February 23, 2024

Time, which sees all things, has found you out.  -Theodore Dreiser-

We have lived through the hedonism of the 1960’s, the gateway to the narcissism of the 1970’s and the materialism of the 1980’s, only to retrace our historical steps back to the narcissism and hedonism of the 1990’s to greet the third millennium. We survived Y2k and the infamy of Sept 11th and today find ourselves with our freedom of thought under attack “by bigoted reactionaries, and progressives who believe there can be no deviation from their chosen paths to social justice.” It’s the little things: Like the evisceration of the concept of True Truth. Like the perversion of LGBTQ+ which is a bold and brazen defiance of the nature of man and the creation of God (Romans1)   Like the wholesale commitment to deception, deceit, and dishonesty in the highest seats of government and the haughtiest chairs of education. Like the church of Jesus Christ looking like the church of Laodicea. (Revelation 3) All that we see is certainly enough to make us disoriented and bring discouragement. However, all that we see is not all that is to be seen. Beyond this local and limited drama is the world of the future. Christians must be futurists. Our ethics in this world must be energized by our eschatology of the future world.   What do you see? How do you see? Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

February 16, 2024

Resilience

Life in a fallen world requires this essential and crucial attitude to be operational in our lives daily. Many Christians living in the postmodern world and post Christian culture are feeling a slow but steady sense of moral and mental fatigue. The bombardment and barrage of daily news is wearing us down and wearing us out. It is beginning to cause many Christians to emotionally give up and culturally give in to the social and cultural pressures. To do so would be a tragic mistake. As Winston Churchill reminds us; “This is not a time for ease or comfort. It is a time to dare and endure.” Resilience is not a trait or a gene that one is born with. It is an attitude that is developed. Some may develop it quicker and stronger, but all of us can be resilient. We must be! The writer of the book of Hebrews reminds his Christian audience, many who had lost their possessions and lost their freedom, after being beaten and thrown in jail, to focus and fixate their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Do not miss the “Who” we are to imitate. Do not mistake what He and we are to see ...the future joy of being near to God. Who are you looking at? What do you see? Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

February 9, 2024

The American Mind

As a new seminary professor in 1988, I read a book that shocked me and left me stupefied. It was written by a Jewish, homosexual, academic elite, Allan Bloom. The book was: The Closing of the American Mind. It was perceptive, prescient, and prophetic as to what would and what did happen to American Higher Education and hence, the American mind. No longer do students read the classics of Western Civilization for that is simply racism, theories of colonization, and sexual restrictionism. Do you hear Critical Theory and Intersectionality? Fast forward 30 years. In 2018 Greg Lukianoff wrote The Coddling of the American Mind which explained how the prophetic promise of Allan Bloom transpired. Descriptors of students as “snowflakes” and schools that must be "a safe place” describe the American student and the desired environment in higher education. That kind of environment creates lazy thinking and dangerous actions, for there is no challenge of the mind and no merit in hard work. Now, five years later in 2023, the same author has presented for our entertainment and evaluation, The Canceling of the American Mind. He explains how institutional leaders have complete control, and have become well paid cowards of convictions. However, a good sign that there is some, albeit little, sanity in higher education is the recent call for the firing of major Ivy League university presidents due to evidence of lying and plagiarism. The rejection of the presidents’ reflex reactions to claims of racism is also a good sign. What should Christians do in a nation that still allows us some freedom? 1.   Teach your children and grandchildren well. 2.    Pray for our government: local, state, and federal. 3.   Challenge the process of liberal progressivism by voicing dissent and voting for classical education. As an older seminary professor for over 30 years, I have seen the result of the Closing, Coddling, and Canceling of the American Mind. The result is that pastors and ministry leaders are less academically prepared to teach the word of God. There is no premium on stupidity in the Christian life nor for Christian leaders. We must all demand the time to think and develop the habit of thought. Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

February 2, 2024

There are Worldviews Behind the Powers of the World   and There are Powers behind the Worldviews of the World

The ancient Roman empire was destroyed by internal perversion and external invasion. This sounds all too similar to modern America, especially in Texas. However, we must not be disoriented or distracted from what is behind the curtain nor fail to understand the invisible hand of powers. I say “powers” because that is what is behind the scenes. It is that which is unseen but very real. As Christians, we have a worldview of reality that believes everything we see is not all there is to be seen. The Biblical view of the world and of reality includes what the Apostle Paul calls the existence of powers, principalities, spiritual forces, and authorities. There are angelic beings that are local and limited but exist beyond human dimensions. Some of these beings are elect and some are evil. There is a “god of this world,” and he is malevolent. He is the slanderer, he is the deceiver, he is the accuser. He has a scheme that is three-fold.  First, it is to destroy the nation of Israel to hold back the coming of the Christ. Second, the scheme includes a design to blind people from hearing the gospel of salvation and receiving eternal life. Third, it is to deceive Christians with the lust of the flesh, the lust of eyes, and the boastful pride of life. He creates false doctrine, entices people through sensuality, and allures us to desire either the wrong things or desire good things for the wrong reason. The truth is, you can never have enough of what you don’t really need.  Our God is God. Our God is an awesome God who reigns, has dominion, and is even now working out His plan to restore all of creation. He is our sovereign and He is our Savior. Christians have been born again, regenerated by the Spirit, and we are a new person in Christ. The fact is-greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Therefore, there is no place for fear but there is a need for awareness. We must be conscious and cognizant of the reality that issues forth from a biblical worldview. Remember, the men of Issachar understood the times and knew what to do. (I Chronicles 12:32) Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred