Tried With Fire

I'm posting at Out of the Ordinary today: When you have loved ones who are aging and declining, it's hard to avoid facing death, and it is sobering. For some reason, the phrase "Death is the great equalizer" came to mind the other night, so I googled it. References to Shakespeare came up, but the Bible describes this far better than any literature could. "The wages of sin is death"  This statement certainly encompasses us all no matter our station in life, bank account, or IQ score. In Adam all die, and none of us are exempt. But the verse doesn't end there, thank God. Read the rest here .

Words by Henry Lyte  Music by Bill Moore 1. Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee. Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be. Perish every fond ambition, All I’ve sought or hoped or known. Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own. 2. Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Savior, too. Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue. O while Thou dost smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate and friends disown me, Show Thy face and all is bright. 3. Man may trouble and distress me, ’Twill but drive me to Thy breast. Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me While Thy love is left to me; Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with Thee. 4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure, Come disaster, scorn and pain In Thy service, pain is pleasure, With Thy favor, loss is gain I have called Thee Ab...

This is just my opinion, but there are two parallel issues regarding the Kavanaugh nomination. 1. Allegations against a Supreme Court nominee. 2. The societal problem of sexual assault/abuse. Regarding the 1st issue, this is out of the hands of the average citizen. Politics has compromised discussion about sexual assault. Both parties have been guilty of this minimization, so neither has any moral high ground on which to stand. (Clinton, Trump, Edward Kennedy, Roy Moore to name two on each side.) There are plenty of opinions out there, and I would concur with this article by Alexandra DeSanctis at National Review. However, the 2nd issue is closer to home. For Christians, where do we stand on sexual assault and abuse? How do we respond to allegations? How do we respond to the victims? These questions may not have crossed your mind before because it's easy to think that this doesn't happen to good Christians. This wouldn't happen in professing Christian homes. It wou...

Do not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly. Lev. 19:15 Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Deut. 16:19 I've been troubled with the partisan ethics that have come to the surface since the 2016 election cycle. Perhaps these were always in place, but they seem to be more prominent now and increasing rather than decreasing. "If my guy is under scrutiny, it must be a conspiracy. If it is someone on the other side, then throw the book at him." These things ought not to be. And yes, the president, Roy Moore, and Brett Kavanaugh come to mind. As Christians, we should have one standard regardless of whether a person is an ideological friend or foe. If others act partially, they will have to answer to God for their unjust scales. But that is no excuse for me to do the same....

This summer was busy and felt longer than usual. I had an ambitious list of potential reading, but good intentions take a back seat to real life. However, here are some of the books I finished over the past few months. The Paper Magician - Charlie Holmberg. The premise is an alternative history of late 19th - early 20th century England where magicians are trained to work with a specific material like paper,  glass, or metal. It sounded promising, but the vibe was too modern. I just couldn't buy the heroine living unchaperoned with her mentor and cooking penne pasta. This was author's first novel, so I will give her some slack, but I doubt I will read any more books in this series. For an example of an alternative history with magic that captures the time period well - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. One Nation Under God - How Corporate America Invented Christian America - Kevin Kruse. Another book in my quest to understand how we got to where...

1. From the cross uplifted high Where the Savior deigns to die What melodious sounds I hear Bursting on my ravished ear Love¹s redeeming work is done Come and welcome, sinner, come. 2. Sprinkled now with blood the throne Why beneath thy burdens groan On my pierced body laid Justice owns the ransom paid Bow the knee and kiss the Son Come and welcome, sinner, come. 3. Spread for thee the festal board See with richest dainties stored To thy Father¹s bosom pressed Yet again a child confessed Never from His house to roam Come and welcome, sinner, come. 4. Soon the days of life shall end Lo, I come, your Savior, Friend Safe your spirit to convey To the realms of endless day Up to my eternal home. Come and welcome, sinner, come. Come and welcome, sinner, come. Words - Thomas Hawels, Music - Matthew Perryman Jones

1. Poor sinner come, cast off thy fear, And raise thy drooping head Come, sing with all poor sinners here, Jesus, who once was dead 2. Salvation sing no word more meet To join to Jesus' name Let every thankful tongue repeat "Salvation to the Lamb", "Salvation to the Lamb" 3. Saints from the garden to the cross Your conquering Lord pursue Who, dearly to redeem your loss Groaned, bled, and died for you 4. Now reigns victorious over death The glorious great I am Let every soul repeat with faith Salvation to the Lamb. Salvation to the Lamb 5. When we incurred the wrath of God Alas! What could be worse? He came, and with His heart's own blood Redeemed us from the curse 6. This Paschal Lamb, his blood can meet And cleanse ye from each stain Repeat, ye ransomed souls, repeat "Salvation to the Lamb." "Salvation to the Lamb." Words - Justin Smith, Joseph Hart.  Music - Justin Smith

"In 1896, W.E.B. Du Bois presented his PhD dissertation to the faculty at Harvard University. His dissertation was titled "The Suppression of the African Slave Trade in the United States of America, 1638-1870." At the conclusion of this work, Du Bois offered a "Lesson for Americans." Du Bois's lesson began with the observation that Americans are not known for being a people engaged in self-examination. Rather, Du Bois wrote, Americans tend to deny that any major problems exist in their society. If any ills can be found, then Americans seek to find ways to jettison those ills rather than address them and patiently work to answer them. Du Bois wrote that "we have the somewhat inchoate idea that we are not destined to be harassed with great social questions, and that even if we are, and fail to answer them, the fault is with the question and not with us. Consequently, we often congratulate ourselves more on getting rid of a problem than on solving it....

This is one part of The Social Justice Statement that troubles me: WE AFFIRM that some cultures operate on assumptions that are inherently better than those of other cultures because of the biblical truths that inform those worldviews that have produced these distinct assumptions. Those elements of a given culture that reflect divine revelation should be celebrated and promoted. The "inherently better than those of other cultures" seems to fly in the face Paul's declaration in Phil. 3 that he counted all the rights and privileges of being raised as a Hebrew, as dung compared to the surpassing greatness of Christ. He also wrote in Romans that there is no advantage to the Jew or to the Greek because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. If this is veiled reference to America, the debate is still out among Christian historians as to whether America is a Christian nation versus Christians being involved in its founding. Also we have to face the moral discon...

Though troubles assail and dangers affright, Though friends should all fail and foes all unite; Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, The scripture assures us, the Lord will provide The birds without barn or storehouse are fed, From them let us learn to trust for our bread: His saints, what is fitting, shall ne'er be denied, So long as it's written, the Lord will provide We may, like the ships, by tempest be tossed On perilous deeps, but cannot be lost. Though Satan enrages the wind and the tide, The promise engages, the Lord will provide. His call we obey, like Abram of old, Not knowing our way, but faith makes us bold; For though we are strangers we have a good Guide, And trust in all dangers, the Lord will provide When Satan appears to stop up our path, And fill us with fears, we triumph by faith; He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried, This heart-cheering promise, the Lord will provide He tells us we're weak, our hope is in vain, The good that we seek we ...