September 25, 2020

“You, Follow Me”

I have been in the “education game” for many decades and I realize that it is important that I be both a "guide from the side and a sage on the stage." Both of these styles are to stimulate students to study, reflect, and discover.  I also have discovered it is true that sometimes truth is better “caught than taught.” However, both are foundational in forming a mature Christian. The New Testament is the inspired and inerrant word of God. (2 Tim. 3:6) It is to be read, preached, and obeyed. (2 Tim. 1:13, 2:15, 4:2) Paul reminds us; “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” (I Tim. 4:13) It must not escape our notice that the New Testament exhorts us to also be Followers. The word often used is the Greek word mimetai - translated in English with the words Mimic or Imitate. “I exhort you therefore be imitators of me.” I Corinthians 4:16 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” I Corinthians 11:1 “Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children...” Ephesians 5:1 “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews..." 1 Thessalonians 2:14 “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship, we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to do this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you that you might follow our example." 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 “...that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12 “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7 “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.” 3 John :11 I guess that leaves me with only two questions: Are you following Christ? Who is following you? Serving Him with you, until He comes for us, Fred Chay

 September 18, 2020

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered.” George Orwell - 1984

The cancel culture, the culture of change and corruption, is upon us. We have seen its start in the destruction of statues representing history, whether good or bad. It continues by spray painting streets with a new revision of history, rewriting history books and revamping laws and legislation. It is called progress and progressivism, but much of it is simply a perverse view of the past and a craving to prescribe and proscribe our future. As Christians living in the cancel culture within a changing culture, we need the unchanging word of God that declares and describes to us the only wise God, who does not change. “I am the Lord God. I change not.” (Mal. 3:6) There is no variation or shifting shadow with God. (James 1:17) He does not grow and get better. He is not informed or surprised. His word is binding, and it is absolute because it is true. The issue today is, what is truth? Is there a truth to be known and if so where do we find it? The word of God is a light and a lamp. It is as Jesus declared; “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) As we live today in the cancel culture, we must heed the words of Andre Gide - “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one is listening everything must be said again.” To those who wish to forget the past and forget the word of God…we must remind them. Perhaps we should start with reminding ourselves! Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred Chay

 September 11, 2020

Be Still and Know I Am God  Psalm 46:10

We do not live in a still world. We find it hard to be silent. We find it even harder to experience solitude. And when we do, it is difficult to be solemn or serious. These realities make it difficult for us to take care of our Souls. Beware of the Barrenness of a Busy Life.   ~ Socrates ~       What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? ~ Jesus ~ Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred Chay

 September 4, 2020

Let your light shine bright so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I must admit, I never expected the COVID 19 – Corona - China virus to last this long… since it was made in China. But it is still infecting us and is producing catastrophic consequences. But COVID 19 is not the only virus that has infected our country. Our society is subject to what was once subterranean socialism that has recently risen up to ground level, seeking to destroy our country. It is interesting that it is easy to be a socialist in a free country, but impossible to be free in a socialist country. That is why people come to America in search of freedom and liberty. Notice, they do not come essentially seeking equality. (Equality is what socialism promises but never delivers--- ask the average Cuban or a citizen of Venezuela.) They give up all and come to America for liberty and freedom. That is because equality usually is part of the package of freedom. We all know that America is not perfect, as any look at our past will reveal. And yes, we are living with issues of the past concerning slavery. As William Faulkner of Mississippi said regarding slavery, “The past is not dead. It’s not even past.” But America has suffered and sacrificed many lives and invested trillions of dollars to seek for liberty and freedom for all. The fact of an African American President for 8 years and many cabinet members and other high-ranking officials is proof of our progress. The charge of systemic racism or institutional racism is simply racism masquerading as anti-racism.   We are captivated by violent scenes of riots, not protests, emanating from Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Oakland, Washington DC, Baltimore, New York, Chicago, and even Kenosha, Wisconsin. But we are also watching, even if we do not perceive it, a continent-straddling, generation-spanning, seismic transition taking place around the “civilized” world. Secularization has been going on for decades in America, but we are witnessing the wholesale dismantling and destruction of the Judeo-Christian value system. Most of us have known this for a long time. We are now seeing it in front of our own eyes. The irony is that those who wish to destroy the foundation of the Christian culture do not seem to realize that all they desire; equality, dignity, social justice, and free speech is predicated upon the Christian world view. These radical progressives are like rioters running around destroying all the bakeries as they demand bread be baked. They are destroying the fundamental foundation from which their perceived values emanate. The Apostle Paul reminded the first century church of the Philippians and it is ever true today in our 21st century cultural context. “Prove yourself to be blameless, innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine and appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain or toil in vain.” 2:15-16 Paul observed that the world we live in is “crooked” from the term scoliosis - twisted. It is also “perverse” or turned inside out. This is the dark and decadent world we live in and this is the world in which we are commanded to be blameless and innocent, and live as a light to the nations. Shine bright. Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred Chay