For two weeks I had been helping a man who was essentially homeless. At first I had him doing some chores around the house. I gave him food and paid him a fair wage for his labors. As our relationship progressed I saw that he had some expertise in washing, waxing and detailing cars. I encouraged him to pursue these gifts and attempt to make a business of it. I began to help him in this. I allowed him to use my supplies and hose. I made flyers for him to pass out and gave him tips on how to get a business going. I set up a website for him, a facebook page, and did a good deal of promotional work for him. The people of Providence Church also assisted. They were kind enough to offer more than simple prayers (which they most certainly did). They brought their cars in for him to spiff up to help "get him on his feet" and they offered him a great deal of encouragement/counsel. The deacons were also ready to help in more substantial ways if his condition necessitated it. Throughout it all I was able to give this young man a substantial amount of counsel. Each day we would work through relational problems he was having. I talked to him about the gospel and what it meant to follow the Lord. He would listen as I explained how he needed to adjust certain priorities and repent of certain lifestyles. All this is to say that we had a great ministry going and there was true compassion being demonstrated...until Job & Family Services stepped in! That's right. The State of Ohio gave him a food stamps card. Ever since then, I have not seen or heard from him. I've called him twice at the place he had been staying. They said that they had not seen him much. I figure that means he is shacking up with his girlfriend again, and has re-entered that volatile relationship. Why work when you can get your cake and eat it too from your local tyrants? To be sure, the young man I was assisting is culpable of sin in the matter. Yet the gods of this age should not be pardoned in the least. They are now guilty of having killed this man's desire to work and they have given him license to live a sexually promiscuous lifestyle. People need to recognize that the state is a religion. They do not want people being exposed to Christian compassion. They will bribe them with food and money to keep them from having to honor Christ or be exposed to His Word.
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The people over at American Vision have written a little piece criitcing some of the "transformational" hype that is common in Reformed circles. I didn't appreciate the amillennial slap or the post-mill jibber-jabber. Nevertheless, it was a good article overall.
I've often found that being "transformational" means being artsy and all gung-ho about engaging the beat nick scene. But it doesn't ever seem to go much farther--as if the arts were the whole extent of culture. I'm all for taking a Francis Schaeffer attitude towards the arts. Let's engage it, but let's also have a balanced view. I mean, what kind of impact are we going to have on culture if all we do is stare at some paintings, pretty up our churches with nicer decorations, and say, "Dude, Jesus would have Bob Dylan on his iPod." True transformation means attacking the gods of the age, and the biggest god of our era. That means that the most necessary place of cultural transformation today is the life sucking monster we call the state. But most don't go there. To do so would violate some "spiritual" duty of the church and would be to "forget the real calling of the church." This overlaps a lot with the erroneous view of "preaching the gospel." I find that many want to talk about "the gospel" but neglect the rest of God's word (i.e. law). Or, they will say things like, "We need to bring the gospel to bear on the arts." That would be ok if they would also seek to bring the gospel to bear on the realm of economics or civil magistrate. Population experts tell us that in 1800 less than 3% of the world’s total population at the time lived in cities/towns of more than 5,000 people. Two centuries later that statistic has changed dramatically. Now, well over 50% of the world’s population lives in urban settings. While urbanologists argue over exactly what qualifies as an urban center, there can be no doubt that the world has become a place dominated by cities. For this reason, we must consider what the Bible says about the city and the nature of ministry to it. City of Man Davis does a good job of showing that the early cities got a bad rap in the Bible. Each of the cities mentioned I the opening chapters of Genesis are built by apostates. They are anti-kingdoms because they are anti-Christ. Cain names his city after his son, Enoch, which means initiation or inauguration. The city, in a sense, becomes a “genesis” (a new beginning) for fallen man. To be sure, the city becomes a point of refuge and unification for unbelief. It is an attempt to replace the loss of fellowship they had with God. The point cannot be missed though, these cities were built by man and for man. They are secular in the truest sense. Despite this, I do not think you can go so far as to say that cities are inherently wrong. For one, the Bible does not permit us to live in isolation. Such is considered evil (Proverbs 18:1). We were made to live in community. Ultimately, a city is a place where people live in close community. As well, there is never an admonition to “flee the city” just because it is a city. Christ did not condemn people for living in urban areas. As well, God has cities erected ( Jerusalem, being the most vivid example), the Lord cares enough to send prophets to the cities. We may also note that the church is a type of city. Nevertheless, we can say that there are some inherent problems with cities. Why is this? Two reasons may suffice:
Along with the audio you can follow the power point presentation that also accompanied the lesson. This may be helpful when viewing the statistics and presentation of the facts. This Sunday (Feb. 17) at 9:45 our elder, Judge Jim Deweese, will be presenting a seminar on "Same-sex Marriage: Does it Matter?" at Providence Church. With the militancy of the homosexual agenda advancing things like civil unions and same sex marriage, the pressing question of the day is whether Christian marriage is a value still worth retaining. Judge Deweese will argue that marriage between one man and one woman is not only God ordained, but necessary for retaining viability as a society. Overture to Ohio Presbytery to Rebuke State Senators Regarding Their Delay on the Heartbeat Bill1/30/2012 [Below is an overture that I just sent to the clerk of our presbytery (Ohio Presbytery) for consideration at our meeting this Saturday.] Whereas,
To our Esteemed Senators, February 4, 2012
We, the members and representatives of the Ohio Presbytery, do greet you in the strong Name of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. We also send you our deepest regards and express our great appreciation for your faithful service to the people of Ohio. Nevertheless, it is with great grief that we write to you today. For we understand that the lives of unborn children are lost daily because you delay in bringing to the floor the legislation known as Heartbeat Bill. The Word of God clearly indicates that it is the duty of public magistrates to do all that is within their power to protect and preserve the lives of the people under their authority. While it is your duty to uphold justice for all who reside within the boundaries of this state, it is especially incumbent upon you to maintain the cause of those citizens who are the weakest and most frail. We, the elders and ministers of Christ’s church, wish to remind you of this charge that God has bestowed upon you. Moreover, we send this message to you today as a public rebuke for your dilatory acts on this vital piece of legislation. On this the fourth day of February in the year of our Lord 2012, we call you to repent of your slothful attitudes in regards to this bill and your negligence towards those children who are daily being killed. We do summons you to show this penitent spirit by ceasing to delay the vote on and passage of the Heartbeat Bill. You must remember that the King of Kings holds the men of earth accountable for their actions. He will by no means permit the guilt of bloodshed to go unpunished. Therefore it is incumbent upon you, our senators, to fulfill your divinely appointed calling by seeing to it that innocent blood is no longer spilt. You may be assured that the Judge of the earth is good and abundant in mercy. When men turn from evil and do what is right in His eyes, He prolongs their days and feeds them with gladness. He promises kindness to those who fear Him and restores the fortunes of those who seek his face. Be it then resolved in your hearts that you heed this admonition and uphold the commandments of God. Cease to sin against Him any longer and do that which is right. With deepest affection, The Members and Representatives of the churches belonging to Christ in the Ohio Presbytery A lot of people are against Ron Paul as a presidential candidate because of his foreign policy. A lot of that number will even express that they are against Ron Paul solely because of his foreign policy. They say that it is too isolationistic in its formulation. I have the mind to object to such an objection. The video below gives some expression to that. This is my main protestation though: As a nation that slaughters its unborn by the millions each year, who are we to be jaunting around the world putting our guns up other people’s noses and telling them what to do. If we want to be the “defenders of freedom” on the international scene (assuming that is a legitimate cause--which I'm not), then we must first defend it within our own boarders by protecting the womb. |
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