Jen's Gems

He Makes No Mistakes!

2007-11-01T15:00:00.000-04:00

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
my heart may throb and ache.
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
that He makes no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,
my hopes may fade away,
but still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,
for He does know the way.

Though night be dark and it may seem
that day will never break;
I’ll pin my faith, my all on Him,
for He makes no mistake.

There is so much I cannot see,
my eyesight’s far too dim;
but come what may, I’ll simply trust
and leave it all to Him.

For by and by the fog will lift
and all things plain He’ll make.
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

A.M. Overton (1932)

A retired pastor, who lost his beloved wife, wrote this incredible poem
during her funeral service. Lyrics slightly modernized by: Adrian Vermeulen-Miller.

The Refomation Polka

2007-11-01T10:37:00.000-04:00

Oh, Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantion,
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!

Free the Bunnies!

2007-10-29T00:06:00.001-04:00

We have been taking care of Natasha's bunnies while she's out of town for a while. They are usually kept in this small cage in a small apartment because they don't behave themselves very well. Various methods of behavior modification have been used with them, but they still chew on all the electrical cords, eat the carpet and the moldings, and hide Natasha's jewelry in their cage.

Natasha warned me not to let the bunnies out without direct supervision, but I felt so sorry for them being all cooped up in that tiny cage, so Joshua and I devised a plan to free the bunnies! Our kitchen, breakfast nook, and hallway are all tiled, so we thought they couldn't hurt the floor there much, even if they weren't litter boxed trained. We don't have any electrical cords on the floor in this area, but we do have moldings. There are five doorways or openings to this rather large area, so we had to be very creative in finding things to effectively block the doorways, but still allow us to be able to get in and out. After several tries, we had a built-in, indoor pen for the bunnies.

We couldn't wait to let them go free! We opened the door to their cage and waited for them to go run and hide in a corner somewhere, as animals often do when they are in a strange place. But they didn't budge. They just sat there. And sat there. What was wrong with them? They had their freedom, but they just stayed in their cage.

After a while, the more adventurous spotted bunny came out to explore her new world. She took everything in very slowly, sniffing around here and there, and cautiously proceeding around her new habitat. She climbed into the fruit baskets and sniffed all the fruit. She poked around in the grocery bags in the laundry room. She explored the bottom shelf of the pantry. She checked out all the litter boxes. There was so much to do!

The fuzzy bunny would poke her head out once in a while, and then pull herself quickly back in. She just wouldn't come out of that cage. After about an hour, we finally had to remove the bunny from her cage. She had no desire to go out into the real world. She was perfectly satisfied right where she was. But eventually, she too explored the world around her.

We quickly saw that the bunnies were most interested in finding something to chew on, and they didn't want their wooden carrots! Remembering that I used to solve the chewing problem with puppies by giving them raw turkey necks and raw bones to gnaw on, we decided to give the bunnies carrots -- real ones. They sniffed them for a while, trying to decide if they would like them or not, but it didn't take long before they were devouring them. And we have had no problems with the bunnies chewing on inappropriate things ever since.

But it's been several days now since the bunnies have had their freedom and the spotted bunny decided that she would like much more freedom, so she made her escape from her already enlarged world. In fact, she escaped several times today, so tomorrow we will have to enforce her boundaries a little stronger.

As I observed the bunnies, I couldn't help but think how much they mirrored my own spiritual walk lately. A year ago, I was in a small little cage called Legalism. The walls and doors were locked very tight and I didn't leave that cage for many years. In fact, that cage seemed to grow smaller and smaller throughout the years.

And then one day, a retired pastor named Mike came along and opened the door for me; he taught me from the Scriptures that I was deep in bondage. I couldn't see it though -- not for a long time. But the door was open, waiting for me to step out into freedom. I didn't want that freedom. Even after I understood that I was no longer under the Law, I was afraid to step out into the real world. I would poke my head out once in a while to look at the real world, but it was a scary place.

I remember when I finally took that first step out of legalism. I was so surprised! It wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be like. God didn't strike me dead after all! And after I took one step, it was a little easier to take another and another, exploring my new world around me.

But sometimes that new world gets scary, like when my disabled daughter wants to pick up the bunnies, and they go running back into the safety and security of their cage again. Sometimes freedom from the Law is scary for me and I just want to run back into the safety of my legalism again.

But something prevents me from doing that. Something prevents those bunnies from staying in their old cage very long either anymore -- carrots. Now that the bunnies have the right food, they don't need to go looking for a substitute to chew on. And when I have the right spiritual food -- God's Word in all its truth -- I don't need to look for substitutes to chew on either.

I've tried the substitute of patriarchy. It was hard to swallow. I've tried the substitute of Gothardism. It was a heavy burden. I've tried the substitute of legalism, but that pushed me away from the two Greatest Commandments. I've tried the substitute of theonomy, but that put a veil over my heart and I couldn't find the truth of God's Word. I've tried the substitute of Messianic Judaism, but God called me to be a Christian, not an Israelite.

Along the way, I've tested my wings of freedom and found that I overstepped my boundaries now and then. Others have been kind enough to help show me my biblical boundaries again.

Being in bondage was safe and easy, but God has so much more for us in the freedom of His grace. The bunnies haven't learned any spiritual lessons while they are here, but I'm so glad that God can use the natural things of this world to teach us what He wants us to learn. After a while, the bunnies will both enjoy their freedom and their carrots and be content with their boundaries. I hope I can say the same for myself.

Book Review: A Journey in Purity

2007-10-25T16:09:00.000-04:00

Why I Still Believe in Church Discipline

The second book in the "Journey" series by Richard P. Belcher continued the same fiction story of Rev. Ira Pointer as he pastors a large downtown church, First Baptist. Finding that only about 50 members are active out of a membership roll of 1500 or so, Rev. Pointer is soon forced into dealing with the issue of purity in the church and what the Bible says about church discipline. As a theological novel, this book focuses on teaching theology through the medium of story telling again.

In this sequel, we learned how to outline Scripture, how to deal with false accusations and bullying, when to be quiet and when to speak up for oneself, and how a church should study unfamiliar doctrines. We studied what the Bible says about determining when someone is truly saved and how many in the church are not really regenerate. We discovered that it is much more difficult to try to purify an impure church full of unbelievers than it would be to start a church from a correct, biblically pure foundation to begin with.

But the main thing I learned in this book is that there are five main types of discipline in the church and that not only are these rarely taught, but they are rarely carried out correctly, even in churches that do practice church discipline. I don't usually like to tell the bottom line of a book, but I will break with tradition for this review. This should be only enough to whet your appetite for studying the subject further.

Five Categories of Sin Requiring Discipline

1. Serious sin committed by someone who is still unrepentant -- I Cor. 5:1-5
Most severe. The church is to turn him over to the devil for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. The sin of one brother against another -- Matt. 18:15-18
Excommunication (treat as a heathen or publican) if the sinning brother refuses to listen to the church.

3. Sin which has overtaken a brother and has left him sorrowful and crushed -- Gal. 6:1
Restoration to Christ and the church by the spiritual members of the church in a spirit of meekness and humility.

4. One teaching false doctrine -- I Tim. 6:3-5
Excommunication (withdrawal from him) by the church.

5. One not walking as a Christian should walk in his daily life -- II Thess. 3:6, 14-15
Excommunication (withdrawal of fellowship), but he is not to be treated as a lost man but to be admonished as a brother.

The Discipline Responsibility of the Church

1. The church is the final authority in the matter of discipline.

2. The most spiritual of the membership of the church are to carry out the discipline. That should be the leaders.

3. The Bible is the authority concerning which sins in practice or doctrine one is to be disciplined for.

4. Repentance and restoration are to be hoped for in every case.

Clear Dangers to be Avoided in Discipline

1. Pride -- discipline should be conducted with humility.

2. Legalism -- the work of discipline is not just a set of rules to be followed coldly.

3. Extremism -- the church does not play Holy Spirit in church members' lives and make decisions for them.

4. Undisciplined discipline -- it must be structured and clearly principled, and must be fair and consistent in each case, and from one case to another.

5. Arbitrariness -- the discipline methods must be based on Scripture and the matters for discipline must be based on Scripture. They cannot be based on one's personal arbitrary choice.

6. Supremacy -- discipline is not the supreme work of the church, but rather is a necessary part of the work of the church.

7. Asceticism -- the work of discipline is not an end unto itself, nor is it a means to produce spirituality and growth by itself. (formative vs. reformative discipline)

I'm really enjoying this series!

California Wildfires

2007-10-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

We have a lot of family who lives in the area of the wildfires right now, especially in San Diego. My niece and her family lost their home yesterday, but they are all safe. My sister-in-law lost some rental property as well, but she is safe. I have other in-laws whose homes are very close to the fires, so I am praying for them as well. My sister lives farther north, but the heavy smoke is a great health concern for her, as she already has some significant health issues.

On another note, my husband, Mark, has been called up to help with the wildfires. He is currently spending very long hours coordinating the communications between fifteen or so government agencies. When Katrina went down, probably the number one issue was the lack of communication between government entities. I am glad that Mark has consistently excelled at his work in homeland security so that he now has the opportunity to do something of great importance in real life. With Mark's unusual ability to see the big picture, I'm sure his bird's eye view of these coordinations will help speed up the government's response times in this disaster. I'm very proud of him and know that he will excel in this opportunity to serve his country.

Book Review: A Journey in Grace

2007-10-22T18:01:00.001-04:00

Richard P. Belcher has written what he calls a "theological novel." "A Journey in Grace" is a book that teaches theology through the fiction genre. While the story itself is often suspenseful and has many emotional swings to it, it is what is learned from this book that I highly recommend.

This is the story of a young man in seminary who lands his first pastoring job. While he begins as any other typical seminary student, Ira Pointer is driven to dig deeper into theology. Throughout the story, we learn some church and denominational history, some denominational differences, and the differences between Arminianism, Calvinism, and hyper-Calvinism. We also get a glimpse into seminary life, both in the classroom and out, in the professors' offices, and in daily interactions with other students. Organization, logic, and expository teaching abound in this story. The author is not afraid to tackle the "hard" verses on the subject of the Doctrines of Grace and he goes to the Greek roots when necessary. We learn about how a pastor is chosen in certain denominations and how and why churches change pastors. Through the power of a story, we learn about conflict resolution, taking the high road, and how to debate theological issues.

Designed for high schoolers and adults, my children and I loved this book! We read it out loud and used it as a daily Bible study. Of all that we have studied so far on the Doctrines of Grace, this was by far the most clearly presented, logical, and understandable. We have a much firmer stance now on many points of theology, all from a good story.

I did buy the rest of the series of fifteen books and will be reviewing them here throughout the coming year. Each book covers a different theological topic. Since I bought a whole set, I have a duplicate of this first book "A Journey in Grace," which I will give away free to the first person to contact me through email. I highly recommend this series.

"It Is Well With My Soul" By Wintley Phipps

2007-10-22T00:55:00.001-04:00

Waking up to severe depression today, I was grateful that one of Wintley Phillips' CDs had arrived in the mail yesterday. I knew I needed to immerse myself in singing praise to the Lord, but I just couldn't do it on my own. This song was the first one on his album "Just As I Am and Other Favorites Hymns of Billy Graham." I listened to this over and over again today, until it became a part of me, until I could truly sing along with him these words that it is well with my soul. And as life piled on more and more today, the Lord had prepared me for it by filling my day with these words, over and over and over again.

The healing power of praising the Lord. It is indeed well with my soul!

Weekly Recipe: Morning Glory Muffins

2007-08-06T21:35:00.000-04:00

Hands down, my favorite muffins!

2 c. apple, chopped
1 c. shredded carrot
1 c. shredded zucchini
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ c. oil
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 c. raisins

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add raisins. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients and mix in very lightly, until just mixed. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until lightly brown at 350 for 20 min.

For a healthy version, I use spelt flour and Sucanat for sugar. This is good with coconut oil as well.

How to Turn a Woman On

2007-07-26T16:27:00.000-04:00

Here's Some Total Momsense

2007-07-26T10:24:00.001-04:00

Every mom will relate to this!

Jo Hovind: One Plus One

2007-06-29T21:43:00.000-04:00

Nearly nine months after Jo Hovind was found guilty on 45 counts of structuring, she was finally sentenced today. It was a real pleasure to greet this gracious, loving lady again today, although she was looking very haggard and worn out. The stress of not knowing what was going to happen, for the last couple years actually, must have really taken its toll.

Because of a regulation change in November 2002, Jo’s original charge of a level 22 violation was downgraded to a level 6. I don’t know the specifics of what that means, but in general, the offenses took place up through August 2002, so the regulations in force at that time were the ones that had to be used for sentencing. Downgrading from a level 22 to a level 6 meant a difference in sentencing guidelines from 41-51 months for a level 22 to 0-6 months for a level 6 offense. This was good news for Jo!

But the prosecuting attorney, Ms. Hildemeier, did not like this news and felt the penalty would not be that of one fitting the crime, so she argued for any amount over and above the sentencing guidelines, stating that they were only guidelines and were not mandatory parameters. Ms. Hildemeier stated that although Jo was not charged with any direct tax crimes, that she was conducting illegal activity related to evading paying employee taxes and therefore her cash withdrawals were for an illegal purpose. Ms. Hildemeier asked the court to consider Jo’s motive of aiding her husband to avoid IRS reporting requirements. She also stressed that while it is not illegal to pay employees in cash, it is illegal not to pay employee withholding taxes. In order to avoid a paper trail that they were not paying these taxes, Kent Hovind said they would use cash, since “cash wasn’t traceable.”

Jo’s defense attorney, Mr. Berenger, on the other hand, stated that when the criminal investigation began, it was only to investigate Kent for income tax evasion and did not include structuring. Jo didn’t know she was even being considered for investigation until April 2004. She did not withdraw sums of $9600 in cash after August 2002, so her attorney argued that she did not stop structuring based upon finding out that she was being criminally investigated, but for another reason, which was not noted. Berenger then stated that while Jo had indeed committed a crime, she had not done anything illegal, launching into a short speech about the IRS being more likely to look into cash paying customers rather than those who paid by check, if the IRS knows about them, and then stated that the Hovinds paid by check for years before they started using cash. Mr. Berenger insisted that Jo did not agree with Kent’s tax positions and that she didn’t do any of the calculations, but she was merely responsible for paying the bills. This was intended to be his defense for staying within the sentencing guidelines of 0-6 months and he requested probation for his client.

Ms. Hildemeier countered this by stating that Jo not only failed to withhold employee taxes, but that she also didn’t file personal income taxes, didn’t keep any records so that the IRS was prevented from calculating what was owed, that Jo herself signed the UCC tax protestor document, and that she revoked her own US citizenship. She believed that although Jo did agree with Kent regarding the tax issues, Jo did state that she thought Kent was hurting his own ministry by focusing so much on the tax issues.

There were several character witnesses after this. Three women who were longtime friends of Jo Hovind stood up and gave glowing testimony to her character as an exemplary Christian wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was noted for her compassion for those around her, for her hospitality, for her ministry roles in music and teaching, and they all spoke of how honorable, unselfish, and loving Jo was to everyone she met. Each friend pleaded for mercy.

Eric Hovind, her son, then reminded the judge that it had been his honor to speak on his father’s behalf at his trial, but that he considered this occasion to speak on behalf of his mother to be ten times that honor. “Justice has to be blind,” Eric stated, as he agreed with the judge sentencing his father to a sentence worse than that of a rapist. He said that this whole trial was really meant for Kent to be made an example of and that Jo didn’t need to be used in that same way. Eric expressed their family’s desire of being completely above board legally and said that as soon as they realized what they were doing was illegal that they began using an employee leasing agency instead. Although the structuring had taken place over a period of four years, Jo had been pleading with Kent for far longer not to be involved in these tax issues. Eric prayed for justice, which he deduced to mean probation.

A CSE employee, John, then stood up with his Bible and read Ephesians 5;22 – “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” John explained that this verse was the foundation of a Christian woman’s mind, that this verse determined how Jo made decisions in life because she based her life on the Word of God and the Bible tells her to submit. She didn’t do what she did to break the law; she did it to obey the Lord by obeying her husband.

Then it was Jo’s turn to speak and she started off with a story about a man who left home running, he turned left, then turned left again, and finally ran back home where two masked men were still waiting there for him. She then held up a picture of a baseball diamond and retold her story. Perspective makes all the difference. False assumptions lead to false conclusions and Jo said this especially applied to her own motives.

There were three things Jo wished to convey to the judge. The first area related to who Jo is and what her motives were. She related some inaccuracies from the trial, apparently attempting to show that the truth was not always known. One of the facts she desired to set straight regarded the statement that Kent made to his employees when they switched from paying them in cash to using checks: “It’s become too dangerous to continue getting cash.” Jo explained that it had nothing to do with the IRS but that there were two occasions at the bank when the teller told Jo that she would need to be escorted to her car with all that cash because a certain man was watching her at the bank. She was so frightened, she told Kent she didn’t want to get the cash anymore, so they gradually changed to using checks instead.

In response to the accusation that she would sometimes make two cash transactions of $9600 daily, Jo stated that her father was sick and dying in Arkansas during a period of five years and that sometimes she would get a call to come quickly. She wanted to make sure there would be enough money in petty cash for the following week, so she would go and take out more money. Jo said that CSE needed $9000 in petty cash each week.

Jo also spoke to the accusation that she was evading the IRS reporting requirements: “I do not understand how I can be charged with doing something I didn’t know was wrong. I would never do anything illegal.”

Jo told a story about one time when she went to the bank and there was a new teller who asked her to fill out a form. Jo said that the fact that she did indeed fill out the form should have indicated that she was being honest. Structuring is a crime for illegal use, but she stated that she used the money honestly to pay the bills and salaries.

The second thing Jo wished to impress upon the judge was that this judicial process was designed to bring about change in an individual so that they won’t keep repeating their crimes, but that Jo had already learned her lesson and started using checks four years ago, before she realized what she was doing was illegal.

The third area Jo desired to convey was her willingness to fully cooperate with anything the judge wanted her to do. She had come to appreciate the judge’s role in this process and prayed for her nearly every night, that the judge would have wisdom and see the truth. “Whatever you order for me to do, it will first come across my Heavenly Father’s desk: approved.” Jo told the judge that one day we will all stand before the final Judge and she wanted Him to say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Judge Rogers then said that since Jo did not take the stand during her own trial, she wanted to give her the opportunity to explain her motives for regularly taking out large sums of cash just under the $10,000 cash transaction reporting limit. Jo responded that CSE needed $9500 for weekly expenses and that she doesn’t ever want to be accused of hiding anything.

Ms. Hildemeier responded again by stating that $9600 was taken out on a very irregular basis. It would have been understandable if Jo took the money out every Friday, for instance, but she took the money out sometimes weekly, sometimes several times a week, and sometimes even twice a day, once before the 2 p.m. bank’s end of day and once after. She also noted that after the criminal investigation began, the amounts of cash withdrawn dropped down to about half the amount being withdrawn earlier, however the frequency also doubled, so there was no overall net change in cash withdrawals. As far as needing about $9500 for petty cash, Ms. Hildemeier noted that when the IRS conducted their raid, they found $42,000 in cash that day.

When we came back from a break, the judge was ready to sentence Jo, but had a few things to say first. Jo was not charged with tax evasion or for failing to withhold employee taxes or obstructing the IRS. Kent was charged with those. They were both charged with unlawful structuring, however. Structuring involves taking out large amounts of cash just under the $10,000 Currency Transaction Report requirements which take effect anytime cash is withdrawn in amounts greater than $10,000. Jo was found guilty of 45 counts of unlawful structuring. If the sentences for these 45 counts were to be served consecutively, Jo would be facing up to 220 years in jail, but consecutive terms are extremely rare in these cases, so although the local newspaper had reported such this morning, it would be a totally unrealistic characterization.

The judge related that she had received many letters on Jo’s behalf, and without exception, they all requested mercy. But justice encompasses what is just from a societal standpoint as well. While many writers noted Jo’s strong faith in God, Judge Rodgers said that this case was not about religion, but about violating the law. Although Jo’s character may favor probation, society needs to see her incarcerated. Twelve citizens of Pensacola found Jo guilty, even though she was well respected in the community. The judge felt that this sentence must reflect the seriousness of the offense in order to thwart others who might be tempted to do the same thing.

At level 22, Jo would have faced 41-51 months of incarceration, but since it was downgraded to a level 6 offense, the US Sentencing Commission felt that the downward adjustment should apply to Jo and she should benefit, and that the guidelines are merely guidelines, they are not binding or mandatory. The judge must consider the seriousness of the offense. However, due to ex post facto considerations, since the last structuring offense took place in August 2002 and the regulations for structuring changed on November 1, 2002, there were several other considerations that show that the guidelines for a level 6 offense were insufficient. Before the change, the rules for structuring were such that the bank was required to report all cash transactions of $10,000 or more. After the change, the bank was required to report a total of $100,000 in cash transactions, which would effectively catch those who were constantly taking out just under $10,000 in cash. The Hovinds took out over $1.5 million in structuring offenses.

The judge noted that Jo was in charge of the payroll, not that she just paid the bills. She did not take out $9500 weekly for expenses, her transactions were often more than once per week. On several occasions, there were two withdrawals per day, all of them occurring once before the 2 p.m. bank end of day deadline and one after. It was clear that the Hovinds did this to avoid reporting requirements. This conduct was done clearly to facilitate avoiding paying employee taxes and to “keep the ministry under the radar screen of the IRS.”

Trial evidence showed that [Kent and] Jo committed additional acts of structuring to buy a home earlier, although the statute of limitations has since run out on those acts. Although they used cashier’s checks for this conduct and it did not fall under the same type of structuring laws, the behavior was the same and it showed a pattern.

Jo herself claimed “Sovereign American” status, revoking her US citizenship and attempting to revoke all previous signatures. Kent has a tax protest video of which Jo was well aware. (I’m not sure of the significance of that.)

So, although the sentencing guidelines were for 0-6 months for this level 6 offense, Judge Rodgers found that the seriousness of this crime required a greater punishment after all and Jo was therefore sentenced to one year and one day of incarceration at a local facility, followed by three years probation. She was assessed a $3500 fine, payable at $100 per month starting three months after her release and a $4500 special monetary assessment, $100 per charge, payable immediately. All terms were concurrent. The judge did suspend mandatory drug testing for Jo and allowed her to remain on release until August 31st, unless she chose to report earlier voluntarily.

I'm in Love With My Lord

2007-06-01T00:58:00.000-04:00

My son just returned from a dinosaur dig with Joe Taylor, a renowned Christian field paleontologist, and his team, the Mt. Blanco dig team. Joe's buddy, Henry Johnson, was like a father to Joshua for ten days. What a blessing these two older men were in the life of my son for a few days. They taught him about digging for dinosaurs and petrified trees, about roughing it like real men, about creation science, singing around the campfire in the evening, and about real life. But mostly they taught him about loving the Lord. When Joshua was telling me all about his trip out west, he kept saying that Henry would just talk to the Lord in the middle of whatever they were doing, and God would just answer. Or he would tell about the sermons they listened to. Or the music they sang. Or how they would just naturally talk about God or creation science.

On the way home, we were listening to some of Joe Taylor's music. Joe wrote and recorded, "I'm in Love With My Lord." At the end of the song, I turned to Joshua and asked him, "Do you think Joe and Henry are in love with their Lord?"

With a wide grin spreading across his 14-year-old face, he answered, "Oh, yeah!" What a testimony! If that was the only thing Joshua learned on this trip, it would be time well spent. I thank God for friends who are in love with the Lord and are willing to share that with us.

Henry, Joshua, Joe Taylor

"I'm in Love With My Lord" was written and recorded in 1972 when Joe lived in Hollywood. The girl singing with Joe is Terri Ketchum, now Reiser. They did lots of concerts in LA area Christian coffee houses. Terri has worked for a pro-life group for a long time and she and her medical doctor husband have written books on health.

If anyone is interested in a CD, you can e-mail Joe Taylor at mtblanco1@aol.com. CDs are $9.00 plus $1.00 shipping.

Peacemaking With Kate

2007-04-03T09:06:00.000-04:00

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

I had previously written an open letter to Kate on my blog. I could not be more pleased to announce that there has been true repentance and the beginning of healing taking place in this relationship. While I am not asking Kate to take sides in the particular issue, the adversarial spirit has now been replaced by the love of the Lord.

Not only has Kate issued me a clear-cut apology, but she has apologized to all those who have interacted with her as well. It is a very difficult thing to admit when you are wrong, but Kate has done a superb job of taking responsibility for her actions.

Not only do I forgive her, but I welcome her with open arms as my sister in the Lord.

Amazing Grace History and Music by Wintley Phipps

2007-03-28T11:28:00.001-04:00

I recently watched the outstanding new movie, "Amazing Grace," which told the story of William Wilberforce. Then at my uncle's memorial service, they played this version of "Amazing Grace." The picture quality is not so great here, but the sound is just fine. Watch this video for a fresh, new perspective on an old-time favorite.

Weekly Recipe: Gingerbread Waffles

2007-03-17T22:52:00.000-04:00

I haven't written a weekly recipe in quite a while, and I don't really like waffles much, but these are absolutely my favorite. Since I make everything healthy, I've added notes for a healthy version, but they can be made either way. This makes about 24 waffles.

3 3/4 c. flour (I use spelt. If your flour is not freshly ground, it is best to sift it.)
3/4 c. cornmeal
slightly less than 1/4 c. baking powder (I use aluminum-free)
1 T. ground ginger
1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/2 T. ground cloves
1/2 T. ground nutmeg
1/2 T. salt
6 large eggs
3/4 c. unsulphured molasses
5 c. milk
3/4 c. oil (I use expeller-pressed canola. You want one with a very light flavor.)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In large blender (Vita-Mix is perfect), blend all the wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and very carefully stir together. I use a whisk as a spoon for this, very gently. Alternatively, for lighter waffles, you can separate the yolks and whites and beat the whites and fold them in at the end.

Waffle batter is better if you let it sit for a while, preferably overnight. I used 1/2 c. batter in each waffle square and cooked them 5 - 6 minutes each. Serve with warm applesauce.

To make easy applesauce in a crockpot:

Cut up apples into slices (I use an apple slicer nearly every day, so this is easy for me.) You can peel or not peel; either way is good. My rule of thumb is that I peel if it's not organic, and leave it on if it is. Fill the crockpot as full as possible and still be able to put a lid on. You may add cinnamon or a package of cranberries, if you'd like different flavors, or even some other fruit, such as peaches or berries. Cook all day on low. It will cook WAY down. You can then mash it by hand with a potato masher for a chunkier version, or blend it for a smoother version. It is well worth it to make the applesauce and only takes a few minutes.

Dr. Mohler: Homosexuals Don't Choose Their Orientation

2007-03-15T01:49:00.000-04:00

Dr. Al Mohler recently wrote an article on his blog entitled, "Is Your Baby Gay? What If You Could Know? What If You Could Do Something About It?" Dr. Mohler said that he wrote the article merely to start a conversation, but since he doesn't take comments on his blog, I'm wondering where the conversation is taking place. Actually, he started a nationwide fight between conservatives and liberals alike. Here is a summary of his article regarding various current research into the issue of whether or not we are born "gay."

1. We don't currently have any scientific evidence that homosexuality has any biological basis.
2. However, since some sheep are gay, we may have scientific evidence soon that some humans are born that way, too.
3. Because of the Fall, we shouldn't be surprised that there might be a genetic link to homosexuality.
4. Even if we discovered a biological link to homosexuality, that doesn't change what the Bible says about it.
5. If there were a biological link to homosexuality, Christians should be able to have more compassion with them and understand their temptation to sin.
6. We are all made in the image of God -- heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, transsexual, transgendered, bisexual, or whatever.
7. If we can identify homosexuality in a baby before it is born, we are still pro-life.
8. If we can identify and reverse homosexuality in a baby before it is born, we should do so, enabling that child to have less temptation to commit homosexual acts as an adult.
9. Although we choose whether or not to sin sexually, we may not be able to choose our sexual orientation. Christians sin against homosexuals when we say they can choose. We can't choose our own temptations, but we are responsible for our own sins.
10. Although a scientific finding of this kind would not change the fact that committing homosexual acts is a sin, Christians shouldn't say that there is no scientific basis for such findings. Scientific research shows that there might be. Since we could use this information to help counsel homosexuals, we should embrace it.

Dr. Mohler, I am all for modern science and researching DNA and genes and the like, but do you truly think that God would create someone in His own image who can't help but be attracted to someone of their same sex, but they could never do anything about it without sinning? Are they to burn in lust forever or to commit homosexual acts? This is not at all the same sort of sexual temptation that us normal folks have. God created us in His own image to mirror Christ's relationship with His bride -- to get married to someone of the opposite sex -- so that we don't have to choose between burning in lust forever or committing fornication. Methinks you've been reading too much psychology and too little of what you should be these days.

Now, I am no professional in these matters, nor do I pretend to have all the answers, but there are some basic observations that we would do well to consider here. What happens, for instance, when a boy doesn't get enough attention and the right kind of love from his father? Well, maybe we should start with the girl. When a girl doesn't get the right kind of attention and love from her father, she will go find it in another man. And with all the broken families or all the fathers who don't invest their lives in their children these days, we don't have to look too far to find many girls "looking for love in all the wrong places." What do you think a boy would do without a father's love and attention? Is it possible that he, too, so strongly desires that father figure in his life that he turns to other men? This is merely a personal observation so far.

I have also observed the sissified world we now live in. God created men to work hard physically. Do TVs and computers and video games and other technology help develop a good, strong work ethic in young men? Do teenage boys regularly work hard enough physically until they fall into bed exhausted each night, too tired to even think about sexual sin? Do you think God might have intended them to be able to work off all that energy as a way to divert their temptations as well as accomplish great things during that time of tremendous energy in their lives? What happens when boys never do typical boy things like chopping wood, digging holes, building fences or houses, fixing engines, or a million other boy things? What happens when boys don't develop their physical bodies through hard, physical labor, but rather sit around and become effeminate and weak? Do you think this could be a factor in homosexuality?

I have not observed lesbians as much, but the few that I do know seemed to all have major issues with their mothers as well. I am not going to go so far as to say that all homosexuals had a difficult or non-existent relationship with their parent of their same sex, but I do see somewhat of a pattern here.

I have also seen girls who think that they can't trust men, for various reasons, but usually it comes back to Dad again, and so they turn to other women. Although it is still wrong, it is understandable.

God also created women to work hard physically as well, but not in the same way as men. Even most women are "sissies" nowadays, though.

My observations are purely mine. If you have other ideas, I'm glad to hear them. I'm sure there are many other reasons. However, I just cannot fathom God creating homosexuals in His own image, only to let them live in continual sin for their whole lives because they can't help being born gay. No, Dr. Mohler, your pragmatism in counseling goals just doesn't line up with Scripture this time.

The Diligent and Organized Beaver

2007-03-04T19:21:00.000-05:00

Well, it took me long enough, but I am getting back to my animal personality theory by Smalley and Trent today. The first article was about the lion; the second animal that we look at is the beaver. The typical character traits for the beaver, and those which you should identify in your own self, are these: (Remember that you will not necessarily have ALL these traits in order to be considered a beaver, but a majority.)

Deliberate
Controlled
Reserved
Predictable
Practical
Orderly
Factual
Discerning
Detailed
Analytical
Inquisitive
Precise
Persistent
Scheduled

The beaver's motto in life is "How was it done in the past?"

Again, taken from their book, "The Two Sides of Love," here are some typical traits of a beaver.

Beavers keep a close watch on their emotions. They are very reserved, cautious, and controlled in displaying any affection, and rarely praise others. While beavers may be very committed to relationships in their life, it may not show up much on the outside. They don't wear their heart on their sleeve.

Beavers do read the instruction manual. There is a right way to do things, and beavers will seek out that right way. They will carefully read the entire instruction manual instead of throwing it away. Stress in life is greatly reduced for a beaver when they have instructions to follow. Unfortunately, relationships do not fall into an instructional manual-type category, so flexibility is not their strong point.

Beavers are very careful when making decisions. They do not make too many bad decisions in life because they take the time to carefully weigh everything out before making a decision.

Beavers look at issues critically when it comes to problem solving, taking things apart and going into detail. Often tending to be perfectionistic, this skill in problem solving can also be a great weakness in relationships, as they pick people apart as well. Beavers get their motivation for doing things in an extreme orderly manner from their deep-seated desire to do everything right.

"If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right." Doing things right, with precision and accuracy, is extremely important to a beaver. "A place for everything, and everything in its place." This natural strength of spotting things that are wrong is very valuable for many detailed professions and heads off many mistakes.

Beavers tend to turn their anger on themselves, which can often turn into depression, when they should learn to ask for help instead. They get angry when they make mistakes, and are very sensitive to criticism. Clear directions and being able to ask informational questions are as important to beavers as the need to have a strong sense of support and being in a noncritical environment. Beavers will slow down under pressure.

Beavers tend to focus on the past, but having faith in the future can be quite a challenge. Beavers much prefer to plan everything out ahead of time, not trusting tomorrow to take care of itself.

There are certain jobs and professions which only a beaver can do and we should be very thankful for the beavers in our lives. Like all the animals, a beaver who is extreme, though, can push people far away, so a beaver has to work hard on being loving. (This is dealt with extensively in the book; I am really just covering the personality traits here.)

Two of the animals that are often closely related (in this personality quiz) are the lion and the beaver. I have very strong beaver tendencies as well.

Next time, we will check out the ever-playful otter.

I Have a Lot to be Thankful For

2007-03-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

Merck Backs Off

2007-02-22T00:25:00.000-05:00

Rick Perry may still be pushing his mandatory sexual consequences vaccine, but now the maker of Gardasil, Merck, has decided to stop lobbying state legislatures for mandatory vaccinations for young girls. The backlash has been fast and furious and Merck has decided that they need to step back and take the time to educate the public on their position, rather than trying to shove it down their throats. Probably all the education in the world won't make me change my mind, but I do have to give Merck credit for knowing when to back off.

Now if Rick Perry would only take the hint!

I am Lion, Hear Me Roar

2007-02-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

One of my very favorite activities in the world is teaching Bible studies. Although I am taking an extended break while my children are growing up, one Bible study in particular stands out to me. As a board member for PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel), a military group for Christian women of all denominations, I was concerned that we should have a summer Bible study, especially for all the new women who would be arriving during the summer and would want to meet other people. We had about a one-third turnover each summer, so this was a significant amount of ladies looking for new friends. All the other women had other obligations that summer, so I taught the class.

Lynn has a short blurb on her blog about secular personality tests and I am NOT a fan of pop psychology, but there is one personality test in particular that I actually enjoy. It is not new, but what attracts me to it is the fact that it encourages me to become more like Jesus and it teaches me how to be a friend. I will explain all that later.

This is Gary Smalley's and John Trent's animal personality test that this particular Bible study was based upon. There are four animals: the lion, beaver, otter, and golden retriever. Being labeled one animal or another does not mean that you have to have all the traits of that animal. You will be the animal that you score the highest for, so keep track of the number of traits you feel describe you for each animal. Each person usually fits into one or possibly two categories and I will cover them one at a time. At the end, I will explain how this test, and Bible study, transformed my life.

In the meantime, I will start with the test and characteristics for the lion. Notice the biblical character traits that are listed for each animal. This is significant. Here are the traits for a lion:

Takes charge
Determined
Assertive
Firm
Enterprising
Competitive
Enjoys challenges
Bold
Purposeful
Decision maker
Leader
Goal driven
Self-reliant
Adventurous

A lion's motto is "Let's do it now!"

Taken from their book, "The Two Sides of Love," here are some typical traits of a lion.

Lions are born leaders. Although it is true that some leaders are made, not born, it is more often true that they are born that way. God did create some natural leaders and they are called lions.

Lions like to accomplish things with immediate results. They like to take charge and feel very strongly that life is a series of problems they need to solve or challenges they need to meet.

A lion's time frame is now! Lions are not upset, they are just extremely intense. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right now. This one characteristic often causes others to feel afraid of lions, while lions often don't see it themselves.

Lions are decisive. Lions need to lead, take control, and accomplish things; these all involve making decisions quickly. Lions often don't ask for advice when making these decisions and sometimes fail to get the necessary facts.

Lions want the Reader's Digest version of communication. They eschew small talk and are anxious to get right into the meat of the conversation. They want to stick to the subject and are focused on the efficiency aspect of communication so they can get back to work.

Lions often feel challenged by questions. Rather than seeing a question as a reasonable request for information, lions sometimes see them as a personal challenge instead.

Lions are not afraid of pressure or confrontation. Lions thrive on tension. Unless they're careful, this tendency can cause lions to hurt other people's feeling without even realizing it. Lions can be so strong that they win every verbal battle but end up losing the war for their family's hearts.

These are the natural bents of a lion, but not every lion has all these character traits. As you will see throughout the traits of all four animals, each character trait can be used for good or for bad. It is important to recognize which traits apply to you.

As for me, if you haven't figured it out already, I am a full-blown lion, but that was easily explainable when I recently found out that I am directly descended from Attila the Hun!

Come back tomorrow to find about the beaver.

Rick Perry Eschews Communication

2007-02-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that Gov. Rick Perry is still sticking to his guns on his surprise executive order requiring all 11-12 year old girls to be vaccinated against the HPV virus? Rick Perry is now claiming that it is a personal issue, with his father, his mother, and his sister all currently in remission from cancer. Some still think he was bought off by Merck, but some say that Rick Perry is looking for his own personal legacy – maybe he wants to be known as the governor who went to war against cancer.

Was this really the best way to kick off a war against cancer? Or would a little prior communication have helped Perry’s efforts a bit?

Apparently, some key Republican legislators found out about Perry’s mandate from none other than reporters from ABC and CNN seeking comments. (Maybe Perry took his example from Tim Dick, who sued Frank Vance, but Frank didn’t know about it until the local reporter contacted him for comments.)

Making an executive decision like this was not necessary; there was no real emergency. In fact, there is no perceived emergency. This is about Rick Perry getting what Rick Perry wants, without having to go through the traditional lengthy process of communication. There are probably many legislators who would have either backed Perry or at least offered suitable alternatives (as they are being forced to do now), if Perry had just followed protocol. Here a few questions that should have been discussed long before any decisions were made:

Is this the most effective use of Texas health care dollars? How much will it really cost? What does science say about it? What about potential side-effects? Should vaccination be mandatory for students or just encouraged? Does the order trample on parental rights? At what age should the vaccine be administered? What should be done to defray the high cost? Have enough clinical trials and research been done to justify mandating the vaccine at this time? Should this order go into effect now? Is the fact that only one company (Merck) currently makes a Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine of concern? A competing pharmaceutical company is developing its own vaccine. Should the state wait to see if it gets FDA approval?

It is not known if this vaccine is safe for use in pregnancy. Some 11-12 year old girls are pregnant already. How are they going to determine whether or not each girl is pregnant before they give each of the three shots, or is the State willing to take a risk and just take each girl at her word?

“If Governor Perry believes we should vaccinate these young girls against a disease that occurs as a result of sexual activity then he should also assume that there exists the possibility that some of those same girls might also be pregnant when they receive this mandated vaccine,” Sen. Hegar said.

Although the three-shot series costs $360, most private physicians are charging between $500 and $900. Who is going to pay for this? Some insurance companies will cover it, but not all, or you may have to pay a high deductible. Who pays for it in the first place – the physicians? With a 30-45 day turn around time for insurance payments, how much can a physician afford to keep in stock?

Or maybe you don’t have insurance. While the federal government will chip in $43 million for the uninsured, Rick Perry is seeking another $29 million in state aid to pay for this as well. Such a deal. First, he mandates the vaccine and then he pays for it. We should be so grateful.

Meanwhile, Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins must be reaffirmed in the Senate Nominations Committee, but some of the senators are going to demand that Hawkins be able to answer all these lingering questions, and probably more, before they confirm him. Not very good timing on Rick Perry’s part.

As a first step to combat Perry's order, the House Public Health Committee will hold a public hearing on a bill Monday (February 19) to pre-empt Perry’s order. The hearing is open to the public.

The Center for Public Policy Priorities Executive Director F. Scott McCown has also filed a brief to the Attorney General arguing that the governor has no right to issue executive orders like this.

And then there is Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) who is pushing another bill to require that all 11-12 year old girls receive the vaccine by this August, rather than next year as Perry mandates.

Politics in Texas hasn't been this exciting since all the democrats played hookey a couple years back!

Dear Kate

2007-02-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18

This letter is my attempt to make peace in a very public situation after considerable thought and prayer.

Dear Kate,

Whenever I meet someone, I first try to find something we have in common. Although you don’t realize this, it was very easy for me to find something in common with you, from the first day I saw your blog. You see, I grew up in Oregon also, and so seeing that you live in Oregon, my heart was immediately drawn toward you. In second grade, I lived in Sisters; in third through eighth grade, we lived in Bend; in high school, we lived in Salem; then I worked as a tax collector at the Department of Motor Vehicles right there in Portland for a while before joining the Army. My parents are still missionaries for Wycliffe right there at the Milwaukie office. I am relating these things to you, Kate, because you seem to relate best to personal details. So, from one Oregonian to another, this letter is for my sister in Christ.

Kate, I really don’t know how I have offended you, but my desire is to be at peace with all men (and women), so I am writing this in an attempt to reach your heart. If I have truly done something for which I need to apologize, please leave a comment to this letter and I will apologize.

However, from what I can gather, you seem to think that I am multiple people and apparently have multiple personalities. Please believe me that I have all I can possibly handle with everything going in my real life right now so that I have no need of pretending to be to multiple personalities.

I have left a few comments on your blog, all of which I hope were kind and charitable, and all of which were in my name and with my Blogger account.

I have never called you on the phone, nor have I ever called anyone else online on the phone unless they have written me with their phone number and requested that I call.

Although I cannot speak to the current situation, Kate, I can assure you that I have no unforgiveness in my heart toward anyone, no bitterness, and no spirit of revenge. Sometimes we are called to do hard things, Kate, as I know you understand, and this is a very hard thing that the Lord called me to do.

I do not expect everyone to believe everything I say; that is not my job. I am called to be a messenger and it is fully up to the Lord to work in people’s hearts, including my own. I hope to be able to write someday about how the Lord is working in my life in the last few months.

Kate, I know that you are concerned because of something my daughter said. While I will not excuse her behavior, I do hope that you could try to understand her perspective. Sometimes I think my children were hurt in this far more than I was. Although I can’t really speak to this right now, think of my whole story through the eyes of a teenage girl and try to have some compassion for her.

Kate, I really think that you mean well, especially after the comment you left on my blog. I do not want anyone being hurt because of my story and that includes you. May I suggest that we all slow down and carefully consider what we are saying before we write or say anything? A long time ago, I learned that I should always sleep on a letter before sending it. Maybe that principle would be good to apply to the internet as well.

Your Sister in Christ,
Jen

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Eph. 4:29

Weekly Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Apples

2007-02-07T22:34:00.000-05:00

With the sweet potato being near the top of the list in foods high in nutrition, we add in a few other healthy foods like apples, nuts, raisins, and honey for a delicious, nutritious dish.

I use the following for a 6-quart crockpot. You can adapt as necessary.

Fill the crockpot with peeled, sliced sweet potatoes and apples. I generally use about twice as many sweet potatoes as apples.

Add:
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 c. raisins (optional)

On the stove, heat up the following:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 - 1 c. (raw) honey or pure maple syrup
1 T. grated orange peel
2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger

Pour evenly over the sweet potatoes and cook on low all day or high 4-6 hours. Alternately, you could bake at 350 deg. for one hour.

Gov. Rick Perry's High Horse

2007-02-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

Sen. Jane Nelson has written a letter dated February 5, 2007, to Gov. Rick Perry saying the following:

We, the undersigned members of the Texas Senate, respectfully request that you withdraw Executive Order RP65 requiring girls to receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prior to entering the sixth grade and allow this issue to proceed through the full legislative process.

Although 26 of the 31 Texas state senators signed this letter to Gov. Perry, he did not respond favorably, preferring to include this "accomplishment" in a speech he gave yesterday. He could have quietly left it out of his speech, allowing for continued communication with his legislature, but by choosing to promote his executive order instead, he is alienating not only 26 out of the 31 state senators, and probably most of the representatives as well, but nearly all the conservative citizens are up in arms about Gov. Perry's decision to act alone even though there were already several bills before the legislature regarding this issue.

Generally, executive orders are reserved only for emergency issues. How does mandating an unproven vaccine for experimentation on our little girls in order to stop a sexually transmitted disease that is not contagious other than through sex qualify as an emergency? If this is an emergency, then what legislation is not an emergency?

Since Gov. Perry has refused the senate's reasonable request to take this through the proper legislative channels, Senators Dan Patrick and Glen Hegar have now introduced SB438, a resolution to nullify this outrageous executive order. So far, 14 senators have agreed to this bill. If passed, however, Gov. Perry has the right to veto this bill. At that point, it would take a 2/3 majority to override the veto, which the legislature fully expects to have.

What are they offering instead? Instead of the opt-out option that Gov. Perry has ordered, the senators are offering an opt-in option instead, making this vaccine available to all girls, but mandatory to none. Now that is an option I can live with.

"Easy" Opt-Out Option

Sarah told me to check out the opt-out option, so I looked into it a little bit. It seems that first you fill out a form requesting not to have certain vaccinations. This form includes all kinds of personal information that could potentially lead to further government intrusion down the road. Then you wait for several weeks for approval. In the meantime, if your daughter attends school or sports or some activity where vaccinations are required, this could lead to quite a bit of harassment during the waiting period. Upon approval from the government, you may take this form to school, but the school is not obligated to accept it. You may take this form to your doctor, but he is not obligated to accept it either. In fact, he may no longer take you as a patient if you insist on your right not to vaccinate your children. And if your doctor decides to report you to your insurance company, they may drop your insurance for non-compliance with mandatory vaccines. And if none of these scenarios happen, and you are allowed to go to school, belong to certain sports activities, and your doctor or insurance company doesn't balk, you can look forward to going through the whole process again every two years with each child. You're right, Sarah, it's not as easy as it sounds.

The Numbers: 2 in a Million

Gardasil, the HPV vaccine manufactured by Merck to supposedly keep HPV from causing cervical cancer, had a very short research life and is totally unproven. Since its introduction last June, there have already been 82 serious adverse reactions reported from this vaccine. No long terms are yet known. The validity of the claims that it stops 100% of the HPV which causes cervical cancer has not been proven in any way whatsoever and, in fact, it would take vaccination of a million girls to prevent cancer in 4 to 5 girls. About 37% die from cervical cancer, so that would prevent 1 to 2 deaths. So $360 million in vaccine would prevent 1 to 2 deaths.

Every state will have to decide this issue soon. It is best to be prepared with facts. Here is a blog with lots of facts about both the Texas issue and the vaccine issue.

To help Gov. Perry get off his high horse, you may call him at 1-800-252-9600 and express your grave concern of his rash actions in taking away parental rights and using our daughters as human guinea pigs. Say no to Big Brother.

Ted Haggard: Psychologist

2007-02-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

The elders of New Life Christian Church in Colorado Springs have recommended that Ted Haggard take up secular work. Although the NY Times put this in their very last sentence in their latest article about Ted, I found this to be the most important aspect of this whole story so far. How many churches are so quick to take back a pastor who had engaged in very serious sin, often without ever repenting in the first place? How serious are we taking God's Word as He clearly lays out the requirements for being an elder? It sounds so simple: if you don't meet the requirements for being an elder, find another line of work.

I can't help but think of the four Reformed elders that were defrocked barely a year ago, but then were voted back in as elders almost immediately, although there was no true repentance forthcoming and although they clearly no longer meet the biblical requirements for being elders. I can understand how emotionally attached Christians can be to their elders, but that is why God gave us clear requirements in His Word, for the times when we are too fervently involved to think straight.

The elders at New Life Christian Church must have been extremely emotionally attached to Ted Haggard as well, but they sought the Lord instead, and did the right thing, the hard thing. And in the end, that church will be blessed and will grow spiritually.

It still floors me that a charismatic mega-church is doing all the right things in this scandal with Ted Haggard, and not only that, but Ted Haggard seems to be responding in an attitude of repentance so far as well.

Having just finished three weeks of intensive counseling, Ted Haggard said, “I have spent so much time in repentance, brokenness, hurt and sorrow for the things I’ve done and the negative impact my actions have had on others ... Jesus is starting to put me back together.” Oh, that all sinners expressed this kind of attitude!

Ted and his wife are taking online courses together to get master's degrees in psychology. Since Ted no longer meets the biblical requirements for being an elder, the other elders at New Life have encouraged him to seek employment outside the church. I'm not a big fan of pop psychology, but I will say that I see that this would only be a natural area of interest for a former pastor, and I pray that the Lord brings healing to both him and his wife as they study this subject together.

What a great example for the rest of the Christian world. Christians, let each of us have such hearts that are quick to repent when we sin and be willing to bear the consequences for our own actions. To God be the glory.

Kent Hovind: Avoid All Appearances of Evil

2007-02-04T21:46:00.000-05:00

Have you ever made a big mistake? I mean a really BIG mistake. I still stand by Kent Hovind and what I’ve written about him, but I think he made a really big mistake and I need to tell people about it, so others won’t make the same mistake. Maybe we can unite in prayer that Kent will realize this really big mistake before he loses the next ten years of his life.

Kent Hovind has been heavy on my mind lately and is in my daily prayers. When I wrote my first article about him, I was determined not to get into the “issues,” but I wanted to just relate our personal experiences with him, since he had such an impact on my children and me. However, my readers seemed determined to get into the tax issues, so I’ve been seemingly dragged along to explore these issues as well.

Unfortunately, this is one of those subjects that seems to be the more I study, the less I really know. I am sure that some of my readers will know far more about this subject than I do, so feel free to present (or correct) facts here. My purpose in today’s post, though, is to warn others to do your homework before you make a major financial decision.

As I was speaking to Jo Hovind before we left Pensacola recently, she observed, “Maybe we didn’t get the right advice.” Jo, I think you’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head.

I could not understand why even the mention of the name, Glen Stoll, was such a hot button for the judge in Kent Hovind’s case, so I decided to check him out a bit. This information should put this case in a new light for some of us. Glen Stoll is the man that Kent Hovind has put in charge of his whole ministry.

The first thing I noticed about Glen Stoll is how he reaches out to Christians. Look at this initial application for his services and see how enticed you might be:

1) Who am I, with respect to my position and function in life? I am:

2) With whom or what are my loyalties aligned? I pledge allegiance to:

3) Under that pledge, what is the purpose of my mission? My duties and responsibilities are:

4) Therefore, what jurisdictional authority am I under? My commission comes from:

5) How are decisions made that direct the course of my life? I trust in:

After you make this Declaration of Status, which Glen Stoll calls a Profession of Faith expressed in a political sense, you have now identified your personal ministry. So far, so good. How many Christians truly desire to have a personal ministry? But now, Glen Stoll has made it possible for any person who claims Christ and owns any business to label their business as a ministry. How convenient. We will see that Glen Stoll’s definitions of words are often of a non-standard usage, even though he will use the dictionary to define them. Now all you need is one or more people (your spouse will do) to form a “lawfully established unincorporated association of pure trust,” and when put in writing, this trust agreement becomes “evidence of a Ministerial Trust under which you may manage your personal ministry for the church.” In fact, this written declaration now makes you a church! Did you know that it was this easy to become a church, with all the tax-exempt privileges bequeathed to a church as well? That is, as soon as you meet all the other requirements that Glen Stoll will be glad to handle for you for a princely sum of money.

The following steps were not as easy to determine, since they are not directly listed on Remedies at Law, Glen Stoll’s website. However, the United States District Court has done their best in laying out their case against Glen Stoll and his “ministry” in their Order for Default Judgment and Permanent Injunction against Glen Stoll, dated June 27, 2005. Much of the following information is taken from the official injunction order against him. (Glen Stoll was sued by the United States of America for his fraudulent business practices and since he refused to show up in court, a default judgment against him was handed down, along with a permanent injunction to stop his illegal activities. I am still trying to figure out why he has not been stopped yet.)

Glen Stoll strongly tends to take Scripture out of context in order to justify his positions. For instance, in stating that we are not citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven, he advocates that the government should have no control over us, especially regarding documents such as passports; driver’s license; vehicle license plate, title, or registration; birth certificates and marriage registration; a business license; or a student body card; all of which can be handled through a sister site, Embassy of Heaven and through their other site which teach you how to be a citizen of heaven rather than of the United States. These two sites alone should provide plenty of controversial topics to keep us going for weeks, but we won’t cover them here. They are important to understanding both Glen Stoll’s and, subsequently, Kent Hovind’s, intentions, though. After severing all ties to the government, which includes being up to date with what you owe the IRS, and getting your “Citizen of Heaven” identification card, you are now ready to go on to the next step.

Glen Stoll helps “churches” (see his definition above) to become a corporation sole, which is usually a church that has one single (sole) officer and can be used to allow a church to hold title to property, but in these cases, the corporation sole is essentially designed to hide income and/or assets and designed to evade income taxes. Glen Stoll teaches that as a corporation sole, they don’t have to file or pay taxes, citing a mandatory exception to the IRC 508(c)(1)(A) for churches, even going so far as to claim that they are not even required to notify the IRS of their existence, nor are they authorized to collect or pay taxes to the government. However, like real churches, Glen Stoll advises his customers that all donations to their “church” is tax deductible.

Next, Glen Stoll helps people set up “Ministerial Trusts” in conjunction with their corporation sole. Because the two are connected, Glen Stoll teaches his clients that they are now exempt from the IRS laws, helping them to stop paying income and employment taxes. Each different “missionary” activity needs to have a separate ministerial trust set up, for which Glen Stoll charges $4000 - $4500 for the first trust and $2000 for each subsequent trust, and each of which is to be managed by the corporation sole. Customers of these former businesses (pest control, carpet cleaning, computer technology, and multi-level marketing, etc.), which are now called churches, are asked to make checks out to the ministerial trust rather than to the individual so that they don’t have to report it as income.

Workshops ($120 each?) are also required in order to be one of Glen Stoll’s clients and he then charges $120 per hour for his services. These are reasonable prices for the services offered, but you ought to beware that you are paying him to learn how to break the law.

Part of this scheme involves concealing property, income and profits. By placing both business and personal property in the name of the ministerial trust rather than an individual’s name, Glen Stoll tells his clients that the IRS cannot touch their assets. Unfortunately, that is simply not true, as Kent Hovind has since found out, but still refuses to acknowledge. Glen Stoll encourages people to transfer all their assets, including personal property and furniture and cash into these ministerial accounts, thereby allowing them to claim that they themselves own nothing, but that they live in a parsonage (their former personal home) and use the “church’s” furniture (their former personal furniture) and equipment and vehicles (their former personal car). Nothing really changes in their lifestyle, however, except that they probably have more disposable income now that they don’t pay taxes on everything. I wondered how Kent Hovind could take a vow of poverty and yet have so many belongings. He doesn’t consider himself to own anything, per se, but everything belongs to the “church.” Unfortunately, Glen Stoll’s definition of church is not God’s definition, nor is it our government’s definition.

Another aspect of Glen Stoll’s scheme is to call all employees independent contractors and telling clients that they now no longer have to file W-2s or 1099s since they are not authorized to withhold taxes for the government anyway since they are now citizens of heaven. This is one of the biggies for Kent Hovind.

Glen Stoll even goes so far as to teach his clients how to use IRS forms that are designed for non-US citizens in order to receive income not subject to tax withholding, stating that a church ministry is a “non-U.S. person based on its
foreign Federal political status,” and as such, is exempt from banking regulations. Even so, Glen Stoll requires that his customers contact him if they need to make a withdrawal of $10,000 or more in cash.

If I didn’t read the name of the actual bank, I would have a really hard time believing this, but Glen Stoll also recommends that his customers put their cash into offshore bank accounts located at Liberty International Bank & Trust, Caribbean Processing Center, essentially hiding the money from the US government. They are then set up with Visa cards to be able to access the funds. I do not know if Kent Hovind did this or not.

Glen Stoll claims that he is qualified to do what he is doing because he is a lawyer. Since he considers himself a citizen of heaven, however, his definition of “lawyer” is also a bit odd: one who practices law. Never mind that he doesn’t actually have any degrees or a license to practice law. Glen Stoll takes great liberty with his definitions, most of which come from England several hundred years ago. I’m all for self-study, but it is quite deceptive to use a term that the average person would understand to mean fully licensed.

While some of Glen Stoll’s clients have legitimate ministries, such as Kent Hovind’s, many of these people had regular for-profit businesses to begin with, but now they just don’t have to pay taxes – at least until the IRS catches up with them. The amount of taxes lost to the US government because of these scams is quite substantial and Glen Stoll should be held directly accountable, along with all his “clients.” It is quite sad for me to admit that Kent Hovind falls in this category.

Glen Stoll was issued a default judgment (guilty by reason of not showing up for the trial) and was permanently enjoined from continuing this illegal business, this exact kind of business in which he continues with Kent Hovind. He was also given 11 days from June 27, 2005 to provide the court with a complete list of clients, corporations sole, and ministerial trusts, and a list of all employees and associates. He was also required to post a complete copy of the injunction order against him on his website for one year and to give a copy to each former, current, and prospective client. He was required to file a sworn certificate of compliance with these measures within 12 days, including printed pages of his complete website.

It appears that since this injunction is still up on his website, that Glen Stoll has at least complied with one aspect. As for the others, you can read all his excuses for why he could not comply with the requirements of the US government. What I don’t understand is why Glen Stoll is still continuing in his illegal schemes he perpetrates upon gullible but well-meaning Christians.

What I really don’t understand is how Kent Hovind, a highly intelligent man, fell for this, and apparently, still entrusts his life’s work to this man. Kent, your wife was right: you did get some wrong advice, and that’s putting it mildly. This was a really big mistake. Please learn from it.

The Bible tells us to avoid all appearances of evil. This scam has every appearance of evil to me. Run, Kent! Flee from this man!

********************************

Did Kent have any other choices that would still allow him to stand on his convictions? I think so. Maybe I’ll cover that next time.

*********************************

For a good summary of this scam: IRS Warns of “Corporation Sole” Tax Scam
For Christians: Corporation Sole Problems
More info on Glen Stoll:
Hushmoney
Wikipedia

Governor Perry: All Texas Teenage Girls Are Sluts

2007-02-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

Governor Rick Perry, usually quite conservative in his politics, seems to have been bought off today by Merck's $6000 campaign donation. Although Merck is upfront about lobbying state legislatures to add yet another vaccination to the already growing list of mandatory shots for children, they didn't have much work to do in the state of Texas. If the question of making it mandatory for young girls to be vaccinated against HPV, which is thought to be responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, was to have been brought before the Texas legislature, conservative Texans would have lobbied hard against it.

But we weren't even given that opportunity. Governor Rick Perry, who dreams of being a VP candidate in 2008, simply signed an executive order today requiring that all girls around age 11 or 12 and older be vaccinated against HPV. Since this is a sexually transmitted virus, Governor Perry has just made a very loaded statement about the morality of Texas teenage girls, and by implication, the boys as well.

Fortunately, for parents like myself who have an 11-year-old daughter but don't wish to have their parental rights taken away, there is an opt-out available for religious reasons, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that Rick Perry has made a unilateral decision making it mandatory for all young girls, most of whose parents don't even know about their rights to opt-out.

Rick Perry is essentially saying that we should take away any consequences to sin. If teenagers have sex outside of marriage and there's a possibility that they may contract a venereal disease because of their sin, then let's help make it easier for them to sin by removing one more consequence.

Standing in the way of God's judgment is a very serious move, and one that I would not want on my record.

Internet Friends: The Heart of the Matter

2007-01-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

"I met someone online."

I used to think that meeting someone online was the equivalent of outright evil, but I've since changed my tune. While there certainly are plenty of nefarious reasons for meeting someone online, I've found that the internet can certainly be used for the glory of God as well.

In a time when God saw fit to remove nearly all my real-life friends from my daily life, He also was so gracious to provide internet friends shortly thereafter. There is a verse that says that man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. I think I am finally starting to understand a bit of what it means for the Lord to look at the heart.

When I meet people in real life, my eyes are immediately drawn to their clothing, their facial features, their hair, and various other aspects of their physical appearance. I am checking them out. And whether we want to admit it or not, we all do that. I really do try not to judge a person by their outward appearance, but that is simply human nature, after all.

So what I have found so interesting is "meeting" people online when I really have no clue what they look like. For myself, I have noticed that I am drawn to others who have a deep love for the truth of God's Word. First, I notice comments, or possibly blog posts, by others, and I consider whether I agree with their content, whether I like their attitude, and whether they have something stimulating to say. I do not have to agree with them at all to enter into a dialogue with them, but for me, the attitude is key. What good does it do to have a friendly debate with someone who has a chip on their shoulder or who is always right?

After a while, I notice that patterns start to develop with certain online personalities and some of those patterns are attractive to me. Perhaps I will read their blogs more often or be more inclined to comment. Sometimes I may even email them privately and often I have received private emails as well. This seems to move the relationship into a bit more personal stage and we are able to discuss matters that we may not say in front of the whole world wide web.

A few of these relationships have developed into phone relationships as well. I cherish these. I will admit that I am often surprised when I hear the voice of a "friend" for the first time. Sometimes the words that I read from them take on a whole new meaning, just because I hear in their voice what was really in their heart. I have developed some very meaningful relationships with my now-phone friends, often deeper than any real life friendships I have. I often wonder if I will ever meet them this side of heaven.

It was our great privilege, then, to finally meet some internet friends in real life last week. Mark had a class not too far from Brandon and Elizabeth and they had given us an open invitation to come visit them any time we were in the area, so we made all the arrangements. At the last minute, an ice storm was coming to San Antonio on the day we were to leave, so they invited us to come up a day early, which I know meant that they had to scramble to get things ready for us (thanks, guys!).

Although they had seen our pictures on the internet, I had no clue what they would look like. I had some sort of vague picture in my mind, but it didn't match at all. What was so odd to me was that I was looking at what seemed to be apparent strangers, yet we had talked so much that I felt like we were long-lost friends. We just naturally fell into conversation and had a wonderful three days together.

You know what really surprised me, though? We had previously only talked about a few areas of life on the phone and through email, so I really didn't know much about their values, their lifestyle, their convictions, their beliefs. I had decided ahead of time that I would just enjoy whatever things we had in common, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that nearly every topic of conversation that came up was something that we had in common. In fact, we found that we are more like them than just about anybody we know.

I was pondering this and considering some of my other internet friends, as I like to call them, who also seem to have more in common with us than I would have initially guessed, and I came to the conclusion that birds of a feather flock together. I know that's not real profound or original, but even through the internet it appears that like attracts like.

It is interesting to realize that if I were to have met certain people first, I may never have developed a relationship with them at all, or maybe not to the degree that I have now that I have been able to look at their hearts (on the internet, at least) without looking at the outward appearance first. I wonder if that is why our relationships seem to deepen so quickly. There are no outward distractions. We don't have to go through all the small talk first. We just start right off discussing deep issues. I can't imagine meeting someone in real life for the first time and immediately getting into a debate on Christians suing one another or whether or not slavery is biblical. It is just inconceivable.

Can't you just picture this scene taking place at church on Sunday morning?

"Hi, I'm Jen," I greet a new visitor.

"Hello, I'm Judy," she replies politely, '"Nice to meet you."

"What is your position on slavery, and can you support it from Scripture? My position is ..."

I sure do thank God for all my internet friends!

My Heart Was in the Right Place

2007-01-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

It's the thought that counts.

She really meant well.

Do the ends justify the means? Is being sincere more important than doing the right thing? Let's examine three stories of people whose hearts were in the right place.

Or were they?

A couple years ago, a group of people (it's probably best not to identify them) decided that I should not have the right to be a mother to my own children. Apparently, these people did not approve of some of the rules of our family, such as homeschooling, modesty, the role of women (after all I've written about this, I guess I can't please anyone in this area!), higher education, getting to the marriage altar, and probably countless other areas, including which church we attended. This group of people took it upon themselves to "rescue" my children from the horrible lifestyle and abuse they thought we must be inflicting upon them. Not once did any of these people come visit our home. Not once did any of these people ask me any questions to find out the validity of their concerns. There was absolutely no attempt made at finding out the truth of the situation, but there was a grand conspiracy to relieve me of my right to parent my own beloved children. As the first part of this plan unfolded and I lost one child, I was absolutely devastated. I thank the Lord that He intervened when the State attempted to remove the other two as well. Imagine my shock and my horror when I eventually found out about this grand scheme by those I thought I could trust, only to hear them justify themselves, "Our hearts were in the right place."

One of my favorite Bible stories is not a very enjoyable story, but one that directs much of my life. The Ark of the Covenant was not in Jerusalem, where it should have been, so King David set out to retrieve it from the house of Abinadab. David's heart was in the right place. They put the Ark on a cart pulled by oxen and then they had a fantastic praise and worship service. Wow! The Spirit of the Lord must truly be in that place with that kind of praise and worship going on! And then the oxen tripped. As the Ark began to tumble, Uzzah lovingly put up his hand to steady it. Surely his heart was in the right place. But God struck him dead! Didn't God see that David's heart was in the right place, that he only wanted to get the Ark to its rightful place? Didn't God see that Uzzah's heart was in the right place, that he only wanted to protect the precious Ark of God? Wasn't it the thought that counts? Did it really matter that God had previously told them how to transport the Ark, that God's ways were better than man's ways, that if they had followed God's method they would not have to be concerned about the safety of the Ark?

Fast forward to Kent Hovind. I truly believe that his heart is in the right place, that he is very sincere in what he believes, that he means well. But just because his heart is in the "right" place, does it follow that he did the right thing? If you do something for the right reason, but it is not the right thing to do, is it just the thought that counts? I will continue to support Kent Hovind, but I believe it is time for him to search his heart and see if it is really in the "right" place. Right now, that "right" place is in jail. In this case, are the means truly worthwhile? Is it worth it to be so right in your beliefs that you lose your freedom, your family, your ministry? If those beliefs stand and fall on the infallibility of God's Word, on preaching the gospel, on the reputation of our Lord, then we should we willing to give up everything for the sake of Christ. But is it really worth it to stake our whole life on whether or not we agree with the interpretations of the tax laws? Kent may be 100% right in his stand; I'm sure his heart was in the right place. But do his current ends justify his means? I pray that he reconsiders what is truly important in life.

If you want to really get my dander up, just excuse someone's actions by telling me that their heart was really in the right place. If the people who planned on taking my children away truly had their heart in the right place, they would not have sinned by plotting kidnappings and false abuse reports to the State. If their hearts were truly in the right place, they would have used Matthew 18 or possibly even just attempted a conversation with me.

If King David's and Uzzah's hearts were in the right place, they would not have disobeyed a direct command from the Lord on how spiritual duties were to be accomplished. Having a great praise and worship service does not impress the Lord when there is sin in the camp. Obedience is always better than sacrifice.

If Kent Hovind were to realize that not all taxes in life are fair, that all laws are not even adequate, that if he is called by God to preach the gospel through his creation seminars and debates, that his family needs him more than the prisoners do, that this issue is not a "do-or-die" issue, Kent may still have a chance for freedom after all. I know he thinks his heart is in the right place, but if it were truly in the "right" place, Kent would be in the "right" place as well -- at home where he belongs.

Our hearts cannot be in the right place if it leads to sin or grave consequences that do not ultimately glorify God. Let us say instead, "Thy will be done."

Christian Hackers: A Paradox of Fruit

2007-01-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

The Bible says that we will know one another by our fruits. I wonder if hacking someone's website is good fruit or bad fruit? As an American, I am a strong proponent of free speech. I will defend your right to state your own opinions and views, even if they are not my own. I am very much anti-Big Brother and I enjoy being challenged in my thinking by reading or hearing views that may be controversial in nature. They make me think. I may not ever agree with those views, but in researching, studying, and meditating upon them, I now have a deeper conviction on whatever the subject might be. Sometimes, I might be persuaded to even reconsider my own views. Opposing viewpoints are a good thing, especially when done in Christian charity.

That is why I find it unconscionable that someone hacked the Ministry Watchman website today. Surely a non-Christian would have no reason to do such a thing, so I can only assume it was someone claiming the name of Christ. What a poor testimony to any outsiders looking in on our situation.

While I personally have nothing to do with the Ministry Watchman site, Watchman has informed me of what happened and given me permission to expose this deed of darkness after I went to the site this afternoon and found a totally blank page. When it continued to remain blank, I checked the source and found that the whole site appeared to be gone.

Here is part of Ministry Watchman's email to me when I asked what happened:

On 1/20/07, Ministry Watchman wrote:
About an hour ago the Ministry Watchman site went down. Here's the only thing that now shows up:

Not Found
The requested URL / was not found on this server.

[The] hosting company verified that the site has been hacked. My password to the server no longer works. They're trying to figure out how it happened. All of the WordPress application files have been deleted. Thankfully the database tables are still intact.

The hacker also got into the server control panel, unlocked the domain name and transferred it to a "George Gilbert". They can't tell me now how long ago he actually first got in.

He used an email address of snowbite7@hotmail.com.

They're going to try and figure out how this happened, but right now they're just not certain.

About an hour later:

I just got off the phone after spending the better part of an hour trying to regain control of our account. Whoever George Gilbert is he went to a lot of trouble changing every conceivable thing with the Ministry Watchman account settings.

I'm happy to report that we were able to restore all the application files.

Watchman

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Since I am not a conspiracy theorist, I will not assume to blame someone for doing this unless I have proof, although I certainly have my suspicions. However, commenters are free to theorize here all they want.

If someone does not like what is on the Ministry Watchman site, may I suggest that in the future they personally write to Ministry Watchman about it? Or, I suppose they could just ignore it, as most people do who don't like someone else's free speech. Of course, there is always the option of actually just stating your own opinion somewhere online. Hacking is not the fruit of a true believer, so I must now seriously question the claims of Christ this hacker makes. Repent, hacker. Confess to your evil deeds of darkness and repent.

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

Kent Hovind: Maxed Minus One

2007-01-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

I took my children to Kent Hovind's sentencing trial today. In shackels and a green jumpsuit, Kent quipped, "I chose green today ... to match my lawyer." It was so good to see him smiling and laughing.

Casey Rodgers, allegedly the youngest US judge, and one who represented local strip clubs pro bono while still working to pass the bar, was clearly not enthused about the profusion of Christianity in her courtroom. Although Kent was previously found guilty of 58 tax fraud-related charges, today's hearing included character witnesses, recorded phone calls from the prison, and Kent's own "hear my heart" speech. While I realize that we were not present for the initial trial, and we did not hear all the evidence presented on both sides, I will report what I did hear today.

The trial began with the judge deciding that Jo Hovind's original trial was incomplete and asked counsel to go back and look at two more issues. Her sentencing will now take place March 1.

Scott Schneider, an IRS special agent, took about 90 hours worth of recently recorded phone calls and played back 31 minutes of those calls. It was his purpose, he said, to show that Kent Hovind was hiding assets and making additional legal threats while he was in prison.

"Incriminating" Phone Calls

As we listened to the phone calls, I heard Kent ask about the motorhome, which later turned out to be a gift someone had given the ministry and needed some electrical work. Kent thought it needed to be parked elsewhere, which Schneider interpreted to mean that he was hiding his assets. Kent also said that if Schneider had not taken all the church funds and ministry materials, he recommended that they keep them safe. Since this was supposed to be a personal trial for Kent Hovind, and not for his ministry, I wondered why keeping the church funds safe was considered "hiding assets."

"If I get out [of prison]," Kent told his wife on the phone, "I'm going to leave [the judge, the prosecutor, and the IRS special agent] alone. If I don't get out, I'm going to sue them. I don't really want to fight them, but Schneider needs to obey the law. I'm not ready to roll over; this is America. I just want everybody to obey the law. I'll hold him harmless if he will just drop the case. I just want to be a Nehemiah and build the wall."

I am NOT a Tax Protester

"The tax laws are written just fine," Kent insisted. "The government just doesn't obey them." According to Kent, the W-2 is a voluntary tax withholding agreement, which his ministry declined to use. He claims he does not have employees, per se, but independent contractors, which, in a ministry, are exempt from being required to file a W-2 at their place of employment.

"What Have I Done Wrong?"

The rule of law is the constitution, and Kent does not see what law he has violated. Over and over again, throughout all the testimony today and throughout hundreds of pages of documents, Kent continually asked, "What have I done wrong? How can I repent if I don't know the specific charges? What law have I broken? Show me the code and we'll pay it. We have a responsibility to God to obey the law. Please show me which specific law we are violating; so far all I've seen are vague generalities."

A Man of Conviction and Honor

The first character witness for Kent was his son, Eric, who stressed Kent Hovind's consistency in all of life - truth. Standing on the truth of God's Word is so important to Kent that he will always stick with it, win or lose. Eric also gave many examples of how Kent was unbelievably in love with God, how he loved his country, and how he loved others, especially the unloveable, because of God's own love toward him. Calling Kent his hero, Eric praised him for being an "awesome" dad and grandpa to five grandchildren, one of which was born just 10 days ago and Kent has not yet seen. He told about Kent's vow of poverty that he took in 1989, not owning anything personally, but even having seven different offices in the parsonage in which he lives with his wife. Giving away so much of their material, Kent did not even bother to copyright it so that it would be available to more people. Kent's number one goal, Eric explained, is to love God.

John Dustin told of his long-term relationship with Kent, a man of honor and conviction. He explained that Kent's convictions were so deep that his personality sometimes seemed abrasive in getting those convictions across.

Pastor Greg Dickson, 74, said, "A good name is to be honored more than choice silver." He noted that in the 31 minutes of phone calls we listened to in court, it was remarkable how a convict had seemingly no malice toward those who prosecuted him, no filthy or vile language, no bitterness whatsoever.

Paul Abramson, a contractor for CSE, said that incarcerating Kent Hovind would be detrimental to society as a whole; Kent Hovind's voice in the creation movement was so needed.

The Lion and the Mouse

When it came time for Kent to give a speech about where his heart was, he began with one of Aesop's fables about a lion and the mouse, in which the mouse begs the lion not to harm him by promising to help the lion later when he might be in need. "I feel like the mouse," Kent sobbed.

Although he has led 15 men to Christ in the last three months, Kent clearly and desperately wanted out of jail. "I would have obeyed if only I'd known (what I was doing wrong) before the arrest."

He couldn't understand a justice system that wouldn't allow all the parties to just sit down and talk. He was sure that they could have come to a mutally agreeable conclusion if he would have just been able to sit down with the prosecutor and the IRS agent.

Apologizing for not making peace with Scott Schneider, Kent told of how he asked Scott to leave the property when he came to take pictures for the court. Kent was very sorry that in all the years of his welcoming thousands of people to his ministry's property that he had actually told Scott to leave. He also apologized for his pride and his frustration at the seeming lack of due process.

Deafening Silence

Relating some of the history of both his ministry and the current charges, Kent presented volumes of letters he had written both to professionals to ask for advice, and to those prosecuting him to ask for help, all during the last several years. It was especially noteworthy to me that his letters to the prosecuting attorney and to the IRS special agent all went unanswered and his frustration mounted at not being able to know just what he had done wrong.

Ordained in 1974, Kent claims that his understanding of the law is that ordained ministers are exempt from paying withholding taxes and that churches and ministries, both of which applied to his situation are also exempt from paying the withholding taxes on behalf of their employees, which are actually independent contractors, or more commonly known to Christians as missionaries. Kent claimed that both Wycliffe Bible Translators and Rick Warren's Saddleback Church use the same method of not withholding income taxes from their independent contractors (employees). Kent encouraged his employees to pay their own taxes.

Accused of structuring, Kent claimed that based upon the advice of Glen Stoll, who now controls Creation Science Evangelism, he did not take out more than $10,000 cash from the bank at any one time, using the cash to pay his missionaries who preferred cash and to pay for the expenses of the ministry. Sometimes there would be three days in between large withdrawals, while other times there would be up to 34 days in between. Not only did the discrepancy in dates indicate no structuring, but structuring is based upon violations of drug-trafficking laws, in which Kent and Jo were clearly not involved either.

Regarding the charge of destroying documents, Kent claimed that he used a shredder to destroy customer's credit card receipt copies. He kept insisting that he never knowingly or willfully violated any law.

Tears of Humility

In tears during this whole testimony, Kent then says that the only thing he's changed his mind about is that if he goes back to prison, he will not sue the IRS. "I feel like the mouse. What can I do?"

"When you wrestle with a skunk, you can win, but it gets awful messy."

When asked if he's repentant, he again asks, "What have I done wrong?" He admits, "I am guilty of being proud and frustrated. I am willing to make any changes necessary (in my finances)."

Always the preacher, Kent openly shares the gospel in court and ends with prayer, begging God to help him to understand all this.

No Mercy

The prosecutor closed by saying that Kent's testimony wasn't really heartfelt, it was all just subterfuge for the appeal he knew he would be making later on.

Refusing to accept responsibility for those 58 charges of which he was previously found guilty, Kent continues to ask, "What have I done wrong? What specific law have I broken? How can I change if I don't know what it is that I am doing?"

For Judge Rodgers closing remarks before sentencing, she stated that this case is not about religion. Kent brought religion into it, but she said that the law states that churches are not exempt from withholding taxes. I did find it noteworthy that she freely quoted each specific law and its regulation number when she spoke of many other details regarding sentencing, but she did not give any specifics regarding which law this particular one might be.

Although Kent repeatedly stated that he was not a tax protester, the judge insisted that the evidence was to the contrary, being especially persuaded by the fact that Kent had given control of his ministry to Glen Stoll of Remedies at Law, apparently someone toward whom judges in tax fraud cases have very little charity.

She also went to great lengths extolling the virtues of our great country and how unique it is in our freedoms and rights, but that those can only be paid for by our taxes. "You have dishonored the constitution," she rebukes Kent.

Maxed

For the implied legal threats and hiding assets, for his personal attacks against Scott Schneider (?), for his refusal to accept responsibility, and because he gave his ministry over to Glen Stoll who is also in trouble with the law, Judge Rodgers decided to all but max his sentence: 10 years in prison. (The maximum amount is 10 years, one month.) He was fined to pay restitution of $604,874.87, a $2000 fine, $5800 in special monetary assessment costs, and $7078.24 in prosecution costs, payable at a monthly pro-rated amount of approximately $1000 per month beginning three months after his three-year probation begins upon completion of his time served. Based upon his low risk factor for taking drugs, the judge waived the mandatory drug testing for Kent Hovind. So kind of her.

God is Still Sovereign

Although we were crushed by the outcome, we were glad we came. The courtroom was packed. They brought in extra chairs and Alicia even had to sit on my lap. It was interesting to watch the different strengths and weaknesses among the family members. Everyone responded according to their different personalities. This was a time when one's trust in a Sovereign Lord became apparent for all the world to see. I spent much of the day in prayer, but with a judge that seemed so hard and cold, I wondered what good my prayers did. This is a time when I know that I have to believe that all things work together for good for those who love God - and I know Kent Hovind loves the Lord. May He show him some mercy in this case.

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 01

2007-01-09T12:51:00.001-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 02

2007-01-09T12:37:00.001-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 03

2007-01-09T12:24:00.003-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 04

2007-01-09T12:24:00.001-05:00

The History of Hanukkah VIII

2006-12-22T23:52:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

People were so stunned and saddened that they fell to their faces on the ground. Many wept. And then they got to work to purify the Temple. They built a new altar from whole stones. They rebuilt the sanctuary and the inner parts of the Temple. They made new holy vessels and candlesticks. They baked breads and placed the loaves on the table. They hung new curtains.

Finally, early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, the Jews began the celebration of the rededication of the temple. People sang and chanted, accompanied by harps and lutes and cymbals. The front of the Temple was decked with gold crowns and small shields. They lighted the lamps of the Temple menorah.

The Temple was purified and the Jews celebrated, but still the fighting went on. Even though Antiochus died the year after the recapture of the Temple, the Syrians kept on sending armies into Judea. It wasn’t enough for Judah and the other Maccabees to have regained the Temple. They wanted religious freedom established officially. That took more years of military battles. When religious freedom was granted, most of the Hasideans dropped out of the fighting.

But religious freedom wasn’t enough for the Maccabees. They wanted total independence, all enemy troops out of Jerusalem, and no foreign rule of their land. Fighting for this took almost twenty more years and was finally achieved by Simon’s negotiations. The only surviving Maccabee, Simon, became the High Priest of Jerusalem and ruler of Judea. As Mattathias’ second son, he began the rule of the Hasmoneans over the kingdom of the Jews in the year 143 BC.

This was twenty-five years after the confrontation in the small village of Modi’in when Mattathias refused to accept the laws of the Syrian king, Antiochus. This was twenty-five years spent gathering troops, training them, hiding in the hills, attacking and retreating – always fighting against better-equipped armies with many more soldiers. This was twenty-five years of courageous and determined struggle for the right of Jews to live their lives as Jews, freely and openly, governed only by the laws of the Torah.

In John 10:22-39, Jesus not only celebrates the Feast of Dedication, but He chooses this time to reveal himself as the Messiah.

The Feast of Dedication is about the dedication of the second temple of the Jews. So what does this have to do with us today? What can we learn from this? It is important to give God glory for the might victory over the Jews’ enemies and the restoration of God’s house to His people. If this Jewish revolt did not happen, or if they were not successful, there might not have been any Jews left for a Messiah to be born unto. Satan has tried over and over throughout history to kill the Jews, but against highly disproportionate odds, God’s chosen people always survive. We should always remember His great blessings and protection, and give Him thanks.

This is a feast that can be used to glorify God in His Temple today also. I Corinthians 6:19, 20 says “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

I Corinthians 3:17 says, “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

Romans 12:1 tells us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

And I Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

What better time of year to truly rededicate your own “temple” to the Lord? What “cleansing” needs to take place in your temple?

*******************************************

1. Why do you keep calling this the “Feast of Dedication?” Isn’t this the same as Chanukah?

Chanukah, which can be spelled with a “ch” or an “h,” is actually Hebrew for “Feast of Dedication.” Another name for this holiday is “The Festival of Lights.”

2. If this is Chanukah, why didn’t we hear about the miracle of the oil? Isn’t that what Chanukah is all about?

Actually, the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days is a myth. It is thought that the Pharisees hated the Maccabees because they felt they had committed blasphemy by making themselves both king and priest after their ultimate victory over the Syrians. Unfortunately, the Maccabees abused their power, becoming a dictatorship and eventually becoming very wealthy. Although they had begun by opposing Hellenism, they ended up becoming the single most successful Hellenizing force in Jewish society! The Pharisees eventually became rabbis who feared glorifying a martial past while still being occupied and oppressed by the Romans, so they shifted the focus of Chanukah over to the great lights of the Temple. Over time, the “miracle of the oil” became attached to the story of Chanukah, overriding the truth of the miracle of God’s deliverance of His people from a mighty enemy, and the restoration and dedication of His temple.

3. Why is Chanukah celebrated for 8 days?

There is a lot of significance to numbers in the Bible. The number 8, for instance, is attached to circumcision, which is a sign of a covenant. Whenever God’s temple was dedicated to Him, it was always an 8 day celebration; hence, this Feast also celebrates the dedication of God’s temple for 8 days. Another important reason is that this feast originally was patterned after the Feast of Tabernacles, another 8 day feast, which is a feast of thanksgiving. Of course, the Maccabees and their followers had many things to be thankful to God for when the Feast of Dedication first took place.

4. If Chanukah is for 8 days, why are there 9 candles?

The candle that is a little higher is called the “Shamash,” or the servant candle. You light that candle first, and then the Shamash is used to light, or serve, the other candles. It is to remind us that just as Jesus came as a servant, we, too, are to be servants to one another.

(All rights reserved.)

The History of Hanukkah VII

2006-12-22T05:18:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

(Enter General Appolonius.)

Judah’s force ambushed them, killing many of the soldiers and forcing the rest to flee. The Jews collected many weapons and a great deal of armor from that skirmish. Judah himself had killed General Appolonius and he kept the general’s sword. Judah used that sword in battle for the rest of his life.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts…”

(Enter General Seron.)

Another general, General Seron, heard about Appolonius’ defeat. He decided to avenge this loss. His army was twice the size of Appolonius’ army. He marched his army along the coast, heading south toward Jerusalem. They turned inland finally, and, in a pass in the mountains were attacked by Judah and his men who had been carefully watching their approach. Judah’s men killed over 800 soldiers; the rest fled.

“Not by might…”

As news of the Maccabees’ successes spread, more and more people joined the cause. Antiochus was furious. He was on his way to Persia to collect some tribute money, but before he left, he assigned half his army and elephants to the man he trusted most in the world, Lysias.

(Enter Lysias.)

Antiochus told Lysias, “Destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem.”

Lysias planned to do so. He chose his highest ranking generals to head the battle campaign. Altogether there were about 20,000 foot soldiers and cavalry. They didn’t make the mistake of being ambushed in the mountains. They stuck to the plains where they could maneuver in the formations they were trained for. Besides, they knew that Judah’s forces were more practiced at fighting in the hill country. They felt sure they would win. So were the slave dealers who came along in hopes of buying the defeated Jews, to sell later for a profit.

Judah and his men saw the army make their camp on the plains. They were struck with fear at the odds against them. But Judah was a persuasive leader who was able to instill great pride in his troops. "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. And now, let us cry to God, to see whether He will favor us and remember His covenant with our ancestors and crush this army before us today. Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel. It is better for us to die in battle than to look upon the evils that have come upon our nation and our sanctuary.”

The plan of the Syrian generals was to split their army and send half the soldiers to wage a surprise attack in the night on Judah’s sleeping troops. The famous General Gorgias was to lead the attack. When the Maccabees’ effective spy system learned of this plan, Judah had his men desert their camp. But they left fires burning as if they were really still there and asleep. Then Judah led his forces down to where the other half of the Syrian army was waiting and, before dawn, they attacked those sleeping soldiers. They were successful.

(Enter General Gorgias.)

Meanwhile, Gorgias and his men had found the empty Jewish camp. He thought that Judah and his men were fleeing in retreat. He returned to his own camp, feeling triumphant. When Gorgias found a ruin of a campsite and all his dead soldiers, he realized that he had been outwitted.

“Not by might…”

The defeated survivors returned to Lysias. Lysias decided that he had to take care of this situation himself. He would lead the next attack on the Jews. He planned carefully, organizing 20,000 foot soldiers and over 3000 cavalry. When Judah saw their military strength, he offered this prayer: "Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor. Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. Strike them down with the sword of those who love You, and let all who know your name praise You with hymns."

Lysias took the same route as the other army, but he didn’t want to fall into the same battle pattern. So he continued further on that route into more hilly country. This was more than Judah could have hoped for. He and his men were so well trained to fight in the hills that even though there were so many fewer Jews, they slaughtered 5000 of Lysias’ solders and caused many others to desert and flee. Lysias was surprised at the intensity and determination in the way the Jews fought. He ordered a retreat and planned to go and enlist more soldiers for his army.

“Not by might…”

After this battle, even though the Jews knew that Lysias would attack again, they also knew they had won a major victory. They felt strong enough to march into Jerusalem and seize the Temple. The symbol of Jewish freedom had been held by the Syrians for 3½ years, and it had been in the hands of the hellenizers for many more.

Some of Judah’s troops went ahead and fought off the enemy soldiers who were stationed at the Temple. When the rest of the troops arrived, they were horrified by what they saw. Their once beautiful Temple was in shambles. The gates of the Temple were charred from fire. Weeds grew in the courtyard. The altar was broken. The sanctuary was bare. Statues of Greek idols were everywhere.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

The History of Hanukkah VI

2006-12-21T03:51:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

Daniel: And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white.

In the first year spent organizing to fight, Mattathias’ group of people expanded. Some of the Hasideans joined them. They went to many villages, undoing what Antiochus’ men had done. They tore down the Greek altars and circumcised all the uncircumcised boys, often by force. Many Jews greatly feared Antiochus and his Syrian army. Others had been hellenized. But Mattathias and his followers demanded obedience from all Jews to the Laws of Moses.

With persistent effort, Mattathias found and trained recruits and expanded his force. During that first year, this small band of Jews would strike out from time to time at a Syrian patrol, or disrupt ceremonies the Syrians were trying to hold in other villages.

The aged Mattathias never lived to see the outcome of his resistance. He died during that first year. But the revered priest and fighter helped make a vital military decision: Even though it was against the Jewish law to fight on the Sabbath, the Jews decided that they would defend themselves if attacked. They wouldn’t initiate an attack, but they would not be passive under attack, either. Also, before Mattathias died, he appointed his successors – his sons, Simon and Judah. "Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors. Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name. Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood. Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land. David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions. And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in Him will lack strength. Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms. Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor. Here is your brother Simon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father. Judah Maccabees has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples. You shall rally around you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. Pay back the gentiles in full, and obey the commands of the law."

Maccabee was Judah’s nickname. Maccabee means “hammer,” and in battle after battle, Judah dealt “hammer blows” to the Syrian army. The name stuck to describe all five brothers.

Judah had about 3000 soldiers under his command, while the Syrian army was more than ten times that size.

Not only was Judah’s army outnumbered by the Syrians, it was outweaponed as well. Antiochus’ army had the latest arms: ballistas, which threw large stones, rams that battered the walls of the cities, bows and arrows, javelins, spears, and armor. They had foot soldiers, cavalry, and warrior elephants. The Jews had only farm animals and farm tools, which they converted into crude weapons. They used sticks and stones and whatever arms they were able to capture. It was like David fighting Goliath.

Judah was a brilliant fighter and an inspiring leader. He never lost sight of the Jewish goal – to regain control of the Temple of Jerusalem. Through centuries of foreign rule, the Temple had symbolized the right of the Jews to worship freely by the Laws of the Torah. This freedom was so essential to the Jews that they continually risked their lives to fight for it.

Judah encouraged his men against great odds saying, "It is easy for many to be hemmed in by a few, for in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by a few. It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from Heaven. They come against us in great insolence and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to despoil us; but we fight for our lives and our laws. He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of them."

The Maccabees’ men trained well to fight. They knew the hills better than the Syrians did, but they didn’t all hide in the mountains waiting for a chance to attack. That wasn’t really possible since there was no way to feed so many soldiers. For much of the time the fighters stayed in their villages, farming or doing whatever they normally did. When it was time to wage a battle, they’d be sent for by a local leader.

It was a good system. While the soldiers were in their villages, they could keep their eyes and ears tuned for helpful information. The basic tactic of Judah’s force was to attack and then retreat, jabbing constantly at the opposing troops. As more and more fighters joined the cause, the attacks became more harassing to Antiochus’ forces, and Antiochus got more aggressive in his campaign.

Four large battles were waged before the Jews regained control of the Temple. The first of these battles took place when a large army commanded by General Appolonius marched into the territory where Judah and his men were organized.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

Weekly Recipe: Oat Cream Scones

2006-12-20T00:41:00.000-05:00

I missed a couple weeks of recipes and we made these today, so you get two recipes this week. If you've ever made homemade biscuits, these are even easier.

1 2/3 c. flour (I use half spelt, half Golden 86 whole grain, but any will work)
1/3 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. healthy sugar (Sucanat) (or brown sugar)
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. cold butter
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. blueberries, dried fruits, cranberries, diced apples, raisins, etc. (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter. Add cream and mix until just barely blended. (This will be a very wet texture.) Gently fold in fruit. Pat into 9" circle on baking stone or sheet and score into 8 wedges. Bake at 425 deg. for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and top bounces back when touched. Score again. (I double this and can fit two large scones on one sheet.) These are rich enough that you don't need any butter, but you may want butter, jam, lemon curd or whipped cream on them for a special treat.

The History of Hanukkah V

2006-12-20T00:37:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

Daniel: But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.

In 168 BC, a patrol of soldiers entered Modi’in, a small village located in the countryside to the northwest of Jerusalem. They went to the central marketplace of the town where they erected an altar. The soldiers then assembled all the men of the town. The priest and elder of Modi’in, Mattathias, was among them.

(Enter Mattathias and sons.)

A descendant of the revered Hasmonean family of Levites, Mattathias stood with his five sons: Jonathan, Simon, Judah, Eleazar, and John and lamented: "Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to live there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens? Her temple has become like a person without honor; her glorious vessels have been carried into exile. Her infants have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe. What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not seized her spoils? All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave. And see, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned them. Why should we live any longer?"

Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.
The soldiers led forth a pig, which they had brought with them and asked who was the most respected among the villagers. Mattathias was identified.

The commander of the patrol addressed him: "You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts."

Mattathias did not move. He knew that making the sacrifice would be an act of honoring the Greek gods as well as disobeying the Jewish dietary law. He knew that if he made the sacrifice, each of the other Jews would also have to eat the meat or be executed. Mattathias’ choice was clear. He answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left."

There was a tense silence while everyone waited to see what would happen next. Another Jew was the one to break that stillness. “I will do as you bid,” he said to the commander. “I will follow the king’s orders.” He approached the animal. The soldiers stood at attention next to the altar while the Jews watched hopelessly. Mattathias could not control his rage. Suddenly he rushed forward, snatched the commander’s sword, and killed his fellow Jews. And then he turned on the commander and killed him too. The force of his action spurred his sons and the other villagers to attack. The soldiers had no time to collect themselves. They were all killed.

This was not a joyous occasion for the villagers. They knew that when the patrol didn’t return to headquarters, another would be sent to investigate. They had to flee. Mattathias called out, “Every one of you who is zealous for Law and supports the covenant, come with me.” His sons and other supporters took as much of their own food and equipment as they could. And they took their farm animals and weapons of the dead soldiers. But they left much behind –all the comforts of their homes, many of the family remembrances they treasured, and the life they knew in the village. They could make no other choice: They feared the power of Antiochus and his army.

Mattathias fled with his followers to the mountains where they felt they could hide easily. No army was sent to track them down. Maybe it seemed unlikely that they could make any more trouble. Maybe it was because the Jews of the village of Modi’in weren’t important leaders or well recognized in Jerusalem. Whatever the reason, it was a big mistake for Antiochus.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

Weekly Recipe: Honey Mustard Roasted Carrots

2006-12-19T00:38:00.000-05:00

This is easy to prepare, but it takes a long time to cook, so plan ahead. I can never make enough of these carrots for any occasion. They are much loved at every potluck.

1 bunch green onions (or 1 regular onion)
1/2 c. butter
5 lbs. carrots, sliced 1/2" thick
1 c. orange juice
1 c. water
3 1/2 T. mustard (try different flavors)
2 T. honey
s/p to taste

Saute onions about 3 minutes in butter. Put in 13x9 pan and add sliced carrots. Mix remaining ingredients well and pour over the carrots, stirring well. Place in preheated 500 deg. oven for about 2 hours or until tender, stirring every 10 minutes to distribute sauce evenly. Sauce will cook way down until it appears none is left. Enjoy!

The History of Hanukkah IV

2006-12-19T00:28:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

(Enter Mother and 7 sons.)

It happened also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king to taste some pork, which the law forbids, under torture with whips and thongs. One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, "What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."

The king fell into a rage, and gave orders to have pans and cauldrons heated. These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, "The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song that bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, 'And he will have compassion on his servants.'"

After the first brother had died in this way, they brought forward the second for their sport. They tore off the skin of his head with the hair, and asked him, "Will you eat some pork rather than have your body punished limb by limb?"

He replied in the language of his ancestors and said to them, "No." Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done. And when he was at his last breath, he said, "You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws."

After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly thrust out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, and said nobly, "I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again." As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man's spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by Him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!"

Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him. But he looked at the king, and said, "Because you have authority among mortals, though you also are mortal, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people. Keep on, and see how His mighty power will torture you and your descendants!"

After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, "Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened. But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!"

The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honorable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. She encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them, "I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in His mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of His laws."

Antiochus felt that he was being treated with contempt, and he was suspicious of her reproachful tone. The youngest brother being still alive, Antiochus not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his ancestors, and that he would take him for his friend and entrust him with public affairs. Since the young man would not listen to him at all, the king called the mother to him and urged her to advise the youth to save himself. After much urging on his part, she undertook to persuade her son. But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native language as follows, deriding the cruel tyrant: "My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. I beg you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. And in the same way the human race came into being. Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers."

While she was still speaking, the young man said, " What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command, but I obey the command of the law that was given to our ancestors through Moses. But you, who have contrived all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. For we are suffering because of our own sins. And if our living Lord is angry for a little while, to rebuke and discipline us, He will again be reconciled with His own servants. But you, unholy wretch, you most defiled of all mortals, do not be elated in vain and puffed up by uncertain hopes, when you raise your hand against the children of heaven. You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty, all-seeing God. For our brothers after enduring a brief suffering have drunk of ever-flowing life, under God's covenant; but you, by the judgment of God, will receive just punishment for your arrogance. I, like my brothers, give up body and life for the laws of our ancestors, appealing to God to show mercy soon to our nation and by trials and plagues to make you confess that He alone is God, and through me and my brothers to bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation."

The king fell into a rage, and handled him worse than the others, being exasperated at his scorn. So he died in his integrity, putting his whole trust in the Lord. Last of all, the mother died, after her sons. Let this be enough, then, about the eating of sacrifices and the extreme tortures.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

The History of Hanukkah III

2006-12-18T02:32:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

Daniel: And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;…Then I heard a holy one speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days (a little more than 6 years); then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days (3½ years).”

But Jason also allowed Jews who wanted to preserve their own religious ways to do so. This leniency troubled those Jews who were anxious for hellenization and some of them complained to Antiochus. They even offered the king money if he’d appoint a new High Priest, one who would be stricter. And so, although Jason had caused more hellenization in twelve months of lenient rule than had happened in all the years since Alexander’s death, he was removed from office and forced to flee.

(Enter Menelaus.)

Menelaus was appointed. He was a Jew who was not even a Levite, and he cared less for the Jewish way of life than he did for his own power. There wasn’t enough money in the Temple treasure to pay Antiochus the sum that he’d been promised for appointing Menelaus. Menelaus’ solution was merely to sell some of the holy vessels of the Temple to raise the money that was needed!

While the hellenization efforts were being supported by some Jews, unrest from other Jews continued to grow. Some of the anti-hellenizers organized into a group called the Hasideans.

(Enter Hasideans)

This group was deeply troubled and angered about the hellenization, especially at the Jews who had chosen Jason, and then had him replaced by Menelaus. The Hasideans grew in strength, and they planned to revolt as soon as it was possible.

Their time came. Antiochus, feeling secure that the hellenization was progressing well, had gone off to Egypt with his Syrian army to challenge the Romans who were now in control there. News that Antiochus had been killed in battle came back to Jerusalem.

(Enter Syrians.)

When the Hasideans heard this, they attacked Menelaus’ supporters at the Temple. None survived. The Hasideans threw all the Greek statues over the Temple walls. And then they killed every known hellenizer they could find, and took control of the city. Even though Menelaus was away from Jerusalem at the time, it was an effective massacre.

“Not by might…”

Daniel: At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant and do damage.

But there was one big problem. The news of Antiochus’ death had been just a rumor. He was alive. While in Egypt, he had lost his battle against the Romans. The Romans had spared his life, but had shamed and humiliated him, making him promise never to attack again. So Antiochus was very much living when he returned to Jerusalem, sulking from his defeat. When he found out about the Hasidean revolt, he was infuriated. He marched his armies into Jerusalem, where they senselessly killed 10,000 people. Their victims were not only Hasideans and Hasidean supporters, but hellenized Jews and their families were slaughtered as well. The bloody punishment didn’t stop.

Antiochus attacked the Temple. He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. Taking them all, he went into his own land.

New Greek statues were installed. To the Jews, this was a dreadful sign. Antiochus went further. He decreed that Jews could not observe the Sabbath, study the Torah, or circumcise their sons, under penalty of death. If a circumcised baby was found, he was hung around the mother’s neck and both were thrown over the city walls or they were crucified, along with anyone who had participated in the circumcision. Soldiers broke into homes looking for signs of Jewish life. Legend has it that the children still secretly studied the Torah. A lookout for Syrian soldiers was always present. If a soldier was spotted, they quickly hid the Torah and brought out small wooden tops, spinning them as if playing a game. We now know them as dreidels. If they found any evidence of Jewish life or culture, they would pronounce those people enemies and kill them. It was a nightmare to be a Jew in Jerusalem at that time.

Jews reacted in different ways to this terror. Some felt that the only thing they could do was to go along with the Greek rule. Others, who had been Greek supporters, were so filled with grief and rage that they switched their loyalties to the Hasideans and the cause of religious freedom.

Many families left Jerusalem, fleeing to smaller villages where they hoped to live simpler and more peaceful lives. That didn’t work. Antiochus sent his patrols to villages, calling together the Jews, and demanding they make sacrifices to show allegiance to the Greek way. Refusal meant death. In some villages, Jews went along with the sacrifices, feeling it was more important to live than to die for breaking a Jewish law. In some villages, Jews refused and were tortured and killed.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

The History of Hanukkah II

2006-12-17T00:19:00.000-05:00

(Start with part one first.)

(Enter Hellenized Jews.)

Over time, some Jews did become hellenized, moving farther and farther away from Jewish customs and laws. For some this happened because they moved to farms or cities outside of Judea, but even in the land of the Jews, changes took place. More Jews wore the Greek-style tunic. Some took Greek names for social or business reasons. Synagogues were built that resembled Grecian temples.

Religious beliefs began to change. The attitude among some Jews was this: Why should we cling to our different ways? Why not be like all others? In Judea, this attitude was felt especially by those Jews who came into daily contact with people living the Greek way. Most of these Jews lived in the city of Jerusalem and were from the wealthier families. They generally were merchants who had a great deal of contact with people other than Jews. These Jews claimed they did not really want to give up Judaism, but they wanted to make Jews more like Greeks so that people who lived in cities neighboring Judea would look upon Jews as people just like themselves.

While some Jews felt this way, others were horrified by these changes in attitude. “It’s not possible to live in two worlds. Hellenization is a threat to the future of the Jewish people.” An undercurrent of unrest developed between those Jews who feared and resisted hellenization and those who felt it was backward and unrealistic, as well as undesirable, to resist Greek life.

Along with this growing struggle among the Jews, another struggle was developing between the Ptolemies (who ruled Egypt and Judea), and the Seleucids (who ruled Syria and Asia Minor). Though Seleucus had been content to concede the control of Judea to Ptolemy, his descendants wanted to rule that territory. About 125 years after Alexander had died, a Seleucid king finally did force the Ptolemic rulers to give up control of Judea. This Syrian king was name Antiochus III.

Antiochus III made energetic attempts to hellenize people, requiring that everyone put statues of himself and the Greek gods in prominent places. To erect such statues, especially in the Temple in Jerusalem and in synagogues throughout Judea, was unthinkable to the Jews. They claimed that paying taxes was enough proof of being good citizens. Antiochus III did not insist. Neither did his successor, his son Seleucus IV.

Daniel: Each of the Ptolemies and Seleucids were prophesied about in detail in the vision which is recorded in my book. But we want to focus tonight on the next king: “And out of one of the four notable horns came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.” I was then told that “there would arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.”

(Enter Antiochus Epiphanes.)

The next leader was Antiochus IV, a man who called himself Antiochus Epiphanes, which meant “the visible god.” Behind his back, the Jews called him Antiochus Epimanes, which means “a crazy man.” He wanted to extend his power and capture all of Egypt. In order to do that, he needed the full support of all the people under his rule. To him, that meant that the people had to become, once and for all, totally hellenized: They must speak Greek, follow Greek customs, worship Greek gods, and even think like Greeks. The Jews were especially important to him since Judea bordered on Egypt.

Daniel: Those who do wickedly against the covenant, he shall corrupt with flattery.

Those Jews who were willing to be hellenized thought it would be to their advantage to help Antiochus hellenize the rest of the Jews. "Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us." They abandoned the holy covenant, joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil. Some of them convinced Antiochus to appoint a High Priest who would help. They recommended a man who had already adopted man Greek ways. He’d even changed his name from Joshua to Jason. As High Priest, he was not only to govern the Jews; he was to make sure they were becoming hellenized as well.

Daniel: He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.

Under Jason’s rule, statues of Greek gods were put up in the Temple in Jerusalem, with a statue of Zeus, representing Antiochus Epiphanes being put up on God’s once-holy altar, Jewish priests officiated at Greek rites, and Greek athletic games were held in the temple courtyards.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

The History of Hanukkah I

2006-12-16T06:10:00.000-05:00

I wrote this play several years ago and we filled our living room with about 100 people, having all guests participate in the play. Since Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, as Christians, we should understand the history of it. Hanukkah began at sundown last night and continues for eight days. Since this is a lengthy play, I have divided it into eight days as well, so come back each day for another installment of Christian history, prophesied and fulfilled in God's Word.

Although we Christians often say there were 400 silent years between the two testaments, those 400 years were actually extremely important to us as Christians. God foretold in great detail in the book of Daniel what would happen during those 400 years before the birth of the Messiah. Let’s listen to Daniel tell us about his two visions in which the Lord gave us the story of what happened starting in 332 BC. You can find his prophecies for tonight’s story in Daniel, chapters eight and eleven.

Daniel: Suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

The meaning of this vision was made known to Daniel a few verses later.

Daniel: The ram which you saw, having the two horns, - they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.

(Enter Alexander)

History books such as those found in the Apocrypha tell us what happened during those 400 “silent” years. Having just defeated the Persian armies two years earlier, this young Greek king, Alexander the Great, marched into Jerusalem in 332 BC. That victory had given him control over all that the Persians had ruled, which included Judea, the land of the Jews, with Jerusalem as its capital city.

Much to Alexander’s surprise, his soldiers met no resistance in the Jerusalem. Quite the opposite!

(Enter Jews and High Priest)

The Jewish High Priest came with a procession to greet him. Alexander was pleased by this welcome. He proved to be a tolerant leader, who allowed the Jews to govern themselves in many ways. He allowed them to observe their religious law and he did not insist that young Jewish men join his army. For their part, the Jews declared that they would name all male babies born in the first year of his reign Alexander.

The Jews were used to being ruled by foreigners. The change in power from the Persians to the Greeks seemed to mean that taxes were ultimately paid to someone else, little more. The actual collecting of the taxes, as well as other governing tasks over Judea, was carried out by the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem and Alexander did not interfere with this practice.

The Temple in Jerusalem was the seat of the High Priest’s governing. It was the most important building in Jerusalem and in all of Judea. More than a governing institution, it was a visible reminder of God’s presence and a source of great pride. Especially in the face of foreign rule, the Temple was a unifying bond for all Jews.

Farmers who lived in Jerusalem or in the small villages that surrounded the city’s walls came to the Temple to offer sacrifices to God. With the city’s artisans and merchants, they gathered at the Temple, maintaining the strength of their religious beliefs. The change from Persian rule to Alexander’s leadership didn’t change their day-to-day existence, or their reverence for God and their religion, at least not right away.

Daniel: Therefore the male goat grew very great.

But Alexander had a dream of how the world might be under his rule. He wanted to do more than just receive taxes from conquered peoples. He wanted to spread the Greek way of life everywhere. It was fine for people to govern themselves and, for now, to observe their own ways of life. But Alexander wanted to unite eventually all people into one culture, the Greek culture. He wanted them to learn the Greek language, and to study Greek philosophy, science, and art. Alexander planned to do this by encouraging his solders to move into various parts of his empire. They would live with the people there, marry, and start families. In time, the soldiers would help the people learn about Greek customs and Greek thought.

The Jews were not excluded from Alexander’s dream. But to the Jews, learning about Greek ways posed no major problem. It was interesting to study new ideas, to learn a new language and customs. Besides, Jews were still able to live their lives by their own religious beliefs, following the Law of the Torah.

Daniel: But when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it, four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.

When Alexander died after only twelve years in office, quarrels over power erupted among his generals, Ptolemy and Seleucus.

(Enter Ptolemy and Seleucus.)

They divided the empire, with Ptolemy taking Egypt and Seleucus taking Syria and Asia Minor. But they both wanted control of Judea. Ptolemy won. He did this by entering and seizing Jerusalem. He marched into the city on the Sabbath and was astonished when the Jews made no effort to defend themselves, thinking they must be foolish people.

The kings who succeeded Ptolemy generally believed in “live and let live.” For more than a century, Jews continued to pay their taxes to the Ptolemic leaders while maintaining their own self-government under their High Priest. Jews also kept up their own cultural and religious practices, while learning more and more of the Greek ways. This learning continued to be encouraged by the Greek rulers over time. Their goal was hellenization – the total acceptance of the Greek customs, ideals, and language by all people. The Greeks didn’t force this, but they tried to introduce their own ways into daily life, mainly by encouraging Greeks to move in and settle among other people.

(To be continued tomorrow.)

Kent Hovind: Blessed, Spoiled and Honored

2006-12-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

My son asked me recently how Kent Hovind was spending his time in prison. I responded that if I knew Kent Hovind, he would be preaching. We decided to look it up and found that he has a blog while he's in prison.

Preaching the gospel isn't the only thing Kent Hovind is doing while he's in prison. He's making lists of all kinds of things to thank the Lord for, such as having a bed, clean water, food, and paper and pencil. There is no complaining spirit here at all.

He spends his time not only preaching the gospel, but diligently discipling five new converts, having verse-by-verse expository Bible study with them four times every day. He calls prison a "pastor's dream." He is teaching grown men basic math, science, and reading. He is teaching one man to read using Genesis and John. He gives away food rations to men who memorize Scripture verses. He has learned empathy for men whose lives revolve around drugs and alcohol, showing them a different way. He is investing his life into those men God puts in his path.

He lists 19 possible reasons for God allowing this to happen, all of which show humility. I won't list them here, because you need to see how a true man of God responds under adversity. I'm glad to see he hasn't lost his sense of humor either; don't miss his joke about David Gibbs and the second law of thermodynamics.

I am only sorry that I came across this too late to write a letter of support to the court. The deadline was last week. I shall see what else we can do to support him at this time, however, in addition to daily prayers.

In comparison to many other Christians who have been imprisoned, he says, "I am blessed, spoiled, and honored to be a child of God." My initial assessment of him was right; he is not your typical "famous" Christian, and my son and I thanked God that we were able to spend time with Kent Hovind last summer.

Changing the Water

2006-12-14T01:23:00.000-05:00

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its
thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Changing the water. That's what this whole thing is about. Doug Phillips has managed to keep everyone quiet so far about his hypocrisy, but I am here to change the water. I have the opportunity to help protect others and I have the responsibility to expose unrepentant abuse. Sometimes the water has to boil quite violently and for a good length of time before it is changed into what it should be, but I'm here to change the water.

New Blog for Exposing Tyranny

2006-12-11T02:17:00.000-05:00

I would like to thank Ministry Watchman and especially Charles Fisher for being willing to take my story to the internet and stand behind me and my family in exposing Doug Phillips. Both the Watchman and Mr. Fisher have spent many hours working on our behalf and I am eternally grateful to them.

Ministry Watchman sought to protect our identities because they knew of the serious abuses that we'd already suffered as a family. They knew that by telling our story it would bring retaliation on us and probably on them as well. Doug Phillips' employees and ex-interns at Vision Forum decided, however, that the world should know who we are anyway. The original intent therefore of having Ministry Watchman tell the story for us is now gone.

Therefore, it has been mutually decided that our story might be able to be handled better in small, bite-sized pieces written by me, making it more personal and allowing for important details to be covered in depth. Mark will continue to provide commentary about our story on his new blog. Ministry Watchman and Charles Fisher still stand behind us in their desire to see the ecclesiastical abuses of Doug Phillips, as well as any other ecclesiastical tyrants, exposed. As our pastor said in his sermon today, there are times to be gentle, there are times to be firm, and there are times to really lay it on the line. Exposing sin of this nature demands that we lay it on the line.

In the interest of keeping this story separate from the intended purpose of this blog, I have set up a new blog for the sole purpose of telling my story. I will be starting over again from the beginning and telling the story in small, bite-sized pieces several times a week. The flavor of the comments there should be a little different, as I have a different comment etiquette. Be sure to read that before you post a comment. I will graciously answer all charitable questions and expect commenters to remember that this is a site for Christians. Be sure to read the "Why We Are Here" page as well to set some background. The new blog has the same name, but is hosted by Wordpress, so it should be easy for you to find! See you there! (This blog will remain under its intended initial purpose, for those who are interested.)

Get a Life?

2006-12-11T02:08:00.000-05:00

This is in reply to Get a Life (comment on Ministry Watchman): If you were falsely accused and not charged with anything specific, yet told that your soul was in peril until you repented, and tried to reconcile for two years, would you just get a life? If your reputation was so tarnished, when you had tried harder than probably any wife you know, to the extent that all your friends now turn their backs on you and your children even in public, would you just get a life? If you knew the truth about someone and that person was leaving a trail of hurt all over the world, and you were the only one who could warn others of this potential threat, would you just get a life? If you were "imprisoned" for years with no charges, false accusations, and no trial, would you just get a life?

I have a responsibility before God and man in this situation. If it was just me, or even just my family and me, that were affected by Doug Phillips, I would forgive and "get a life." I have forgiven Doug, but that does NOT relieve him of his responsibility to repent. I know of many people who have been hurt by Doug personally and some by his teachings. My story is not unique and therefore I have a responsibility to warn others who might be swayed by his very charismatic personality.

I want to make it very clear that I bear no ill will toward Doug and Beall or anyone at BCA. I have years of fond memories with everyone there, although there were some difficult times as well. I am not a quitter. When the going gets tough, I will do everything possible to work through the situation. You can verify that by knowing that I did more than was even asked to be a joyful, submissive wife to an extremely angry husband for 15 years, off and on. I did not quit, even though many Christians counseled me to leave him. I am reaping the fruit of those 15 years of hard labor now, and I am very grateful for a husband who dearly loves the Lord now and has since repented.

At BCA, each man signed a covenant of membership. Somehow this bound the whole family. Doug is very open about how he feels regarding "covenant" and feels that a church "covenant" is a lifelong commitment, just like marriage should be. I believe you already know this, though, Get a Life, because you are in the community. Ask some of the people who tried to leave BCA how easy it was to leave. You already know who I'm talking about – and there's plenty of those folks. We had 25 families leave in less than two years. With only just over 20 families left, that should tell you something.

You also know as well as I do that the churches in the community are vastly different from your mainline churches. Most people cannot just pick up and go to another church. Those who did leave usually went to another church in the community because their values were in line with that particular church. Tight-knit community. It's hard to change, and Doug wouldn't let anyone go easily.

Even so, we could have left, probably, but where would we go? Where would anyone who currently attends BCA go, if they left? You know as well as I do, how many families in the "community" are desperate to find a place to go. In a way, I don't fault those at BCA who didn't stand up for me. They would have risked too much – their own reputation, their jobs, church, fellowship. You know it's true.

What am I looking for? My goal is, and always has been, to warn others of danger. We have previously considered moving to other "communities," and were extremely grateful to people like the Austins who warned the Reformed community about RC, Jr. and his crew. RC isn't the only one who has whole families pick up and move to be by him. I am here to warn others that something similar could happen to them if they follow a man and his teachings, especially if they don't know what he's really like. I am sending out a warning signal. It is not my responsibility for how people respond to the news, but I am carrying the message. If justice were to be served, if Doug Phillips and those involved were to see their sin in not protecting me, in falsely accusing me, in so many areas, if they actually repent, then that would merely be a bonus for me, but it would still serve my main purpose – to protect others. For, if Doug repents, truly repents, it would follow that his abusive ways would take a 180 degree turn as well. It would be a win, win situation for his followers as well.

This situation has not consumed my life, so I would say that I have already gotten on in life. I will not dwell in the past, but I have a responsibility to fulfill and I shall do my best to bring that to completion. My life is very full with many things, and I do not live in the past. I was not willing to share my story until I knew there was full forgiveness in my heart and that I could proceed with NO bitterness, NO spirit of revenge, and a true desire to only warn others of danger. If you are on the "in" with Doug, you may not understand this, because he is a great guy with his friends, but remember that you were warned if you ever cross him. My heart actually aches for Doug and Beall; we gave them so many chances. I pray for them every day.

Women, Know Your Limits!

2006-12-09T13:05:00.001-05:00

The Parable of the Bed

2006-12-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a bed. It was a lovely, grand piece of furniture, but it was still just a bed. The bed served its purpose well and provided many nights of refreshing sleep. Then there was sin. The bed itself did not commit sin, but there was sin that took place in the bed, so the bed needed discipline.

The owner of the bed made a declaration, "The bed shall lose its mattress and all its linens." And it was so. And life for the bed was good.

However, the bed's master changed his mind several years later and decided that the bed had not been disciplined severely enough. A new declaration was made, "The bed shall have a different style of mattress." And it was so. And life for the bed was good once again.

Not entirely satisfied, though, another declaration was forthcoming, "The bed shall be put up on the trading block for auction." And it was so. But weeks passed and no one bid on the bed. And so the bed went back to being a bed again.

A couple years later, the angry master declared, "The bed shall be put out of its misery." But no one wanted the bed that was now 20 years old. It had served its usefulness and needed to be put out to pasture with all the other old beds.

Tired of the ever-changing declarations, the master's wife decided to become a judge and sentenced the bed to immediate execution. The bed was then chopped to pieces.

In its second life, the bed was then reincarnated into a workshop in the garage, while the master and his wife were relegated to sleeping on the floor. The master and his lady were very pleased with the bed's new purpose.

And the master and his lady lived happily ever after – well, after they commissioned a new bed. And life for the new bed was good.

A couple of years later, however, the master was indeed surprised to find that the copyrighted version of his story of the bed had been strangely warped and twisted, and was now being produced without authorization by young men with no scruples for honesty. Knowing the original story had only been told to his spiritual shepherd, the master and his lady were grieved to hear that their ecclesiastical privileges of confidentiality had thus been violated. And life for the pastor was not good.

Ligonier Lynches Loyal Lecturer

2006-11-30T15:10:00.000-05:00

Being loyal to Ligonier is becoming rather costly these days.

In all my own coverage of Ligonier’s deeds of darkness, I have chosen to focus on only those areas in which I have knowledge and documentation, purposely staying away from the Don Kistler aspect of Frank Vance’s original accusations until I knew more than just “Frank said.” As time has progressed, Frank Vance has provided more and more evidence that all his original accusations seem to be valid. Today is no different.

On November 28, RC Sproul and the board of directors fired Don Kistler, releasing this statement: "In November 2006, the Board of Directors for Ligonier Ministries voted unanimously to dissolve our employment relationship with Don Kistler, Managing Editor of Soli Deo Gloria Publications." We don’t know all the details yet, but what we do know sounds quite fishy, including the fact that Ligonier Ministries still retains ownership of Don Kistler's life work, Soli Deo Gloria. They didn’t like his website? And did they ever talk to him about it? Was it in the original contract that he couldn’t have his own website? Is his website really in competition with Ligonier? I’ve been there several times over the last couple months, and Mark and I considered buying a couple of his excellent books, but since they were only available through Ligonier, as was posted on his website at that time, we decided to wait, since we are not financially supporting Ligonier in any way at this time. So, if Don was selling his books on his website THROUGH Ligonier, that just sounds like free advertising for Ligonier to me. That really cannot be the reason.

Check out Frank’s new article for his ideas, but I think it’s time to call for the resignation of the Ligonier Board of Directors. The purpose of a board, as far as I know, is not only to help guide and direct an organization, but to hold them accountable when need be. I realize that many ministry boards are actually made up of “yes” men, as this one appears to be, but that is truly not in their own best interests. A board should desire to see a ministry be fully biblical in all areas of life, first of all, and should do all that would be in the best interests of furthering that ministry – not just bow down to the ministry leader’s every wish and whim. I am very disappointed in this decision by Ligonier’s Board of Directors. If Don Kistler has truly done something worthy of being fired, and that'd better be something FAR worse than Tim Dick representing a Christian ministry to sue another Christian, then Ligonier Ministries should be bold enough to name the offense directly and tell why it was something that could not be corrected (websites are rather easy to change, I would think), and even show that when confronted with his “sin,” Don Kistler refused to repent.

The last I heard, Don Kistler wasn’t even back to work full time since his stroke in August. They aren't paying him now, so he wasn't a financial strain to Ligonier. Besides, I think he works about as many hours as Tim Dick does, so that couldn’t really be it.

Although Tim Dick and John Duncan are not on the board, from Frank Vance’s account, it appears that they were the impetus behind finding a reason to fire Don Kistler. So, I will reiterate my call for a complete management/board turnover at Ligonier Ministries. Whether directly or indirectly involved in all these recent deeds of darkness, the board of directors and all management should be held directly responsible for the wickedness of these last few months, or in all probability, much longer. Change happens one person at a time, one step at a time. It may not seem like much for one person to make a phone call, but each one adds up. I am asking each person reading this to call Ligonier Ministries at 1-800-435-4343 and ask them for more information about why Don Kistler was fired. Ligonier's donors especially deserve the truth.

Please continue to pray for repentance for the board of directors and management of Ligonier Ministries. RC Sproul is leading this, so pray for his repentance as well. Ligonier's website asks us to partner with them as they proclaim the holiness of God to a world lost and dead in its sin. Now it is time to proclaim the holiness of God to a ministry losing its way in deed after deed of darkness.

Field Trip Review: Homestead Heritage

2006-11-26T17:19:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving weekend is my very favorite time of the whole year! It actually has very little to do with Thanksgiving itself, although I enjoy Thanksgiving. It is the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving that I love! For seven years now, we have gone up to Waco to visit Homestead Heritage, a Christian, homeschool, agrarian community that opens its doors to anyone who wishes to come visit for this weekend. This festival is called their Craft and Children's Fair, but it is far from child's play.

This community of believers leads simple lives, although they work very hard at everything they do. Quality is far more important than quantity. They have a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, of which they give numerous demonstrations during the weekend. One year, we watched them shear the sheep, card and wash the wool, dye the wool, spin it into yarn, weave the yarn into material, and sew the material into usable items such as clothes and blankets. The annual barn raising seems to really attract the men. They give demonstrations on making pottery (plates, serving dishes, cups, everything imaginable - almost perfect quality), candlemaking, soap making, basket weaving, broom making, quilting, all kinds of homesteading and homemaking skills. One year, we went to the cheese making demonstration. They had made a large demonstration board with a picture and instructions for each step of the process. Step #1 was "Milk the cow." There is beekeeping, herb and vegetable gardening, boat building, the grist mill run by a water wheel, hay rides through the community, many historic buildings, rope making, bread baking, goat milking, horse farming, and lots of homeschool work displayed as well. Here are a few demonstrations we saw this year.

Demonstrations

Mike showed us how to use a lathe to make a wooden bowl.

Paul demonstrating woodworking with hand tools, some of which were 150 years old.

Last year, we commissioned them to make this solid-wood cherry bed for us, all with hand tools.

Here is the headboard detail, the Texas symbol. Each half-point of the star was inlaid separately, and the wreath is hand carved.

Pounding in the sand for the mold for metal casting to make tools.

Rip, the border collie herding goats.

Music

The quality of their two daily musical performances is outstanding. Writing their own compositions or making changes to familiar ones, Homestead Heritage's concerts are an incredible delight. Using a wide variety of style, from bluegrass to gospel to folk (but all in a manner that glorifies God), they are unashamedly Christian in all their music and quite talented. I figure I go to the symphony or some other musical venture about once per month, but this latest adult concert by Homestead Heritage was probably the best I've ever heard. Their "Dueling Banjos" piece, which is normally a guitar being copied by a banjo, was greatly expanded to include each section of the orchestra as well. As one section would begin to imitate first the guitar and then the banjo, each section in turn would begin to imitate as well. The trick was that the guitar would then begin on a new segment, or maybe the banjo would take the lead. By the time they were in full gear, each section was playing a different segment, yet they all complemented one another. I'd never seen a symphony do something that difficult - and pull it off!

With about 75 in the adult choir, there were always great accompanists, many of which made their own instruments.

Six years old is when each child in the community joins the choir. The 6-9 year olds learn to sing solos, hit the right notes and stay on the beat. What great training at a young age.

The 10-13 year olds sing two-part harmony and rounds.

The 14-17 year olds sing 4-6 part harmony and are quite professional by this stage. If my children could have the opportunity to participate in praising the Lord this way, I'm sure it would fulfill that inborn need each of us has for music - music that glorifies God. The cows mooing in the meadow next door really added to the ambiance.

Food

I won't normally buy fast food or fair food, but we make an exception here. Although they sell "typical" fair food, such as pizza and hamburgers and ice cream, there is a slight difference - it is all grown right there and home made. So, a cheeseburger, for instance, would be organic, free-range beef with raw, organic cheese on a whole wheat homemade bun. Their ice cream is all organic, made fresh right there, and sweetened with their own sorghum syrup they grow right there.

Amenities

We always camp overnight when we go here. They just let us use part of their land to set up a tent and provide a port-a-potty for us. Less than a mile down the road was a "real" bathroom. No official campsites, no tables or anything, but lots of fellowship. There were about 30 families camping together. It's not a requirement to be a Christian to come visit, but there are lots of Christians who come to get a vision of what "church" should really look like, what living in a community is like. It was so refreshing to see families gathered separately and in groups having devotions together all over the campground, or just singing hymns and praising the Lord.

I read a little bit in a book about why they live in a community. Church is not about meeting together on Sunday, they say, but about living life together. They don't keep out the world from their community, they invite them in six days a week. But even though there was no sermon and no "love" offering, I knew that I would give almost anything to live in a community like this, except my biblical beliefs.

Weekly Recipe: My Favorite Turkey

2006-11-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

I love moist turkey and this is the moistest I've ever tasted! I've been using this method for years now, but it takes quite a bit longer to cook at this low temperature, so give yourself plenty of planning time.

I soak all my meats in salt water first to remove the blood. 30 minutes up to several hours is fine. If you can't find a container big enough to soak your whole turkey, you might consider using a cooler, and then washing it well. It also greatly enhances the flavor.

Time: ~1 hour per pound, plus one more hour (your bird's weight + 1 hour, less for small birds)

Rinse turkey thoroughly, including cavities, and pat dry with paper towels.

Stuffing is optional, but internal temperature of stuffing should remain at 165 deg. if stuffed.

Rub outside of turkey with olive oil and any other seasonings desired.

Place breast side down on rack in roasting pan, with thermometer in meatiest part.

Place in preheated 300 degree oven and roast for one hour (this kills any bacteria).

Reduce temperature to 180 or your oven's lowest setting above that. Roast 45-60 minutes per pound (3 times longer than standard). The larger birds require 60 minutes per pound. It doesn't hurt anything to cook it for several hours longer after it's done, in case your timing's off.

Roast until the meat thermometer reaches 180 deg.

No basting required! Lots of juices for gravy. Be prepared that it will be so tender that the bones may fall off when you cut it!

Warning: Some digitally controlled ovens have an automatic cut off time. You may want to consult your owner's manual about this, or set the alarm to check on it in the middle of the night! If your oven just uses a dial, you're good!

Two Sides of Forgiveness

2006-11-19T16:26:00.000-05:00

I've been following another thread recently where some women have been abused and injured during their walk with Christ. Somewhere along the way, they turned their backs on everything of the Lord and decided that they didn't need to forgive those who hurt them because the abusers were above them in their station in life - husband, pastor, etc. - as written here. I had never considered that forgiveness only applied from the higher ranking toward the lower ranking, as in the parable of the king who forgave his servant 10,000 talents, but the servant wouldn't forgive another 100 denarii, a measly amount. This author advocated that we were only commanded to forgive either those below us in situation, or our equals (forgive your brother 70 times 7). So these women have decided that they don't have to forgive their husbands or pastors or other men who were above them in some way who all abused them because of this teaching. They think, as do most people probably, that forgiveness equates to no consequences.

With this fresh on my mind, I was so pleased by the sermon I heard today about the two sides of forgiveness. Whenever we think of forgiveness in general, we must think that there are at least two sides: the offender and the offended. I think most Christians agree that if we forgive those who sin against us, as the offended one, we are the ones who are then free from what unforgiveness does in our lives. We've all seen unforgiveness grow into bitterness, and from there into anger, and some have even seen it grow into very irrational behavior, which only causes more hurt for everyone involved. I am going to assume here that we all agree that forgiveness is a requirement for Christians. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

What really interested me, though, about today's sermon, which seemed to speak directly to what these women's concerns are, is the other side of forgiveness - the offender. Have you ever noticed that there are certain principles in Scripture that are not laid out all in one place, all in one verse or passage, but when we put them together, we can see the full picture? One such topic would be salvation. I am not going to go into detail here, but there is the aspect of seeing how depraved we really are, seeing that we can do nothing of ourselves, seeing our need for a Savior, admitting and confessing our sins, repenting, and believing that only Jesus can save us because He died to atone for our sins and set us free from the wages of sin. I am simplifying greatly, of course, and it is really simple, but we don't really see this laid out all at once in Scripture. I really like this example, though, because when we repent, God is faithful to forgive. We clearly see here that forgiveness and repentance go hand in hand. God offers us forgiveness, but we must willingly receive it, we must repent.

This is really no different from our relationship with the offender, then. As the offended one, we can forgive the offender, but the offender cannot receive that forgiveness until he repents from the offense to begin with. Luke 17:3-4 adds this aspect to forgiving one another: "If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” This is not saying that we don't have to forgive unless he repents, as we can clearly see from other passages that we must forgive the offender; but rather that the offender cannot receive our forgiveness until he himself repents. Forgiveness offered is what we must do; forgiveness received is up to the offender.

Does this forgiveness necessarily mean that there are no consequences then? What about justice? Do we just forget that anything ever happened? No. It is an attitude of the heart that changes, but often there are outward consequences that cannot, or should not, be changed. If a "brother" owes you $1000 and refuses to pay, you can forgive him, and not have any bitterness toward him. But does it necessarily follow that he doesn't owe you the money any more? that you will continue to loan him money? that you will be in fellowship together? Of course not. He has refused to receive your forgiveness by the mere fact that he has not "repented," which would be shown by him paying you the $1000. You could "forgive" the debt as well, but without a repentant spirit on his part, you have now encouraged him to sin even further. This is a minor example. I know of one church for instance, where there were multiple adulteries (one woman, seven pastors) and all eight people continue to "fellowship" together because they said, "I'm sorry." Confession without repentance is not enough. A natural consequence should have been the loss of fellowship for all and removal from the ministry for all the pastors, at a bare minimum. Yet, these eight people and their spouses all continue to go to this church every Sunday, "fellowshipping" together. Can you feel the tension? There is no repentance here. These spouses might have forgiven the adulterers, but the offenders have not received that forgiveness yet, as they have not truly repented. Where is their shame?

Many sins have built in consequences that will remain even after full repentance and forgiveness. Think about a baby out of wedlock. Those involved may repent and be fully forgiven, but if there was an abortion, that consequence cannot be undone. If a young lady ends up a single mother, that consequence cannot be undone. She's forgiven, but she is still responsible for taking care of that baby for the rest of her life. Oh, there are lots of examples, and I'm sure we each have examples in our own lives we can point to.

One example of an unrepentant heart is pride. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee was so full of pride that he couldn't be forgiven that day. The tax collector, on the other hand, was so humbled by his own sense of depravity, that he was able to receive the forgiveness that comes with repentance. Sweet forgiveness.

People want forgiveness, approval, and acceptance without change or repentance. If we show compassion, mercy, and forgiveness to one who refuses to repent, we are encouraging the offender to continue in their sin. God is a God of forgiveness, compassion, and mercy - to the repentant - and He is also a God of justice. We must not interfere with justice, especially when it would also interfere with repentance that leads to forgiveness! Those who refuse to repent alienate themselves not only from God, but also from the church as a whole.

Romans tell us to "note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them." See clearly who is causing a division in the church, who is offending. Do offenders cause division in the church? Always! And offenses are always contrary to the doctrine we have learned, so we are told to avoid them, not to fellowship with them. This is hard, even harsh, but those who refuse to repent should not continue to fellowship as if nothing happened just because they say, "I'm sorry." There must be repentance in order to receive forgiveness. Proverbs tells us that "the way of the unfaithful is hard," which is what helps him come to repentance. Let's not interfere with the hard way he sometimes needs.

As a Christian, I must forgive anyone who offends me, who hurts me, who abuses me, who causes me harm. I must. But forgiveness does not mean justice is not carried out; the one who sins must face justice. Forgiveness also not mean that the offender is ready to receive forgiveness. Until there is genuine repentance, he cannot receive that forgiveness that I so freely offer him, just as we cannot receive Christ's forgiveness that He offers us until we repent. So forgive. Forgive from the heart. But also realize that we are not letting anyone "off the hook" by our forgiveness. They are still fully accountable to God for their sin and there are almost always consequences that come because of their sin. Our forgiveness does not justify someone else's actions, it only sets us free.

Woman Triumphs Over IRS

2006-11-17T01:09:00.000-05:00

Here is an article that seems diametrically opposed to Kent Hovind's trial. Not exactly the same circumstances, but close enough.

Bereanology

2006-11-16T21:19:00.000-05:00

My New Theology

I am going to shock all my readers by announcing that I am starting my own brand of theology. I see many truths in different doctrines, different theologies, different denominations. But I have to question why we have so many differences. Why is each person entitled to their own interpretation? Why do Calvinists see John 3:16 totally differently from Arminians? What does "it" refer to in Ephesians 2:8? Why do dispensationalists see several different covenants, but the Covenant Theology people see only one? Why are fundamentalists so strong on being transformed outwardly as well as inwardly, but the "grace" folks have "freedom in Christ?"

I have a lot of respect for most of my readers here (even those that disagree with me kindly), but I have learned one thing that I never realized until I started writing here: Even truly dedicated Christians will often go to "man" rather than God. I post a lot of Scripture here, and rather than discuss the specific Scripture, I have been surprised at how many times I am "encouraged" to go read what some man has to say about the subject, as if that's God final word on the subject. I have readers telling me to read Edersheim or DA Carson, some tell me I need to read more commentaries, and a couple think John MacArthur will set me straight. Here's an example of one comment to my straight quoting of Scripture:

"You (and Mark) should refer to reliable Christian commentaries to revise this statement. If you mean this, then your understanding of the Gospel in insufficient. ... You will cause harm to everyone who reads and believes your distortion."

I have a feeling this person is a friend of mine, but I am truly concerned when well-meaning Christians go to commentaries rather than God's Word to see what God says. Commentaries are written from the worldview (the spiritual worldview) of the author. Don't we choose our commentaries based upon our already established beliefs and doctrine? Then we are just preaching to the choir, aren't we?

Here's what I've decided: I am starting a new theology - Bereanology. As you might guess, Bereanology is based upon the verse that says the Bereans "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Luke says that the Bereans were noble for this attitude. Notice that they did not have their own interpretaion of Scripture. They did listen to the apostles (their word wasn't exactly "gospel" back then!), but they tested everything they said. They did not idolize men. They didn't search the commentaries daily, they didn't read the latest fad book, they didn't try to find their purpose in life. They just studied the Scriptures - every day - to find the truth, the truth of God's Word. They didn't read through the whole Bible in one year (although that's not necessarily bad), and they didn't follow a devotional booklet. Their minds were fully open when they listened to the preaching and teaching of God's Word, but they went home and checked it out for themselves - from the Scriptures. Sola Scriptura.

Is there anything wrong with reading other authors? Commentaries? Listening to our favorite preachers/teachers? Not at all. But we must begin at the beginning, by studying God's Word for ourselves, and test EVERYTHING we hear and read - again by the Scriptures.

Here is what I've learned. I've learned to study one book at a time. I read it several times to get an overview and find the main point or so. I like to mark key words then, chapter by chapter, or passage by passage. This has become absolutely critical for me. Then I make a list of exactly what the Scripture says about that word (or group of words or compare/contrast-type words, etc.), a sample of which I posted here earlier. The first time I did this, many years ago, I was very confused about the Holy Spirit, having been taught nothing at all about Him in my churches growing up, then hearing some doubtful ideas in the Assembly of God church we were in (I just couldn't find what they were saying in Scripture), and then hearing all kinds of contradictory teachings about the Holy Spirit. So, I read slowly through the whole book of Acts, marking and learning other things as well, but making a list of only what the Bible said about the Holy Spirit. I had many, many pages of verses that talked about the Holy Spirit when I finished, and I have a strong foundation of what God alone has to say on the subject. As I study other books, I am able to add to my list as well. You can imagine that I have thousands of lists by now. I will not tell you my conclusion because it was such a life-changing experience for me that I wouldn't want to rob you of that joy of discovery for yourself!

Being a Berean can include many other aspects of studying the Scriptures, such as word studies, cross references, and constantly asking contextual questions as you dig deeper, but I remember one surprise that this Bereanology had for me. I was studying Revelation this way several years ago, and I was SO tempted to just read the commentaries and see what they said each thing meant. After I made my lists and all (which really only scratched the surface - I haven't gone in depth in Revelation yet), I was SO eager to read certain commentaries, so I pulled out several. I won't name names here, because sometimes they are very useful, I'm sure, but as I started reading the commentaries, one after the other, I had to say about each one: "But that doesn't line up with what the Bible said." That was when I saw firsthand the value of studying Scripture for yourself.

There are lots of useful tools in studying God's Word, such as the concordance, dictionary, and sometimes even commentaries. There are historical context books that are very useful as well. Use the tools, but use them as tools and not as the finished product.

The ideas I have listed here are not the only way to study Scripture, and I don't claim to either have an exclusive handle on studying Scripture or to know what every verse means. I don't even begin to. But I do love studying God's Word, like a Berean, studying not to obtain knowledge, but to know God. I may attain some knowledge along the way, but my desire is to know God.

Bereanology. Who's with me?

Wal-Mart Gives $60,000 To Homosexual Group to Support Homosexual Agenda in Workplace

2006-11-15T10:34:00.000-05:00

Update 11/21: Statement from Walmart

Respect for the individual is one of the core values that have made us into the company we are today. We take pride in the fact that we treat every customer, every supplier and every member of our individual communities fairly and equally.

We are working hard to make our corporate contributions reflect the values of our customers, communities, and associates. As Sam Walton said, “Each Wal-Mart store should reflect the values of its customers and support the vision they hold for their community.

Wal-Mart will not make corporate contributions to support or oppose highly controversial issues unless they directly relate to our ability to serve our customers.

Wal-Mart does not have a position on same sex marriage and we do not give preference to gay or lesbian suppliers. Wal-Mart does have a strong commitment to diversity among our associates and against discrimination everywhere.

Thank you, Walmart! Below is the impetus behind their statement:

Wal-Mart has gone on record that they are an advocate for the homosexual agenda. In the Out & Equal 2006 Workplace Summit Program Guide, Wal-Mart placed a full-page ad which explicitly stated that it would be an advocate for the homosexual movement. Keep in mind this ad was developed for the homosexual conference and aimed toward participating homosexual groups.

Not only did Wal-Mart place the ad in the program guide, they also gave $60,000 to Out & Equal, a homosexual organization pushing the same-sex agenda, including same-sex marriage, in the workplace . Out & Equal served as conference host and the donation went to help sponsor the Out & Equal Workplace Summit held this past September in Chicago.

The purpose of the conference was to train homosexuals to convince the companies for which they work to support the homosexual agenda and to encourage other companies to do the same.

At the conference, Pride, Wal-Mart's in-house homosexual group, presented a PowerPoint presentation detailing how they were successful in getting Wal-Mart to support the homosexual agenda. The PowerPoint presentation, telling Pride's story, contains 51 frames. Each page of the presentation contains the line Confidential Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. It was used to encourage conference participants to follow Pride's example in the companies for which they work.

Other pro-homosexual actions by Wal-Mart can be found at www.afa.net.

TAKE ACTION

Sign the online petition to Wal-Mart letting them know you will be one of the 1,000,000 families who will not shop at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club on the Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving. Sign the petition at www.afa.net.

Ligonier Lynches Loyal Laborers?

2006-11-13T18:15:00.000-05:00

Ligonier's mistreatment of loyal customer service representative the latest evidence of mismanagement

You may remember reading on my blog recently about Meaghan May, a young lady who worked as a customer service representative at Ligonier Ministries during the uproar caused by their unbiblical lawsuit against a professing Christian and subsequent cover-up. Meaghan was the only non-managerial employee at Ligonier who spoke publicly about the lawsuit, and she strongly defended Ligonier's management in comments on this blog.

Well, only a few weeks later, Meaghan is no longer defending Ligonier. In fact, she has left the organization under circumstances that provide the latest evidence of major mismanagement at Ligonier, with implications for all current Ligonier staff.

Meaghan's husband, currently studying for a Masters of Divinity and Counseling Degree at Reformed Theological Seminary, tells the story of her recent plight at Ligonier:

“So my wife got a new job (yay!) and gave her two weeks' notice today after three years of faithful work...and then two hours later they "terminated" her! God, however, showed us really quickly that he will provide for us through the mess left in our laps. Meaghan can start her new job earlier than originally planned, and her old employer agreed to at least pay her unused vacation. Here's to a few days off! It's hard to know how to respond to a situation like this when it's not you but your wife who's going through it. Feeling this desire to protect her and defend her honor, I may have been less gracious in my blog entry for today (in that I actually mentioned what these people did) than she was in hers today, and I want to make it clear that I am damn proud of her in how she's acted through all this!”

Even though Ligonier's policy is for employees to give two weeks' notice of resignation, and even though Meaghan complied with the rules, Ligonier's management fired her for daring to quit! It's a good thing senior management was "generous" enough to pay her for her unused vacation time.

In her blog, Meaghan mentions the three years of trials she endured at Ligonier and how she has been praying about it for the last couple years. She says something about her new job, though, that would be rather puzzling if we were not familiar with the recent happenings on at Ligonier: "I keep waiting for them to be gruff with me if I did something incorrectly, but they are very patient and just excited to see me take on new tasks." I'd like to be able to interpret this comment charitably, but the only way I can understand it is that Meaghan had become so accustomed to verbal abuse at Ligonier that she had begun to think it normal and expected more of the same at her new job.

Ligonier's mistreatment of Meaghan while on the job and continuing as soon as she announced her departure is particularly significant given that she was, after Tim Dick and John Duncan, the most visible staff defender of both the organization and its senior management. Meaghan's loyalty to Ligonier was the strongest when they needed it most - at the height of public uproar over the lawsuit, when Ligonier issued the misleading statements by Tim Dick and Senior Management. In response to the critics, Meaghan posted some very strong comments all over the web defending her employer and identifying herself as the very customer service rep I spoke with at Ligonier. Meaghan did eventually apologize for "any confusion, for Ligonier's part in making the situation more difficult, and that her responses as a customer service representative were not as helpful as they had tried to be." She nevertheless insisted that Ligonier was not trying to lie, that they were all concerned about the situation for the Lord's sake, and that it was all just a matter of miscommunication.

You would think, given Meaghan's vocal public loyalty, that senior management at Ligonier would want to ensure that her last experience of the organization was positive, given that she was going to leave anyway. Instead, Ligonier management bizarrely chose to reward her loyalty ("I will not abandon His ministry, but only pray more earnestly for it") by instead insisting on firing her after she gave notice of quitting.

You will not be surprised to learn then that Meaghan is not the first employee Ligonier management has spurned and discarded. Reportedly, groups of nine and ten employees, some with decades of faithful service, were let go in 2004 and 2005 not long after Ligonier leadership purchased expensive trophy properties. Ligonier is also currently not paying Don Kistler, after he had a stroke and the doctor told him he couldn't go back to work for a few months -- although Tim Dick continues to be paid despite his own medical condition that severely reduces his ability to work productively. Is such behavior in conformity with Ligonier's HR policies? Is this kind of disparity in treatment legal?

And how about ethical treatment? We all know that God’s Word tells us at a minimum to be kind to one another, preferring one another in brotherly love, etc., but let’s get down to specifics. Paul talks about masters and bondservants in Ephesians, and the principles in those verses clearly also apply to employers and employees. Here is a short list of what God expects from purportedly Christian employers:

Sincerity of heart, as to Christ
Doing the will of God from the heart
With goodwill doing service, as to the Lord
Giving up threatening

Reportedly, the atmosphere at Ligonier these days is far from this biblical standard, with management threats being common. I'm sure that most Ligonier employees love the Lord and desire to do what is right in His sight, and that they love Ligonier and Dr. Sproul and want to see them both glorify God in all that they do. At the same time, it should be clear to any honest Ligonier employee the vast gulf between what Ligonier management teaches and what they practice, such as what the Bible teaches about handling disputes among believers.

Consequently, employees must be wondering what their obligations are as Christians. I suspect that many would love to speak out and help expose the truth to donors, but fear that doing so would cost them their jobs and possibly also their friends and church. Given the potentially high price, so far most have chosen to remain silent, many while quietly seeking other employment. But I have to ask all such employees: Is your job worth the price of your integrity? Didn't Jesus say that following him would be costly?

As we see by Meaghan's example, you should not expect Ligonier management to reward loyalty with loyalty, unless you're part of the Sproul, Dick or Duncan families. You should not expect that helping management cover up and defending them from critics will protect you from management wrath in the end. If you are "laid off" for "financial" reasons, how will you be able to prove if it was actually for any other reason?

Under the circumstances, it seems to me that, instead of trying to protect the Ligonier leadership, subordinates should help expose the internal scandals in the hopes of cleansing and restoring Ligonier. Fortunately, honorable Ligonier staff can do this discreetly and protect themselves by keeping a low profile at work while supplying information to those who have a genuine interest in seeing Ligonier restored - Ministry Watchman or myself or another trusted outsider - by setting up anonymous e-mail accounts accessed only at home and used only for this purpose. This would help put on public pressure for the replacement of senior management by those with track records that show more concern about glorifying God than gratifying their pocketbooks.

As a former long-time monthly Ligonier donor who loves the Ligonier that used to glorify God and hopes only to see them restored to the glory of God and the blessings of His people, I appeal to all Ligonier insiders who are willing to take a stand against management tyranny, even anonymously and confidentially, to help expose evil deeds of darkness for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, His Kingdom, and His Glory.

Don Kistler's Statement

2006-11-10T17:51:00.001-05:00

A Public Statement from Dr. Don Kistler
Managing Editor, Soli Deo Gloria Publications
A Division of Ligonier Ministries

I have been reading several blogsites lately where things have been posted regarding Ligonier Ministries and its president and CEO, Tim Dick, and the acquisition of Soli Deo Gloria Ministries. I think that I am in a good position to correct some misconceptions and misrepresentations regarding that situation and subsequent allegations.

First, Soli Deo Gloria was not defrauded by Tim Dick or Ligonier. Our ministry was not stolen. We signed an agreement to become part of Ligonier Ministries. There was no switching of contracts, and there was no duplicity in their dealings with us. I have no idea where this came from, or who is making such statements-but they did not come from me.

Second, I am not being mistreated by R.C. Sproul. He is not treating me as a "persona non grata," nor is he failing to speak to me. Neither am I seeing any form of retaliation from Tim Dick, as has been erroneously reported. Those things have simply not happened.

Third, I can accept invitations to speak and/or preach as I am asked. Ligonier has been most accommodating in that respect.

Thanks to all of you who have prayed for me during my recent stroke due to a brain hemorrhage. I am recovering well, albeit slowly. This is why it has taken me until now to respond regarding this matter.

I hope this helps to clear up some of the allegations and accusations that have been made. I also hope it serves to restore people’s opinions regarding Tim Dick, Ligonier Ministries, and my dear friend R. C. Sproul. He remains the object of my highest respect and deepest affection, and I look forward to many years of serving the Lord as part of the Ligonier Ministries team.

Dr. Don Kistler

Grace, Faith, and Works

2006-11-10T11:40:00.000-05:00

Sometimes people accuse me of trying to work for my salvation because I believe the verse where Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments." This concept of obeying God is prevalent all throughout both the Old and New Testaments, yet I know so many who think that the Bible is not relevant for today, that it doesn't speak to our daily lives so much as it just tells us the message of the gospel. "Pray the sinner's prayer and that's the most important thing" is the attitude of so many evangelicals, especially those in the ministry and missionaries. I believe this is one of Satan's biggest lies. There is nothing in Scripture that tells us to pray the sinner's prayer in the first place, although I'm not necessarily against that. But if we use that prayer as "proof" of salvation, we may be damning some to hell by simply not telling them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I prayed the sinner's prayer when I was five, but I was no more "saved" than the man in the moon. It wasn't until I was well into my adult years that the truths of God's Word sunk deep into my heart.

Although I memorized Ephesians 2:8-9 as a young child, I still remember when it finally "clicked" with me that it actually means something profound. I grew up in a church that believed that each person has the choice to become a Christian or not - all man. Later, I went to a church that believed that you don't have any choice in the matter, that God chooses for you - all God. Wondering why there could be such a dichotomy between two obvious groups of believers, I finally realized the truths of "For by grace are ye saved through faith..." Suddenly, I saw that the grace part was God's part, and that the faith part was man's part. God did the choosing, but man always has a responsibility; God did not create robots to love Him, nor did he just sit up there and hope a few would love Him (no one seeks after God).

But on to the works part. Verse 9 is always quoted with this passage: "Not of works, lest any man should boast." And we stop here, saying works is not a part of salvation. But is that what Scripture really says? What if we go on to verse 10: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." What? God created us for good works and ordained before that we should do good works? Rather than pass this by, this is what I studied this morning.

One way I love to study Scripture is to make a list of how certain words are used in a certain passage. I just focus on one, or two words if they are related, and make a list of purely what Scripture says about that word. Today, I looked at James 2 and looked at the words faith and works. I will just share my list here with you.

What does it profit if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”
Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

Faith without works is dead.

Abraham was justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar.

Faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect.

A man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Rahab the harlot was also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Salvation by grace and faith; justification by faith and works. In other words, there must be fruit! Praying the sinner's prayer will not get you to heaven; works will not get you to heaven. By God's grace and our faith, true salvation will automatically produce good works, good fruit, that should be evident to all who see us. If I don't stand out as being different from the world, because I keep God's commandments, then what is the purpose of my salvation? To escape eternal damnation? No, I was created to do good works for Christ, to glorify God, and to serve Him. I pray that He will enable me to do just that.

Rejecting a Greek Mindset

2006-11-07T22:57:00.000-05:00

I spent all day in God's Word today. I took my children to a conference where we studied the Hebrew roots of certain words in the Bible and Hebrew meanings of certain principles. I went with a teachable spirit and I came away full to overflowing, knowing one thing for certain...

I was wrong.

I have probably never been so affected by one day's teaching of God's Word than I was today. The class was about the Hebrew mind vs. the Greek mindset, of which I thought I already had a fairly good grasp. I was shocked to learn that I still think with a Greek mindset; we all probably do. Brad Scott, of wildbranch.org methodically undermined all my beliefs today; well, not all - but close!

I should give you a little background first, before you think I am one who is easily swayed to the latest teaching or tickling of ears - I am not! For seven years of my Christian life, God had us in an Assembly of God church. I am Reformed now, but I've never had the doctrines and theology of Assembly of God, even while we attended there. Yet we knew that God wanted us there for a season (a very long one!). That is where He taught us to be Bereans, diligently studying God's Word after the sermon each Sunday and Friday, to see whether these things be true. We developed a very strong biblical foundation in those years, searching out the truths of God's Word for ourselves. I then went to a Reformed church for 5 years, but Reformed doesn't necessarily meaned "Reformed" (lots of variations here) and I discovered that the Bible didn't say what I was being taught from the pulpit once again. I was so firm in my stance on God's Word, I was willing to risk excommunication for it. So, you see, I am not one who is easily swayed by man's teaching.

There was so much that I learned today that I can't possibly share it all here, so I will just share a nugget or two with you. I've been having a conversation lately about eschatological viewpoints (what we believe about the end times). I've read a book about four different views on Revelation, studied Revelation somewhat in depth myself, and heard several different viewpoints, coming to the conclusion that I have no conclusion. I saw value and truth in each perspective, yet I needed to choose just one, didn't I?

Here is where I learned one of many differences between Greek and Hebrew thinking. Greek thinking puts everything in a box: there is only one right interpretation of Scripture; my method of systematic theology is the right one and everyone else is wrong. I have often said that God has at least two different meanings of everything in Scripture, but I still haven't gone far from the Greek mindset. Hebrew thinking uses a method called Open Block logic, which says that there are four different, yet compatible, interpretations of each verse. Now, before you think I've totally gone off my rocker this time, I will attempt to explain a very complicated pattern, very simply. I hope I can do this justice. Here are the four different interpretations:

1. Literal interpretation - what we see on the surface, the basic facts of the gospel message, what each word literally says, although I'm sure this view would take into account the fact that we need to recognize the genre of literature being used, such as poetry using similes and metaphors, for example. The Hebrew meaning of this viewpoint is "to strip off your clothes, to be out front, in the open, everything exposed." Most Christians (dispensationalists, evangelicals, fundamentals) would agree with this thinking.
2. Here we go a little deeper into the more profound, looking for clear implications. This is often used in prophecy, but can be used in other situations as well. The example was given of Ps. 34:7 "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them." While this verse has extremely rich meaning, which I will go into in a later post, we can infer from this, as an example, that the angel of the Lord does NOT encamp around those who do not fear Him. (You'll understand why this is important in my next post or so about this.)
3. Search diligently (almost a desperate, panicked search) for what pertains to me.
4. The hidden things - the Hebrew here means "seed," which is buried in the ground and you must be willing to dig deep in the ground to find it. There are many truths contained in God's Word that don't translate well into English and we miss the Hebrew meaning of them, unless we are willing to dig deep into the Hebrew and find them.

These four categories mean that, as an example, the seven churches in the book of Revelation can have four different meanings:

1, The churches represent those who lived at that time.
2. The churches fit a pattern (I don't know if I got this one exactly right in my notes).
3. The churches represent the last days.
4. The churches are verses that really are written for us today.

If I am making any sense at this point, apparently this is a controversial subject, but if we interpret Scripture according to the Hebrew Open Block logic, all four would be correct interpretations. I can now go back and study eschatology all over again with a fresh perspective! (and every other verse in Scripture!)

Let me just give you one other example of what we can learn in Hebrew that we don't see in English. I know how much we all LOVE those genealogies in Scripture, so let's look at Genesis 5 at the names only of Adam to Noah. Did you know that the names tell the gospel message, when read in order? Blogger doesn't let me set up a chart (at least I don't know how), so in each line, I will write the name first and then the Hebrew meaning of each name.

Adam - Man
Seth - Is appointed
Enosh - Mortal
Cainan - Sorrow
Mahalalel - But the blessed God
Jared - Shall come down
Enoch - Teaching
Methuselah - His Death Shall Bring
Lamech - The Despairing
Noah - Rest/comfort

So, if we read them all in order, it says, "Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the blessed God shall come down teaching; His death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort." Wow! What a geneaology!

My cup is so full, it's overflowing tonight! More later.

Guilty of Disobeying What Law?

2006-11-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

Kent Hovind and his wife were found guilty of 58 counts of tax fraud, including failure to pay $845,000 in employee income taxes, facing up to 288 years in prison in what appears to be something of a kangaroo court. One thing I noticed as I watched many of Kent Hovind's videos was his constant appeal to Christians to do something for the Lord; it doesn't matter what necessarily, but it's important to do something for the Lord. As I was telling my son that Kent may spend the rest of his days in prison when he could be out carrying on his ministry if he had just paid the money and went along with the crowd, I realized what a hypocritical attitude I had. Looking back through history, I am very grateful for all those who didn't go along with the crowd, but made waves, BIG waves, that brought about the necessary changes to get us to where we are today - free.

But are we really free? Why is this SO important to Kent? To him, this was worth risking going to jail for the rest of his life. He is not a kook; there must be something worth learning here. So I took a look around and discovered Aaron Russo's site, Freedom to Fascism, which has a private movie that came out this summer exposing the fact that there is NO law that requires American citizens to pay income taxes. Check out the 14 minute trailer; it will make you think, at the very least. For Christians, there is a timeline there that should ring a bell somewhere.

So, my son wants to know, how can they charge Kent Hovind with a crime if there is no law requiring him to pay taxes for his employees? I haven't researched this fully, so I surely must be missing something somewhere.

Meanwhile, what to do? I hate it when I learn something new; now I am responsible for what I know!

What Immigration Used To Mean

2006-11-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register, but they refused to publish this:

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr.Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900, when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France, and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages was looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here.

These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who
landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

Righteous Ruling

2006-11-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

In the midst of the pain of this situation with Ted Haggard, I see great cause for rejoicing. It is rare that we see elders and pastors make swift and righteous rulings against an elder in sin. It is rarer still that we see an elder humbly acknowledge his need for removal from office and submit to proper church discipline. I rejoice today that there still are godly Christian leaders who are willing to hold even the top dogs accountable.

So what is wrong in the Reformed community? Aren't we the ones who preach orthopraxy as well as orthodoxy? Let's compare the situation with RC Sproul, Jr., for instance, with Ted Haggard. Now, granted, Ted's sin was decidedly more grave, yet they did both admit to at least some level of sin in their lives. I would have expected someone like Ted to take a temporary leave of absence, though, and attempt to come back to New Life. His church would have welcomed him with open arms (they understand cheap grace - not to be confused with God's grace). But he didn't; he is leaving permanently and fully acknowledges that he does not have the biblical right to be an elder any longer. So why does RC, Jr. think he has the right to sin, and then when defrocked, just go to another "denomination" and still continue at his same church where he was committing these sins to begin with? What's wrong with this picture?

Where are the Reformed leaders who are willing to hold other Reformed leaders, such as both Sprouls, accountable? "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."

Tearing Down Christian Idols

2006-11-04T23:53:00.000-05:00

Thoughts on the Current Christian Hypocrites

Modern technology has made it possible for certain charismatic personalities to become famous quicker and over a broader area than in the past. Not too many years ago, jet-setting was only for the rich and famous. Now, there are many Christian "speakers" who travel often, even as often as weekly, going to conferences and speaking engagements, often all over the world. We used to have just the radio, or perhaps a column in the local paper, but now, through the use of the internet, podcasts, cheap DVD and CD recording, and any number of other multi-media resources, a Christian speaker with a little charisma can become quite an idol in Christian circles. Whatever happened to the local shepherd who just stayed at home and took care of his sheep?

Maybe it's just the big name Christian leaders in my line of sight, but it appears to me that the Lord is starting to tear down these idols. I've written recently about Dr. RC Sproul, who has implicitly put his stamp of approval on rampant sin within his own ministry; and of course, there's his son, RC, who was recently defrocked for numerous sins. Both of these men were put on a pedestal by many Christians, and that pedestal is quickly crumbling.

Then I wrote about Kent Hovind, who is having the rug pulled out from under him because of his disdain of US government policies. And then there's Beka Horton, of Abeka and Pensacola Christian College, who turned Kent in to the authorities.

And now we hear about Ted Haggard, of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. I remember going to his church when I used to live there. It wasn't our church, but we visited a few times. He was an unusual preacher, sitting down next to people in the pews in the middle of his sermon. He was all over that sanctuary while he was preaching, interacting with people.

Oh, that's not all, not by a long shot. But the worst ones for me are the ones I know personally. There are at least a couple I can think of that I know personally that are deep in certain sin, refuse to acknowledge it, and yet they haven't fallen yet. They've fallen in my eyes, though, and rather than wish God's judgment upon them, I pray that God would open their eyes to what's going on in their lives before they have to take a fall.

Is this what fame does to Christians? Is pride the underlying root cause? Do they become careless in their walk because they think they've made it?

I watched two men in particular start out small, loving the Lord, and as they became more and more famous, attracting more and more "groupies," I watched both these men become so filled with pride that they didn't have time for ordinary people anymore. At that time of realization, I was doing a small amount of public speaking, and I prayed that I would never be famous if it meant that I would compromise my walk with the Lord. Some Christians can handle fame, I'm sure, but it sure seems to me that they would be a rare gem indeed.

I am praying for God to sort us Christians out. Let us either be hot or cold - preferably on fire FOR the Lord, but God is starting to spit out those who are lukewarm. What's your choice? Don't be a fencesitter; take a stand for holiness.

Glorifying God on Halloween

2006-10-31T00:32:00.000-05:00

“I Dream of Jeannie” was my favorite TV show when I was growing up. I was fascinated by how she could just clean the whole house in a wink or make crazy things happen to other people. Not understanding Hollywood at that time, I thought she had real powers and I only had to find the right “magic” combination and I would be able to do them also. I started reading books about “good” witches, dressing like witches at Halloween, and practiced saying all kinds of “abra-ca-dabras,” trying to work my magic.

Some Christians might justify this by saying that I was only a child or I was only trying to be a “good” witch, or that it wasn’t real. But God calls all forms of witchcraft, spells, sorcery, and anything associated with the occult an abomination. There is no “good” witchcraft; it is all evil and dark.

Halloween is dark. Have you ever noticed that trick-or-treating doesn’t start until after dark? Or that the Halloween parties don’t begin until after dark? As Christians, God has called us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. But just how dark is Halloween really?

The history of Halloween begins hundreds of years before Christ’s birth, when the Celts, inhabitants of Britain and Ireland, and their priests, the Druids, celebrated Samhain, a festival that marked the eve of the Celtic New Year, which began on November 1. The fall harvest was complete and winter loomed. The Celts believed the power of the sun was fading. For the next several months, darkness would prevail.

The Celts believed that during Samhain, the veil separating the living from the dead was at its thinnest, that on the evening of October 31, evil spirits and the souls of the dead passed through the barrier and entered the world of the living and departed family members would revisit their earthly homes. They also believed these spirits and dead souls could torment the living. Crops might be destroyed, babies stolen, farm animals killed. But this was also an opportunity to commune with the spirits and divine the future. Satan, the lord of darkness, was ordinarily feared, but during Samhain, his power would be called on to foretell the future.

The Druids were charged with appeasing the goblins and preventing harm to the people. Huge Samhain bonfires were lit to guide the way of the spirits. Various sacrifices, including human, were performed to assure a good year. Ancient authors commented on the gory religious rites of the Druids. It is believed that, like many pagan cultures around the world, the Celts left out food for the spirits, hoping that a "treat" would prevent an evil "trick."

Centuries later, descendants of the Celts continued to observe the Samhain festival by dressing as evil spirits. They roamed from house to house demanding food in exchange for the "spirits" leaving the home. They carved demon faces in hollowed-out turnips and put candles inside.

That night they also practiced many customs designed to divine the future. Young people threw nuts into Samhain fires to see which would crack first and tell them who they would marry. The person who retrieved an apple with his mouth from a tub of water assured himself of a lucky year.

When Christianity began to spread through Europe in the third and fourth centuries, the pagan temples were torn down. But pagan worship never completely disappeared. The festival of Samhain remained a primary pagan festival. Belief in spirits may have waned, but many of the old Samhain traditions continued to be practiced, especially by the children. Primarily in Ireland, children dressed as spirits went from house to house demanding a treat. If they received none, they performed an unwelcomed trick. They were play-acting the part of evil spirits that had to be appeased, just as in the old Samhain festival the people believed they really did have to appease spirits.

In the 700s, the church chose to recognize the saints (hallowed) instead of honoring evil spirits and the souls of the dead. So November 1 came to be called All Saints' Day or All Hallows' Day. The evening before was called All Hallows' Evening. From that we get the modern name of Halloween. But pagan customs continued. And with the growth of witchcraft in the Middle Ages, additional symbols became associated with Halloween - black cats, witches, bats, and skulls.

Irish immigrants in the mid-1800s brought to America the Halloween customs we're familiar with - costumes, trick-or-treat, carved Jack-o-lanterns, bonfires, bobbing for apples, etc. They also brought "tricks" with them, which often involved breaking windows and over-turning outhouses.

Even though the practice of actually performing a trick if no treat is given has changed to egging cars or TPing a yard, the custom of children going "trick-or-treating" has become an established American tradition. But while children and adults "innocently" imitate ancient Celtic customs, darker practices persist. Witches and Satanists still consider Halloween to be one of the strongest times during the year to cast a spell. On Halloween, most practitioners participate in a ritual called "drawing down the moon." In this, the chief witch of the coven becomes, they believe, a channel for the moon goddess. During this ritual the participants are “sky-clad" - that is, naked.

Stonehenge, the mysterious ancient stone formation in England, is often the site for bizarre gatherings of occultists on October 31, some of whom believe they are modern-day Druids. (Many people believe that Stonehenge was a Druid religious site.) And evidence persists that some Satanist and voodoo groups offer sacrifices - usually animals, (check the missing cat count on November 1) but, possibly, human babies.

When your children ask you why they go trick-or-treating, what will you tell them? That it is another opportunity to glorify God, which is why we were created? Halloween is dark, and even though some of the original intents for the customs of Halloween are no longer with us, it is nonetheless not only based upon pagan, evil culture, but it is still FULL of evil. Check out the costumes and tell me they promote godliness. Check out the attitudes and see what fruit of the Spirit you find amongst those buckets of candy.

Up until approximately the age of 12, children are very concrete thinkers, which means that they see everything fairly literally. Abstract thinking comes with puberty, so when a young child dresses up as a witch, for instance, they really think they can be one. Pretending to them is very real. Their minds work so different than adults' do, so it may be hard to remember how we thought when we were young, but the pretending of Halloween is very real to them. Watch a young one (it doesn't really even matter what age, if they haven't been before) the first time they go trick-or-treating and see all the other kids, and observe their fright and fear and nightmares. Oh, yes, they can grow accustomed to the evil of Halloween, but is that what we really want for our children? Halloween sparks an interest in the occult, an interest in scary things, an interest in evil. Satan hates Christians, and Satan hates children. What an opportunity Satan has to delude well-meaning Christian parents on Halloween night.

Here are a few Scriptures to meditate on concerning this day:

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.

Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just. whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

What should Christians do on the eve of October 31? I will give you several ideas, and I'm sure there are many more, but note that one idea I do NOT list is a Christian version of a Halloween party, no matter what you call it. (If celebrating is what you desire, I would suggest looking to the Feasts that God has already so graciously given us as real Holy Days to celebrate!) Here are a few ideas:

Stay home and keep the front of the house dark. Don't answer the door. When God tells us to be holy even as He is holy, He is telling us to separate ourselves from the world. October 31st is a good day to do that.

Have a Bible study that evening with family and/or friends on what God thinks about witchcraft and the occult.

Study the reformation that day, since that date is also Reformation Day and applies to all protestants, not just those who are Reformed. I know one church that is showing a movie about the reformation then.

Have a normal day, as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening.

Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God!

Loving Ligonier

2006-10-30T16:09:00.000-05:00

Exposing evil deeds is never an easy decision to make. Sometimes love covers a multitude of sins. Sometimes Matthew 18 is necessary and we follow all 3 steps diligently. Sometimes public exposure is necessary. In all these, and any other biblical confrontation of sin, love must be paramount. I tend to live my life by what the Bible says, so I was interested to know when public exposure was appropriate.

One day in Antioch, Paul saw a bunch of Jews, including Peter and Barnabas, being outright hypocrites, eating with Gentiles as God had previously told Peter, but when certain Jews came to town, Peter and Barnabas and crew would conveniently not know those Gentiles! Paul was none too happy, and if the story were written today, it might say that Paul first went to Peter and Barnabas and their buddies privately, in the spirit of Matthew 18, giving them a chance to repent in private. But that’s not what Paul did. Peter’s sin was a public sin, and it affected many people, so Paul said to Peter, before everybody, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?” He went on to preach a sermon to Peter about justification by faith alone, essentially not even giving Peter a chance to repent first! We live in such a touchy-feely society today that most people would not see this a loving rebuke, but sometimes Christian love demands this.

Paul listed a whole bunch of names in his second letter to Timothy that became a document of public rebuke for all the world to see for the next 2000 years. He denounces Demas for forsaking Paul for the world, and Crescens and Titus also left him in the lurch. At first glance, this may not seem to warrant public exposure, but since these men apparently accompanied Paul on at least some of his journeys, they must have been at least as public as a CEO or senior manager of a big Reformed ministry might be. He also warns Timothy against Alexander the coppersmith and even asked the Lord to repay him (a curse, really).

John wrote in his third letter to Gaius about all the sins of Diotrephes, apparently an elder or in some office in the church, saying that he would take care of it when got there. These were not private letters, as we know because we are still reading them, and they were not private sins, so John felt the need to expose them publicly as well.

Public exposure is not always necessary, but the more public the sinner, and the more public the sin, the more public exposure may be necessary. Ligonier Ministries, and Tim Dick in particular, were given a chance to come clean before Frank Vance began to expose them. Rather than responding with even a “yes” or “no” answer, Tim Dick, on behalf of Ligonier, decided to try to get a judge to put a gag order on Frank so that Frank couldn’t tell the truth about Ligonier. This now made Ligonier’s sins very public and, hence, the need for very public exposure.

Some have questioned my personal involvement in this situation, and I will not go into detail about that, but I want to make it clear that my motivation is rooted in love – a deep love for the ministry that helped ground me in Reformed theology; that taught me deep spiritual truths from God’s Word; and a ministry that seemed to take a firm stand on issues that relate to daily life, not in the extreme as some teach, but built upon a strong biblical foundation. It has been, and still is, my sincere desire to see Ligonier Ministries profess the holiness of God not in their excellent teachings, but also in their daily walk. My first post was about their divorcing their orthodoxy from their orthopraxy. I hope I have continued to stand on that premise and still pray for repentance toward a united doxy and praxy.

Why is John Duncan being made public when this seemed to be about Tim Dick at first? First, John made himself public when he wrote a statement from “Senior Management” about this whole situation; “Senior Management” is John Duncan, in case some weren’t sure about that. Second, John Duncan is first in line to take Tim Dick’s place, should Tim ever do the right thing and resign, or be let go. Since part of calling Ligonier to repentance involved asking Tim to resign, John suddenly became a very public part of the picture. Third, John is responsible for the lies which we all now know came from Ligonier in many forms – through the front office staffers or the written statements hidden on Ligonier’s website. Also, since Tim Dick is not able to work full-time due to health issues, John Duncan seems to mostly run Ligonier anyway, making him a very public figure.

I mentioned earlier that I had a long phone conversation with John Duncan. It was a very good conversation as far as being kind on both sides. John was well aware that I would consider posting anything he said; his only request was that I not rehash the whole conversation. I did not see any reason to write about most of our conversation, although I well could have, but there were a few things that really concerned me that I thought important to the public. I was not rash in publishing even those, waiting a full ten days to post about his wanting me to be disciplined for expositing Scripture. I did speak to him about this on the phone first, but he held to his position. If this is what he really thinks, why does Ligonier have a hypocrite as “Senior Management?” Surely they have had women exposit Scripture at Ligonier conferences before.

I also had a lengthy email conversation with Tim Dick, about 40 exchanges in all, of which he asked me not to post anything. Although it could have shed more light on Frank Vance’s accusations, I chose to honor Tim’s request for privacy.

Ecclesiastes has a very interesting list of times, of which we are all so familiar. Some that may apply to this situation are:

A time to break down,
And a time to build up;

A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;

A time to tear,
And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak.

This was a time to break down, a time to gather stones, a time to tear, a time to speak. I pray that it was all done in love, all done for the ultimate glory of God, and that repentance will be soon forthcoming. I do not know why God chose me for this task, but I remain his obedient servant ~ loving Ligonier.

Ligonier Ministries Rappers John and Ligon Duncan

2006-10-29T16:58:00.001-05:00

PCA Rap Reps?

2006-10-29T16:55:00.000-05:00

Click on the movie above for the latest in Reformed entertainment!

I did not actually attend the Ligonier 2006 National Conference, but I'm told this was one of their top acts! I've never seen these men before, so I need your help in identifying these two ghetto rappers promoting Ligonier's new seeker-sensitive conference. Feel free to examine the following evidence -- comparing the video with these photos I've found on the web:

Ligon Duncan

John Duncan

I'm taking a poll: Are these two rappers the men in the links above? Place your vote in the comments section.

If you can't quite follow these lyrics, you may read them here:

Buh, buh, buh,
A man doin' bad
commit a crime,
Caught him in the act
now he's doin' time
I ask him why
with tears in my eye
He says, "I did it for
the M - O - N - E - Y.
It might sound sad,
it might sound funny,
But that's what people
do for money.
Pft, pft, pft. etc.

Field Trip Review: Texas Renaissance Festival

2006-10-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

We've been wanting to go to the Renaissance Festival for years now, but heard that there's plenty of an undesirable lifestyle associated with it, so we'd never gone. This year, we decided to try it on "School Days," where the focus was on children instead. There was so much to do, though, that we couldn't begin to fit everything in one day! There were plays and soliloquys, dancing and sword classes, demonstrations of everything imaginable to the time period, and more than one hundred shops selling renaissance-type clothing, knick-knacks, weapons, food, hats, jewelry, and many other items.

Everyone who worked there was not only in costume, but played the part of the time period as well, addressing us as "My Lord" or "My Lady." What a shock it was to order a Gyro and the young man behind the counter said, "Good Day. What can I do for you, my lady?"! As we were leaving, another one would say, "I bid thee farewell, my lady."

We don't know exactly what this creature was, but it attracted much attention!

Will Shakespeare at the Globe Theater, explaining his love life. "Where there's a Will, Anne Hath-a-way."

Teaching proper sword etiquette.

The costume rentals were fantastic! Natasha had her picture taken and was asked for her autograph and for directions many times over. The girls did not want to leave the costumes there!

The dance instructor even thought Natasha was her new assistant!

By the end of the day, we were cold, tired, soaked to the bone, and covered with mud (we forgot our umbrellas!), but it was a GREAT day and we plan on going back for all 3 school days next year! Highly recommended for $5.

Field Trip Review: Houston Aquarium

2006-10-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

We went to the Houston Aquarium yesterday. Although it was not at all what we expected (we were a bit spoiled by the Monterey Bay Aquarium), it was still a great experience. They couldn't resist starting off the tour with evolution propaganda and it was all decorated with Halloween decorations this time of year, but was still otherwise quite enjoyable.

Each room had a different theme, a different time period, or a different location from around the world. There was a distinct focus in each room, such as nautical history, freshwater fish, the jungles of the Amazon, the Aztec ruins, or reptiles such as the reticulated python.

This eel slithered in and out of his cage - very evil looking!

Rare Arabian White Tigers. We watched them for a long time!

We took a "train" through a tunnel of sharks. It was interesting to be totally surrounded by lots of man-eating sharks.

Across the street was the President Bush (the elder) memorial, where we had a beautiful picnic lunch.

We very much enjoyed the aquarium, although it barely took 2 hours to go through. We were planning on an all day adventure. We wouldn't recommend getting the day pass for rides, which included a carousel and ferris wheel. It wasn't worth the extra money.

A Whole New "Look"

2006-10-22T17:33:00.000-04:00

Most of you who know me have probably never seen me without glasses, since I've worn glasses nearly my whole life. I wore contacts for a few years and I had RK (radial keratatomy surgery - before LASIK) done once, which only served to greatly worsen my vision in the long run. I recently found out about Gentle Eye Molding, though, which gave me new hope!

My daughter and I went in for an exam and although she was found to be an ideal candidate, I was not (due to the surgery). I convinced them to experiment on my eyes, however, and would like to share this (new-to-me) procedure with you.

Gentle Molding is similar to hard contacts, but they actually reshape the eye. Most people wear them only at night, being able to see 20/20 from the first morning. After wearing them every night for a few weeks, most people can taper off to every other night, and so on. Since my eyes were worse than any they had ever done this procedure on, I did not expect that kind of a miracle! However, for someone who couldn't even find the eye chart before, I could see 20/40 the first morning! Reading is all right, but still a little strained. It has been 4 days now, and each day when I remove the molding lenses, they are a little better than the day before. I have chosen to wear the molding lenses during the day for right now, until I can see well enough without them to function, but my daughter just wears hers at night.

For those of my friends in San Antonio, I am going to the only doctor in town that does this: Dr. Gary White at the GMVC. If you go to one of his open houses, you will get a 10% discount, which is quite significant.

This non-invasive procedure is preventative as well, keeping one's eyes from ever getting any worse. If you start when your children are still in school, you can help protect their eyes all their lives.

I can see better now than I have in many years, which means that the dirt stands out just as much as the beautiful grain in the wood! There's a whole new world out there!

Kent Hovind: Sold Out

2006-10-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

When we arrived at Dinosaur Adventure Land last summer, there was a big sign that said, "Welcome to My Backyard." Thinking it was a cute advertising gimmick, we went in to check out Kent Hovind's creation-based amusement park and museum, although the government had already closed down the museum.

We enjoyed an incredible day, playing on all kinds of unique contraptions that were a cross between a science experiment and a Bible lesson. Each person who worked there readily shared the gospel at every opportunity, calling themselves missionaries. We could really tell they had hearts for the Lord and spreading the good news to all who would listen. It was never really preachy, just natural and heart-felt.

Around mid-day, we noticed a motorcycle leaving the compound, with the man stopping and greeting everyone in his "backyard" on the way out to run an errand. I thought that was nice. But then he stopped and greeted everyone again, when he came back about half an hour later, even if he had already greeted them before. We were in the bookstore at the time, and I saw Kent Hovind come into the bookstore, talking on his cell phone, waving at everyone as he walked through to his office. I didn't think anything of it, as I had seen "famous" Christians greet everyday Christians like that most of the time. Who has time for the average Joe Christian?

I was then surprised that Kent Hovind indeed had time for the average person. A few minutes later, he came back out into the bookstore, apologizing for being on the phone, and went around the store, greeting everyone. It was not perfunctory, but rather he showed a genuine interest in each person. For instance, my severely disabled 11-year-old daughter was sitting in the corner, crying, while I was rushing to look at his books and videos, so Kent went up to her and started trying to engage her in a conversation. He did not speak down to her at all, but started showing her some science experiments he had set up all around the room. Knowing that my daughter cannot speak, I went over to intercede on her behalf. When I mentioned what her disability was, he asked me if I had ever spoken to a certain Christian nutrition expert whose books he carried and recommended. When I replied that I hadn't, he pulled out his cell phone, called him, and gave it to me. That's real life.

But that wasn't all. Then he went out the back door of the shop and spent about 30 minutes pushing kids on the swings in his backyard which, by now, I realized was literally his backyard! His house had one room for a bookstore, and another for a classroom, and another for his office.

Thinking that must be the end of his PR time, we continued enjoying our day, taking some time to talk with one of his "missionaries." About an hour later, here comes Kent Hovind again, joining us for another long conversation. I left that day with tears in my eyes, realizing that this man had spent more time treating me as a person in that one day, than had my elder in a very small church where we went for years. This man truly cared about people, and I wasn't even there with my husband that day!

I did talk to him about the current issue of tax evasion. Kent Hovind believes he and his employees work for God, are paid by God, and therefore aren't subject to taxation. This post will not go into the specifics of his beliefs on that subject and what I believe about them, but what I did leave Kent Hovind with was the knowledge that here was a man who was willing to stand up for his beliefs, no matter who stood with him or who stood against him, and I wish every Christian were that sold out for their faith.

I read a few comments on this subject where people thought it was just all about money with Kent Hovind. I just don't see that at all. He does not live in a fancy house. He shares everything he has. He didn't appear to making much money at Dinosaur Adventure Land. But the one thing that really stands out that tells me that money is not an idol to him is that fact that none of his stuff is copyrighted. In fact, anyone is free to copy his DVDs and pass them on to others who like to see them. He gives away TONS of free stuff to prisons, schools, and other places that might be interested in what he has to say. I have seen many Christian "ministries" where you knew money was really important, but I did not sense that in the least here.

I have written on this blog earlier about Pensacola Christian College and some of the things we were attracted to there, but I will be consistent in my orthopraxy and orthodoxy and I will stand against Beka Horton, PCC's founder's wife and current Senior VP, who has turned Kent Hovind over to the secular courts. She did not sue him, per se, but that is not the word I Corinthians 6 uses anyway. She is still using the world's way to deal with a situation that sounds like it has a lot of personal background between the two families. I guess the $47,000 she stands to gain from turning him in won't hurt.

And then there is the lawyer, David Gibbs, who is another Christian testifying against a Christian brother in a secular court as well. Should Christians really have to worry that what they say in church fellowship times will be brought against them in the form of a prosecuting witness on the stand in the world's courts?

Did Kent Hovind do the right thing? I don't know. But I do know that I met a man who truly loves the Lord, who is willing to pay the price to defend his beliefs in God's Word, and who has not let fame put him on a pedestal. And that speaks VOLUMES to me.

Weekly Recipe: Colcannon

2006-10-21T10:53:00.000-04:00

This is an Irish dish we tried for St. Patrick's Day one year and it became a family favorite. It's also great for potlucks. This is my own version of it.

Boil/ steam potatoes (I cube them at ~1 1/2" to cook faster)
(leave skins on for more nutrition)
I fill a 5-6 qt. pot with the potatoes and add a layer of celery leaves and bay leaves on top for flavor.
Cook until tender. Remove all leaves. Drain.

Meanwhile, chop one head of cabbage (red turns it pink, so we usually use green) ~ 1" pieces.
Steam until tender in a separate pot. Drain.

Put about 1 stick of butter in a big bowl, add potatoes, and mash. Add cabbage, s/p to taste, and as much plain yogurt as you like for a creamy consistency. (I use several cups.)

Easy and delicious!

Weekly Recipe: San Antonio Kugel

2006-10-16T00:25:00.001-04:00

This was a first-place winner in a kugel (noodle casserole) contest, but it is here with my own variation. This particular kugel is slightly sweet, so we serve it for dessert.

1 lb. pkg. egg noodles (I use whole wheat)
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. healthy sugar (Sucanat or raw honey)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. cinnamon
4 apples, finely chopped or grated
4 pears, chopped (if you don't like pears, use more apples or substitute pineapple, which is what I use)
1 c. orange juice
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 c. raisins, plumped

Cook and drain noodles. Add butter and mix well. Add sugar, eggs, and cinnamon. Mix in all fruits and juices. Mix gently.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan, covered, and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Serve warm or cold. May be served with meat, if desired.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

2006-10-06T22:04:00.000-04:00

We love to celebrate our Lord’s birth, but we celebrate it at a time that is different from most folks, so we thought we would share a little bit of that with you. We have discovered that God was the inventor of holidays (Holy Days), most of which can be found in Leviticus 23. Now we realize that many people think those Feasts were for the Israelites or that they ceased with Jesus’ ascension to heaven or even the destruction of the temple, but we have discovered some interesting things in God’s Word! While our family does celebrate all the biblical feasts, we would like to tell you a little bit about the one when we believe Jesus was born – The Feast of Tabernacles, which begins at sundown tonight, and goes through October 14 this year (exact dates differ from year to year according to the Jewish calendar).

The Feast of Tabernacles has many different aspects to it. It is a time of remembering the booths that the Israelites lived in during their 40 years in the wilderness, so a sukkah (booth) is built for this feast – a temporary dwelling place, usually in the back yard. (There are too many mosquitoes in Texas this time of year, so we set up a sukkah in our living room!) We use sheets to make a temporary room where we eat and sleep and celebrate. Then we decorate with pumpkins and pears and apples and other fall harvest items, since this is also a harvest thanksgiving feast. The sukkahs are supposed to be decorated, so we have Bible pictures all over the sheets. God’s Word also tells us to take the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook to wave before the Lord as we celebrate and rejoice, so since we are blessed here in Texas with lots of palm trees, we also use them in our celebration.

Leviticus 23 tells us that this 8-day Feast of Tabernacles shall be a statute forever. Now, although this verse pertains to the Israelites, it is interesting to note in Zechariah 14, that all nations shall go to Jerusalem from year to year (during the millenial reign) to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and there will be a curse of no rain if they do not come up for the Feast. (The curse does not apply to today – this is a future prophecy, future curse.) Now, we just happen to believe that if God told the Jews (His chosen people) to celebrate this Holy Day FOREVER, and all nations of the earth will celebrate it when Jesus reigns for 1000 years, then we would like to practice now, especially since God has chosen us as well!

The word “tabernacle” literally means “God dwelling with man.” This gives us a huge clue as to what this feast means (all the feasts were a shadow of what was to come). We know that God tabernacled with the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness, and that is part of this Holy Day. We also know that God, in the form of Jesus, tabernacled with man 2000 years ago. We also have the hope that God, in the form of Jesus, will tabernacle with men again for 1000 years in the future.

So, why do we celebrate Jesus’ birth during the Feast of Tabernacles? We know that shepherds were keeping their flocks in the field at night, but this would not be possible in the winter time because of night time temperatures and December being their rainy season. There is no way shepherds would be out in the fields at night during December.

We also know that Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist was conceived. Zacharias received word during Sivan 12-18, (June/July) the eighth course of Abia, which was his time to serve in the temple (undisputed Jewish dates of temple service) that he would have a son. It took about three to four days to get home. John would have been conceived on or about Sivan 23. Six months later (Jesus’ conception) would be around the 25th of Kislev (December - also Chanakuh). John the Baptist would have been born around Passover time, Nissan 14, (March/April), and if Jesus was conceived six months after John was conceived, he would have been born six months later, about Tishri 15 (September/October), or the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. At age 30, Jesus started his ministry, which lasted 3½ years. He was crucified at Passover (March/April) when He was 33½ years old. Count backwards from Passover ½ year and you come to the 15th day of the 7th Jewish month (Tishri), which is the first day of Sukkoth, the Feast of Tabernacles.

The eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles is also called the day of circumcision. Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day. Important events surrounding Jesus’ life are all marked by God’s festivals: Passover foretold Jesus’ sacrifice; the Feast of First Fruits is Jesus’ resurrection; Pentecost was the birthday of the church - the giving of the Holy Spirit; and Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets) points to His second coming. Why would Jesus’ birth be any different?

Ligonier's New Progressive Views?

2006-10-05T12:46:00.000-04:00

Senior Management Rebukes Me for Expositing Scripture on My Own Blog

“Children should be seen and not heard” is an expression I am very grateful was not adhered to by my own grandparents, although it was somewhat in vogue in those days. Although some people take such a demeaning attitude toward little ones, I was blessed to have never received such treatment from anyone.

Imagine my shock, then, when I began attending a church that believed that “women should be seen and not heard!” Oh, surely, I thought, this just applies to the sermon; women shouldn’t teach men during the worship service. But, no! I remember my utter frustration when my mother came with me to visit our church once, and my husband was away on business. Who was to introduce her? I couldn’t speak, for I was a woman. My mother couldn’t introduce herself, for she was a woman. It was actually quite comical watching one of the men in the congregation, who hadn’t even taken the time to find out her name yet, try to introduce this stranger in the midst, as none other than “Jennifer’s mother.”

I thought that particular church was a little on the extreme side, but I’ve met some other men who seem to dislike women “speaking” as well. I recently had a conversation with a man who wanted to know if I was in the same denomination as he was, so that he could speak to my elders about disciplining me for – expositing Scripture!

Did you know that it is a sin for a woman to exposit Scripture? I had never heard this one before, so I asked John Duncan which verse he used to support such a hypothesis. He led me to “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak.” I tried to explain that the context of that chapter is orderliness in a church service and had nothing to do with whether or not I exposited Scripture on my blog. He didn’t want to hear me exposit that passage, I guess, and insisted that I was sinning by expositing Scripture.

From the first day of this blog, I have had one purpose, which has been stated at the top: “In the spirit of Titus 2, what I wish an older woman would have shared with me when I was younger.” Just in case you are not a Titus 2 extremist like I often find in the patriarchy movement, this means that as an older woman, I am teaching younger women on this blog. I do NOT prohibit anyone from reading my blog. If men choose to read a woman’s blog, that is up to them. It is interesting to note that one of the qualifications of being a Titus 2 woman is to be a “teacher of good things.” Now, if expositing Scripture is not being a “teacher of good things,” I guess I don’t know what is!

Does the Bible prohibit men from listening to women, other than women preaching in a church service? I’ve always wondered what it meant in Acts 2 when Peter was preaching and he said that “your daughters will prophesy.” I wonder when and to whom are those ladies to prophesy? Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines prophesy in Scripture as “to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to exhort.”

There is a short but interesting story in the book of Acts about a fervent young man who spoke about the Lord in the synagogue, but he only knew the baptism of John. So Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Maybe it should have said that Aquila explained to him the way of God, while Priscilla sat by like a doormat.

Do you ever wonder why God gave women a brain?

My husband could have married a dumb-blonde, doormat type, but he was really in the mood for a wife who could think and carry on an intelligent conversation. We have many deep, politically-incorrect, theological and current events debates. He doesn’t want a “yes” wife; he wants someone to challenge him to go farther, to go deeper. At one of our previous churches, I asked the elder’s wife a question about a verse in Scripture. This lady is well educated and very intelligent, but her answer to me was, “I will have to ask my husband his opinion on that verse and get back to you.” I KNOW she had an opinion. Why does she allow herself to be so demeaned?

I am glad that God does not look down on women. He says, “There is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This does not in any way negate the different roles in which God has placed men and women, nor does it supercede what God says about women not teaching men IN CHURCH, but the greatest liberator of women who ever lived was Jesus, making men and women of equal standing in the Lord. (Here I go expositing again, John!)

I love teaching Bible studies. I teach women, but if a man desires to come to my Bible study, I will not turn him away. I have had my husband voluntarily come to my Bible studies several times, along with many other men. I was not the only teacher available; they could have sat under a male teacher. I’ve had the same thing happen when I teach classes on how to homeschool or nutrition. Should I just turn men away as if they were dirt? I will not treat anyone that way.

There are definitely no “negative” commands in Scripture for either women expositing Scripture or teaching men outside of a church service. (A “negative” command is a “Thou shalt not…” and is a far more serious offense if broken than any other type of command.) John, I really searched, but I cannot find any biblical support for your disdain of my expositing Scripture. Maybe what you really don’t like is my telling the truth of how Scripture relates to the current Ligonier situation. I could understand that. But rather than attacking the messenger, John, please let the Word of God bring conviction to your soul and repent from this current pattern of sin.

I have been studying God’s Word for many years now and I am so filled with His Word that it just spills out of me! I don’t think I could stop expositing Scripture if I tried. Anyone who chooses to read this blog is also free to comment and challenge my exposition of Scripture. I do not claim to “know it all” – far from it - but I do keep Scripture in context, so if you reply, please keep it in context for a fair debate.

John, is this the new direction Ligonier is taking under “Senior Management?” When Ligonier has board meetings, I wonder if Vesta Sproul and Pat Dizney have to keep their views of Scripture quiet while listening blindly to the men’s? Or do Chairman’s wives and wealthy donors get an exception to this rule?

Thanks, Mark, for your stamp of approval on this post!

The Honor of Shame

2006-10-02T23:11:00.000-04:00

In biblical reckoning, today is the Day of Atonement. While we no longer need to offer up sacrifices, holding our breath as to whether the Lord will accept them or not, this is certainly an opportunity to reflect on God’s grace toward us. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain and has redeemed us to God by His blood. How seriously do we consider our redemption? Do we repent wholeheartedly at the time of salvation, only to refuse to repent when sin eventually creeps back into our lives? This is the time of year that our family takes additional time to pray and ask our Heavenly Father to reveal any sin in our lives, any relationships that we need to mend. Today is a day for us of focusing on full repentance for anything that may have been overlooked at times of communion, or if there is some nagging sin we have held onto, refusing to deal with it outright. Although every day should be a day of repentance for Christians, it is good to spend this extra time every year searching our own hearts.

On this Day of Atonement, I would like to call RC, Tim Dick, John Duncan, the Ligonier board members, and any others, to consider searching their hearts for true repentance. I have read the statements by Tim Dick and Senior Management and do not find any evidence of repentance for suing a fellow believer in a secular court or covering up afterwards.

Let us examine the biblical qualifications of true repentance. We are not talking about the repentance that leads to salvation, since we are dealing with professing Christians. But true repentance is necessary for believers who have sinned as well.

If we don’t start by admitting that something is a sin, there will never be any true repentance. What “sin” has Ligonier confessed to so far? Tim says, “I regret any confusion this may have caused” and “I accept full responsibility for the decision.” “Senior Management” said, “The decision was reached not to pursue a conclusion to this matter through the legal system.” This is the closest thing to confessing sin in these statements, which are the only public statements so far released by the ministry. That is NOT confession.

Now let’s go to II Corinthians 7:8-12 and see what Paul thinks should be included in repentance. First, Paul talks about the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is being sorry that you got caught. “I’m sorry someone figured out what we were up to.” Worldly sorrow involves defensive anger, as evidenced here by Tim: “Each time I refuted the accusations, he refused to listen. My denials were then used by the accuser to perpetuate his blog commentary. At that point, I stopped interacting with the accuser, who again escalated his attack, continuing to exhibit, by his public and private conduct, a testimony inconsistent with that of a Christian.”
And here by Senior Management: “The accuser's malicious attacks culminated with the accusation that Ligonier defrauded Soli Deo Gloria, in our recent acquisition of it. This has been categorically refuted by Don Kistler, SDG's founder. Threats to Ligonier and its leadership have continued to escalate, with the accuser issuing deadlines for Ligonier to answer his non-credible charges. At one point our president was told he had “put a knife to his own throat,” by ignoring the accuser. Throughout this entire ordeal, numerous emails and posts refuting the accuser were ignored by him. Mediation through ecclesiastical means is always preferred. On at least six occasions, we have sought information from the accuser as to how we might contact his pastor or session. The accuser has refused all requests, publicly scoffing at the notion.”

Worldly sorrow also includes pride. Notice that the whole content of each statement is focused on how they were hurt, how they were attacked, how they were accused, all the bad things that happened to them. The focus is on them. And that leads us to the next aspect of worldly sorrow – self-pity. Don’t you feel sorry for Ligonier when you read those public statements? Have they drawn out your sympathies in showing how hurt they’ve been? Worldly sorrow does not produce a change in behavior. Ligonier certainly appears to be hanging on to their right to file suit against Frank Vance once they have another opportunity. Worldly sorrow covers up what was done. Saying that they take full responsibility is a totally meaningless statement without the necessary accompanying confession and admittance of sins. Defensive anger, pride and self-pity are not the marks of true, godly repentance, but rather that of the world’s way.

Worldly sorrow wonders what other people are thinking. Godly sorrow wonders what God thinks. Godly sorrow is primarily directed toward God. David said, when he had committed great sins, “Against Thee, and Thee only, have I sinned.” Although other people are certainly affected, we need to remember that all sin is rebellion against God.

Paul goes on to make a list of what godly repentance should entail:

Diligence
Clearing of yourselves
Indignation
Fear
Vehement desire
Zeal
Vindication

This is a difficult passage to understand, so let’s look at them one by one.

Diligence here is in the same sense as in dealing in business: being earnest in dealing with the issue, to be very careful and diligent in accomplishing what needs to be done, not being flippant, but having a serious attitude toward right and wrong.

Clearing of yourselves is the Greek word apologia, which is used in a different manner in this verse than the normal meaning. Here it refers to a clear explanation of what was done wrong to all those who were affected or who have a need to know. It involves clearly stating the details of the sin(s) to the appropriate parties.

Indignation means to be irritated or vexed, but not in a spirit of anger or self-justification; rather, to be so displeased with your own self for having committed such a grievous sin.

Fear here has nothing to do with being afraid. Rather it is a godly dread or terror of that particular sin you have committed, to the point that you now take a very strong stance against that particular sin, and have a heightened hatred of sin in general.

Vehement desire is that burning desire to live your life fully sold out to God now that you are turning from your sins.

Zeal involves having a fervent mind, one that is determined to do what needs to be done for the Lord now.

And vindication involves godly sorrow working in your heart to make you ready to take a stand on the right side of truth, God’s truth, and to stand up for right against wrong.

We all know that repentance means a complete turn in the opposite direction of where we were heading, but this verse above clearly lays out the specifics of that.

Let’s see what Ligonier should have done, if they wanted their donors and supporters to believe they truly repented.

First, RC Sproul, Tim Dick, John Duncan, each board member, and possibly other senior management need to put their names out there. Thank you, Tim, for at least having the guts to use your own name.

Diligence: We need to see that you each are serious about dealing with sin, especially in this situation.

Clearing of yourselves: There needs to be specific confession. What did you do wrong? How did you sin? Who did you sin against? Why was this wrong?

Indignation: There should be absolutely no self-justification in those statements. You should take full responsibility by using statements such as “I was wrong when I …” or “I am so sorry that I did…”. If there is even a hint of blaming others, God will not consider that true repentance.

Fear: We would like to see you each make a public statement about how wrong it is to do what you have done. Show us your hatred of your sins.

Vehement desire: Dismissing a lawsuit without prejudice so that you can resurrect it again later is NOT turning away from your sins. Now is the time to take a stand AGAINST Christians suing one another and for you to call other Christians to hold to God’s Word on this, and other, issues related to your sins.

Zeal: Determine what needs to be done for Lord now, what needs to be done to clean up His testimony that you have tarnished here.

Vindication: Show us your sorrow; show us your shame. Where is your shame? Worldly sorrow won’t work here. We are calling you to a godly sorrow, a godly repentance.

RC, Tim, John, board members, and others: Do us the honor of showing your shame. Search your hearts today and see if there is anything wicked there. Godly repentance works righteousness. We so desire to see this once-righteous ministry glorify God in everything. We are praying for your repentance.

The Heir to Ligonier?

2006-09-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Updated 9/29/06. Original posted 9/18/06.

Dr. RC Sproul’s ministry, Ligonier Ministries, has been instrumental in leading thousands of Christians into a daily deeper walk with Christ. This is an extremely important ministry for Christians world-wide today and we need to pray for them daily. But what is to be the legacy of this heretofore God-honoring ministry? Are we going to let the world laugh as it crumbles into the gutter? Who will be left holding the reins after Dr. Sproul? In all actuality, Dr. Sproul is no longer holding the reins, and we need to look at the family who is, to hold them accountable.

My blog is not a forum for gossip. My only purpose in presenting the following information is to call all Christians to unite and plead with Ligonier to clean up their inward workings, that their orthopraxy would match their orthodoxy once again! If you are a financial supporter of Ligonier, you have a double responsibility to contend with and confront Ligonier with their sin. Christians, we must unite together to call Ligonier to repentance. If Dr. Sproul has blessed you with his ministry, you owe it to him to gently restore this ministry to a place of righteousness once again.

Ryan Dick is the son of Tim Dick, who is the President of Ligonier Ministries, a position which should be held to the standards of "elder" in the Bible. Ryan is also the grandson of Dr. RC Sproul, who is an elder both in his church and in his ministry, Ligonier. Ryan lives at home with both his father and his grandfather, which make them doubly accountable for him and his actions. Scripture is very plain when it tells us that the qualifications for an elder is one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. This article will show if Tim Dick and Dr. RC Sproul are qualified in this area.

Ryan is also an employee at Ligonier and has been during the entire time period of his posts that I have copied here. I am including the dates and his My Space page here as well. If you were a donor to Ligonier at any time during the last couple years, you will get an opportunity to see how your donor money is being used to pay this young man's salary.

All his comments here were made during the time frame of his employment at Ligonier. I wonder how many of them were actually posted AT work? Sabrina (his girlfriend) sent this comment to Ryan on 5/5/06: "What are you doing on myspace at work? Hmmm..."

While there are other sites that have dealt with Tim Dick personally, this particular article is written to expose the wickedness in Ryan Dick’s heart. Of course, we all have wicked hearts, but there are limits as to the exercise of them.

As you read these comments, please see if these show a son who is reverent. Is he reverent to God? His father? His grandfather? Girls? His job? Ligonier? If you are financially supporting Ligonier Ministries, you need to be aware that you are paying this young man’s salary by your gift to the Lord. Is the father of this young ruling his own house well? Is the grandfather of this young man ruling his own house well? Who is holding them accountable?

What is even more important is that this young man seems to think that he will take over Ligonier some day. This is an OUTRAGE! The following is a cleaned up version of Ryan’s comments online so that it will not be offensive in language, but you should feel great moral outrage after you read these. I have linked to all his comments directly; you can check the threads from there if you feel the need. I wouldn’t recommend it.

(Update: The links were taken down immediately after I posted this article.) Why were these links taken down? Why was Ryan's My Space page taken down? While these comments have been removed, there is certainly no evidence of repentance.

First thread: Someone is giving away free auto stickers and asks people who want them to just reply with their name, address, and what color they want. This is the one post you will want to click on to verify who aframdw says he is.
aframdw: Ryan Dick
2741 Deer Berry Ct.
Longwood Fl 32779
Blue

This is his signature block. If you can’t read it, just know that it’s not very nice.
I love you Sabrina...
1f u c4n r34d th1s
u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d

Thread: A girl gets drunk and throws up in a boy’s car and causes a lot of damage. The boy wants her to pay for the damages.
5/9/06 aframdw: He** yah make that b**** pay....If it happend to me i wouldnt care if i had the money to pay for it my self **** that i would make the person who trashed my car pay for it....**** i would tell the mom fine see you in court...i wouldnt care if it was the civic or one of the lexus'....How old is she

Thread: About cars.
2/8/06 aframdw: I can say the same thing "just wait" im going to be taken over a family company and i will be able to get what ever car i want when im older if thats the route i choose....But im not sure if thats what i want so there for i dont dream about it now or brag about it or say what im going to get i just keep my mouth shut drive my lil civic and pimp the FAMILY CARS when i wana look fly in a baller car...and i dont lie either i tell ppl its not mine....Just dont talk about it untill you get it thats all u have to do

Another thread about buying cars.

4/20/06 aframdw: Dude the way you work the floor model is buy the warrenty on it and then you just have to know how to make it not work without making it look obvious then they give you the new model...

Thread: What would you guys think about this for an offical meet spot (started by aframdw)
2/28/05 aframdw #1: Its just an idea in the works but its got a good chance........What would you guys think about an offical meet spot my dad talked about buyn a warehouse or parking area to make an officle meet and show spot so that we dont have to have hassles of rice and fights and b/s and we would open a small restraunt as well or a lil burger stand thing.....anyways if it was just like a 1.00 a week per person to come chill and we would have security to make sure nothing goes wrong and we would host big shows there as well....Just let me know what u think.......Its just a thought right now but he would do it trust me I need to be able to show him what kind of turn out we could have weekly and monthly so anyways thats it..

3/9/05 aframdw #9: goes to keeping the place in shape and well operated.......Unless my dad changes his mind and does it for free........But one prob is no one is responding on the sites i put it up on i have to show him we can have alot of ppl there and so far its not working.....Its alot of money for him to put into a place and then not have anyone come out

3/10/05 aframdw #19: Well if we dont get a prop just for this we already have alot of office property that we own and could use and we just bought 43 acers for a college we are starting that have some sweet spots for photos.........So no matter what we can have a place.....Only thing wrong with those two places are ones in lakemary and one is buy the seminole town center and i dont think ppl would want to go to them btu they would be free i think

Other person asks: wait if your dad owns a lot of office property, why not ask him if we can use a parking lot that he owns?
3/22/05 aframdw #24: Thats what we are leaning to since no one is really responding but its more of a liability thing for that....It will take more work...And there would defffff be nooooo burn outs........
3/22/05 aframdw #26: Well i think there is a way to get a tax break for him if he buys a prop for us

3/23/05 aframdw #29: not in it for the money......Its to give us a place to chill in peace

4/9/05 aframdw #35: im going to see if we can meet at his office for now...But i also need to talk to eric and see if he would want to

4/26/05 aframdw #42: i just need eric to tell me if he wants me to talk to my dad about using our office or not

5/9/05 aframdw #45: Well if we do it at the office it would prob be free but i have to talk to eric and my dad

1/23/06 aframdw #50: u wouldnt have to worry about other ppl coming it would only posted on the forums and most of us here know if someone is from the forums or not and its my prop so i can kick out who ever...

3/7/06 aframdw #56: I havent had time to work on it at all since i got moved up...But there is on thing for sure...I will not allow any rice or any dumb drivers what so ever with all the stuff that has been going on...And there are cameras everywhere so we would have it on tape if needed to turn someone in for burning out and messing up the black top....But anyways when i get a chance to work on it a little more i will...We are having our national conf. this week which means working 7am-11pm and 3,500 ppl coming

Other person: your place looks tight aframdw definitely "NO" dumb driver allowed to pass your gated house
3/19/06 aframdw #61: LoL i wouldnt hold it at either of my houses it would be at our office...

4/13/06 aframdw #67: Prob. Every month...I havent had time to anything right now b/c i am now the Asst. Event Planner and Meadia Relations so i have been really busy....Hey we just used sonnys 2 weeks ago

5/23/06 aframdw #75: Lake Mary....But so far right now i dont see when i would be able to set anything up....or have time and look at the legalities (<--spell?) with my dad. Im basically taking over the job i was sup to be the asst. for....Its good for me tho more pay :)

Another thread about cars.

10/10/04 aframdw: Thats why im glad im selling it and getting a lexus so I wont be called rice by ppl that think they know what they are talking....Im going to talk down on all the ppl that i know that talked down on me b/c i drove a civic.....Nope im not that low

aframdw: And ur not (ugly gesture inserted here) Again thats why im glad im geting a lexus so i dont have to hear retarted coments

Thread: Pictures of naked women. I am posting the link, but I highly recommend Christians don’t look at the thread.
5/5/06 aframdw: LoL i opend it at work before i looked at the NWS part of the title o well

Thread: Talking about money.
Other person said: But its a fact that he makes more then you and me combined...a milionaire and counting.
11/3/04 aframdw #111: Maybe more than me yes but lol not in a few years when i take CEO of the family comp its a 12mill comp now and is sup to tripple in the next 3-5 years ..........So yah he makes more than me but i bet my gpa makes more and my dads pretty close.............So dont count ur cookies on that one

Other person: Wait wait wait... let me get this right..Your family owns a $12,000,000 company right now, and in the next 3 to 5 years it's going to be worth $36,000,000+, and you drive a ****ing $12,000 Honda Civic?
11/4/04 aframdw #119: Ummm YAh i do and i did it buy choice....You got a prob with that...? just b/c we have money doesnt mean i have to flaunt it i was planing on doing a bunch of other stuff to it but its just a pain in the *** thats why im getting a lexus I also never got a nice car in hs b/c i was sick of allways being the rich boy even tho i still got crap cuz i got a diff car every year to year and a half....Was going to get a 350z but i didnt get the 75% florida bright cuz i only went to the sat once and didnt care cuz i dont have to pay for college anyway....This time im buyn the car on my own with my own money so im more happy about it anywaysEveryone else in my family drives a lexus also....If you would like me to prove it come by to one of or all three of our houses there is one in lakemary one in seminole and one in deland ill give you a tour of them if you would like or come by and see the company if you would like.....http://www.ligonier.org/ Man i love it when ppl talk so much **** to me and they dont know what they are talking about .....o and if u want my cell pm ill set up a date for u to come by when ever you want i can get off work when ever

Other person: How do your parents get so much money if the company is a NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION? Come on! Did you really think things through before you posted a link to "your" company? First of all, it's a public corporation, which means you can't just take over. Second of all, I found this in your annual report. "Ligonier Ministries, inc (the Ministry) is a not-for-profit corporation that operates as a educational organization." I just am confused how you complain about the miseries of being a "rich boy" and then flaunt it all over OF how rich you are. And come to find out, it's all a front anyway. "Your" corporation is DONATION based- you ask religious christians to give you money so that you can "awaken as many people as possible to the holiness of God by proclaiming, teaching, and defending God's holiness in all its fullness."
11/4/04 aframdw #125: Well no i dont flaunt it around sorry this is the first time i have every talked about it and yah its a non profit and to make as much money that we do there is other things we do besides lig IF U HAVE ANY IDEA WHO RC is then you would know that.....ITS a front come over to my house i bet i could fit 2 of urs into just one of mine......Yall are some funny *** ppl and if ur a gurl u got a big *** mouth.....Yall talk some funny ****....COme over b4 u talk **** u have no idea

Other person: Wow, you know, I really don't know who RC is, so I guess I'm just dumb. But honestly, I expected better from the person who is getting ready to take over a multimillion dollar non-profit organization that helps spread the word about Christianity and proclaim the holiness of God. I mean, maybe I'm wrong (I'm only Jewish after all) but I thought Christians were supposed to be kind, modest, gracious people. Honestly, I don't care how big or small your house is. Only god can judge you, right?
11/4/04 aframdw #131: Getting ready lol no i have awhile years....And im a more down to earth normal person just cuz im christian doesnt mean i have to act perf and wear all white and never say a bad word thats where ppl have the wrong view......

Thread: Jobs.
Other person: Yeah i do.. I'm a rent-a-pig just started like a week ago because my last post fired me because i was always watching dvd's on my laptop If it weren't my dads company i wouldn't be able to work anywhere because i tend to slack off
11/5/04 aframdw: LoL same here that and im allways about an hr to 2hr late lol...Yah i saw u the other day i was taken my brothers friend home in my lil brothers car...(gray 03 altima) Ill stop buy sometime and check out ur car cuz my gf loves supras and i dont know anyoen that has one anymore...If thats cool with u lol

Here is Ryan's My Space webpage, copied from the original on 6/4/06 as is (but cleaned up for Christian viewing). (Pictures don't show, but just for verification purposes here.)
Ryan (a.k.a - Party Boy)'s Interests
General
Well it was cars now im just going to get something nice to chill in. Soccer....Partys........Chillen with my girl and all my boys......Chillen with my girls gfs........Spending a sh** load of money where ever i go!

Music
Rap/Hip-hop/Rock/country

REAL BIG (Mannie Fresh)

Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

Movies (See image of Ryan at top of this post.)

Television
Movies and TV Napolean Dynamite, Old School, , Anchorman The legend of Ron Burgandy Family Guy, Futurama, THE SIMPSONS, South Park, Nip Tuck, South Park, COPS COPS COPS,

Books
Pffffffffffffffffft dont read sorry only when im in school

Heroes
My dad b/c he showed me how to come up from working in a sh**y a** job to being C.E.O. of a mullty mill. company. He also showed me that everyone starts somewhere and we are all the same! I dont see him as much now but he is still cool as hell. And so is my Mom.

Groups:
The LOCALS at LAKE MARY & LONGWOOD, Orlando Nightlife

Ryan (a.k.a - Party Boy)'s Details
Status: In a Relationship
Here for: Friends
Orientation: Straight
Hometown: Lake Mary
Body type: 5' 7" / Average
Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Religion: Christian - other
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Smoke / Drink: No / Yes
Children: Someday
Education: In college

Tim Dick, what in the world are you thinking here? Should this person be working for you at Ligonier Ministries? Does this person have any business at all working in a Christian ministry anywhere? Tim, you need to get your son under control and you need to fire him ASAP!

RC Sproul, is this the legacy you are wanting to leave? This young man represents YOU! Since he is your grandson, we call on you now to fire this young man who is so totally irreverent to God and you and your ministry. Public relations? Please, RC.

Vesta Sproul and the rest of the board of directors, this man may be related by blood, but he is not what the Christian community needs to represent Christian ministry. We are abhorred by what we read. It is time for him to leave Ligonier.

Tim, RC, and Vesta, we plead with you for this young man’s soul. It is obvious that the holiness of God is not very important to him. Please invest your lives in him before it is too late.

Christians everywhere, please call Ligonier at 800-435-4343 and e-mail customerservice@ligonier.org and write to all the addresses I have posted in my original Contending'>article and express your outrage. We must unite together and bring restoration to this once-God-honoring ministry.

And everyone, please pray for this young man’s soul, for Ligonier, and for Christ to somehow be glorified in this situation.

Ligonier's Justification

2006-09-27T13:27:00.000-04:00

I had a nice little chat with "Senior Management" at Ligonier on Monday afternoon, and I thought you readers would like to know about it. "Senior Management," or at least one of them, is John Duncan. He was patient with my questions and spoke with me for more than two hours. I was grateful for the time, because dealing with a real person is so much easier for me than with a nebulous entity like "Ligonier" - especially now that customer service has been forbidden to talk.

John was upset, however, that I had accused Ligonier of “deeds of darkness.” I explained that “deeds of darkness” is just another term for sin, and that we all sin, both believers and unbelievers alike. He did not think Ligonier had sinned in this matter with Frank Vance, however. I, of course, repeated I Corinthians 6 to him, about Christians not suing Christians, at which time he shocked me by saying that Frank Vance has never professed to be a Christian, so they were operating under the assumption that Frank Vance is not a believer, and therefore they had the right to sue him.

Let me stop here and say that even if Frank Vance were a lying Muslim, as Doug Wilson has concluded, the best thing Ligonier and Tim Dick could have done would be - nothing. Frank Vance was a “nobody” in the blogging world and in Reformed circles, so his little blip on the screen would have been nothing more than a fleeting rant. Nobody would really have cared much about what was happening inside Ligonier if Tim Dick hadn’t made a public spectacle of demanding his rights when somebody called him a name.

However, let’s get back to Ligonier’s and John Duncan’s justification for suing Frank Vance. John stated over and over and over again in our otherwise delightful conversation that Frank Vance had not professed to be a Christian. By the time we finished conversing, I decided that I needed to see for myself if that was indeed true.

As I was looking through various posts and comments, I noticed that many people didn’t use their real names. Being the story of the day, we all wonder who Frank Vance really is. I wonder who Passerby is on Frank’s site? I wonder who Hoping is on my site? I wonder who Charitable Onlooker and Practicing Attorney and Maggie and Wendi are? I don’t have any links to them and they don’t tell me their real names, so should I just discount all their comments? Why aren’t they forthright in telling their names as well? This is how the blog world works right now and we need to hold everyone to the same standard. Well, I may not know who Frank Vance is, but I think I do know who Passerby is, and that’s important. Frank told Passerby that he knew he was John Duncan, and neither Passerby nor John Duncan have refuted that. I mention this only because one commenter on my blog accused Charitable Onlooker of being “Senior Management” and there was a quick denial there.

Passerby has, however, posted this comment: “(please accept the anonymity of those of us who don’t want five blogs spending their days slandering us).”

Hang in there with me as I bring this all to my point. John Duncan repeatedly told me that Frank has never professed Christianity. John Duncan speaks exactly like Passerby and Hoping and has not refuted that he is Passerby or Hoping. Now I would like to bring you to another significant comment Passerby left on drbrooker.net on September 17th in speaking of Frank Vance.

“I am a senior manager at Ligonier. ,,, We have never encountered this degree of malice and distemper from a professing believer.”

John, you almost had me convinced in yesterday’s phone conversation.

What does Frank have to say about whether or not he is a believer? Here is a whole post about why it is biblically unlawful for Ligonier to sue him because Christians are not to sue other Christians. If Frank were not a believer, would he go to these extreme lengths to exposit Scripture on this point? He has quoted numerous Scriptures throughout his entire blog. He has made many references to Christianity, to the Reformed doctrine, and to Christians and churches. Is that how unbelievers generally talk? Personally, I’ve never heard unbelievers speak that way.

Here is a comment that Frank posted last week telling Passerby that perhaps Frank’s “own Pastor and Elders could have been party to a mediation process,” if Ligonier hadn’t already sued him in the first place. Last I checked, the Muslims don’t have “pastors” and “elders.” That sounds like a Christian church to me.

Frank once said, “"Through it all, at no time did Ligonier Ministries or Tim Dick ever admit that they had filed a lawsuit against me, a fellow Christian."

And Mike answered, “There is no solid reason to believe this; - The part about you being a Christian, that is. Your actions are inconsistent with such a statement.”

I guess Mike thinks Frank is a believer, too.

At no time did Ligonier ever ask, “Frank, are you a professing Christian? Are you a member of a Christian church? Could you share with us your testimony of how you came to faith in Christ?” Even now they’re not asking. It seems they’d rather not really know. They didn’t ask because they didn’t care. The only reason they seem to care now is because they’ve come under withering criticism for violating I Corinthians 6, and their only escape clause is if they can show that Frank is NOT a believer after all. I repeat, even if Frank were a Muslim, or some such unbeliever, is that truly a biblical justification for suing him? Aren’t there better ways to handle name calling?

Maybe Frank Vance’s “tone” is not what John Duncan would have used in a similar situation. But we cannot accuse someone of not being saved merely by their “tone.” Frank is a man who obviously spends much time in church and in the Word. I’m not sure I’ve ever come out on my site and quoted, “I am a Christian; therefore, you cannot sue me.” But with the amount of Scripture I’ve used, it ought to be obvious that I’m not an infidel. I’ve read your statement, John, “Senior Management,” and at no time do you profess to being a Christian either. You use the same phrases and terminology Frank has used throughout his site. Does that mean that you are a Christian because you use that terminology, but Frank can’t be one because he uses that same terminology?

In our conversation you came across as a kind man, John, but your justification will not wash with me. Shouldn't you and Tim Dick have shown this concern about whether or not Frank is a believer BEFORE you sued him?

Eight Days and Counting!

2006-09-27T12:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a comment “Law Dude” posted yesterday afternoon that I thought was worthy of a full post.

Law Dude said...
Mr. Vance, In all my years practicing law, I can't say as I've ever seen a case where a plaintiff published a written notice claiming they'd withdrawn their lawsuit when they hadn't even drawn up the motion to withdraw it, let alone submit the motion to the court. To see a Christian ministry engaging in this sort of dishonest behavior is scandalous.

I'm sure you are on top of this case but I just wanted to let you know that I just got off the phone with one of the judge's clerks. She confirmed that as of 4:30 today Ligonier still hasn't filed anything with the court to have the case dismissed. If others would like to verify it for themselves, it's all public information. Anyone can call the clerk and ask.

Case No. 06-CA-1669-16-K
Court Clerk's Phone: 407-665-4378

In my professional opinion I don't think Ligonier ever had any intention of withdrawing the case. I think what they were hoping to accomplish is to con you into believing that they withdrew the case so that you wouldn't pay attention to their continuing motions and ex parte hearings in court. The fact that just last Thursday they had another ex parte hearing with the judge to figure out how to legally effect service is rather strong evidence that they're not planning on dropping this case. It appears that they're still lying to the judge and claiming that there's no way of contacting you.

More than likely here's what Ligonier and their lawyers were hoping to pull off. Eventually, if you didn't respond. then they'd perhaps be able to get a default judgment against you. With that default judgment, then they could get your blog shut down and there goes your public forum and you'd have a hard time issuing a public statement on the deceptive way they went about getting a legal judgment against you. Very slick but also very unethical.

I'm going to make a point of calling the court every day until I know that the case has actually been dismissed. I also think it's important that this case be dismissed with prejudice. With prejudice means that it can't ever be brought again. I'd like to also suggest that your readers call Ligonier every day and ask why they still haven't filed anything with the court to withdrawn the lawsuit they publicly said they'd already withdrawn last week. Why is a donor funded Christian ministry publicly lying?

Jen here: I just called at 10 a.m. again today and the suit is still pending, still open. It has NOT been dropped, nor has a motion to drop it been filed. I happened to check Mapquest today to find out why it is taking so long for the papers to get from Ligonier’s attorneys’ office at 390 N. Orange Ave. in Orlando to the courthouse at 301 N. Park Ave. in Sanford. It is a distance of 23.9 miles, or 30 minutes as Mapquest predicts.

Let me see now. Ligonier wrote two statements on September 20, 2006, saying that “the complaint was withdrawn” (past tense), meaning that on or before September 20, 2006, Ligonier withdrew the legal complaint (which they still have not admitted was a lawsuit!). To be fair, they didn’t actually send out those statements until just after close of business Friday afternoon, September 22. Today is September 27, and there is STILL no motion filed to drop the suit.

This particular court opens the mail and processes walk-in papers by opening ALL mail each day as soon as it arrives and enters it as “received” in the computer on the day that they receive the paperwork. As of today, September 27, they still have not received anything from Ligonier’s attorneys.

Just how long does it take to go 23.9 miles, I wonder? Eight days and counting!

Update: Yes, it did take a full 8 days to go that 23.9 miles!