April 28, 2023

“Conventional Wisdom”

I remember in college reading the economist John Kenneth Galbraith who coined the term, “conventional wisdom”. He described it as: “Beliefs that are at any time assiduously, solemnly, and mindlessly traded between the conventionally wise.” As I examine the moral landscape and our political leadership, I do not see much wisdom. People often do not see the consequences of their ignorance. As a Christian I am looking for more than conventional wisdom. I am looking for actual truth that is applied in life situations. That is what we call biblical wisdom. Wisdom is what we need and should strive to attain. Hear the words of sacred scripture and heed the need for wisdom. Proverbs 1:2-3 – To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding. To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity. Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 2:2-5 – Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 3:13 – How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. Proverbs 5:1-2 – My son, give attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding; that you may observe discretion, and your lips may reserve knowledge. If ever there was a time that the church needed insight and wisdom, it is today. We need a massive spiritual awakening based upon spiritual wisdom which represents the only hope of redeeming a lost and dying world. Western civilization is in a civilizational crisis. The Lord has provided all we need for life and godliness as we live in a godless society. Wisdom for living today and hope for tomorrow is found in the sublime pronouncement of Paul as he boldly proclaims, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 Walk in Wisdom…Live by Faith. Serving Him with you, until He comes for us. Fred

April 21, 2023

“We have fallen from the standard of virtue to the measure of vice.”

It is disturbing that this is so self-evident in our secular culture. But it is terrifying that it appears to be so often true in the spiritual culture of the church. Each week there are reports and documentation of pastors and para church leaders making “bad decisions.” Let me leave it that! This is not new, even if it is news to you. The Old Testament reminds us that; “The shepherds became stupid having not sought the Lord.” (Jeremiah 10:21) Kings and priests of the Old Testament, as well as pastors and leaders in the New Testament and the early church, made horrendous decisions that resulted in the corruption of the church that counteracted the great commission. Unfortunately, we have seen and are seeing much of this in recent years. My goal (often attributed to Confucius or Eleanor Roosevelt) is to light a candle and not curse the darkness. I ask you today and this weekend to make some time to pray for your pastor and the leadership of your church. Pray for their moral character and spiritual fidelity to serve and honor Christ. I also ask you to pray for the leadership of some of the para church ministries you are familiar with, that the leaders would be sensitive and submissive to the leading of the Lord. I ask you to pray for them all, that they would not be seduced by the desire for fame, fortune, power, or immoral pleasure. I ask you to consider making this prayer time a weekly part of your spiritual discipline. I ask you to include me on your prayer list. Serving Him with you, until He comes for us. Fred

April 14, 2023

Although, we are well aware that we know much that earlier generations did not, we are much less conscious of what they knew that we do not. -Peter Burke-

We are living in uncharted waters both sociologically and spiritually. Today’s generation is unaware of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, or Francis Schaeffer, (not to mention Orwell and Huxley) and the times they described from the worldviews that were held. More importantly, our generation fails to understand the spiritual foundation of America and the fundamental role that the Bible had in the creation of this country and most of western society. So many people live under a veil of ignorance. This is where vision is vital. We must utilize the ocular principle of mono-vision. One eye fitted for near-sightedness and one for far-sightedness. We must keep one eye on this world, but the other on the world of the future. One is temporal and the other eternal. Both are real and pull for our allegiance. Christians must demand the time to think and develop the habit of thought. We must think clearly about this world and think deeply about the world to come. For as Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:17-18:     You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Serving Him with you, until He comes for us. Fred

April 7, 2023

“It is Finished” John 19:30

What is so good about Good Friday? Jesus answered that question with one word in Greek that we read as three words in English. “It is Finished.” One word of Christ from the cross changes all of creation forever: The physical world of the universe, the spiritual world of the angels, and the physical and spiritual world of mankind.   In John 19 we have the last words of Jesus on the Cross. To His Mother, “Woman, behold you son.” 19:26 To the Disciples, “Behold your mother.” 19:26 To the Testimony of Scripture, “Jesus, knowing that all things had already been finished (tetelestai) to fulfill the scripture said, I thirst.” 19:28 To All: “It is Finished.” 19:30    “It is finished” grammatically is a perfect tense that communicates a past act with continuing results. It can be translated, “It has been finished” placing the emphasis on a past act, with present results or it can be translated “It is finished” with the emphasis on present results based on a past act. The fact is, “IT” is Finished!” The word “finished” (telos) can mean ended, completed, or perfected.   The first question I ask myself is, who was Jesus speaking to? The Father - Your will and my work is complete! Jesus always did the Father’s will. (John 4:34, 17:4) The Devil - The defeat, the crushing of the head of the serpent prophesied in Genesis 3 is finished. The Angels - Prepare to meet the Son of God (Hebrews 1-:8-13) and serve my church (Hebrews 1:14) The Audience at the cross - I am done…He gave up His Spirit. What did they think of this? The World of Man - My end is your beginning. My death brings you eternal life.   The second question I ask myself is, what was Jesus referring to? What is the “It” in It is Finished? The work of the Father. (John 4:34) The plan of the Father to Glorify the Son. (John 12:23-24, 17:1-5) The fulfillment of all of the Scriptures. (Luke 24:27,44) The Old Testament sacrificial system is eliminated. (John 1:17 and Leviticus 16, Day of Atonement, Hebrews 7-9) The provision of propitiation and the removal of guilt from sin. (Romans 3:21-25; Colossians 2:15; I John 2:1) The shame of the cross. (Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23)  The Testing of Jesus; He did not give in to temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4) or on the Cross. They say that timing and location are everything.   About 3,000 years ago, Abraham obeyed the Lord, offering up Isaac his son on Mount Moriah. (Genesis 22) About 1,000 years after Abraham offered his son, King David bought the entire mountain from a Canaanite named Arauvnah. (2 Samuel 24:18) Later, Solomon built the temple on the same hill. (2 Chronicles 3:1)   Mount Moriah is not a single peak but an elongated ridge that begins at the junction of the Kidron and Hinnom Valleys, over which Jerusalem straddles the mountain. This is the mountain where Jesus was crucified. It is called Calvary, the place of the skull – Golgotha. (John 19:17)   Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) It is Finished.   This is why it is Good Friday... because it leads to Easter Sunday.   Serving Him with you, until He comes for us. Fred