God has ordained government as the earthly authority with the power of the sword (Rom 13:1-7). Governments are all accountable to the King of kings for how they rule (Dan 4; Rev 18). Governments are beholden to God’s Word to discern good from evil. The Bible is replete, however, with examples of earthly rulers and governments who refused to stay in their lane....
At one of the most divisive political times in our nation’s history, Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows how to bring her party together. The deceptively named “Women’s Health Protection Act” seeks to wipe out all the various pro-life laws passed by the states, and permanently legalize abortion on demand, for any reasons whatsoever, right up until birth....
The song by Alan Jackson, “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?” says it well. It did feel like everything in the world was on pause, on that day twenty years ago. 9/11. ...
...a fitting epitaph for what we Americans have witnessed over the last few weeks. ...
I recently read this blog post by Dr. Chuck Lawless. While I certainly cannot improve upon the 10 Questions given to us by Dr. Lawless, I want to come at it from a slightly different angle. Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries has often said that Christians should find a healthy New Testament Church then build their lives around it. I heartily concur. ...
In a sermon now infamous among many of us Southern Baptists, the then President of the SBC, J.D. Greear, stated that “God whispers about sexual sin.” ... So, let’s take a sampling of God’s whispering:...
A pastor friend recently posted this citation from R. J. Rushdoony, from page 111 of his book The Politics of Guilt and Pity. I thought it worth posting again here:...
A mom in our church recently texted me a question: “I’d like to know what top 12 hymns you would recommend all children know.”...
In this series, I have endeavored to share some observations and critiques of the SBC21, which gathered last month in Nashville. I focused the first two posts on Resolutions. While Resolutions are not binding in the SBC, which believes strongly in local church autonomy, they are an important glimpse into the hearts and minds of SBC leaders. And Resolutions are seen by the secular press as the way to know what churches in the SBC think, believe, and find worthy of acting upon in our culture...I turn my attention now to the election of the President of the SBC. ...
In this series of blog posts, I want to offer my thoughts and analysis on the recent Southern Baptist Convention held in Nashville, TN on June 15-16, 2021. I do so, as with all my blogs, primarily as a service to the local church I love and serve, Corydon Baptist Church. ...
In this series of blog posts, I want to offer my thoughts and analysis on the recent Southern Baptist Convention held in Nashville, TN on June 15-16, 2021. I do so, as with all my blogs, primarily as a service to the local church I love and serve, Corydon Baptist Church. ...
Things have been heating up at local school board meetings all across our nation. And rightly so. ...
...So I offer this prayer as I and 16,000+ of my fellow messengers flock to Nashville next week......
"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14). While I want to guard against any notion of name-it-claim-it theology, and I renounce any doctrine that says we can manipulate God Almighty by our prayers, I do think two prayers said recently in Legislative Chambers speak volumes about the division in our Nation. There really are two visions for the United ...
Keep Reading
Christmas Season speaks often of peace. I mean, after all, the angels announced to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (KJV). Even if you prefer another translation, such as the ESV (which I do), the note of peace is still there: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased." Peace...
Keep Reading
Last year a conference was held in St. Louis called "Revoice." Although I have not listened to any of the sermons or speeches given at the conference, I studied up on it enough to know it was not a conference I would personally endorse or attend. Several speakers at this conference are advocating for the acceptance of labels such as "Gay Christian." Sexual desires and beha...
Keep Reading
It's all downhill from here. That epitaph could be written after the death of Samson. Israel just goes from bad to worse. Let's see, first there's Micah and his mother who uses 1,100 pieces of silver to make an idol which she has the gall to dedicate to Yahweh, the One True God who hates and forbids idolatry! Micah then turns his home into a little mini-temple to false g...
Keep Reading
Delilah. The name conjures up images of a vixon, a sultry temptress, an irresistible woman. Napoleon had his Waterloo. Samson had Delilah. The account of Samson and Delilah may well be the most well-known episode in the Book of Judges, and one of the most popular in all the Bible. So, I need not recount it in any great detail here. Rather, let me just draw out some lesso...
Keep Reading
Samson. His name still stirs up images on a Herculean man, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his bodybuilding hay day. Samson is probably the most popular of the Judges of Israel. His story is riveting. One wonders why Hollywood has not latched onto it, as it would make for a blockbuster! I mean this dude tore lions apart with his bare hands and killed 1,000 enemy soldiers wi...
Keep Reading
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth (Numbers 30:2). Enter Jephthah. A "mighty warrior" and "the son of a prostitute" (Judges 11:1). Hardly the description we would expect of a man of God. Jephthah's brothers cast him out of the family ...
Keep Reading
Gideon. Fleece. The two words go together like butter and biscuits. Gideon is one of the more well known of the Judges of Israel, for two main reasons: His laying out the fleece to obtain confirmation from the Lord that he was to lead the battle against the Midianite oppressors. The famous scene of God reducing his army to a mere 300 men, telling Gideon to cull all t...
Keep Reading
Deborah. The only female judge of Israel. A prophetess who spoke God's words to Israel. Hero of all feminists, evangelical or otherwise! Some well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ have tried to use the story of Deborah (Judges 4-5) to justify ordaining women as elders and preachers. My intent here is not to tackle such issues, though I do want to insist that whateve...
Keep Reading
Having now set the backdrop with the first three posts in this series, let's take a look at a few judges. Some well-known. Others not so much. Othniel. Not so well known. But since he is the first named judge in the Book of Judges, we should expect to perhaps see aforeshadowingof things to come. And indeed we do. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, th...
Keep Reading