December 30, 2022

You Were Made For Such a Time As This

We are on the brink of a new year, although it feels more like a precipice. American culture is in the midst of a massive moral temper tantrum. Rebellion in all its political forms and perverted moral expressions has been all the rage. And a raving, ravaging, rage it has been indeed. It is at times like these that the insights of the inspired scripture seem crucial and indispensable. “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise making the most of the time because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish but understand the will of the Lord.” (Eph 5:16-17)    Many people like to have a key Bible verse for the year. Might I suggest that this one might just be aptly appropriate. The days are evil. We are to live wisely. We are to determine what the will of the Lord Jesus is as we live our lives and invest our days for 2023. However, we must not only redeem the time, but remember the vision. It appears that 2023 will be a time when one could get out of focus as issues become blurry. It is a time when we dare not become nearsighted and forget to see the larger plan and the longer picture from prophecy which informs us and helps us keep our vision clear. What we need for 2023 is holy conduct with a heavenly outlook. In the Scripture ethics and eschatology always go together.  Serving him with you Until He comes for us Fred Happy New Year!        PS: Here is a link to an interview I did on the topic of "Engaging Others for Free Grace Theology"

December 23, 2022

Where there is Love there is Seeing ~ Richard of Saint Victor ~

The Lord sees, and the Lord loves. He sees the devastating stain of sin imprinted upon each of us who are made in the image of God. Our creator, seeing His image and likeness in His creatures, is moved with compassion. He is moved by what He is - Love. The Apostle John declares that God is Love. (I John 4:7-8) The declaration of this determinative truth and unchanging reality results in God expressing His essence through His existence and extending His love to mankind. We call it Christmas “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Serving Him with you Until He comes for us Fred PS: See this link for my Christmas message. link to message outline

December 16, 2022

Untouched by the breath of God, unrestricted by human conscience, both capitalism and socialism are repulsive.  -Alexander Solzhenitsyn-

Make no mistake, I would rather live in a republic than a socialistic country. But both forms of governance are imperfect because they are directed by finite and fallen man. It is a theological problem as Solzhenitsyn astutely observes, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"   In our country we have seen and are now seeing at a fever pitch the same result as Solzhenitsyn observed, “In our country the lie has become not just a moral category but a pillar of the State." This is a reflection of biblical anthropology reminding us that the stripe of sin runs up the back of every person.   Christmas is God’s solution to a universal problem. SIN! Christmas is God’s answer to the eternal question, how can unjust men be in relationship with the Holy God? SUBSTITUTE.   Ian Thomas reminds us, “The life that He lived qualified Him for the death that He died; the death that He died qualifies us to receive the life that He lived.”    If this sounds like an Easter message, do not forget that without Christmas we do not have Easter. They both provide the theological truth without which we are dead in our sin. But Jesus became sin for us that we might enjoy and be, the righteousness of God.   Christmas and Easter are the bookends of a life given, a life lived, and a life offered in love for you and for me. This is truly unfathomable, inscrutable, and incomprehensible. It is truly and uniquely Awesome.   And so, we sing Joy to the World, we proclaim Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and reflect upon Silent Night. For that little baby was no ordinary little baby.   For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.    Isaiah 9:6-7.    Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred

December 9, 2022

"Gaslight" Merriam-Webster.com - 2022 Word of the Year

I have come to the conclusion that I am a reasonably intelligent person who does moderately stupid things on a semi-regular basis. However, one of the stupid things I have stopped doing is expecting honesty from people who lie to themselves…and to me. Unfortunately, we are being led by people who are a symposium of disordered minds who live on an ocean of falsehoods floating illogical ideas. And they assume and truly expect me to acknowledge and accept them as reasonable and rational recommendations. However, it is worse in that I not only must listen to the lies of the culture, but I am also commanded to not contradict them lest I be “canceled.” This is called censorship, suppression of free speech, and intimidation of religious beliefs. As Thomas Sowell opines; “Historians of the future will have a hard time figuring out how so many organized groups of strident jackasses succeeded in leading us around by the nose and morally intimidating the majority into silence.”   As the church is losing its opportunity for free speech, the culture is engaged in brazen fabrications. And although we might be tempted to conclude that silence is the best response to those who do not value our words, we dare not lose the opportunity. For when you lose the opportunity to say something, sometimes you lose the opportunity to say anything. Make no mistake, there can be no freedom or liberty for a country which lacks the means by which to detect lies. Mark it well, we are entering into an age of sociological uncertainty by virtue of the collapse of public order and the demise of Christianity along with the idea of “True Truth.” Never-the-less, Christians are called to be vocal and relational. That is the nature of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28). As we encounter the culture, we are to engage it. We are to be both informational concerning our message and incarnational in our method. It does not matter if we are living in the land of the liars. The Lord said “Go.” He also said, “And Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Come quickly Lord Jesus.   Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred

December 2, 2022

Is God Bothered That I Ask for Too Much or That I Ask for Too Little?

I'm not the most adventuresome person in the world, but occasionally I try to stretch my imagination and surpass my boundaries. This week, for the first time, I had an alligator Po-Boy sandwich, spicy style, for lunch! Let's just say, I did not need dinner. Sometimes it's important to stretch ourselves. That can be true in our mental and physical life as well as our spiritual life. I have been a pastor and a professor for 47 years and I know what it means to be stretched. I have lived long enough to know what Emerson warned us about: "Beware of the bareness of a busy life." My life has been busy, but it has not been barren. However, I want to extend my attentiveness and I want to expand my awareness of God. I desire to enlarge my mindfulness and enlarge my consciousness of the Lord my God. I want to comprehend Him who is incomprehensible. His Essence is What He is: The Species Unique. The I Am. The Only Wise God.  His Existence is Who He is. He is Father. He is Son, and He is Holy Spirit.  One in essence-Three in persons. I desire to know Him. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul thirsts for Thee O God Psalm 42:1-2   Serving Him with you Until He comes for us, Fred  PS - Recently I did a podcast interview on the the topic of "Enduring Hardship" based on my book, "Suffering Successfully." Click Here to listen to it.