
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 11He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Verses 1 through 8 describe the opposites of life. Man spends a great amount of time doing one to prevent the other, all the while unable to stop the inevitable. How many men have we seen attempt to keep peace, only to find themselves in war? Solomon sees that there will come a time for both, one way or another.

In verse 9, Solomon repeats the mantra, "What profit?" Solomon is questioning what profit there is for efforts of the guy who works for peace only to have war break out on him. There seems to be none, in this life without God.

Verses 10 and 11 describe God’s curse on man, Genesis 3:17, the "travail." God has cursed the ground and put a longing for the afterlife in man. God wants man’s direction to be focused on him and the hereafter.

In verses 12 and 13, Solomon discusses the only profit in this world, enjoying the fruit of your labor and doing your best. This verse shows the "common grace" God has for all men. God allows men to find enjoyment in what they do, even as his enemies. The gifts and talents that unregenerate man has are still yet from God.

Verses 14 and 15 show God’s sovereignty, order and providence. God has done it, it shall be. God has said it, it shall be.

Verses 16 through 21 show the absurdity of trying to find righteous judgment consistently in this life. Solomon longs for a time when God will judge rightly. Solomon foreshadows the Final Judgement, and we can trust that it is sure to come. That will be a comfort to God’s people, but it should strike fear in the ungodly.

Solomon goes on to explain that God is humbling men and showing his power. He is showing that, without him, men would be mere animals who share the same fate with dogs.

We know in our day that some truly advance this, and, as God points out, rightly so, if there is no God. But, they are wrong. God is, and he is the judge of men. He will hold men accountable, especially since they are not dogs. They have been shown undeserved grace, no less than common grace, and have spit upon the giver of it. He will hold them guiltless.

In verse 22, Solomon again points out that the only thing man can do on his own, but not really on his own, is find some pleasure in the work he does.

Christians may also find enjoyment in what they do, seeing how what they do and how they do it are gifts from God. But, Christians should be looking to do things that will matter after this life is over. They should use their gifts and talents to do God’s work, enjoy it and please him.

God gives this very chapter to his people in order to make them aware of the things common to life, so they will not be caught off guard. They will be looking for it and seeing God in it. They will have comfort for life.

Seminary President Better At Politics Than Politician

You can check out the whole article, but I will just show the similarities between the Ergun Caner cover-up and this one.

The article reads:
"Since McKenna's report went out last week, Vaughn has gone step-by-step through the political crisis playbook. His first step was to deny, deny, deny. The delegate insisted to McKenna that he was signed as a free agent in 1980, despite evidence to the contrary. A single, ambiguous newspaper clipping was his only proof."

#1: Deny, using weak counter evidence- been there done that.

"Next up was the tried and true method of distraction with inconsequential facts. Vaughn said he was a member of the NFL Players Alumni Association, a group whose eligibility requirements seem to be only that you have a working credit card. If you'd like, you can join too for $150. "

#2: Distraction- Misstatements, "Their evidence proves I was a Muslim!"- been there done that

"Then Vaughn tried to blame the issue on someone else (the webmaster who made his site), pulled the offending sentence (he says he removed it immediately; McKenna claims he waited six days), released a damage control statement blasting the City Paper's report (it was "unresearched (sic) and inaccurate"), basically blamed the media for all of society's ills ("this incident demonstrates the growing problem that we have in the 24/7 media culture") and, finally, vowed to "explore" how the error was made in the first place. "

#3: Have we heard it is an EXTREME Muslim and EXTREME Calvinist plot?- been there done that too --Didn't we also hear this from supporters? Tim Guthrie.

"But if the report was "unresearched and inaccurate," then what's he exploring? "

#4: Hasn't he already apologized? But he is also innocent, isn't he?


"And why did he take the sentence about playing for the Cowboys off his bio? "

#5: What happened to the debates all over the place?

"Either McKenna is right and Vaughn didn't play for them or the bio was right and Vaughn did. "

#6: Border of Iraq or Ohio? Training centers, where?

"Later on Vaughn admitted he didn't play for three years but that he practiced with the team for five months, yet he's still exploring something. The delegate doth protest too much methinks.
There hasn't been any political fallout yet in Vaughn's district, possibly because the story hasn't gained enough traction with major media outlets or possibly because voters are satisfied with the delegate's performance and don't care about a white lie on a website. That's what makes Vaughn's reaction so bizarre; if he had removed the Cowboys blurb and moved on, nobody would be talking about it. By extending the story, he's running the risk of having more of his constituents hear about his penchant for tall tales. "

#7: Had Ergun Caner truly confessed and repented, it would be over.

"We've gotten away from the most important question though, which is why someone would lie about playing for the Cowboys, especially in the D.C. area? ... Or putting an easily disputed fact on your website and getting into a fight with the media four months before an election. In other words, not too smart. "

#8: Exactly, did Ergun not think anyone would check his facts?

The similarities are striking.

May God bring this to a close.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 You may be wise. You may be a fool. But, without God, your similar end is despair.

Ecclesiastes 2
1I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. 12And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. 15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Why is it that there are so many suicides in the United States of America? The wealthiest country in the world. Why does home or business ownership not satisfy?

Here are some statistics:
U.S. Suicide Statistics (2001)
-Actual Suicides-
1.3% of all deaths are from suicide.
On average, one suicide occurs every 17 minutes.
On average, an elderly person dies by suicide every 1 hour and 37 minutes.
On average, a young person (age 15-24) dies by suicide every 2 hours and 12 minutes.
Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death for all Americans.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24 year olds.(1st = accidents, 2nd = homicide)
Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death for young people aged 5-14 year olds.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.
Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for males.
Suicide is the nineteenth leading cause of death for females.
More males die from suicide than females.(4 male deaths by suicide for each female death by suicide.)
More people die from suicide than from homicide. (Suicide ranks as the 11th leading cause of death; Homicide ranks 13th.)
73% of all suicide deaths are white males.
80% of all firearm suicide deaths are white males.
Among the highest rates (when categorized by gender and race) are suicide deaths for white men over 85. (54 per 100,000)
http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html\

The category for the highest rates of suicide are white men over 85. People who have outlasted friends and family, who have no doubt worked, in one way or another, their whole lives are the most likely to commit suicide. Why is that?

Look at the young people statistics. Those cause my heart great grief, as do all the statistics of this issue. Especially kids and young adults with, as the world sees them, bright futures, i.e. college students, makes this passage very relevant for today.

These statistics show that amassing things like knowledge, wealth or longevity, in the end mean nothing compared to what really matters. This is totally backwards from what the world would have us believe.

Yes, Solomon points out wisely that enjoying your labor and the fruit of your hands is not wrong. No, it is from the hand of God, so enjoy.

Solomon says, "24There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God."

The young despair of life fearing the future, possibly sensing the futility of life without God. The aged despair of life looking back on a life spent without God, finding they have nothing at all in the end.

Solomon begins teaching us here that we must be good in God's sight, in order to truly enjoy life here and hereafter. Exodus 15:26 Says, "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee."

But, how can we possibly be found in that position? Only in Christ. Philippians 3:8-10 Says, "8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;"

We must seek Christ and his glory in order to truly live life to the fullest. Christ and the glory that awaits us will keep us from despair. May God be with our families. May God be with our children and keep them from the darkness of despair. May he light their paths.