One of the many faceted ways in which the Creator God confounds saints and sinners alike is the manner in which He effects His purposes.
In retrospect we discern He has been writing with “crooked sticks”.
Whenever we begin to suspect this, we respond as the prophet Habakkuk in Hab. 1:13…”thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil…”
Let me share my outline of the Minor prophet Habakkuk: Chapter 1-NO! Chapter 2-OH! Chapter 3-AH!
Poor Habakkuk.
He forgot God operated outside the prophet’s frame of reference.
What was evil for the prophet was not evil for the Creator God. (do you presume to hold God to a standard?
Forgive the analogy…but every time I found it necessary to physically discipline one of our children I suspected they thought it “evil”. Years later, they generally recognized it as “good”. Just as David in Psalm 119:71 & 75.
Crooked Sticks abound today!
‘Course, they have always abounded throughout history.
This is the manner of God’s working with a fallen race! At the moment, we are experiencing a close proximity to what God “experiences”, i.e. almost instantaneous awareness of current events! YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The experience is almost overwhelming…frustrating…confusing.
Add to that the modus operandi of Government in terms of propaganda and confusion and the effect multiplies exponentially.
Whither shall one turn? Who does one trust?
Isaiah advised us and did the Apostle Paul.
Thank God for the doctrine of His Sovereignty
Pearcey Report
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thank God For the Whistleblowers
Is it plausible a manifestation of the Common Grace of God in our time is the presence and conduct of governmental Whistleblowers?
Personally, I think so!
To me, each of these whistleblowers manifests the Shamgar spirit.
They are part and parcel of what A J Nock referred to as The Remnant.
Thank God such men and women exist, for their very presence or potential presence puts the fear of God in the psyche of those within Government.
We are all familiar with Lord Acton’s comment “Power tends to corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. We tend to assign this phenomenon to the larger entity, but it most certainly applies to someone in every governmental level.
Who among us hasn’t been treated as a serf by some local bureaucrat? The bureaucrat hides behind the euphemism of “public servant” when, in point of fact they rapidly become petty tyrants.
What do they fear, at all levels of “public service”?
Why, the Whistleblower!
Duh.
God, in His infinite goodness, insures there is one or more Shamgars at every level. Men and women possessed with clarity of thought and vision, coupled with a sensitive conscience and who finally say, “Enough is enough” and blow the whistle.
The “systems’ “ response? Ignore them. Ridicule and stigmatize them, circle the wagons and fight them, attempting to bludgeon them into submission. Failing in the latter, they kill them. Eric Hoffer let us know this is the only effective means of dealing with a “True Believer”.
So, for my part, I thank God for the whistleblower, adding him or her to my personal prayer list and pray that, if I am ever faced with a similar decision I would not draw back!
Personally, I think so!
To me, each of these whistleblowers manifests the Shamgar spirit.
They are part and parcel of what A J Nock referred to as The Remnant.
Thank God such men and women exist, for their very presence or potential presence puts the fear of God in the psyche of those within Government.
We are all familiar with Lord Acton’s comment “Power tends to corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. We tend to assign this phenomenon to the larger entity, but it most certainly applies to someone in every governmental level.
Who among us hasn’t been treated as a serf by some local bureaucrat? The bureaucrat hides behind the euphemism of “public servant” when, in point of fact they rapidly become petty tyrants.
What do they fear, at all levels of “public service”?
Why, the Whistleblower!
Duh.
God, in His infinite goodness, insures there is one or more Shamgars at every level. Men and women possessed with clarity of thought and vision, coupled with a sensitive conscience and who finally say, “Enough is enough” and blow the whistle.
The “systems’ “ response? Ignore them. Ridicule and stigmatize them, circle the wagons and fight them, attempting to bludgeon them into submission. Failing in the latter, they kill them. Eric Hoffer let us know this is the only effective means of dealing with a “True Believer”.
So, for my part, I thank God for the whistleblower, adding him or her to my personal prayer list and pray that, if I am ever faced with a similar decision I would not draw back!
Monday, July 26, 2010
For Shame
Why am I surprised?
Time and again, our government conducts itself in the most shameful of manners.
Recall the Tuskegee Experiments?
Recall Agent Orange?
Recall Depleted Uranium?
Recall Exon Valdez?
Recall the BP use of chemical dispersants?
At this point, we have reached a new low. It seems as if BP and the Government have hit upon a new strategy to hide their ineptitude: slave labor.
To me, this is a significant step lower than the use of "coerced informants" to obtain convictions.
By using "slave labor", the government will be able to hide from the public the deleterious effects of the dispersant upon humans, let alone the aquatic and avian populations.
Will we ever say, "Enough is Enough?"
Patrick Henry said it best: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!"
A concept foreign to our recent past and current generation.
Time and again, our government conducts itself in the most shameful of manners.
Recall the Tuskegee Experiments?
Recall Agent Orange?
Recall Depleted Uranium?
Recall Exon Valdez?
Recall the BP use of chemical dispersants?
At this point, we have reached a new low. It seems as if BP and the Government have hit upon a new strategy to hide their ineptitude: slave labor.
To me, this is a significant step lower than the use of "coerced informants" to obtain convictions.
By using "slave labor", the government will be able to hide from the public the deleterious effects of the dispersant upon humans, let alone the aquatic and avian populations.
Will we ever say, "Enough is Enough?"
Patrick Henry said it best: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!"
A concept foreign to our recent past and current generation.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Talk About Contrast
Without a doubt, BP and our government have seemingly destroyed our Gulf environment.
Thankfully, God IS sovereign and man will not ultimately screw up creation.
In terms of the immediate, it certainly looks bleak.
For me, personally, I am appalled at the concern for the wildlife in the Gulf area (though, by no means do I suggest we ought not to be concerned). But, for a nation which kills without conscience more than a million humans annually via abortion, I simply cannot rouse myself to save a Pelican or Porpoise!
I am concerned for the inhabitants of the Gulf area whose livelihoods are being callously ignored by our government, irrespective of their public pronouncements.
Maybe, God in His sovereignty, is moving to provoke our populace to rise up in indignation (maybe righteous indignation), and take back their government.
For far too long, we have allowed our politicians free reign such that they have forgotten they are accountable representatives versus our rulers!
In my lifetime, “Public Servant” has become an oxymoron!
Thankfully, God IS sovereign and man will not ultimately screw up creation.
In terms of the immediate, it certainly looks bleak.
For me, personally, I am appalled at the concern for the wildlife in the Gulf area (though, by no means do I suggest we ought not to be concerned). But, for a nation which kills without conscience more than a million humans annually via abortion, I simply cannot rouse myself to save a Pelican or Porpoise!
I am concerned for the inhabitants of the Gulf area whose livelihoods are being callously ignored by our government, irrespective of their public pronouncements.
Maybe, God in His sovereignty, is moving to provoke our populace to rise up in indignation (maybe righteous indignation), and take back their government.
For far too long, we have allowed our politicians free reign such that they have forgotten they are accountable representatives versus our rulers!
In my lifetime, “Public Servant” has become an oxymoron!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Heart Mender
Up front this is a review resulting from the BookSneeze program of Thomas Nelson Publishers. The review represents my personal opinion, unsolicited in terms of outcome resulting from the gratuitous provision of the book.
Personally, I love historical fiction, ala Leon Uris, Tom Clancy, et al.
This story brought back memories of the Gulf Coast, along with smells and sounds! Wow.
As a history buff I was well acquainted with the operations of the Kriegsmarine in the Gulf, having lived in Pensacola, FL and Morehead City, NC.
But, is the bulk of it really built of facts other than what was found in the buried vegetable can and WW II archival history of the Kriegsmarine operations in the Gulf?
The plot does offer a heartwarming story of the power of forgiveness and the restoration of lives damaged by the ravages of war. The role of Danny in the story graphically illustrates the value of "the weakest of these" in our culture.
The fact that a particular enemy submariner, ended up on the coast of Alabama and was assimilated into the culture does not strike me as strange and speaks volumes to the character of the citizenry in that part of the nation.
Once I began reading, I couldn't put it down until the last page!
Thank you, Mr. Andrews. I loved this work and look forward to reading more!
PS: visit his site
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Household Evangelism?
This link is almost sufficient to convert me, subjectively:
http://suzannemosley.blogspot.com/
It also blesses my heart as well us evinces Kudos to Awana
http://suzannemosley.blogspot.com/
It also blesses my heart as well us evinces Kudos to Awana
What's In An Example?
Forty-Five years ago it was my good fortune to meet band of godly, disciplined believers who instilled in me three fundamental disciplines of the Christian life:
1) Daily devotional life
2) Disciplined Bible reading
3) Systematic Bible study
At the time, the disciplines seemed awesome, but their example was motivating and whet my appetite and I purposed to develop those disciplines.
Now, 45+ years later, I have read through the Bible probably 70 times, memorized umpteen thousands of verses, and studied my way through the New Testament, all the Prophets, most of the Pentateuch, and many of the historical books.
All of which to say: Thank God for Example (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Their Lives were the means God used.
Hopefully, my life carries the same weight.
How about yours?
1) Daily devotional life
2) Disciplined Bible reading
3) Systematic Bible study
At the time, the disciplines seemed awesome, but their example was motivating and whet my appetite and I purposed to develop those disciplines.
Now, 45+ years later, I have read through the Bible probably 70 times, memorized umpteen thousands of verses, and studied my way through the New Testament, all the Prophets, most of the Pentateuch, and many of the historical books.
All of which to say: Thank God for Example (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Their Lives were the means God used.
Hopefully, my life carries the same weight.
How about yours?
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