Tried With Fire

The cult of celebrity in the modern West has infiltrated the church, so much so that we can seem to be presuming that the Lord is obliged to work or invariably will work when the right person or persons are present: get someone prominent to preach and people are bound to listen! But this is to forget, if not to ignore, that the Lord is not bound in this way... All too often there is mere capitulation at this point, a failure to ask what these men stand for, what they carry with them by way of endorsement or conviction (even if not openly stated in a particular environment) and - sometimes at least as importantly - what they will open the door to by way of association... [I]t is all too easy to suspend our own rational faculties when a word is perceived to have been spoke ex cathedra , wherever that seat of power may be. Christians in any [many?] circles readily go beyond the respect which ought to be legitimately afforded to proven men and become nothing more than children led a...

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Here's a shout-out to the ordinary Christians who have made an impact on my life. They may never write a best-selling book, be big-name conference speakers, or even have a blog that makes the top 150. However, they are faithful in little ways that count in the sight of God. I'm thankful for: My parents - God has kept them into their 80's. They love Him. They love His Word. They shared Christ with me. My sister - It's tough when you live far way from aging parents. I'm thankful for my sister's loving service to them. She's always been there for me, too. My daughter, my closest friend and my sister in Christ. My pastor who faithfully preaches the Word and shepherds the flock. The elders in the church - Their vision for the church is not about numbers and programs but about keeping us centered in the gospel for the glory of God. They've sacrificed their time and energy to serve this faith family, and I thank God for them The sister who coordin...

An accomplished and well-behaved young woman is an amiable object in the sight of her fellow-creatures. She may be sensible and obliging; she may dress and dance genteelly; she may play well upon the harpsichord; she may have much finer work to show than the coats and garments which Dorcas made; and, by her vivacity and good humor, she may become the idol of all her acquaintances; but, if she does not know her state as a sinner; if she admires herself, and is pleased with the admiration of others, while her heart is cold to the love and glory of God our Savior—if she has no taste for prayer or praise; if her mind is engrossed by the pleasures and prospects of this poor world—she is dead while she lives! In the sight of God her Maker, she is insensible and ungrateful, she is poor, blind, and miserable! When you were a child, I could observe in you, not only the sprightliness common to children—but indications of sense and mental powers above the common standard. Your character, I supp...

Like others have observed, in the good old days of blogging, you could write what you wanted to write without worrying about maintaining an image. Of course that was even easier when you were the only reader. I confess that lately I've worried about what other people think instead of just being who I really am in Christ, quirks and all. There's a time to be serious and a time for fun, but I never want to be anything other than myself in either case. If this is the heart of old-school blogging, then I'm going to stick with it. So to continue in that spirit, I am borrowing  Lisa 's idea. Here are seven things about myself that you may not know: 1. My sense of humor was formed (or warped) by Rocky and Bullwinkle and The Muppet Show . 2. My favorite article of clothing is an old UCLA hoodie which I am wearing right now. 3. I am an Anglophile thanks to Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, PBS Masterpiece Theatre, and Doctor Who. BTW, Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor. 4....

ht: Evil Darth Vader via Doctor Darth Baptist on Twitter ht: Kim's hubby via Diane on FB