Horsemeat

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of Dad’s passing into eternity.  A few weeks ago, I posted regarding a piano that we purchased with some of the proceeds from his estate.  Several months prior to his death, he also gave us his 1989 Buick LeSabre.  That car is now my wife’s primary means of transportation.  Dad drove very little over the past few years and was diligent about car care prior to that.  Consequently, the Buick was in beautiful condition with very few scratches, dings or other blemishes.  That all changed last night.

As many of you know, we live in an area of Ohio that is heavily populated with Amish.  In fact, approximately half of the homes on our country road are Amish.  Last night, while driving on our road in Dad’s Buick, Lori had a close encounter with Eli Yoder’s primary means of transportation, his horse, Topsy.  Lori was uninjured, and remarkably, so was Topsy (though I imagine Topsy’s “bottomsy” was a bit sore today!)  The car, however, is no longer blemish-free.

It appears that Topsy (whose mottled black and gray coloring serves her well as camouflage against the backdrop of a chip and seal country road at night) had escaped from her fenced-in pasture.  She was running slightly ahead and to the right of Lori when she tried to “merge” onto the road in front of the Buick.  By the time Lori saw her, the front passenger side of the car was scooping Topsy up onto the hood and back into the windshield.  Clyde (the name our daughter gave to the Buick) now has a hood that has the same shape as the things UNDER the hood and a hole in the windshield the size and shape of Topsy’s fanny!  Basically, Topsy sat down on the dashboard on the passenger side!

The car is now at the local body shop awaiting an estimate, and Lori and Topsy are at their respective homes recuperating from their ordeal.  I am thankful to our Lord for preserving my wife in what could have been a devastating accident, and I am thankful that our Amish neighbors (and they are outstanding neighbors) have not been deprived of the services of their beast of burden.

In an ironic twist to this story, the event resulted in a business arrangement between me and Mr. Ivan Yoder, another Amish neighbor.   You see, Ivan is the local dog food salesman in the Amish community and I happened to need a 50 lbs bag for our Daisy-dog.  As we were all standing around afterward, I decided to by some dog food with “high protein meat by-products.”  I’m not sure where Ivan Yoder gets his dog food for resale, but I have to wonder if this Mr. Yoder had any mixed feeling regarding the health of Ol Topsy?

It’s Our Beeswax!

During the past year, we have rented a booth at the local flea market.  Through this means, I have started to “uncollect” the hundreds (thousands?) of toys that I have acquired over the past 40+ years.  Additionally, we have cleared out box after box of odds & ends, knicks & knacks and cats & dogs!  “Litterally” speaking!  We found new homes for several kittens that were discovered under our front porch!  The kittens were free, but we have been getting a little money for nearly everything else.

Most promising have been the crafts that Lori and the children make.  Morgan has produced some beautiful pieces of beaded jewelry, Peyton has made goblet charms, and Lori has sewn several “baby wraps” that are great for carrying the wee ones around.  These items were the beginning of what we have started calling our Fallen Pines “product line.”

In our continuing attempts to improve our economic independence, free ourselves from the slavery of debt, and most importantly, to increase our opportunities to glorify God;  we have expanded our entrepreneurial endeavors to include making candles and soap!  Every member of the family has contributed to this effort, and regardless of the financial success of our small business, I am convinced that we are teaching our children Christ-centered values that will serve the multi-generational vision that God has given us.

I am continually amazed at what He is doing in our lives and in His provision.  We are all gaining further appreciation for His creation as we transform raw material such as olive oil, beeswax, and flowers into beautiful and useful objects for the home.  These raw materials are more than mere ingredients for soap and candles however…they are the ingredients for a rich and wonderful life!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy Birthday, Dad.

Today is my father’s birthday.  He would have been 93 years old.  As many of you know my father passed away last October just 3 weeks prior to the arrival of our daughter, Abigail.  Abigail is his 11^th grandchild.

While delivering his eulogy, I recommitted myself to building a family rooted in Christ and propelled by a multi-generational vision.  I promised to remember Father by talking about him with my children and my children’s children until the day I go to be with him.  May God give me the grace to continue to honor my father according to my promise.

Over the weekend, we took an additional step in perpetuating Father’s legacy.  With some of the proceeds of his estate, we purchased a piano to replace our current piano which had proven to be inadequate.

This piano will be dedicated in prayer to James Cody’s memory and to the purpose of glorifying God through music and fellowship in our home.  May the hands that play it be faithful, may the ears that hear it be blessed, and may God’s purposes be furthered by it in this and future generations of the Cody family.

Soli Deo Gloria

A Great Day!

How gracious God was today!  We had a very productive day taking dominion and teaching our children to do the same.  I’m pretty sure it was dominion-taking.  Much of it could have been merely performing maintenance – sometimes it is hard to tell the difference!  Here’s a list of what we accomplished:

Grass mowed (mostly)

Trash and brush pile burned

Porch power-washed (halfway)

Trees trimmed (never ending task)

Some tractor repairs done (more still needed)

Hole in chicken yard fence patched (pesky raccoons)

Not bad considering neither the lawn tractor nor the chain saw would run.  A phone call to the local John Deere dealership has convinced me that the mower most likely has a bent pushrod.  The engine has a history of this; and I need to fix what’s causing it, not just the pushrod this time.  I’m not sure what’s wrong with the chain saw.

It obvious that the day was not only productive, but also quite parenthetical (excessive use of parenthesis to add detail)!

We’re feeling good about the victories today.  Now to prepare for the counterattack by the enemy.

Warfield #3

3. I believe that the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by alleged new revelations of the Spirit or by traditions of men.

Clarification?

Based on some of the feedback I have received, I have concluded that it is necessary to provide some details of my position and clarify statements I made in my last post.  No doubt additional questions and concerns will arise based on the following:

Regarding salvation

1)  Salvation is an act of God and is made effectual in individuals through the Holy Spirit convicting and regenerating the heart of sinners.  The preaching of the gospel is the means through which this is accomplished.

2)  Salvation is not the result of responding to an altar call or saying a sinner’s prayer.

3)  Salvation is not the result of church discipline, however biblically it may be practiced.

Regarding Eternal Security

1)  I believe the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is one of the most grievously misunderstood teachings of the modern American church.

2)  Just as salvation is granted by grace and not earned by any human means (including ancestry, behavior, or personal decision), eternal security is attributable only to the steadfast trustworthiness of God’s election and purpose.  We are eternally secure only if we are predestined unto salvation before the foundation of the world.

3)  Without an overall biblical perspective about salvation and the duty and role of the Church, this doctrine can lead to unspeakable evil acts conducted by dedicated church goers — those that believe themselves to be “born again” Christians with an assured place in heaven regardless of immoral, sinful behavior.

Regarding Church Discipline

1)  Since church discipline does not have the power of conversion, by itself it would not have been responsible for the rebirth of Dr. Tiller.

2)  The lack of church discipline can generate unwarranted satisfaction with one’s standing before the Lord.  In other words, without church discipline as a part of the overall practice of the Church, unrepentant sinners are led to believe (or are specifically taught) that their salvation is assured.

3)  In the book of Romans, Paul tells us “you are not under law but under grace.”   Nevertheless, in the next verse and throughout the New Testament, the Bible makes it clear that conversion results in fruit.  Christians are expected to demonstrate that they are a new creature by their words and actions.

In summary, I think Dr. Tiller was not aware of the basic principles of the faith.  He may have known that the wages of sin is death, but what did that matter to him?  He was not aware that he was a sinner and that his actions were contrary to the law of God.  The Church’s failure to discipline him sanctioned the choices he continued to make.  He did not think it necessary to repent because he had not been made aware of his error.

Dr. Tiller’s sin remains his responsibility, but his blood is on the hands of all of those that know Christ and had an opportunity hold Dr. Tiller accountable, but did not act.

Church Discipline and the “Good” Doctor

Why is church discipline so hard?  Is it because the Bible is unclear regarding the procedures?  Hardly.  Is it because we are unconvinced of its effectiveness?  Most likely, few of us have enough experience with it to draw any conclusions.

I would argue that, for the most part, we choose to not discipline to avoid confrontation and disagreements within our “happy” church homes.  It is like a home in which the parents avoid their responsibility and fail to teach their children the ways of the Lord and discipline accordingly.  Without such shepherding, the children become lawless, spoiled, selfish and rebellious.  What at first seems to be the easier path ends up being the way to certain destruction.

I think we justify our reluctance to exercise church discipline based on two interrelated aspects of our own spiritual lives.

1)       We are not convinced that the offense in question is sinful or in need of correction.

2)      As sinners, we believe ourselves to be inadequate to the task of pointing out the speck in a brother’s eye.

We refuse to be convinced that certain behavior and choices are sinful because we love our sin!  Holding others accountable opens us up to being confronted on our own transgressions.  We don’t practice church discipline because we don’t want to be disciplined!

We are quite fond of the opening verses in Matthew chapter 7 that warns against judging others inappropriately.  We use verses 1 through 5 to convince ourselves that we must never accuse others of wrongdoing because our own sins are so great.  However, in the very next verse, Jesus continues His teaching by warning against giving holy thing to dogs and casting pearls before swine!  Jesus does not prohibit our judging of others, He simply clarifies the standard by which we are to judge – God’s word!

Indeed, we must be prayerful and exercise wisdom as we consider each situation.  We cannot take the task lightly and our evidence against the brother or sister must be clear.  However, we must not allow our congregations to continue as they are – filled with lawless, spoiled, selfish and rebellious children.  Like the parents of the undisciplined children, the church leadership is responsible for correction of their flock.

These thoughts came to me as I read about the tragic slaying of the abortionist, Dr. George Tiller.  His crimes against innocent life are well-known, and I will not recount them here.  Suffice to say that to any honest student of the teachings of Christ, there is no doubt as to the sinful nature of his profession.  The commentators express shock regarding the fact that such a crime (his murder) was committed in church.  I, too, was amazed, but my shock focused on the crime that lead to his being, not only in church, but officiating at a service ostensibly devoted to worshipping the Holy Lord!

As a professing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, Dr. Tiller subjected himself to Church guidance and discipline.  The Church failed him, and it is likely that he died an unrepentant murderer of thousands.  How many more Dr. Tillers are there in our congregations?  How many more professing Christians are deluded by the refusals of pastors, elders, and lay people to step up to the responsibility they have to each other?

Neither the illegal killing of abortionists nor legislation will rid this land of the abomination of abortion.  Only by the blessing of God through an obedient and faithful church will our nation turn from its evil ways.  May the Lord deliver His people from fear, weakness and irresponsibility.

B. B. Warfield #2

I believe that my one aim in life and death should be to glorify God and enjoy Him forever; and that God teaches me how to glorify and enjoy Him in His inerrant Word, that is, the Bible, which He has given by the infallible inspiration of His Holy Spirit in order that I may certainly know what I am to believe concerning Him and what duty He requires of me.

Interlude Presented by B.B. Warfield

If nothing else, I have learned how difficult it is to tackle a huge subject such as culture and break it into a series of concise blog posts.  However, because of its importance, I refuse to give up!  I am committed to posting meaningful, yet brief observations on culture that I hope will help fellow Christians better understand our environment and how it affects us.

In an attempt to provide edifying materials to my patient readers while I develop the series, I have decided to post B.B Warfield’s ”A Brief and Untechnical Statement of the Reformed Faith”

Adapted from Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield-1. Edited by John E. Meeter. Nutley, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1970, pp. 407-410

(with thanks to www.reformed.org)

Warfield’s statement consists of 24 points which I will post individually over the next several weeks.  Warfield’s work is worthy of more than filler material for my culture series, so stay tuned and carefully consider every point.

1)  I believe that God, since the creation of His world, has plainly revealed through the things He has made His eternal power and divine nature, and the requirements of His law, so that there is no excuse for unbelief or disobedience on the part of any man; yet however glorious this revelation, it is not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary for salvation.

Father Daughter Reflections

Thanks again to Vision Forum for once again hosting their wonderful Father/Daughter Retreat at Callaway Gardens. The messages were particularly insightful, enlightening and convicting. Each speaker was at the top of their “game” and nearly caused me to run out of paper taking notes!

Scott Brown reviewed a biblical definition of the family, illustrated the implications of that definition using Ephesians, and presented the Jonathan Edwards family as an earthly example of a biblical family.

On Friday, Voddie Baucham reminded us that as fathers, we WILL leave a legacy.  We need to be aware and deliberate in order to leave one that is Christ-honoring.  Dr. Baucham followed that up on Saturday with a discussion of the criteria for marriage — biblical and man-made alike.

Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin reviewed what their father taught them about boys.

Saturday evenings address by Geoff Botkin was concise and convicting as he reviewed popular (especially within the professing church) manifestations anti-Christian culture.  Amazing and insightful!

Of course, Doug Phillip’s messages were incredible and encouraging as always!

Please visit the websites of each of these Christian leaders:

Scott Brown:  NCFIC

Voddie Baucham:  www.voddiebaucham.org

Botkin Family:  Western Conservatory

Doug Phillips:  Doug’s Blog

Each of these links are also listed among my favorite links at the side of this page.