Mosier's Musings

God Bless the USA

2009-05-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

At 8:00 Sunday morning as I drove the short distance from our home to the church parking lot, as I approached the cemetery on the west side of our church building and saw the cemetery lanes lined with flags blowing in the wind, I became once again thankful that my God allowed me to be born in America, a country that was based on the idea of individual freedom. As I have read the thoughts of our founding fathers, I am confronted with the realization that the larger the government grows, the more power it has. And the more power it has, the less freedom individuals have. Thus, our founding fathers initiated the idea of the government being operated by the people and not the government running the lives of the people. Our founding fathers believed that not a king nor a group of individuals should become a tyrant over the people's will. Sadly, things have changed since those early days of our country's history. For instance, in Iowa seven nonelected judges have imposed their will over the people's representative's and over the will of the people. And this is happening all across the nation. Still, I am thankful to be an American. I am grateful for our country's history, and for the freedoms that we still enjoy. The Scripture says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." I pray that America's present leaders will turn to the One in whom our original leaders placed their trust. I thank God for those who have made significant sacrifices--sometimes ultimate sacrifices--in order to preserve our freedoms. I pray that there never comes a day when their sacrifices are rendered futile. God bless America and God bless you. Pastor Mike

Looking for a Church

2009-02-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

Last night I received a telephone call from an individual whose voice I immediately recognized but hadn't heard in quite some time. The person behind the voice was a young lady who is now in her second year at UNI. I first met her as an eight-year-old little girl whose first response to me, as I was standing in the entryway of our church sanctuary, was to hide behind her father's leg. I must confess, that really was a pretty wise reaction! In the years that followed we became really good friends. She became a leader in our teen group, with great courage made an extraordinary effort to go on a short-term missions trip to the Dominican Republic, involved herself with obvious interest in our teen Bible study discussions, and contributed joyfully to the life of our church. Now she is a young lady who is in that stage of life of trusting God for a life partner. In our conversation last night she told me that she had met a young man whom she likes a lot. And she asked me to help them find a good church. So, part of my morning work today involved researching churches in the Cedar Falls and Waterloo area. I found five good possibilities and sent the names, addresses, and telephone numbers to this young lady along with some comments that I thought might be helpful. I am excited that this young lady with her boyfriend's s total support wants to find a "good church" and that she trusted me to help her. As I reflected upon my conversation with this young lady, I realized that the relationships I build today lay the groundwork for tomorrow's opportunities to make a contribution for Jesus in people's lives. As I am ministering today, I sometimes wonder if anything I am doing is really making a difference. Then I get a call from a college student who used to be a little girl of my present asking me to continue to be of help in her spiritual growth. Hallelujah! I am reminded that when I make an investment today in a person's life for the cause of Christ there is going to be interest down the road. Isn't that what God pretty much calls us to do as a church family? Be faithful and develop relationships that provide mutual satisfaction toward knowing Christ and making Him known? I thank God for that call last night, and I suspect that I will have continuing opportunities to have some input in the lives of this young lady and her boyfriend. May Jesus Christ be praised!

Complete in Christ

2009-01-30T06:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about the effect of sin in the world in terms of the "incompleteness" it brings to every strata of life: marriage, family, friends, employment, etc.? I was thinking about that this morning. People are hurrying and scurrying about in their various endeavors of life, driven by the tyranny of the urgent, seeking completeness. And it's never going to happen this side of heaven. John Eldridge puts it this way, "The incompleteness we seek to relieve in the deep embrace of our earthly love is never fully healed." So I ask myself, why do I so often fly to the people or things of this world to try to gain a sense of completeness? And why am I so often surprised at the sense of frustration I experience at the deepest level of my being? I will forever be incomplete in this world. It is freeing to accept that reality. For those who are putting their hope for that completeness in wives or husbands, children, employment, athletics, accumulating things, or partying--you fill in the blank--they are chasing (as the old 60s song goes) the elusive butterfly. It never fully satisfies. My heart can only find ultimate peace, satisfaction, and significance in Christ. These thoughts draw my heart to heaven and move my soul to long for that moment when the completion that I so desperately long to experience finds its fulfillment in the One who accomplished its possibility by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. We need to live life with a heavenly perspective which helps to deliver us from unrealistic expectations for others and ourselves, perfectionism, criticism, and so much more. It provides a motivation for encouragement and building others up--for creating community. This truth is so very freeing! It releases us from the shackles of this world and frees us to fly to Christ to enjoy the life He brings to those who love Him. Oh, Lord, help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Principle vs. Pragmatism by R.C. Sproul

2009-01-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

I read some thoughts from R.C. Sproul this morning that made me think about who we are as a nation and who we are as a church. Here's what he said.

Principle vs. Pragmatism by R.C. Sproul

Some years ago, I drove along the Pennsylvania Turnpike about two o’clock in the morning with a friend after having spent all day at a steel corporation in eastern Pennsylvania dealing with labor management issues. My companion was a man who had lost his job as a highly paid executive in the industry for being too concerned about the welfare and dignity of the laborers in his plant. As we were making this drive in the wee hours of the morning, I noticed my friend was at the point of exhaustion, and so I asked him the question: “Why are you doing this?” He looked over at me as if to indicate that my question was a foolish one, and he replied simply: “Because it’s the right thing to do.”In stark contrast to that, in this past year I have witnessed the worst type of corruption within the church that I have seen in my lifetime. I was chairing the board of a Christian institution of learning as we dealt with a question of the propriety of the teaching of one of the professors. The task of the board was to guard the purity of the doctrine of the institution. The motion was made to suspend the professor for a brief period of time in order to give him an opportunity to amend his views. As chairman, I did not vote, but the motion carried by a vote of eight to two.During the discussion, one of the men who voted against the resolution asked this question: “Can’t we deal with this question in a more pragmatic way?” Another board member responded by saying, “No, it is our responsibility to act not according to pragmatism but according to principle.” The motion to suspend was passed by a margin of eight-to-two. The pragmatist who was outvoted, instead of submitting to the vote or bringing in a minority report, went around the board and did everything in his power to have the board’s decision overthrown. Accomplishing this, his next move was to see to it that board members with whom he disagreed were ousted from the board. Through Machiavellian machinations of corruption, this pragmatist was able to succeed. In his wake, he left the demolition of a strategically important institution of Christian learning.What is pragmatism? Pragmatism is the only philosophy native to America. Pragmatism eschews any hope of discovering ultimate truth. It is skeptical with respect to objective principles of righteousness and defines truth as “that which works.” In this philosophy, the end always justifies the means. The driving force behind decisions within the scope of pragmatism is the force of expediency.We remember in the days of the trial of Jesus of Nazareth, two of the important players were Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate. Both men made their decisions to have Jesus executed on the basis of expediency (Mark 15:15; John 11:45–53). Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate were pragmatists with a vengeance.Several years ago, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a ranking senator of the United States Congress. During our discussion, I raised an ethical issue that the Senate faced at that time and asked him why the Senate didn’t act on that particular issue. He replied that he agreed with me that the Senate certainly should act on it, but he added that they could not do it that year because it was an election year. I moved to my second question and asked about another issue that needed the Senate’s attention. Again he agreed that it should be addressed, but not that particular year because it was an election year. After we got to the sixth or seventh question where the mantra was repeated again (“not this year because it’s an election year”), I looked at the senator and asked, “Is there anybody up here on Capitol Hill who thinks about the next generation instead of the next election?” I guess it was too idealistic of me to think that our nation’s leaders would be a bit more concerned for the welfare of the nation than for their own political war chest. No nation (or Christian institution, for that matter) can survive when its leaders are driven by a spirit of pragmatism or make their decisions according to political expediency.Expediency is an obscene word. It is the word that is ever and always at war with principle. A person who is a Christian is called of God to live by biblical principles. The principles that the Bible reveals to guide our steps are the necessary elements for authentic righteousness. Take away principle, and righteousness is slain in the streets. We need an awakening in the culture and in the church to principle — to working according to truth and to living according to biblical revelation. Without principle, the church as well as the culture will decay, and the church will become a mere echo of the unprincipled pragmatism of secularism.

Book Review

2009-01-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

I read a lot of books. The Courage to Be Protestant by David Wells is one of the best I've read recently. I highly recommend it. The sub-title is Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World. The words on the flap of the inside-front cover begin, "It takes no courage to sign up as a Protestant." These words begin this bold new work--the culmination of David Well's long-standing critique of the evangelical landscape. But to live as a true Protestant--well, that's another matter. This book is a jeremiad against "new" versions of evangelicalism--marketers and emergents--and a summons to return to the historic faith, defined by the Reformation solas (grace, faith, and Scripture alone) and by a high regard for doctrine. Wells argues that historic, classical evangelicalism is marked by doctrinal seriousness, as opposed to the new movements of the marketing church and the emergent church. He energetically confronts the marketing communities and their tendency to try to win parishioners as consumers rather than worshipers, advertising the most palatable environment rather than trusting the truth to be attractive. I will stop there with the inside-cover comments. David Wells calls God's people back to biblical Christianity as opposed to cultural Christianity (if there is truly such a thing for how can one possibly be unbiblical but Christian? That is nonsense--a total contradiction. David Wells calls Christian people and the church back to the position of faith, grace, and Scripture alone as the means by which the church will fulfill its mission and bring glory to our Savior. He calls true believers to have their hearts and minds molded by the Scripture, to resist cultural pressures that would form us into the image of the world, and take a stand for and be firmly rooted in biblical truth. I highly recommend this book.

Scary Predictions

2009-01-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

Today I received an email from my brother. In the subject line were the words "Predictions Scary." I read the email message that consisted of dire predictions for our nation that concerned him. He believed they were legitimate, and they may well be. In my reply, I hoped to help him gain some perspective. Here's what I said:

Surely there can be no doubt among those of us who know our Bibles fairly well that our country is in a mess--for that matter our world is in a mess. Our founding fathers tried an experiment in government that has been unmatched throughout the ages in regard to prosperity in the matters of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Much of their governmental philosophy was grounded in the Word of God and their approach to matters of law was built upon the model of Blackstone's legal principles that formed the body of jurisprudence that governed England and which had at their center Ten Commandments. Now that America has departed from it's initial foundation, everything is up for grabs. It is almost beyond belief that we would look to philosophies of European countries for answers to our present needs recognizing that those countries are failing and their peoples are enduring a much less satisfying manner of life than that which forr many years we have known in America. The systems that have been set in place to govern socialistic countries have produced pretty much nothing but misery for their people. All of this is very sad, but it is not surprising. The Bible explains that in the Last Days, our world will go from bad to worse, selfishness and sin will be the dominating factors of our society, foolishness will rule people's lives, and the pursuit of pleasure and a wanton lust for self-fulfillment will dominate the societies of the world. The fact is, God's judgment is coming. And those of us who know Jesus should have our lives focused on Him--growing to love Him more; growing to love our neighbors more (showing that love in tangible ways and being faithful witnesses of the good news of Jesus Christ); and serving the world. Our hope is not in this world, but the world to come. The Word says, "Set your mind on things above and not on things below." With our minds and hearts rooted in the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom to come of which we truly are citizens, we can gain a healthier perspective of this world in which we are only (to use a John Wayne word) pilgrims, and which is only temporary. Hebrews uses a term I love of the Kingdom to which Christians have aligned themselves in Christ. It is called "The unshakable kingdom." The world is the "shakable kingdom." Presently we feel the tremors; eventually the people of this world will experience the earthquake. Praise God that in Christ we are safe. Praise God that He has given us the wisdom to "flee from the wrath to come." Praise God that we are safe in His arms even in the midst of such foolishness and misguided governmental policies that we are seeing practiced at the highest levels of our government today and that are filtering down through our American society. The only answer for our world is Christ. He lives to give life and liberty to those who would call upon His name. What a beautiful name it is--Jesus. God's prediction is judgment for the world; God's promise is that the judgment that I deserve because of my sin has been born by my Savior and He is now preparing a place for me in His unshakable kingdom. This life is as a vapor that passes away quickly; eternal life is forever. It is a fool who would give up what he cannot lose for that which he cannot keep. My prayer is that our Lord in these difficult days will move us, His people, to be "Heavenly Rooted" as we live out our days in this shaky world.

The Lion in the Manger

2008-12-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Jill Carittini is an associate with Ravi Zacharias ministries. Jill's commentary today spoke to my heart and I thought it might be a source of reflection for anyone who would care to read it. So, here it is! Happy Trails to you!

It is a strange story. There were shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel appeared to them, telling them not to be afraid. A baby had been born, and they could find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. To a peasant mother outside of Bethlehem, the Son of God was born. If I take a step back from the familiar hum of Advent to consider the story we are really waiting for, I am thrown off my usual Christmas kilter. This is not really the innocuous historical narrative I imagine. This is not a tame story. The bright lights and colors of our Christmas pageants can easily paint over the stark scenery of a story that startles all of history. Who understands this God who comes as a child, who steps into our world through a dirty stable and the unlikely arms of an unwed mother? Yet even long before these strange additions to the story of God among his people, the prophets were asking similar questions: "Who has understood the mind of the LORD?" (Isaiah 40:13). This God who moves among us, touching all of life and history is not the quiet and tame being we often imagine. God’s ways are not our ways. God’s stories are not the kind of stories we would write if the telling were up to us. But God’s thoughts are the kind of thoughts that expose deception and shine in darkness, that shatter hearts and rewrite stories. It is the same with the child born in a stable two thousand years ago. The infant we remember lying peacefully in a manger with cattle lowing nearby did not take long to fulfill the words spoken to his young parents: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:34-35). Is this the child we are anticipating this Advent? British author Dorothy Sayers once lamented the manner in which Jesus is often remembered: he is the quiet sage full of wisdom, the safe and peaceful one of history. He is, for all practical purposes, somewhat dull, someone we might be interested in at a later time. Yet Sayers writes:
"The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused him of being a bore--on the contrary, they thought him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him 'meek and mild,' and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies."(1)
Advent is a time of anticipation not for the harmless baby surrounded by lights and presents, but for the dynamic savior who is born into our midst in a way that must forever change us. "Do you want to be delivered?" asked Dietrich Bonhoeffer in an Advent sermon more than 70 years ago. "That is the only really important and decisive question which Advent poses for us. Does there burn within us some lingering longing to know what deliverance really means? If not, what would Advent then mean to us? A bit of sentimentality. A little lifting of the spirit within us? A little kinder mood? But if there is something in this word Advent which we have not yet known, that strangely warms our heart; if we suspect that it could, once more, once more, mean a turning point in our life, a turning to God, to Christ--why then are we not simply obedient, listening and hearing in our ears the clear call: Your deliverance draws nigh!"(2) In this season of Advent we remember a strange and drastic story. We anticipate nothing less than the Lion of Judah wrapped in swaddling cloths. We anticipate the coming of a Savior unhindered. Indeed, our deliverance draws nigh.

Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns

2008-12-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Chris Brauns, who pastors a church in Stillman Valley, Illinois, and who is the son of a lady in our church, has written a terrific book on the subject of forgiveness. I highly recommend it. Here is my review from amazon.com: Many Christian people who have been offended wonder what to do regarding the matter of forgiveness. Didn't Jesus, looking upon His tormentors from the elevated view of the cross, while experiencing excruciating pain that they had caused pray, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do?" Based upon the example of God, how are we to forgive? Unpacking Forgiveness shines the wonderful light of God's Word upon this question explaining the principles of biblical forgiveness with great precision and clarity. We learn that forgiveness is not conditional but conditioned upon repentance and faith in Christ. In an age full of error and faulty theological thinking, this book represents the study of a pastor who has studied to show himself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed having rightly divided the Word of Truth. This book will be a tremendous help and provide valuable answers on forgiveness to those who choose to unpack its contents. Michael Mosier 10/22/2008
Happy trails to you!

Winter Weather Concerns

2008-12-03T06:58:00.000-08:00

Please keep in mind that anytime school is cancelled, any particular service or ministry on that particular day is cancelled, too. For example, there was the possibility of a snow storm with high winds in our forecast today. It appears that this storm is tracking further north and that we will not be severely affected, but if we were and school was cancelled today, we would have no prayer meeting or teen meeting tonight. We will all hope that this winter's weather will be much kinder to us than last year. Those of you who are Baby Boomers will appreciate (or at least you should appreciate) my final comment today: Happy trails to you!

Bible Study Helps

2008-10-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

I have been patiently awaiting the release of the ESV Study Bible. It has been promoted as one of the best study Bibles available, and by all present reviews, it is. I am posting a review by Tim Challies that although is rather extensive and long, it is very good and informative. Also, I want you to know that I am going to try to post something informative or helpful on my blog a couple of times a week. Forgive me for allowing so much time to transpire before this posting.

The ESV Study Bible has launched with eight editions: Hardcover, TruTone Nat Brown, TruTone Classic Black, Black Bonded Leather, Burgundy Bonded Leather, Black Genuine Leather, Burgundy Genuine Leather and Premium Calfskin Leather. In any edition the ESV Study Bible looks great. It is contemporary in its coloring (white is dominant with orange accents in the hardcover) and in the rectangle which shows up throughout (on the cover, to mark headings, and even as a bullet for lists of information). The rectangle has no deeper significance than a simple design element. In an interesting but effective design decision, the TruTone editions have this triangle stitched to the cover. The leather editions have "ESV" in large gold letters on the spine with "Study Bible," "English Standard Version" and "Crossway" in smaller gold type. The TruTone has the same text but with the "ESV" embossed. The hardcover features black and orange backgrounds on the spine with the text printed over top. The standard ESV guarantee applies to these Bibles, meaning that a customer who discovers manufacturing defects during normal use can return the Bible to have it replaced with one of equal or greater value. The Bible is made to be durable. It is smyth sewn which is the binding process considered by many to be the best and longest-lasting method. It allows the Bible to lie flat even on page one and on page 2,752 (at least in the TruTone). It is printed on "high-opacity, high-quality French Bible paper" and in a single-column format with the cross-references in the inside margin. The paper is thin and light but still sturdy. My two year-old put the Bible to the test when she inadvertently stepped on it while it was lying open. The page wrinkled under her heel but did not tear. I also learned from her that chewing gum can be removed from the cover of the TruTone while permanent marker cannot. The fonts are very dark and easy to read with a heavy black serif font for the biblical text and a thin black sans-serif for the notes and cross-references. The page headings are in a bold gray with page numbers in a thin gray. Chapter numbers are a large gray serif font while headings are italicized black sans-serif. The pages display a fair bit of bleed-through where, when you look at a page, you can see the ink showing through from the previous page or two. Most of us are accustomed to this bleed-through in our Bibles. Where it is a bit more apparent and distracting is where it shows through on the maps and illustrations. One feature that has received much attention in the ESV Study Bible is its use of color. Most study Bibles offer maps and illustrations only in grayscale. The ESV Study Bible, though, offers full-color illustrations and maps. This is quite a nice feature. The splashes of color throughout, including colored highlighting and shading, are unexpected to my eye but very effective. Though the standard glossy maps in the back of the Bible are superior in quality to the ones scattered throughout, even the smaller maps are nicely done and provide important geographical context without having to slip to the Bible's final pages. The illustrations, commissioned specifically for this project, are very well done and nicely supplement the notes. ESV Study Bible Online The ESV Study Bible is one of only a couple of study Bibles to offer an extensive online component to accompany the Bible. Included with each Bible is a registration code that will allow the customer to access the ESV Online Study Bible. There they will find the complete text of the Bible along with all of the study notes, articles, maps, and all the other features of the Bible. Unique online features include the ability to create and save personalized online notes; to search and follow interactive links between notes, maps, articles, charts, timelines, illustrations, and cross-references; and to listen to audio recordings of the ESV. It adds interactive features that are only possible in a computer-based environment. While the online component is a useful addition to the Bible (and a free one!), at this time it seems under-developed and I suspect many readers will find that they do not refer to it very often. Format Each book of the Bible begins with an extensive introduction. This may include sections dealing with Time, Date and Title; Author; Theme; Key Themes; Purpose, Occasion and Background; Literary Features; Outline; and so on. Particularly important is the History of Salvation Summary which sets each of the books within the context of the wider body of Scripture and hence within the history of salvation. Introductions may also include timelines, maps, and notes on literary features specific to that book. In every case, the reader will receive a thorough explanation as to the book's authorship, purpose and context in God's plan of salvation. The text notes vary in density but typically comprise about half of each page in the New Testament and perhaps a third in the Old Testament. They focus primarily on explanation and rarely on application. In one handy feature, highlighted notes correspond to primary points in the outline while highlighted verses and headings within the notes correspond to secondary points in the outline. Scholarship The ESV Study Bible has been produced by as good a group of scholars as any study Bible. The General Editor is Wayne Grudem, the Theological Editor is J.I. Packer, the Old Testament Editor is C. John Collins and the New Testament Editor is Thomas Schreiner. The study note contributors represent a broad cross-section of reputable Evangelical scholars. The articles included within the Bible have been contributed by some well-known pastors and scholars, including John Piper, David Powlison, Darrell Bock, Leland Ryken, R. Kent Hughes, Daniel Wallace, and many more. Controversial Theology One concern people are likely to have when considering a new study Bible concerns the theological perspective offered in the notes. Does this particular study Bible take a Reformed or Arminian position on salvation? A complementarian or egalitarian perspective on gender roles? An amillennial or premillennial position on the end times? I looked through many of the notes seeking what this Bible says on some of the more common controversies: end times, spiritual gifts and soteriology. I found this an interesting comparison with the Reformation Study Bible. It seems to me that the Reformation Study Bible came from a much more narrowly-defined theological position; it was Reformed, it was cessationist, it was amillennial. The ESV Study Bible, on the other hand, offers a wider or less-defined perspective. Where the doctrine is clear and undisputed among Evangelicals, so too are the notes. But where doctrines are controversial and within the area of Christian freedom or disputable matters, the notes tend not to take a firm position, even when the author or editor is firmly in one camp or the other. Whether this is positive or negative may well depend on the individual reader. To satisfy my curiosity, I opened my NIV Study Bible, Reformation Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible and ESV Study Bible and compared their notes on several areas of controversial theology--spiritual gifts, predestination and spiritual gifts. None of these Bibles offered notes that were unbiblical so I was left looking for the differences in perspective. In general I found that the MacArthur Study Bible offered the most defined position. This makes good sense as it represents the position of a single individual. This was followed by the Reformation Study Bible which offers the position of many individuals but each of them drawn from a very consistent theological position. The ESV Study Bible came next, offering a charitable but open view on most of these issues. The NIV Study Bible seemed almost to shy away from some of the issues. So while it is clear that the ESV Study Bible is not distinctly Reformed in its position, neither is it Arminian. It is not cessationist or continuationist and is neither amillennial nor postmillennial. In fact, it seems as if it emulates the parent who tells one of his children to cut the last piece of cake in half and the other to choose the first piece. In many cases a person from one perspective wrote the notes while a person from the other perspective screened them. This ensures the notes maintain both charity and some degree of objectivity in those areas of dispute. Having looked at the areas of dispute, I would not hesitate to recommend the ESV Study Bible to either new or mature Christians. The matters at the heart of the faith are described and defended while the matters of lesser importance are presented charitably and non-dogmatically. Conclusion I suspect that many of the people reading this review will already be owners of at least one study Bible. I feel it is important to affirm that there is nothing innately wrong with the Reformation Study Bible, The New Geneva Study Bible, the MacArthur Study Bible and many of the other similar products. If you are currently using one of these Bibles and are happy with it, there may be few compelling reason to rush out and purchase the ESV Study Bible. I have used the Reformation Study Bible and its predecessor for many years with great benefit. I have no doubt that I will continue to refer to it. With that said, I think the ESV Study Bible is an incredible resource. A long list of endorsers have expressed their excitement for its theological faithfulness, its accessibility, its insight, its scholarship, its practicality and its sheer excellence. I would simply append my name to this list. I agree wholeheartedly with C.J. Mahaney who writes, "I can't imagine a greater gift to the body of Christ than the ESV Study Bible. It is a potent combination indeed: the reliability and readability of the ESV translation, supplemented by the best of modern and faithful scholarship, packaged in an accessible and attractive format. A Christian could make no wiser investment for himself, a pastor could recommend no better resource for his congregation." This is a powerful resource and one that can aid any reader of Scripture. It is one I recommend wholeheartedly. Early in this review I wrote, "Today, if you drop by my home in the early morning, you are likely to see me reading from the Literary Study Bible." I think it's safe to say that, if you drop by my home early tomorrow morning, you are likely to see me reading from the ESV Study Bible. (Tim Challies; October 13; amazon.com)

2008-06-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

How can we as taxpayers tolerate our tax dollars being used to add to the profit of the abortion machine Planned Parenthood? Michelle Malkin provides insight into how this Washington-funded operation works--or doesn't.

Planned Parenthood's Obscene Profits
Michelle Malkin--Wednesday, June 04, 2008

GOP presidential candidate John McCain sounded more like a Democratic presidential candidate (a recurring trend) when he joined the Left's oil industry bashers a few weeks ago. Asked by a North Carolina voter whether he supported a Jimmy Carter-era windfall profits tax, McCain responded: "Um, I don't like obscene profits being made anywhere -- and I'd be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax -- that's not what bothers me -- but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people or industries or corporations that are distorting the market."

Here's an idea for all the hand-wringing GOP strategists in Washington wondering what it will take to win back disgusted economic and social conservatives: How about a Republican presidential candidate who will talk about the tax-subsidized abortion industry the way McCain talks about the oil industry?

In April, the annual report for Planned Parenthood Federation of America revealed that the abortion giant had a total income of $1.02 billion -- with reported profits of nearly $115 million. Taxpayers kick in more than $336 million worth of government grants and contracts at both the state and federal levels. That's a third of Planned Parenthood's budget.

And what market-distorting results do we get for those government incentives? In 2006 alone: 289,750 abortions.

Oil execs, tobacco execs, banking execs, pharmaceutical company execs and baseball players have all been hauled up before Congress for highly publicized whippings by crusading lawmakers. But the executives of Planned Parenthood have escaped government scrutiny and public accountability for their predatory behavior, dangerous medical practices, deception and deadly windfall.

In Washington, D.C., the family of 13-year-old Shantese Butler filed a $50 million suit against Planned Parenthood after a botched abortion left the girl permanently injured and infertile. Students for Life of America reports that Shantese was left with "severe abdominal bleeding, severe vaginal injury, severe injury to the cervix, significant uterine perforation and a small bowel tear." In addition, parts of the unborn child were found inside Shantese's abdomen.
In Nebraska, Planned Parenthood refused to disclose the terms of a settlement with another victim whose botched abortion resulted in a perforated uterus, massive blood loss, an emergency hysterectomy, permanent infertility, seizures, and lifelong pain and suffering. According to the suit obtained by Life News, the woman instructed the abortionist and his assistants to stop, but was told: "We can't stop." The Planned Parenthood employees held her down to complete the procedure.

Where's the subpoena-wielding Henry Waxman? Can Orrin Hatch spare a moment from investigating the New England Patriots to probe Planned Parenthood's efforts to advise underage teens on how to circumvent parental notification laws to secretly obtain RU-486, the abortion drug cocktail? Where is the concern for the women and children who were mistreated by Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas, where Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline has filed a 107-count criminal complaint against the abortion racket, with charges ranging from falsifying documents to performing illegal late-term abortions?

And where are Nancy Pelosi and the For The Children brigade to investigate the shocking evidence of Planned Parenthood's nefariousness exposed by undercover student journalist Lila Rose?

Last year, Rose caught a Planned Parenthood official encouraging a female minor to evade statutory rape laws in order to obtain an abortion in California. In February, Rose released undercover tapes of her discussion with an Idaho Planned Parenthood official eager to accept money from a racist donor who wanted his funds earmarked for aborting black babies. In April, she released video of clinic officials in New Mexico and Oklahoma willing to take money from a blatantly racist donor. One Planned Parenthood staffer admits that "for whatever reason, we'll accept the money."

For whatever reason, Washington has turned a blind bipartisan eye to this bloody, government-funded business -- and pro-life, limited-government conservatives in the Beltway have gone along with subsidizing it. "Obscene profits," indeed.

Copyright © 2008 Salem Web Network. All Rights Reserved.

Your Teen and MTV

2008-06-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Jonathan McKee is a nationally known Youth minister. I was stunned when I read his observations and comments regarding MTV and the teen culture. This commentary should be an eye-opener for every Christian parent.

Youth Culture Window

No Limits--A Glimpse of Pop Culture through the Lens of the MTV Movie Awards
Jonathan McKee

I love movies… and I love good TV. But the MTV Movie Awards always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. First, understand how powerful an influence MTV has on our kids. It’s amazing if you think about it. MTV pre-dates cell phones, iPods, Xbox and the Internet. MTV filled homes across the world while MySpace creator Tom was still in diapers. Jordon Sparks and Chris Brown had yet to sing together… actually, they weren’t even born when MTV already “owned” a young generation. That generation has already grown up and is raising kids of their own. These kids now watch the same channel their parents watched, just with less videos, more reality shows, and much more sexual references per hour. As we rolled into the new millennium, when everyone had an email address, a cell phone number and a Starbucks addiction, MTV was still named the top choice for advertisers who wanted to reach teenagers. Now, in 2008, MTV still “owns,” although now they probably share the crown with Nick, American Idol, Facebook and iTunes. But on this past Sunday night, all eyes were on MTV for their annual MTV Movie Awards hosted by Michael Myers and featuring every celeb imaginable, from Will Smith to Juno’s Ellen Page. I’ve gotta be honest with you. I’m biased. I don’t like MTV. As a parent, I struggle with a channel that gladly peddles smut to our kids to make a buck. Think about it for a second. If a man walked up to our kids in a grocery store and starting talking about the content that MTV doesn’t hesitate sharing every day… most parents would be either calling security or smacking the individual. But what do we do? We reward this individual and give him free reign over our children. It’s mind blowing. So last night I sat down to try to stomach another year of what MTV had to offer. As a movie fan I normally would enjoy Michael Myers, Will Smith and Jack Black…but not this night. Not on this channel.After the “gold carpet” pre-show with “role models” like Diddy, Paris Hilton, and the Pussy Cat Dolls, the show started with a creative introduction from Michael Myers that had a few chuckling moments. The show went downhill from there. I’ll highlight the good and bad for you quickly, share some of the trends I noticed this year, and finally make two suggestions of how we can respond as parents and youth workers.The Good Part of the Show:

I always enjoy seeing Chris Brown dance—a very talented young man.
It was fun to hear Coldplay’s new song performed live.
And I was truly excited this year when all the nominees for their annual “Best Kiss” award were actually a kiss between a guy and a girl!
Well, that wraps up the good. Here’s the bad. The Bad Part of the Show:

Every year the show seems to award a bunch of movies that parents wouldn’t really want their kids watching. Considering that MTV is the “top-rated network in the 12-24 demographic,” it’s discouraging that racy R-rated movies like Knocked Up, Superbad and Sex in the City were in the lineup.

The show featured a moment that is probably the most blatant televised promotion for smoking weed that I’ve ever seen. Seth Rogan and James Franco lit up a big fatty joint and smoked it live right in front of thousands of cheering fans.

This show is a gateway drug to other MTV shows. They consistently plugged other trashy MTV shows like The Real World and Tila Tequila where the commercial featured a lengthy shot of two girls passionately kissing. They also plugged new shows like House Bunny, where a playboy bunny moves into a sorority… oh… why even bother explaining. Sigh.

Almost every commercial break cut to a piece of Usher’s “Let’s Make Love in This Club” video.
Michael Myers, as funny as he is, never ceased to cross the line. Somehow, he seemed to twist every little introduction into something sexual. “Our next presenters did a movie together called The Foot Fist Way and surprisingly, it’s not a celebrity sex tape.” Other times he played creatively quirky characters including his sketch as an ex-porn star who now caters for movies. She (Myers) told us to be careful what we “put in our mouths.”

At first I was excited because they brought Dana Carvey in as a guest to do a live “Wayne’s World” sketch with Mike Myers. I was amazed with what they got away with on TV, joking about “pubes,” porn film titles, and a whole little bit about proclaimed bi-sexual Tila Tequila reaching down the front of people’s pants and being satisfied with whatever she finds down there (complete with hand gestures). It was embarrassingly graphic.

As a whole, the show was a giant infomercial. At times, it was hard to decipher between the show and advertisements. I wasn’t alone in this observation.

MTV’s commercials always bother me, but at the same time, I think MTV tips their hand with their advertisements. It’s very clear what kind of audience they expect with their advertisements for new “unrated” movies and racy reality shows.

This Year’s TrendsEvery year I notice certain trends in pop culture programming. The 2008 MTV Movie Awards revealed plenty. But three trends seemed to float to the top.

A Warped Sense of Heroes--In a world where many kids feel ignored by their parents, a void can grow in their lives. Kids seek heroes. If mom and dad aren’t there… who remains? Enter Seth Rogan and The PussyCat Dolls stage right. Don’t worry mom and dad, your little boy could grow up just like what Seth portrays: smoking pot, cursing, and joking incessantly about sex and porn. And your little girl can someday do soft-core porn routines like a Pussycat Doll. Or maybe it’s something a little more subtle. Take Tranformer’s Megan Fox for example, wearing a dress shorter than her dad’s t-shirt, and her only comment on stage being “Transformers II is going to be f***ing bad*ss!” How’s that for a hero? This year’s MTV Movie Awards provided plenty of these “anti-roll models.” People you’d never want your kids to hang out with… yet we give them standing ovations. Adam Sandler, Diddy, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan… need I go on?

Gross-out Humor--Gross-out humor springboarded to mainstream exactly a decade ago with the success of the 1998 Farrelly Brothers’ movie There’s Something About Mary. Since then, movies have strived to push the limits, and MTV has followed suit. MTV’s Jackass is synonymous with “gross-out.” So it was no surprise to see even more of it in full gear on this year’s show. From the sketch where a monkey gets freaky with the MTV popcorn trophy (right before getting covered with snot, urine and more) to Mike Myer’s unremitting, over-the-top sexual jokes.

No Limits--This paragraph probably appears redundant, but gross-out humor is probably only one sub category of displaying “no limits.” MTV excels at letting loose with no limits. Mike Myers’ jokes didn’t stop at gross out humor (like his sketch where he was eating fecal matter), then ventured to the sexual, homo-sexual and even bestiality. Nothing was out of bounds. And we’re raising a generation of kids that don’t see much as “off limits.”So what can we do as parents and youth workers?

Connect with our kids. It happens all the time. A parent catches a true glimpse of their kid’s world and throws a tizzy! Don’t overreact and throw your TV out the window or ground your kids for a year. I say it in every parent workshop I teach—I can’t emphasize it enough: “Rules without a relationship lead to rebellion.” As a parent or a youth worker, we need to get to know our kids. Connecting means learning their interests, listening to their dreams, and noticing their needs. A relationship is the starting point for building values into them and talking with kids about issues of discernment. And the greatest gift we can give our kids is TIME.

Build lasting values. We need to teach the importance of guidelines to a “no limits” generation. As believers in Christ we can point to the Word. When this world cleverly lies to us and tells us that “everything is okay,” our kids should see the Bible as an unchanging source of truth. Paul talks about this truth we can hold on to in the book of Ephesians. “Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” (Ephesians 4:14-15)Parents, it is okay to say, “Sorry, that doesn’t belong in our house.” We need to teach Biblical discernment.

Discernment might begin with blocking MTV.

Environmentalists Pick Up Where Communists Left Off

2008-06-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

It seems that many in the political and scientific community, through demagoguery, are trying to move the world to panic in regard to global warming. The truth is that there are a great many credible scientists who insist that man has very little to do with this phenomenon. Sunday I read an article by Charles Krauthammer that reflects my position on the matter, and I thought others might find it quite interesting and informative, so I post it here.

Environmentalists Pick Up Where Communists Left Off
Charles Krauthammer Saturday, May 31, 2008
WASHINGTON -- I'm not a global warming believer. I'm not a global warming denier. I'm a global warming agnostic who believes instinctively that it can't be very good to pump lots of CO2 into the atmosphere, but is equally convinced that those who presume to know exactly where that leads are talking through their hats.

Predictions of catastrophe depend on models. Models depend on assumptions about complex planetary systems -- from ocean currents to cloud formation -- that no one fully understands. Which is why the models are inherently flawed and forever changing. The doomsday scenarios posit a cascade of events, each with a certain probability. The multiple improbability of their simultaneous occurrence renders all such predictions entirely speculative.

Yet on the basis of this speculation, environmental activists, attended by compliant scientists and opportunistic politicians, are advocating radical economic and social regulation. "The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity," warns Czech President Vaclav Klaus, "is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous ideology of environmentalism."

If you doubt the arrogance, you haven't seen that Newsweek cover story that declared the global warming debate over. Consider: If Newton's laws of motion could, after 200 years of unfailing experimental and experiential confirmation, be overthrown, it requires religious fervor to believe that global warming -- infinitely more untested, complex and speculative -- is a closed issue.

But declaring it closed has its rewards. It not only dismisses skeptics as the running dogs of reaction, i.e., of Exxon, Cheney and now Klaus. By fiat, it also hugely re-empowers the intellectual left.

For a century, an ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous knowledge class -- social planners, scientists, intellectuals, experts and their left-wing political allies -- arrogated to themselves the right to rule either in the name of the oppressed working class (communism) or, in its more benign form, by virtue of their superior expertise in achieving the highest social progress by means of state planning (socialism).

Two decades ago, however, socialism and communism died rudely, then were buried forever by the empirical demonstration of the superiority of market capitalism everywhere from Thatcher's England to Deng's China, where just the partial abolition of socialism lifted more people out of poverty more rapidly than ever in human history.

Just as the ash heap of history beckoned, the intellectual left was handed the ultimate salvation: environmentalism. Now the experts will regulate your life not in the name of the proletariat or Fabian socialism but -- even better -- in the name of Earth itself.

Environmentalists are Gaia's priests, instructing us in her proper service and casting out those who refuse to genuflect. (See Newsweek above.) And having proclaimed the ultimate commandment -- carbon chastity -- they are preparing the supporting canonical legislation that will tell you how much you can travel, what kind of light you will read by, and at what temperature you may set your bedroom thermostat.

Just Monday, a British parliamentary committee proposed that every citizen be required to carry a carbon card that must be presented, under penalty of law, when buying gasoline, taking an airplane or using electricity. The card contains your yearly carbon ration to be drawn down with every purchase, every trip, every swipe.

There's no greater social power than the power to ration. And, other than rationing food, there is no greater instrument of social control than rationing energy, the currency of just about everything one does and uses in an advanced society.

So what does the global warming agnostic propose as an alternative? First, more research -- untainted and reliable -- to determine (a) whether the carbon footprint of man is or is not lost among the massive natural forces (from sunspot activity to ocean currents) that affect climate, and (b) if the human effect is indeed significant, whether the planetary climate system has the homeostatic mechanisms (like the feedback loops in the human body, for example) with which to compensate.

Second, reduce our carbon footprint in the interim by doing the doable, rather than the economically ruinous and socially destructive. The most obvious step is a major move to nuclear power, which to the atmosphere is the cleanest of the clean.

But your would-be masters have foreseen this contingency. The Church of the Environment promulgates secondary dogmas as well. One of these is a strict nuclear taboo.
Rather convenient, is it not? Take this major coal-substituting fix off the table and we will be rationing all the more. Guess who does the rationing? (Copyright © 2008 Salem Web Network. All Rights Reserved.)

Thinking about Giving Value to Outcast Type People

2008-05-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

Our "school year" ministries have completed their cycle. Hopefully, we have made a significant impact for Christ through the love and teaching we have had to so many kids, teens, and adults. How terribly I am going to miss our graduating seniors. My they go out under the guidance of our Lord and make a difference for Jesus in our world. About four times a year we have a ministry to people who live in Care Centers. If we are not careful, we can view this as just an obligation. We must take care to go in the love and name and spirit of Jesus. He intentionally focused on caring for the outcasts of society and making it known to them that they had tremendous value to God. May these precious people experience God's love through us as we go in our Savior's name. "Help us, O God, to be real in being Your ambassadors. Make Yourself known even through our weakness." Amen

Upcoming Events at Zion Bible Church

2008-01-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

We will have Keosauqua Care Center ministries on Sunday, June 8, beginning at Center Village at 2:00 P.M.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

God's Grace

2007-10-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6 contains a portion of the sermon on the Mount where Jesus is talking about not being anxious. He explains that He provides for the birds of the field and that we are more valuable than them. The argument is from the less valuable to the more valuable. If God provides for these birds, can we not trust Him to provide for us? The implied answer is, "Of course we can!" As I was reading in my quiet time guide this morning, the words of Charles Stanley encouraged my heart. Referring to Ephesians 1:7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Charles Stanley commented,

When God bought your salvation, He spared no expense. He provided the costly blood of Christ to purchase your eternal life. Why is it, then, that some believers spend their lives trying to earn what God has already paid for?"
Abraham Lincoln surmised that it is because believers fail to recall God's great grace. Lincoln wrote, "We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."
If believers imagine they have earned salvation through virtue, then when virtue is lacking, they believe they have lost the blessing. However, salvation was never based on human acts of piety. Salvation has its foundation in the sacrificial grace of Christ. His grace covers your sin. It was a great penalty to pay, but Jesus deemed that your salvation was worth the price.
Accept the riches of His grace and invest your life in thankfulness to Him.

Sometimes I tend to forget that God's grace through the provision of His Son as my Savior covers my sin. I want to do something myself to make a contribution to my salvation. In doing so I undermine and devalue the gift of salvation through Christ Jesus. Again I am reminded that the expected response that God wants from me is, "Thank You, Lord! I am so glad You valued me and sent Your Son to make total payment for my sin. Thank you, Lord, for Jesus!

Media Bias and Global Warming

2007-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

We have recently read and heard the "Chicken Little" displays of frantic concern over the issue of man-made global warming. Al Gore and various environmental groups have received enormous media coverage regarding this concern. When hearing such dramatic "the world is falling in" kinds of expressions from these groups, I keep in mind that stirring people's emotions is how they raise money. It seems to me that most of the the media is totally one-sided on this issue. A recent issue of SALVO encouraged my suspicions with an extensive article on the subject. For instance, there is a quote in the magazine that we never hear from most media outlets--a quote that would encourage caution and continuing research rather than alarm and panic. Here's the quote:

"Just in case you were wondering, it is not at all difficult to find climate scientists and experts who disagree with the absolutist position on man-made global warming. Over 17,000 scientists have signed the Global Warming Petition Project from the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Here's what the petition states...."

There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.

Sadly, many people are totally persuaded by bias Media reporting and don't take the time to research the actual facts. It is possible that in the near future our government will take action against man-made global warming that will be unnecessary, totally ineffectual, and create a huge and needless burden upon our economy that will hurt the American people. We need to pray for our government to be wise rather than to submit to much of the foolishness that now characterizes the policies of our Washington politicians. Carpe Diem