Homeschool Hah Hah

On this thanksgiving I'm grateful my wife has home-schooled our four children for all these years...and a bunch more to go. Homeschooling is not for everyone, and there are, ah, various types of homeschoolers...and this is not meant as a slam, but is just hysterical:

26 Wondrous Years!

Every seven years our anniversary falls on Thanksgiving...and we are especially thankful that we are (finally) in Missouri!

We will celebrate the day with friends we've known for many, many years...the picture was taken a couple years ago at Quiz Nationals, left to right, our best man Scott Lash, Jack, Jane, and maid of honor Debbie (Laffoon) Long...Scott is a pastor and Debbie's husband (who also attended our wedding) is also a pastor...

Just What Is Sin?

A huge danger of border-line-legalism is the lists that are made (rock music, r - rated movies, etc) become the standard while so much other "stuff" is ignored.

Tim Keller has written a compelling book dealing with the prodigal son(s), and he makes this vital observation:

“Here, then, is Jesus’ radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.”

- Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 43.

Wondering Why? Listen to this...

Okay, I do not know if she is a follower of Jesus or not (if you do, leave a comment)...but what a song by a fantastic vocalist:

Electoral Stupidity

This is from Gary Bauer of "American Values." I know many don't care for Mr. Bauer, but the facts in this particular piece speak loudly for themselves:

A Fact-Free Election?

We just went through an election where the facts didn’t matter. And if you don’t believe me, then sit down for this item. Talk show host John Ziegler commissioned a poll by John Zogby to test the knowledge of more than 500 Obama voters in a nationwide survey conducted after the election. The results are shocking. It must be noted upfront that virtually all those surveyed had high school diplomas, and more than half had college degrees. Only 2% of Obama voters earned “perfect or near-perfect scores on a post election test which gauged their knowledge of statements and scandals associated with the presidential tickets.”

For example: 57% could not correctly say which party controlled Congress; 88% did not know that Obama said his policies would bankrupt the coal industry; 56% did not know that Obama started his political career at the home of two former domestic terrorists; and 72% did not know that Joe Biden dropped out of a previous campaign due to plagiarism. But, 94% knew Sarah Palin had a pregnant teenage daughter; 86% knew Sarah Palin had $150,000 in clothes purchased for her; and 87% said that Sarah Palin stated she could see Russia from her house. Sarah Palin never actually said that – Tiny Fey of Saturday Night Live fame did. You can learn more about this poll and John Ziegler’s upcoming documentary, “Media Malpractice” at: www.HowObamaGotElected.com.

This may seen humorous, but it is no laughing matter. Elections have consequences, and there are serious issues at stake. Yet, throughout the campaign, I regularly ran into pro-life voters who did not know that Barack Obama strongly supported the Freedom of Choice Act and had pledged to sign it as one of his top priorities. I got angry emails from folks taking me to task for suggesting that Obama supported same-sex “marriage.” But they did not know that he had called the Defense of Marriage Act “an abhorrent law” and supports its total repeal. Clearly, in the next election cycle we have to do a lot better educating the electorate.

Don't Forget the Cross in Your Thanks-Giving

Here's a sober quote to contemplate in these few days before Thanksgiving:


“I ought to go to Christ for the forgiveness of each sin. In washing my body, I go over every spot, and wash it out. Should I be less careful in washing my soul?

I ought to see the stripe that was made on the back of Jesus by each of my sins. I ought to see the infinite pang thrill through the soul of Jesus equal to an eternity of my hell for my sins, and for all of them.

I ought to see that in Christ’s bloodshedding there is an infinite over-payment for all my sins. Although Christ did not suffer more than infinite justice demanded, yet He could not suffer at all without laying down an infinite ransom.”

—Robert Murray M’Cheyne, quoted by Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960), 175-176

The Sad Reason for Lack of Genuine Converts

Martyn Lloyd-Jones lived from 1899 to 1981. I don't know when he wrote the following; but his observation is, sadly, so apropos today. We've got all the bells and whistles, focus groups and branding, but not much is happening. Lloyd-Jones' analysis and diagnosis remains "spot on."

"People seem to think that the masses are outside the Christian church because our evangelistic methods are not what they ought to be. That is not the answer. People are outside the church because looking at us they say, "What is the point of being Christians? - look at them!" They are judging Christ by you and me. And you cannot stop them and you cannot blame them." Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Reminds me of an ditty I learned decades ago:

You are writing a gospel,
A chapter a day,
People read what you write,
Whether faithless or true,
Tell me, what is the gospel,
According to you?

What Other Ministries Can I Work With?

Here's a fantastic statement by James MacDonald regarding with whom can Christians work:
click here

Satan - Master Guerilla Fighter

If only Satan and his legion were transparent and obvious...but, alas, he is a master guerilla fighter; blending in...


Where's the wolf? Right there, indistinguishable. Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15).(HT: David Roper blog)

Be alert! Sanctifiedidly (I know it's not a word, but it should be) paranoid! There is an enemy...your job is to 1)Submit to God, 2) Resist the devil. Too many try step two without concentrating on step one. That's the road to spiritual disarmament.

No Expiration Date on Mercy!

Sometimes the most familiar verses become so "common" they lose their freshness. Here's a great reminder:

“If you are one of God’s children, there is something in your life that will not wear out. In fact, it has the amazing capacity to be new day after day after day. Scripture says that God’s mercies are ‘New every morning.’

Now, you know you need mercy, because you know you need forgiveness and help. Almost every day you mess up in some way. Almost every day you face things that are bigger than the size of your personal wisdom and strength. You and I constantly need the mercy of forgiveness and the mercy of enablement. And so, it is very encouraging to know that God’s mercy is new every day! God’s mercy never grows stale and it never loses it’s transforming power. God’s mercy is brand new morning after morning after morning.

This also means that God’s mercy is form-fit for the problems that you are facing right here, right now. Each morning you are given new mercies for the particular things that you will face that day.

So, you can wake up tomorrow with courage and hope. And you can do this, not because of your strength and wisdom, but because you know that the most important thing you have ever been given will never wear out. You can also have hope because you know that the God who has given that new mercy, knows exactly what you are about to face.”

—Paul David Tripp