Do we get it?

I have been watching, with the rest of you, the developing tragedy in New Orleans, and the coastal areas of Mississippi. Such devastation. However, I must admit that other images come also, unbidden - images of the party atmosphere (euphemism) that seems to be characteristic of that city. Images of debauched videos advertised from New Orleans at its worst.

I realize that there are many good and godly people in New Orleans. God has his witness in that city. But it is so easy to slip into “well, they deserve it”, that I almost embarrass myself. Then I hear the Lord. “Do you think they were more wicked than you?” I almost answer, “Yes.” But, trying to see myself as God sees me, I acknowledge that, if not for Christ, I would be as black as anything there. I hear Him say, “Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.”

Maybe that is the real lesson for the rest of us. For “the Big Easy”, the lesson will be one they have to learn. For us, the lesson is that it may not be a hurricane, but someday, God’s final judgment, His real judgment will fall. Hurricane Katrina reminds us that we are nothing compared to the forces God created and sin corrupted. We are also nothing compared to the wrath of God on sin. Catastrophes come. Blizzards blow. Tornados destroy. Storms crash into our lives. How do we respond? Do the images of Katrina’s aftermath move us to repentance? They may move us to sympathy for those caught there, but unless we remember our life in the presence of God, we will miss God’s point for us.

Brooding Long and Lovingly

I really enjoy the older men. I’m not thinking of real old, like Augustine, or Calvin. I do enjoy reading them from time to time. But I really enjoy men like Charles Spurgeon, and Andrew Murray, and A. W. Tozer. I was reading a devotion from Tozer today (Friday) and it struck me that it spoke not just to a pastor like myself, but in a striking way, for every believer – especially those who come to church every Sunday and wait for the pastor to teach them. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the Word of God tells us that faithfulness to the Body of Christ and the public teaching of His Word is necessary. But – well, let me quote Tozer and then I’ll make a few observations.

Another disadvantage of a commentary is that it tends to destroy the art of meditation. We find it easier to turn to the commentary than to brood long and lovingly over a difficult passage, waiting for the light to break. This habit of taking the quick and painless way to knowledge is particularly bad for the minister, for it often sends him into the pulpit with borrowed armor. Even if what he learned is true, he got it by consultation instead of by meditation and the quality is sure to be impaired.

It is true that pastors often rely on commentaries, and now Bible software, to get to things quickly. We rush our study and preparation. As Tozer says, we take the “quick and painless way.” I know I would benefit from a little more long and loving brooding.

But, I think a similar pattern is seen in those who listen to pastors every Sunday. Hoping to get all they need in one or two doses on Sunday, they sadly neglect their own long and loving brooding over the Scriptures. I am going to try to improve the “art of meditation” in my life. If those who listen on the Lord’s Day spend time during the week “brooding” or meditating over God’s Word, then we might really be worshippers getting together, rather than just getting together to “worship.”

Falling off the Edge

It seems that the west coast is continually loosing ground due to the steady erosion of common sense perpetrated by the liberal establishment. They are tilting into the nothingness of completely arbitrary morality. The most recent idiocy is, again, from the California Supreme Court. They have done their little dance with morality and have concluded that one child can have two mothers. An article in AgapePress notes that "parenting, custody, and child support laws in California will now apply to homosexual couples who conceived through artificial insemination."

Lest we, here in the Midwest, say, "It could never happen here," do not forget that the Minnesota State Supreme Court has also been making some cute moves with morality as well. What happens on the east or west coast eventually finds itself here - unless, that is, people start using God-given common sense.

Of course, that might be part of the problem. That "God-given common sense" comes from knowing the God-given Word of God. Study after study has shown that, even self-confessed born-again believers are woefully ignorant of the principles of God's Word. With many, the only exposure they get to God's Word is on Sunday Morning (or sometimes Saturday night). And that is often watered down so as to be ineffective. Most who call themselves believers do not spend any time outside of church studying the Word of God, and then they believe that just once on Sunday is enough. Many who know, refuse to live the truth or stand for the truth. And the trut is not just about homosexuality or abortion. It's about how to know God. It's about how to live for God. It's about what our rebellion does to our relationship with God. It's about the fact that we do not live for our own glory or happiness. We live to bring glory to God, and joy to His heart.

What happened to "I can't get enough of His Word." See what's it doing to our culture. Will it do the same to His children, as well?

Wanna' be happy?

I have always been in awe of him. He knew how to enforce his law, and he also knew how to bring out the love of his children. I remember his chastening, his corralling, his enforcing, and his encouraging. I remember his faithfulness to my mother, my sisters and myself, and to his Lord and to his ministry. I remember when he offered counsel, and when he thought it best not to. I remember when he was the hand of God to boost me up when I was down. I remember when he was the hand of God to slow me down when I was too quick.

It's hard to say what I remember most, or with the most joy. I remember how he let me make my decisions, even when he was concerned that I would make the wrong one. And I remember how he prayed for me, and when I made the best decision, he encouraged me.

I remember how he accepted my wife. I know that she feels as much his daughter as if she had been born into the family. I know how he influenced my children. They grew up in a ministry family, but they saw how it started in him and his wife.

"He" is my Dad. Monday will be his official 80th birthday. You couldn't tell it by watching him (although there are times when he knows it). Tonight our family will gather to celebrate a great man. We are doing it at one of his favorite restaurants. But as good as the food will be, what will be great is my Dad. He gave me his name. It was such a blessing to me, that I passed it on to my son. His name is Robert John Fuller (the original). And he's my Dad.

Oh, I have to finish the title. When I was in college he would motivate me with, "Wanna' be happy? Get to work and make it snappy!"

A literary genius!

Very Superstitious?

Last evening I was shown a copy of a small article by Chuck Shepherd. It appeared in the Mankato Free Press last Sunday. I also found the article on the Minneapolis StarTribune page. In it the author notes that there is new research that shows that the number of the Anti-Christ, 666, may be 616. Well, this discussion is not particularly new. And, the actual number is not particularly important for the purpose of this post.

What is interesting follows. "A Church of Satan official in New York had no comment except to say that's church will use whatever number Christians fear." I am not concerned that the author quoted a "Church of Satan official." Mr. Shepherd writes for sites that lampoon Christianity regularly. What I found interesting was the officials comment about "whatever number Christians fear." I can remember times when the number "666" was supposed to have been on billing records (evidence that the company had been taken over by forces of the AntiChrist), and was even being considered (unsubstantiated) by our government as a prefix to some kind of universal ID system.

All of this seems to flow from a basic superstitiousness on the part of some believers. I have known of music leaders who shied away from "hymn number 666" for fear of even mentioning the number. Are we truly fearful of a number? The scriptures tell us of an end-time person who, in some way, will be recognized by a numerical understanding. However, that recognition will take place during that time of great distress called the Tribulation. What significance does it have now? Notice the many attempts to find contemporary meaning in the number and one is left with the conclusion that, try as we might, there is no real significance, right now. The number 666 is simply one more than 665, and one less that 667. Can the inclusion of "the number" in an official document mean something prophetically? I don't know. Nor do I think we can "know." It may simply be the next in the series, or a computer shorthand.

The bottom line? Believers can surely get caught up in superstitious things: numbers, symbols on commercially available products. This is not what our God has called us to. He has not given us His Spirit to inspire fear - even of the last days. Confidence in Him - Always Forward!

Choosing Sides

With every passing day the world is choosing sides. And Christians need to know what is at stake.

In Monday's AgapePress News Summary there are short articles about both Harvard University and the Democratic Party Chairman, Howard Dean, with regard to the subject of Intelligent Design (ID). To be sure, ID is not quite Creationism. Creationism assumes a personal creator, while ID only notes that the material universe exhibits characteristics of intelligent design. The difference might not be readily apparent, but ID is being given more credibility than Creationism because ID does not specify a personal creator. But this post is not about the difference between ID and Creationism.

Howard Dean, by his public comments, is putting the Democratic party publicly against ID. He insists on maintaining the privileged position that evolution now occupies. We should not be surprised that the world would not want anything to do with a creator God. What is surprising is the number of believers that either do not see the dangers in evolutionary philosophy, or think the issue is of no importance.

This is especially true when it comes to our children's education. To have the authority of the national and state education establishment endorsing one religious idea (Evolution) over another (Creation/Intelligent Design) should be of great concern to Christian parents. At stake is the very foundation of the truths of Salvation. It could be argued that many of the ills of society that have been evidenced in these last several decades (for example the life/choice issues and increased sexual perversions) are the result of, among other things, successive generations believing that they are only animals with no accountability to God. Many may give lip service to a belief in God, but behind it all is running a mind programmed by a comprehensive philosophy of humanism and a spirit unchanged by the creator God of the universe.

Believers really do not have the option to stand by on the sidelines on this issue. God is on the agenda again. We may or may not be able to change culture, but we must protect our children, and we must remember that the Gospel itself is based on a creator God to whom all people are accountable.

A Matter Of Time

I suppose it was inevitable. But that does not make it any easier. Ted Baehr, of WorldNetDaily, notes that, according to a MarketCast survey, "conservative, red state, fundamentalist Christians go to more violent, R-rated films than do liberals." Now, I have no idea what data they have to verify this conclusion. You can't make such a comparison without accurate data, and the MarketCast study he sites, like all such studies, are only as good as the anecdotal evidence they use. So, first, I am not sure that the "more ... than do liberals" statement, could really stand the light of day.

However, Dr. Baehr does make a valid point when he says, "We need to be agents of change, rather than the other way around." Over the past years, with the growing popularity of cable television, videos and DVDs, has come the increased acceptance of the motion picture genre in general, and especially going to the theater itself.

I am not going to try to make the point that going to the theater is somehow worse than the other visual media. I do not think that case can be made. Nor am I going to try to prove that Christians who use any of these media are somehow more "worldly" than those who do not.
But, the increasing influence of the world on the believer is something that should concern us all.

Whatever the de-sensitizing agent, whatever the excuse, the end result is that believers are increasingly less concerned about living outwardly separated lives, at least in terms of the generations that have gone before. Godliness is being defined as a matter of theological concern, but not of practical concern. Godliness is no longer a recognizable standard, but a subjective idea - something that we get to define for ourselves.

If believers are to start influencing culture, rather than the reverse, they will have to get serious about holiness of life-style. They will have to give up their rights and "liberty" in favor of the liberty to finally live life in the presence of God, to the glory of God, and not for their own benefit. Believers will have to learn that actions matter. They matter because actions describe the heart, and actions determine outcomes.

If the data from the MarketCast survey is accurate, then even the most rigorous Biblicists seem to have regressed in lifestyle. If the world around us conforms us to itself, we cannot be instruments of God in the reclamation of souls to His glory.

Who is influencing whom? Is the Spirit being allowed to remake us in the image of Christ, or is the world conforming us to itself?

Easy does it

I am easing into this project. First, I am in the midst of my doctoral dissertation. Second, I am old enough that anything new seems daunting. Third, I already have plenty to do with the church.

I am looking for sources that will give me ideas outside of my tightly knit group in southern Minnesota.

I expect to comment on religion (this is a given), politics (I am not a politician, nor do I have a degree, but I am opinionated), occasionally the arts (Like many, I know what I like), but not sports (What's to comment on in the land of the Twins and the Vikings).

I will also be putting a link to this journal on our church website, when it's up and running. Right now, I am having a little trouble getting the webhosting and design done.

The name of this blog is "Always Forward." In keeping with that, the goal of the writing here will be to move people forward in their understanding of God, His world, and their part in it. That's what I want to do. But as always - time will tell.