Guys' Weekend

The boys went fishing this past weekend! Three guys; three days: Zero fish! We never even saw a fish get caught by anybody. Nor even a rumor. But a good time was had by all.

We had sun, lots of different beaches to try out on a bunch of islands. We saw lots of moose, including a baby. We had "modified food rules," which means that William doesn't have to "eat properly" (to an extent). We had no light pollution so we could watch gazillions of stars as they appeared in the sky each night.

We wandered back, for six or seven hours, stopping in lots of places to fish, to eat, and to just look around.

There's nothing like getting away with family with no agenda; no electricity; very few people around. We enjoyed it all - fish or no fish.

Remembering

As I was preparing for a memorial service this week, I went back and read an old article I had published in June 2003. It seemed appropriate to share it with you, so I post it in its entirety, below.

When Israel crossed the Jordan River led by the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, not one Jewish foot got wet (Joshua 3:17). Safely reaching the other side, Joshua, following the LORD’s command, had a monument set up. Twelve stones, one for each tribe, were set up as a memorial to God’s protection of His people Israel (Joshua 4:1-7). Memorials are important. Remembering the goodness of God or courage of patriots reminds us that we didn’t get where we are by ourselves and that we have God to thank and others to remember gratefully.

In the United States, we recently observed Memorial Day. Besides being a gateway to summer activities, Memorial Day is a day marked by parades and speeches. Flags and flowers are placed on the graves of many servicemen. It was first observed on May 30, 1868, for the purpose of decorating the graves of the Civil War Dead. Now, it remembers all of those who died in the wars our nation has fought. It’s good to remember such things.

Many nations have similar holidays, when the national heroes are remembered. If the Soviet Empire was good at anything, it was the erection of statues and monuments. Heroic statues dominated parks and corners in the most far-flung corners of the Soviet Union and its various puppet states.

This is not necessarily the case all over the world. In fact, the Tradewinds, a West Indian musical group, laments the lack of heroic remembrances of the past in a song titled, “Where Are Your Heroes, Caribbean?” Heroes are good things.

When my wife and I travel to Budapest, Hungary, one of the sights I like to visit is the Szoborpark, “The Statue Park,” a small resting place for monuments of the Soviet era. The statues, torn down and removed from their former places of prominence, serve now as stark reminders of a dark past in a nation struggling to overcome the results of domination, not only of the Soviets, but of numerous occupations by foreign conquerors. A large statue of Vladimir Illyich Lenin towers over the entrance to the park, just as Lenin loomed large over the lives of so many in the extensive empire of the Soviet Union.

One might argue that statues of Soviet heroes constitute religious art, or even iconography. That by keeping these relics, the nation is merely keeping alive the memory of their Soviet masters. I, for one, think that the Hungarians have done a brave and wonderful thing by keeping these statues as a reminder of a dark and vicious time in their history.

God's Word tells us that we need to remember the past. In fact the word “remember” is used more than 230 times in Scripture. Granted, most of those references refer to remembering the Covenant and the goodness of God. But some are historical references, which bid us to remember the dark days. For instance:

Deuteronomy 24:22 teaches, “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 25:17 advises, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 32:7 says, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.”
The Apostle Paul instructs us, in Ephesians 2:12, to remember that we “were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”

History has meaning, and we abandon it at our own peril. A society is well-served which is reminded of its own atrocities as well as those perpetrated upon it. A nation should properly commemorate its accomplishments as well as its flights into plain old national airheadedness. Christians, especially, should have no problem embracing the idea that history is the glorious tracing of the goodness of God — in our lives and in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, we should tear down the "high things," those idols to which we often give our obeisance. They often take less concrete a form than statues, however. Sometimes we are our own idols, or we pay homage to such things as education, good looks, and lineage (including church lineage!). Such idols need to be taken off the altar of our hearts and replaced with service to the One, True God. There are things that we should remember, however. Our collective heritage should be remembered. Our wars, our societal strife, our outrage, and our servitude should not be erased from our memories. Just as God’s Word looks back at the history of Israel — its good days and the bad ones — we should note the days of old. They are what helped to mold us. They are lessons in godliness and godlessness.

It's entirely appropriate that the citizens of Hungary maintain the statue park. It is good for them to remember the evil things of the past along with their wonderful cultural and historical heritage. It is also appropriate that the statue park should be located in a far corner of the city which is wind-swept and difficult to reach. Remembering is good, but it doesn't have to be in your face.

Back from Bosnia

I have been silent on this blog for several weeks, but I have not been silent! Sandra and I recently returned from a ministry trip to Bosnia. We took along a team of ourselves and four others and we put on a Home Education/Christian Family Living Conference in the city of Ilidza, a suburb of Sarajevo. The conference was sponsored by Lifework Forum.

Sarajevo, you might recall, is a rather historic city. There are many associations we might make with this name. It was the site of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the event which touched off World War One. More recently, it was the site of the 1984 winter Olympics. As part of Yugoslavia, it was also under the hegemony of the Soviet Empire for more than 40 years.

Disastrously, Sarajevo was the major battlefield for the Bosnian War of 1992 to 1995. This was the harshest episode in the breakup of Yugoslavia after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Neighbor turned against neighbor in what has become known to the world as “Ethnic Cleansing.” Though the hostilities ended with the Dayton Accord of 1995, the region remains scarred and rebuilding is slow. Trust is a major issue among people who are no longer sure who will turn on them.

This was the field of our endeavor as we conducted our conference. Yet we met and ministered to – and were ministered to – by some of the sweetest brothers and sisters one can imagine.

Please continue to pray for these folk. Also pray for us as we continue to minister to our brethren in the Balkans and begin to work on plans for the conference for next year.

Be THE Man, Part Two

The basic idea of the “Model Model” is simply this: As fathers (or other role models) we all need to live, learn and be a model in all seasons of life. As promised, I want to look at a few verses on the “Model Model.”

Psalm 127: 4-5 says:

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Children are a blessing; a gift. Let’s remember this “gift” when we get too busy with life, with work, with the church. If we get too busy for our kids; then someone is going to find time for them. It may be the next door neighbor; it may be the Marxist teacher at his/her school; it may be a judge. When fathers give up their parental responsibilities, there will be a price to pay. The child will suffer; the family will suffer; society, in general, will suffer.

Proverbs 31:11 teaches us that "Her husband has full confidence in her (a wife of noble character) and lacks nothing of value." Having full confidence in our wives gives us not only a partner it also gives our sons and daughters a model to emulate. A radio commercial which was running in my area some time ago advised (sarcastically) a young man who was interested in how to treat women that he should watch bad movies and irresponsible older boys. Exactly! They will watch someone older. If we interact well with out spouses – and have full confidence in them, our children will learn that this is the appropriate manner in which to interact with the opposite sex.

So how do we teach and model leadership qualities. Here are a couple of scripture verses which speak directly to that need:

"A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well." (1 Timothy 3:12).

"An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient." (Titus 1:6).

The emphasis of these verses is on leadership in the home. This is God’s training ground for good leaders. These qualities are to be developed BEFORE one should be considered for leadership in the church, on a mission field, or in a Christian organization.

We need to be intentional in the way we approach even the most mundane aspects of discipleship of our own children, youth in the church and other younger people who may view us as “spiritual fathers.” Here are a couple of examples of this intentionality:

Submission. The only commandment given to children in Scripture is that they obey their parents (Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-2). How do we teach this? How do we pass on to the next generation the concept of submission, in a God-honoring manner? Through books? Through browbeating? No, we do it the way Jesus did it! He taught submission by example. He used the Model Model. Ask yourself these questions: How do you relate to civil authority? How do you relate to ecclesiastical authority?

Remember who’s watching; Everybody, but especially your own children.

Godly Headship. Men who are husbands and/or fathers have special responsibilities – even if they never hold another position of leadership outside the home. You ARE a leader. You cannot escape that role. You can be a good leader – or you can be a lousy leader. Part of leadership is training the next generation. How do we teach leadership? By going back to school for an MBA? By sending people to a Boot Camp? No, the answer is Modeling! Wanna teach leadership? Lead!

Leadership means making decisions, sometimes hard ones. It means accepting input and treating people as valuable. Discipleship implies much more than teaching or imparting information. Jesus example with the disciples is that He walked alongside them and communicated with them.

Communicate with the kids. Make yourself vulnerable, but also help them learn about wisdom. Do you lead a family devotion time? How about family Bible reading and prayer time?

Thus ends my entries about Being the Man. Communicate with me. If you found it valuable, let me know. If you’ve found flaws, tell me.

Be THE Man, Part One

Several years ago, when I was in Australia, it would have been easy to stay on in that beautiful land. The scenery and the laid-back lifestyle were very appealing. A job would have been no worry, mate. There are so few men in the churches (or at least that was the case at that time), that they were crying out for male leadership.

Such is still the case in our country. Most congregations have more women than men, including many single mothers. Why is this? It is because the church needs to do a better job of teaching men to be Godly men. It's because we have fallen victim to the feminization of the church as well as the society.

Most of us who have children – and those of you who will yet have them – try to make sure that they have the essentials of life (or at least what we perceive to be the essentials). We see to their medical care; we get them into school (or homeschooling); we buy them clothing, food, bikes and gloves. But the greatest gift we can give them is a Christian dad; an example; a reason to believe us when we present them with the claims of the Gospel.

This is what I call the “Model Model.” What our children see, what they experience, is what they learn. No matter what kind of educational setting they are in, we must still be their primary teachers/disciplers.

We must also remember that our goal in being their teacher is not just knowledge, not just intellectual stuff. For knowledge must always promote wisdom, that is: seeing things God’s way.

God is looking for leaders; not only for the current generation, but for the one after us, too. In speaking of the qualities He wants in men, God DOES NOT use the corporate model. He does NOT set quotas of any kind. He’s seeking leaders of competence and character.

If a man is not accepted as a leader in his own household; if he is not viewed as a man of character within his own household; then he cannot be a leader – of any kind – in the church; or on any mission field, foreign or domestic. Leadership, according to God’s plan, begins in the home.

Next time: A look at the Model-Model.

Be Her Man, Part 3

Protector. Besides being the leader and the teacher for our wives, men are designed to be their protectors. This brings us back to 1 Peter 3:7, which says, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers".

Women were made to be our helpers, our partners - and to be protected by us. There are many stories of both bravery and cowardice associated with the sinking of the SS Titanic. One of the important aspects of that entire ordeal was the fact that many of the men stood aside and made sure that their women and children were put into lifeboats, knowing that they (the men) were probably going to the briny deep. The British seafaring tradition of women and children first was upheld that day. One of the men who made sure of the safety of his family was a member of the Astor family; a wealthy man with much for which to live. But he did the right thing. Those were men. They protected their women and children. It is our job to protect them. How? Here's just a bulleted list of ways in which we can stand up and be a protector for our wives. You can fill in the details of each item - and probably add a few of your own.

• Stand between them and the children
• Stand between them and the school authorities/municipal authorities
• Stand between them and society and the culture
• Protect them from smut, crime
• Protect them from poverty (provide for them)
• Protect them from their own sinful desires (w/o stain, Eph. 5:25-27)
• Take their side as much as possible in public
• Never, never insult them
• Trust them.

As I close this three-part essay on being Her man, here's an image from God's Word for you:

Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. (Isaiah 32:2 (NIV)).

Be Her Man, Part 2

The second role that God has prescribed for men in regard to their wives is that of a teacher. In 1 Corinthians 14:35, Paul wrote: “If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home….” Then we read in 1 Timothy 2:11-14,

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

Much controversy swirls around the interpretation of these verses. One thing these passages point out clearly, however, is that you are expected to be the “resident theologian” in your own household. When she asks the questions (which she should be doing), you are expected to know the answer - or know how to find it!

Talk about pressure! Here are some questions that immediately come to mind. How many of us have wives who've been Christians longer than we have? How many are intimidated by our wife's Bible knowledge or church understandings or personal piety? These make things harder on us. But in our role as head of the household, we are also supposed to be the lead teacher of Bible knowledge. Let me tell you how I know that this can be intimidating. My own wife was a Christian long before I was. When God graciously took me into His family, all of a sudden I was the head of a Christian family. I was afraid to lead her in Bible study! It took years and years and effort - on her part as well as mine before I could fully assume my rightful role.

How on earth do I do that? Let me give you just a couple of verses which may help. 2 Tim. 2: 15 states that each of us should, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Granted, this is in the context of Timothy going to be a pastor. It's applicable to us, though, because we are called to be the pastor/chaplain/theologian for our families.

Hebrews 5:14 says, “… solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” The key here is “constant use.” We will not get to be the resident theologians we are called to be simply by going to church one morning per week and hearing someone preach. If we want to learn the Word, we need to be in the Word. Here are some thoughts about the process of becoming the teacher wants us to be.

• Take baby steps. Learn books of the bible. Learn who wrote them. Learn a general outline of scripture. When you read scripture always have a reliable bible dictionary and concordance. Follow those trails of connecting verses. Find some study help online, like http://bible.crosswalk.com/; http://www.biblegateway.com/; and http://netministries.org/bbasics/bbasics.html. You’ll find more as you begin to explore the wonders of Bible study online.

  Go easy on yourself. Don't expect to become a theologian overnight.

  Keep her informed. Let her know that you're working on this.

  Don't give up because you think you don't have time. You can devote a half hour a day to this kind of study and make great progress. You can give an occasional weekend. You can stay up late at night and not watch TV. Imagine if you gave up one hour per night of TV and gave it over to understanding God's Word!

  Ask questions. Your pastor is your theologian. If he isn’t then get him educated – or get a new pastor.

  Pay attention. Take notes during sermons. Follow up - or ask questions.

  Attend a Bible study. Get one started if there isn’t one already. This is an opportunity to study and discuss what it says in God’s Word. Don’t fall for the easy ones. Pick a study that’s going to make you think and pray.

  Don't make excuses. This is a God-ordained task. You find time to do the things you like to do. You can make time to do this.

  Study with her. This might mean going through a book about Biblical marriage or about Bible study. If you’re new at this don’t start out with studying major theological topics!

  Do not be afraid. You are not trying to take something that is rightly yours. You don't have to take it - it's already yours, by default.

What we have to be constantly working on is developing our leadership. If you're married, there's probably a woman at home just waiting for you to be the man she wants you to be and God ordained you to be. If you aren't married yet you have a great advantage. Look for a woman who understands these things and grow together with her.

Be Her Man, Part 1

This is probably the hardest of the three areas we'll be looking at in this study. Why? Because we've been taught by a feminist-dominated culture how to treat women. To a great extent we have succumbed to those teachings. If we're going to claim our rightful places as heads of our household and heads of our women, we have to overcome our own training - and we have to overcome the training and examples our wives have had. This is not easy.

First let’s make sure we're convinced as to what the Bible says out role is, then I’ll look at some practical ways in which we can be the men God intended our wives to have.

In 1 Peter 3:7 we read, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” It is not some sexist, male plot to take over the world which teaches that women are in fact the weaker vessel. God's Word says so. Not only that, though; they are also co-heirs of the Kingdom of God with us. These two facts need to constantly be balanced in our relationships with wives (or future wives, for those of you not yet blessed with one).

Let me submit before I go any further that anyone who tries to tell you that this headship thing is the position of superiority - or comfort - has not understood the concept. The word "husband" is used 105 X in Scripture. Now some of those do refer to animal husbandry. Most however, refer to that role of male half of a marriage relationship. There are a lot of ways to approach this subject. Let's look at three roles God prescribed for men in relationship to their wives (Just one in this blog entry).

Leader

If you are a Christian man and you are married, you are the head of your wife. Nowhere in Scripture is the man commanded to take this role. We are simply told that we are. Ephesians 5:23 states, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” This is an important distinction. We don't have a choice in the matter - and neither do they.

How we fulfill this role has a lot to do with how our wives relate to us. This is especially difficult if you marry a smart and strong woman. If you become a Christian after she does, there are all sorts of obstacles to climb. But, we don't have a choice. We can be good leaders or we can be lousy leaders. A man's authority in the home should be exercised with gentleness, grace, and love as a servant-leader, following the example of Jesus Christ.

Leadership is a stewardship from God. (Read Psalm 103:13; Malachi 3:17; Matthew 11 :29-30; Colossians 3:21; 1 Peter 3:7). In other words, being her leader; being the head of the household does not mean living up to that caricature of headship that anti-Christian, anti-God leftists want to impose on us. It does not mean being the boss at all costs. It does not mean forcing her into some kind of unbiblical submission.

One of the problems with trying to understand our leadership role is that there is so much written about leadership. Most is written from a secular, success=$ perspective. We cannot simply superimpose non-Biblical models of leadership on men and expect them to be Christian leaders. We need to have Biblical models (the positive ones - there are also plenty of negative ones). Modern families, Christian families included, lack men who are willing to stand up and point the way and expect the others to follow their direction. So most families flounder about like rudderless ships with no sense of overarching mission or purpose and no clear guidance for day to day life. In place of purpose they substitute frantic busyness, trying to mask their lack of direction with endless activities.

So what does headship look like? [Note: in trying to cover as much as I can, I am not going to give specific scriptures or examples for every statement. Many of them are self­-evident. Others would be good topics for you to research.]

Things we need to be:

· A Christian: not just a non-Jew or non-Muslim; a real, authentic; born-again disciple of the Messiah.

· A leader: Someone who develops goals for the family instead of drifting along wth the tide of culture.

· Someone who takes initiative: who's not afraid to make the hard decisions - and is willing to stand up against the onslaught. (our children and dating can be a big crisis).

· Someone who develops and calls upon the gifts of his family.

· A man of Integrity

· Anti-feminist: the feminist society will hate you for making a biblical stand - your wife may be among them. After all she grew up in this culture too. Quote: "Today the most organized and formidable opponent of women’s social, economic and sexual rights remains organized religion. Religionists defeated the Equal Rights Amendment. Religious fanatics and bullies are currently engaged in an outright war of terrorism and harassment against women who have abortions and the medical staff which serves them." (From an Anonymous pamphlet, "Why Women Need Freedom From Religion.").

Things we need to do:
· Grow (devotional study)
· Learn (doctrinal study)
· Provide for our family
· Pray for your family

I think that may be enough to chew on for a while. Next installment will look at husband and father as teacher.

The Family Man: Be a Man (of God)

As we plunge forward in our look at the Christian family, we must put first things first. We must recognize that men are intended to be the head of the family. There are instances in which this is impossible, but we are concerned with what the norm is intended to be.

To that end, I will start by looking at the role of man. First a little Biblical background on “manness.”

Man was created first; before woman. In Genesis 2 (particularly in verses 4-7 and 20-23) we read about the creation of the world. This is called the Creation Ordinance. The Apostle Paul uses this understanding often in explaining the roles of men and women. For example, in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 we read, “For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.”

Man was created with work to do. Right from the beginning there were tasks for man. He had animals to name and gardens to care for (although there couldn’t have been a lot to do since agriculture didn’t get difficult until the fall, chronicled in Genesis 3).

Man was created with responsibility. Did you ever ask yourself why Adam got the rap for the 1^st sin? He was created to be responsible, to be the leader. It was his job to protect Eve from sin, not join her in it.

As men, we need to remember what God has told us to do. A good outline for what we may call “Biblical Manliness” may be found in Micah 6:8. Obviously this is a mere outline. It’s not complete, there are literally hundreds of verses in Scripture which give us a “job description.” But look at this one:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Act Justly
A man of God is a man who seeks to have justice done to the best of his ability. We cannot all be high officials in the government and we can’t control what goes on in all the world, but we can seek justice in our own little part of the world. And we can act in a just, that is right, proper manner to all around us. What this really means is that we need to stand up and be counted. We must be a buffer between them and trouble. We can’t let them suffer when we can take on the suffering on their behalf. Men need to have a “Titanic” attitude. Women and children should go first; they should get the lifeboats; we should leap in front of them to stop bullets, verbal assaults, and other potential calamities of life.

In addition to that, we also need to treat people with fairness, paying debts that are owed (monetary and otherwise) and teaching our families to follow these same practices. Give everyone their due, whether it be your boss, your employees, your family, people on a committee you chair, your neighbors. This is how we should see our role in our own families – and expanded to our church family. It’s not about being macho – it’s about doing what’s right.

Love Mercy
Be kind to people. Be merciful and compassionate to everybody, not using severity towards any. Be helpful; reach out to the needy in the community, the church. Be involved in mercy ministries such as crisis pregnancy centers, Christian camps; the Deacons Fund at the church, Tsunami relief, etc, etc. Teach your family members, by your example, about mercy.

Walk Humbly with your God
Have fellowship with God. How do we do this? Through prayer, worship, study, meditation, regular attendance at church – for worship services and other meetings such as Bible studies. This is really the most important part of the three-fold command in this verse. It is the basis for the others. It is because of the relationship between us and God that we can have positive relationships with people. In 1 John 4:19, we read “We love because He first loved us.” We have to get close to Him.

Question: Men, do you have a regular quiet time? Do you have a time when you read God’s Word? Do you have a regular devotional routine? Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day – but hold the tension; don’t get lazy.

Note on manliness and age.
There’s no upper or lower age limit on Biblical manliness. Look at David. As a youth he was called by God “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). He was a shepherd boy, the youngest of eight children. He was so young that his father didn’t even bother to send for him when Samuel the prophet arrived to anoint one of his sons. David was a Biblical, Godly man.

What about the other end of the scale? Consider Caleb. At the age of 85 he was ready to go out and do battle, physical warfare, on behalf of the Lord. (You can read about Caleb at Deuteronomy 1:26-36 and Joshua 14:10-12.).

This is a bit of a lengthy installment, but I did want to get across the point that in order for families to be strong, Dad has to step up and “be the man.” Next time I’ll write about “Being Her Man.”

The Christian Family

My wife and I travel the globe working with young families.As I travel around I find that young families today often don’t have a clue as to what a family is supposed to do, or be. In this country the blended family, the step-family, the single-parent family the “two-mommy” (or two-daddy) family, and the dysfunctional family have all confused us.

In the countries of the former Soviet Bloc in which Sandra and I work, they have a cultural and historical gap to overcome. For the past several generations the state has been both mommy and daddy. Now, with a resurgence of Christian families, and young men and women seeking to learn how to best serve God as families, there is still a lack of role models.

Young families all over the globe have to “make it up as they go along.” While this may be a good method for some pick games at the park, it is not the way to raise a family, It certainly is not the way God intended families to be.

So, I embark on some blogs on the topic of family; specifically the Christian family. The family is still the basic building block of any healthy society. During the Reformation, Thomas Becon, an influential English writer and clergyman, wrote:

Since a city is composed of individual homes, and the common weal is the sum of well-ordered households, it stands to reason that the model for good government flows from the smaller, more private society of the family. For how can a man preside over a city if he cannot rule over his own home? How can he govern a commonwealth if he does not know how to conduct family matters? . . . The state of a man’s marriage will tell you how much he knows about morality and ethics. A good home life will quickly make a man experienced in wisdom and patience, love for God and mankind, and every other virtue.

So, as we look at the family, we begin with one of the most outrageous statements a man can make in this post-feminist society: It’s all about dad.

Until Christian men learn about their roles as family leaders and begin to implement that learning, Christian families will continue to careen down the river of life without rudders and without destinations. Christian men need to step up and be men; leaders; lovers.

One of the major problems in our society over the past several decades has been the confusion of men as to their proper role in society. In an earlier day we were taught that opening doors, pulling out chairs, and generally treating women as princesses was the proper way to relate to women. Then, along came Hugh Hefner, the sexual revolution, and rabid feminism. All of a sudden simply helping a woman at a doorway or into a car became akin to criminal activity. If you tried to help a woman in any way, you were a “chauvinist pig.” (Though few using the term have any clue as to what a chauvinist really is). This gender confusion, naturally, worked its way into the church and into Christian families.

It’s my hope that, together, we’ll rediscover some of the Biblical understanding about Biblical manhood; family life; and the service of God.

Comments, questions, requests, complaints - and even kudos - are welcome. let's make this an interactive study as we seek what God wants!

Global Warming

This picture is of a waterfall. There is no water falling because that water is solidly frozen. This is global warming in northern New England.

I recognize that I am not a scientist, and that my remarks may be met with derisive retorts about my being naïve, unlearned, etc. I know what’s cold and what’s hot, however. I also know a few other things. Let me share just a couple of them.

1. Global climate change happens and it doesn’t need help from me. The last ice age was a reality. So is the fact that with no help from SUVs or other man-created “greenhouse gas”-producing machines, that ice age ended. The earth warmed. It’s not my fault. Not only that, but the earth survived. I do not know what the optimum temperature is for the earth. I do know that when I arose this morning the temperature outside my window was less than 0 (zero) degrees, Fahrenheit.
2. I know that “Global Warming” is not going to destroy the earth, unless we count the fire that will come down from heaven and devour the forces of evil, as recorded in Revelation 20:7-10. God has a timetable. I don’t know exactly what it is. (NOTE: there are many people who claim to know all the details. Don’t buy their books. They don’t really know either). We know that Jesus is coming back (if you want to read about this try these passages: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; the Book of Revelation) and that there will be a last battle (Revelation 16:15-21). Then we will enter what I call “post-history.” There is no mention of global warming here and I know proponents of global warming (who are, in fact, opponents of humanity – especially American humanity) could somehow construe this as just another way to express global warming. That would be a stretch, but people will believe what they want to believe. I believe God's Word.
   

It’s good that Al Gore invented the internet, too, so that I can get this message out. Thank you.

Bang, Bang, You’re Dead

Somehow, boys just learn about weapons. There is a picture of one-year old James and his cardboard swords here. He just picked them up one day and decided that they were likely weapons. He also has a little pistol – he can’t really control it enough to aim it, yet, but soon he’ll be taught that you don’t point even a toy pistol at anybody. As kids, most of us at one time played guns; cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, or something of the sort (I don’t know what the PC police have done with the name of that second game). Then we’d have arguments after somebody shouted, “bang, you’re dead,” and the other person didn’t fall down.
Paul, in Romans 6, is teaching about spiritual death – of a couple of different kinds. In the first two verses he writes: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
We all used to be dead in our sins. To ask, “should we go on sinning,” indicates that this was our lifestyle. And our sinfulness made us dead to God. Here’s how Paul puts it in other places:

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23).

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins…. (Colossians 2:13).

Our sinful behaviors place a gulf between us and God. God is Holy and He wants us to be Holy, as well. But when we are unrepentant sinners, when we continue to sin without asking God’s forgiveness, we can never cross that gap and live in peace with God.

Now, Paul says, you are dead to sin. We don’t live in it anymore. We don’t wallow in it. Does that mean that we’re perfect; that once we’re saved, we’ll never sin again? Some people believe that. But that is not what this verse means – and those of us who are Christians know full well that we are not perfect. What is means is that we won’t pay the price for our sins eternally, and that we can get better; we can, with the help of God; grow more and more like Christ.

Most of us have seen the TV commercials which proclaim “It’s not delivery; it’s DiGiorno.” (It’s about pizza, for those of you who have not seen it). Where I live, it’s hard to get delivery. When we first moved here, even the UPS man complained about coming “way out here.” The delivery Paul is writing about is of greater value – and it’s “free delivery;” no hidden costs. Here’s what he has to say about delivery in these verses:

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. (Romans 6:6-9)

Delivery is free. Read v. 23 again. It’s a gift. Being delivered from the consequences of our own sins is a gift from God. It’s like the difference between a wage and a bonus…. Yet,
Delivery comes with a price. That sounds like a contradiction, perhaps, but the point here is that it’s free to us but the prices does have to be paid. Let’s face it, if you get free delivery of your pizza, the price of the delivery is built into the price of the food. The wages of sin is death. The wages must be paid. There are several references to Christ’s death in this short passage. His death – and His subsequent resurrection – are the price paid to God for our sins. They cost God great pain, but delivery into eternal life costs us nothing.

It’s not DiGiorno. It’s delivery; and it’s free.

Simcha

My family went on it's annual ski trip last week. Three generations on the slopes. (For more info on this check in at http://justlikejunecleaver.blogspot.com/). I lead devotions for the family every night after skiing (Weather petmitting, that is. We did ski this year!). I thought I'd share the outline of those devotions with you. Discussion is the intent of the outlines.

Simcha · January 8-12, 2007
Ludlow, Vermont (Okemo)

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
-Ephesians 5:15-17

Theme: Resolutions

Monday, 1/8/07 – Resolved: Inquire of God.
Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-12.
Jehoshapat was a good king of Judah. He sent priests throughout the land instructing the people in the Law. There was relative peace in Judah during his reign. But now Jehshaphat was surrounded by enemies. Judah was on the brink of annihilation. So Jehoshaphat made a resolution. What did he resolve? What did this look like? What did it mean?
Now read verse 12. This is a good recognition for us at all times. We are not strong enough. But He is. READ also: Zephaniah 1:1-6.

Tuesday, 1/9/07 – Resolved: My mouth will not sin.
Read Psalm 17:1-5.
The first part of this Psalm is a plea to God about David’s innocence. David! This is the same David who was an adulterer and a murderer. What do you think about that? In the second half of the Psalm David pleads for God’s protection. What is David’s resolution? How would that apply to David? How does it apply to us?

Read Job 2:7-10.

Wednesday, 1/10/07 – Resolved: Abstain from choice things of the culture.
Read Daniel 1:1-8.
We know the context here. Daniel and the other three young Hebrews were selected for the “Royal Academy” at Nebuchadnezzar’s court. They were given a good life and were to eat from the King’s own food. But Daniel refused. Why? How does that translate into our time and culture? Read 1 Corinthians 6:12; then 1 Corinthians 10:23. What do these mean?

Thursday, 1/11/07 – Resolved: To know Christ and Him Crucified.
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.
To know = eidenai, a word from the root oida. It means more than “know” in the intellectual sense. It also means: appreciate, be aware, become learned, be conscious of, realize, recognize, understand, understanding. It is also related to the word for “house.” So it also can have the meaning “belonging, devoted to, adherents of a thing.” So given all this sterling knowledge of the original language and given the context of the passage and the theology of the writer, what does this mean for us today as we strive to “know Jesus Christ and Him crucified?”

Merry Christ -mas

As we near Christmas Day, let me first say, Merry Christmas. As un-PC (maybe anti-PC) as that greeting has become, it is all the more important for those of in Christ to remember to greet each other in the knowledge that the Christ has indeed come once and will come again.

In 1 Peter (1:20-21) we read this:

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

No prophecy – if it is a real prophecy – comes from the interpreter. It comes from God. This is called the doctrine of inspiration. We believe that God’s Word is indeed from Him. He gave us the written Word so that we might understand about the Living Word. That’s the real key to the season. The Living Word has come to dwell among us.
The first two verses of the Epistle to the Hebrews read this way:

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

The Living Word was among us – not just as a babe in a manger, but as the savior who came to rescue us from the consequences of our own sins. He spoke to us. He warned us. He rescued us. This is the one whose birthday we celebrate next week. This is the one whose first sermon was: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” This is the Living Word; the only possible way to heaven. All scripture is about Him.

On Five Years Cancer-Free

I kept a very detailed journal during the years 2000 and 2001. It wasn’t everyday stuff. It was my cancer journal. It eventually grew to over 11,000 words. Here’s a bit of the entry for Thursday, November 8, 2001.

I had two doctor’s appointments this week. The first, and more important, was Monday. I went to see Dr. Tak. I was only there a few minutes. He discharged me. He used the word “cured” and I asked him about that. He said that we couldn’t exactly say that but that I was in “very good shape.”

I was released from treatment. I didn’t have cancer anymore. God had chosen to spare my life at that time. Obviously there is a reason.

I went through a lot of conflicting emotions during that period. I had to deal with how to tell my kids I had cancer (they handled it beautifully). My grandson William shared my cancer with me, pretending to take pills with me and telling whoever was listening, “Doc got ancer. I got ancer, too.”

Sandra was a rock. She was the one facing the possibility of widowhood. She went to every appointment. She drove me around when I needed it. She helped with every decision along the way.

One night Sandra and I were watching television and there was somebody on one of the shows who was admitted to a hospital with all kinds of problems. I said (according to my journal), “That guy’s in a lot worse shape than me.” Sandra said what are you talking about. My reply, “He’s got diabetes, heart problems and burns on 60 percent of his body. I only have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and prostate cancer.” She laughed heartily and said, “I almost envy you.”

Yesterday, I went to see my doctor. He checked me thoroughly (and I do mean thoroughly). I’m in good shape. I lost a bunch of weight (intentionally) this year. My blood pressure’s down. I still have to get some blood tests, but I expect them to look pretty good, too.

It has been five years. God beat my cancer. I’d better not waste the time He has given me.

Cleaning Up After the Storms

When my family lived in the Cayman Islands we would often walk along a beach after major storms. We would see flotsam and Jetsam, boulders and beams tossed upon the beach – or even still bouncing on the waves. The power of the sea would amaze us once again. But all that stuff is debris, “the remains of anything broken down or destroyed; ruins; rubble.” When we have major storms in our lives; we usually have debris after the storm. WE have rubble in our lives. It may be relationships that need to be restored – or abandoned; it may be bills to be cleared up; a reputation to rebuild. Maybe all we need to do is get around to those things which didn’t get taken care of while we were riding out the storm. Here’s a post-storm action list:

First, we need to give thanks to God for His goodness. Last week we looked at a big storm at sea as related to us in the Gospels. When that storm was finally over, the sailors, recognizing what was happening, responded appropriately. In Matthew 14:32-33, it’s described this way: “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God". They were rescued – and they worshipped the God of the universe. They recognized Him – and they worshipped.

At our church in Maine we’ve been talking in our evening services about worship. What does it mean to worship Jesus? It’s not just music; it’s not just tithes and offerings; not just showing up on Sundays. It’s being reverent toward Him; adoring Him; seeking to learn more about Him; wanting to follow Him. At this moment, those sailors worshiped and gave thanks – as we should do; not only after major storms, but at all times.

Second, we need to assess the damage. Only the most foolhardy will wipe their brow and say, phew; lucked out,” then forget it. The prudent will look around after a crisis – maybe with some professional help. He/she will attempt to prevent a recurrence.

Third, mend your nets. Repair your masts. Get prepared. Jesus cares for us. He reaches out to help us; but we still manage to get ourselves in more trouble. We need to be ready for the next storm; the next Katrina. How do you weather storms? By preparing for them before they happen. The time to buy the duct tape and the plywood is before the hurricane hits. A daily routine that includes prayer and reading of God’s Word won’t make all of the storms veer around you, but it can make the storms easier to ride out.

It’s Thanksgiving week. Let’s all strive to make every week Thanksgiving Week. Enjoy the floats, the food, the football, and the family. Don’t forget, however, The One who is responsible for all good things.

My Daughter, the Librarian

Sunnie, the younger of our two daughters, called me today to ask me a question. It went something like this: “Dad, when do you think somebody can call themselves a librarian, when they get the Master’s degree or when they get a job as a librarian.” I responded, “the latter.” She then announced, “Well, then I’m a librarian.”

Sunnie has been determined to be a librarian since, at the age of eight, she became the youngest volunteer at the library in the town we lived in at that time. Then she became the first paid “shelver” in the same library at age 13.

Now, nearing the end of her graduate studies for the degree of Master of Information and Library Sciences (MILS), she will be a Reference Librarian in the library system of a good-sized city.

We are very proud of her. You go, Sunnie, the librarian.

Walking on the Water

In the Gospel of John, chapter 6, we read about a storm out on the water (read verses 16-24 for the details). It was dark. The wind was strong. The waters were rough. And these men were in small wooden boats, not ocean liners. These boats were probably less than 30 feet in length and had no motors to outrun the storm. These experienced sailors headed out obviously not expecting a storm; but they got one. Sometimes our problems in life come on us in this way; like a sudden death; unexpected expenses (like a tree falling on your house or your car); auto accidents; illnesses.

There are other times, however, when we ignore the warning signs and head into stormy seas despite the consequences. We ignore the “small craft warnings” and end up with unwanted pregnancies; business or legal problems (or both); relationship difficulties. Whether we caused the problems or not, the effect is the same: the Storm can leave you feeling helpless.

Sometimes as a result of a storm a ship is left “dead in the water.” As an old sailor, who went to sea for four years, I can tell you that is not pleasant. You have no control. You can’t outrun a storm, you can’t maneuver into the waves. You just wallow. Sometimes our ship of life gets like this. We’re buffeted at work; at home; at school; then to top it all off we get knocked around at church, too. I won’t make you wait for the end of the blog to tell you that these are especially good time to turn to Jesus for help – just as these experienced sailors did. But let’s look at more here in this passage.

These guys were old salts. These weren’t people renting the boat for an afternoon sail. Yet, they were terrified. We can look at a little more complete account in Mark 6:45-50.

They get out in the boat, this horrendous storm comes up, then it dawns on them. Hey, He sent us out here. I wonder whether they felt betrayed or abandoned at that point. But they didn’t have a lot of time for a pity party, because they had stay afloat; not capsize; not throw up all over themselves. They had to keep straining at the oars.

Now, they see a ghost. Jesus is out there walking on the water! Who wouldn’t be terrified in these guys sandals. More than three miles from shore; in the dark; getting lashed by heavy winds and high seas. Now there's someone out there, going for a stroll! A man can only handle so much. But then we read this in Mark 6:52: “for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”

Things are beginning to take shape here. These men were disciples of Jesus but they hadn’t really understood His power – His credentials. They somehow missed the fact (which they should have learned from the healing of the Royal Official’s son [Jn. 4:43-52]), that Jesus didn’t even have to be physically present to perform a miracle. Do you understand this? Are you aware that Jesus can care for you no matter where you are or what your situation? Do you live in the light of this awareness. In other words, do you live like someone who has entrusted his eternity to Jesus? Recent studies tell us that few people who label themselves “Evangelical Christians” actually live up to what they say they believe. This is a tendency for us to fight - in ourselves; not others. But, I digress. (or do I?).

In the account found in Matthew 14:28-32, we read about the special case of Peter. What is important about Peter beginning to sink? If we think that’s the important part, we’re really missing the boat (couldn’t resist). We sort of expect that if one is attempting to walk on water he will sink. But Peter, the great disciple, apostle, follower of Jesus lacked the faith in Jesus to remain afloat.

What’s truly important for us to note here is that Jesus did not allow peter to sink! A common, human, reaction might have been: “You don’t trust me, fine, sink;” or “Be my guest, swim the 3 to 3 ½ miles back to shore.” But Jesus picked Peter up, just as He was to do many times for Peter.

Jesus pardons our weaknesses – even our lapses in faith – and He stretches out His hand to His people - - so that the waters of this life won’t swallow us up.

Sometime in the near future I'll write about cleaning up after the storms of life. The important thing I want to communicate though, is this: Jesus doesn't give up on us; even when we give up on Him. If you are a believer that Jesus is the one and only Savior of His people, He will get you through. He will lift you up to eternity with Him and His Father. Can I get an "Amen!!"?

One Word on the Election

SpeakerPelosi?

Prayer and Fasting

Friends, I pass this on from Steve Camp. Give it some consideration.

May we humbly make Tuesday, October 31st, Reformation Day a call to fasting and prayer for reformation, repentance, and revival for His church in every nation

TO A BAND OF BEREANS
One week from this Tuesday, October 31st is Reformation Day--the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door at Wittenberg calling a recalcitrant Roman church away from the gross sin of indulgences for legal tender to recapturing the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Today's evangelicalism needs another Reformation--a genuine move of God among His people that calls and returns His believers back to biblical Christianity and the gospel of sola fide once again.This is an earnest plea for a day of prayer and fasting.No fanfare; no programs; no famous religious leaders jockeying for media attention; no K-Street spin; no DVD's or MP3's to profit from; no books to promote; no CD's to sell; no contests to judge; and no personality driven agendas to endure. But simply, God's people taking leave from the duties of their daily lives to humbly seek the Lord to bring revival, repentance, and reform to His church once again.

We need a new Reformation today; we need another Great Awakening! Will you encourage others through your blogs, websites, churches, Bible studies, etc. to humbly and faithfully join in this special day of prayer?

"O Christian, never be proud of things that are so transient, injurious, and uncertain as the riches of this evil world! But set your heart on the true and durable riches of grace in Christ Jesus." -ISAAC AMBROSE“

Oh Lord, send a Great Awakening among your people again according to Your Word; by Your Holy Spirit, for the praise of Your glory, for the spread of Your gospel, for the holiness of Your people. Leave us not in the condition in which we awoke this morning, but conform us by Your grace to Christlikeness so that we may be vessels fit for the Master's use. This only is a work of heaven--for no man can conjure up a genuine move of God; no man can transform the heart of another; no man can stir the conscience to repentance, convict the soul of sin, and invoke contrition over iniquity. All our ways are impotent before You; and even when we have done all to obey You, we are still "unprofitable servants."But the true church marches on her knees; and so may we run into the prayer closet this very hour, shut the door and see what You by Your sovereign grace will accomplish. For "it is not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit" says the Lord.Forgive us Lord for being consumed with the advancement of our own ministries at the expense of others, for measuring the effectiveness of Your work by the size of a church's yearly offerings, and for charging others for that which we have received freely by Your grace. Dash to the ground our paltry plans, our self-devised and promoted reputations, our carefully positioned and politically aligned agendas and alliances.

As my friend once said, "How can we be so dead when we've been so well fed; Jesus rose from the grave, but we, we can't even get out of bed." May The Swordsman, by His divine sword, whittle us down to size as You did Gideon of old, so that we may not find comfort, resolve, or hope in our own strength, wisdom or wealth. May all our lowly boasting turn to tears, all our pride turn to dust, all our vain exaltations of self turn to ash; may our "laughter turn to mourning and our joy to heaviness" until reformation comes... until revival comes to Your people. Break our stubborn hearts with the hammer of Your Word and humble us under Your reverential fear until our deepest longing, passion and joy is found only in Christ Jesus the Lord.”Glorify Yourself for Your names sake only...
Steve Camp Col. 1:9-14
AudienceONE Ministries: http://www.a1m.org
CampOnThis: http://www.stevenjcamp.blogspot.com

"A true revival means nothing less than a revolution, casting out the spirit of worldliness, making God's love triumph in the heart." -Andrew Murray

“When God has something very great to accomplish for His Church, it is His will that there should precede it the extraordinary prayers of His people, as is manifest by Ezekiel 36:37... And it is revealed that, when God is about to accomplish great things for His Church, He will begin by a remarkable pouring out of the spirit of grace and supplication (Zechariah 12:10). If we are not to expect that the devil should go out of a particular person, under a bodily possession, without extraordinary prayer, or prayer and fasting, how much less should we expect to have him cast out of the land and the world without it!” -Jonathan Edwards

"God's quickening visitation of his people, touching their hearts and deepening his work of grace in their lives." -J. I. Packer”

I did then preach much upon original sin, repentance, the nature and necessity of conversion, in a close, examinatory and distinguished way; laboring in the meantime to sound the trumpet of God's judgments, and alarm the secure by the terrors of the Lord, as well as to affect them by other topics of persuasion: which method was sealed by the Holy Spirit in the conviction and conversion of a considerable number of persons, at various times and in different places in that part of the county." -George Whitefield

“Open heaven Lord and let Your Spirit fall...” Amen?