Five Smooth Stones, Five Golden Hemorrhoids, and Five Golden Mice

And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
(1Sa 17:39-40)

Every since I’ve heard the story of David and Goliath I have wondered why David took five smooth stones out of the brook. I’ve also heard many people give their reasons for this. Maybe it was a lack of faith in that he thought he may miss four times before hitting his mark. Maybe it serves as an example that we should be “equipped” regardless of the level of our faith. Some have suggested that Goliath had 4 brothers and David was preparing to take all of them out. Finally, I’ve heard in charismatic circles that the five stones could have represented the “five fold ministry” of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. The problem with each of these suggestions is that they are really just a guess.

Now, I can’t claim that I have a definite answer to this age old question. But what I can claim is that I noticed something today in the Word of God that could possibly give an explanation to “why five stones.” Prior to the famous David and Goliath incident, Israel warred with the Philistines. Israel, in trying to “conjure up” a victory, decided without instruction from God, to go get the ark of the covenant to “help them out.” (I Sam. 4:3) As expected, this man inspired idea did not work and the ark of God was captured by the Philistines. Apparently the Philistines did not learn the lesson that the Israelites had been taught of God. They placed the ark of God into their own pagan temple thinking that its presence would bring them good fortune. However, the opposite effect was had. Not only did their idol god, Dagon, continue to fall on its face before the ark, the Philistines were stricken with severe hemorrhoids on account of them keeping the ark in their possession. (I Sam. 5) In chapter 6, the Philistines had had enough. They were preparing to send the ark back to its rightful owner. Their pagan priests suggested that they send it back with a trespass offering of five golden emerods (hemorrhoids) and five golden mice. We see in verse 17:

And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
(1Sa 6:17)

What caught my eye was Gath. Gath is where Goliath was from. (I Sam. 17:4) So, could it be that David suspected there may be a giant for each of the five Philistine cities that had been plagued by God over the issue with the ark? Yes, this is still a guess. However, I base this guess on preceding scripture. After all, shouldn’t we always turn to scripture to interpret scripture?

Lung Cancer Vaccine

Consider this scenario…

Merck, Inc. has just released a brand new vaccine that will inoculate people against the dreaded disease of lung cancer. Now, the drug hasn’t been tested or proven yet. But none-the-less, it is a vaccine. Hooray! Now, everyone in the country can start smoking again! No worries about the dreaded consequence of lung cancer. After all, Merck has assured us that their vaccine works.

Now, suppose there is a certain Texas governor, who for this article will remain unnamed, who just so happened to receive a $5000 contribution from Merck, Inc. for his reelection campaign. How could this very grateful governor return the favor for this contribution? Well…although it is illegal to sell cigarettes to minors, and there has been a major push through public service ads to discourage smoking by minors, we “all” know that kids are going to smoke anyway, no matter what we tell them. So, this very grateful governor has a wonderful idea! Let’s force all sixth grade aged children to receive this vaccine before we allow them to enroll in their friendly neighborhood government school! What a service this will offer to children! Now parents can sleep well at night knowing that if these children light up after being told not to, at least their lungs will remain healthy. Side effects? Who knows? But, the most important thing is that Merck, Inc. survives another day to bring us more miracle drugs.

Far fetched you say? Well, this scenario has played itself out with only one difference. The disease being battled isn’t lung cancer. It’s human papillomavirus. And the students targeted for this campaign contribution payoff are limited to females signing up for government indoctrination at their local Texas public school. This Texas Governor, who I have already promised not to name (initials….RP), by executive order has mandated that all sixth grade girls receive this brand new, untested vaccine. It makes no difference that HPV is only contracted through sexual contact, which should not be happening at least within the walls of the school. It makes no difference that parents of “good children” don’t want this drug injected into their little girl. If people want to take the “free education” offered by the government, they will succumb to this treatment.

Christian groups are up in arms about this. Letter campaigns have been organized to write to this supposedly conservative Governor Per..(oops almost slipped)… encouraging him to return to the conservative platform that he campaigned on. He needs to be reminded that parents are the ones who should decide what, if any, vaccines their children receive. Of course, coming to his defense, it is most likely assumed that parents gave up these rights when handing their children off to the state for their education anyway. Right or wrong, this seems to be happening on a much broader scale than just vaccines. Regardless, it’s hard to argue with big money. I have a feeling that a $5000 contribution is only the tip of the iceberg.

So, if you are a Texan living in Texas…unlike myself living in Indian Territory…call your state congressman and senator. Call the Governor’s office. Express your disapproval. But more importantly, reclaim your parental authority by pulling your children out of an abusive organization that would inject drugs into your child against your will. If you are concerned about HPV, teach your children abstinence from sex. After all, we seem to trust that approach in regard to smoking. Abstinence produces amazing results, whether we are talking about lung cancer or HPV.

Vanity of Vanities

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
(Ecc 1:2)

Do you ever stop to ponder the discussions you have on a daily basis with others in the world? With coworkers, as well as friends and family, if the topic is not business related, it is almost always something to do with entertainment or fleshly desires.

There is a time and a place to discuss beauty and improvements to the home, the car, etc. that the Lord has entrusted to our care. Yet, when those topics are the constant subject of all our communications, something is definitely awry. Some men seem to only want to discuss sports. Some are wrapped up in hunting, fishing, computers, or woodworking. I live in a neighborhood where we have a private airstrip. Though I am not a pilot, most of those in our community are. So, guess what? When we have neighborhood get-togethers, the topic of aviation is always raised. Now many of these things are not wrong in and of themselves. It is a God given characteristic of man to be creative, and to use the resources God has given him to take dominion over this earth. However, when our focus becomes so targeted on these things, we move from merely dominating the earth to a form of idolatry whereby we spend all our time and energy focused on these external “things.”

My favorite topics of discussion are things of scripture. I love to discuss the biblical ways to raise children, and how to be the husband God has called me to be. Topics of planning include ministry opportunities whereby God’s Word may be shared freely. Is this not the purpose of life? When I discuss the scripture, it’s not only that I enjoy it as a hobby. Rather, I am fulfilling the purpose for which God has created me.

It is so refreshing when I meet a friend, and he brings up topics pertaining to scripture or to the things of God. I recently attended a technical seminar in San Francisco. I expected to be on my own, exploring a very materialistic city during the evenings. Yes, I did a bit of that. I took a very interesting tour of Alcatraz and learned a thing or two that I was able to pass on to my children in their homeschool education. However, one very bright spot of this trip was that I discovered a former colleague on the plane with me traveling to the same conference. Previously, we had not really discussed much of the things of God, as our communication tended to revolve around business. Yet, he knew that I am a believer, and he told me of his renewed effort to read the Bible through in a year. He asked me a few questions and shared some of the things he was learning. Friend, this is the essence of life. These are the marks of someone truly committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I rejoice in discovering that my friend is more than just a nominal Christian. I praise God that he is learning all he can in order to lead his family well. I look forward to continuing our friendship through email, and carrying on meaningful conversation regarding the things of God.

When I left Nashville, I left behind similar friends that I worked with at LifeWay. The Word of God tells us that you will “know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:18) What are your fruits? Are the only things that you ever talk about sports, cars, homes, travel, computers, etc., etc., etc., all related to things of this world? Or do you spend the time to study the scripture, read works written by God’s people, and discuss these things with other believers? Is your life “vanity of vanities” or do you live your life with purpose and conviction, capturing every moment for the Glory of God. Ponder that today as you walk by the way.

Election and Reprobation

Recently I read a blog entry at Vision Forum on the topic of Margaret Sanger. Click here to view it. I commented in another public forum just how despicable and evil this woman was.

A friend of mine saw my comments and gave a gentle reminder that:
When we speak of such people (in the past) with our children who did great evils, we remind them that perhaps there was never a true Christian to share the light of Christ with them.

I responded to this with a very brief explanation of the doctrine of election. My friend’s response back to me was basically that we will just have to agree to disagree. Can we “agree to disagree?” Is this such a minor issue that we can simply place our differences aside and move on, pretending that it is not an issue at all? I suppose the answer to that question depends on the depth of the friendship. In this case, I have never met my friend personally. We “met” online. Additionally, this friend is of the opposite gender of myself, and we are both married. So, that fact alone means that this friendship should remain somewhat on an “acquaintance” level, unless, of course, both of our spouses are in this friendship together, and as couples and families we get to know one another in that context. Regardless of the implications for this friendship, of which I still consider her a friend, I feel the root of the issue must be addressed. We live in an age where the majority of those who name the name of Christ are preoccupied declaring God’s mercy to the exclusion of His justice.

There are many facets to this issue. I’m only going to attempt to discuss a few. First, for whom did Christ die? Next, can we know who are the elect? Lastly, must we always give the “benefit of the doubt” to those who have passed on that they may have had a deathbed conversion?

At the heart of this issue is the question, “For whom did Christ die?” Stating it another way, “For whose sins did the Lord Jesus redeem?” John Owen declared that there are three possibilities. Christ paid for all the sins of everyone. Christ paid for all of the sins of some. Christ paid for some of the sins for all. If we declare the first statement to be true, then we hold to a doctrine of universalism, for it would mean that no one will go to Hell. If Christ paid the cost of sin, it would be unjust for anyone to go to Hell in order to pay the penalty once again. This is obviously an unscriptural doctrine. We see Jesus’ story of the rich man, for example, in Hell. The Bible is full of references to people being cast into Hell. (Matt 5:22, Matt 5:29, Matt 5:30, Matt 10:28, Matt 23:33, 2 Pet 2:9…and so on) Therefore, we know the first assertion can not be true.

As we’ll see shortly, I believe the second statement to be the truth. But first, let me show the fallacy of the last statement. If Christ paid for some of the sins of all, then there remains sin for which we must pay in order to gain entrance into Heaven. This is the heresy of purgatory, and the like.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(Eph 2:8-9)

We are wholly unable to earn any of our salvation. It is 100% given to us by God Himself.

The last option is that Jesus Christ paid for all the sins of some. This view represents the orthodox view of Christianity. The fact is that we are all corrupt.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(Rom 5:12)

Each and every one of us deserves eternal hellfire for our sins. God would not be unjust to give to everyone the just punishment that we all deserve. Yet, God, in His sovereign grace, has elected some unto everlasting life. This is a glorious truth! This speaks of a loving and merciful God who has compassion on sinners! There are those who say, “Wait a minute. It is unjust to choose some to the exclusion of others.” I ask you, “How so?”

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
(Mat 20:15)

My sister and her husband just adopted a baby from Russia. Were they unjust because they didn’t adopt all the rest of the children in that Russian orphanage? No. They were gracious and merciful toward their new daughter in rescuing her out of those conditions. In no way can they be said to be unjust toward the other children just because they showed kindness to one.

Therefore, in my very futile attempts, I have presented a short case for the doctrine of election. There are volumes of literature on the subject, with the primary source being the Bible itself. If you are not convinced, read Romans 9. Read:

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
(Rom 9:18)

Read the rest of the chapter. It is very convincing.

So, the second question I will address is, Can we know who are the elect? The short answer is, As long as they are living, No! The Apostle Paul was formerly Saul who persecuted the church. The Lord came upon him mightily and thwarted Saul’s purpose. Modern examples abound. Norma McCorvey was the “Roe” in the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that has legalized the murder of over 45,000,000 babies since 1973. However, “Miss Norma,” as she became to be known was converted to Christ by a little girl who loved and prayed for her. The crux of this is that we must faithfully proclaim the Gospel to all. There are those who we may judge to be “holy” that the Lord does not know (Matt 25:41) Likewise, there may be those whom we may judge to be hell bound that experience the effectual call of the Lord Jesus Christ, like Miss Norma. We should remain faithful to proclaim this Gospel, understanding that God’s elect will hear and turn. Those vessels of wrath, will never heed the warning, and they will run headlong into destruction. Returning to our previous point for a moment, remember, that no matter how much preaching is given to a reprobate, they will choose death. When my friend wondered if Margaret Sanger had no true Christian to share the light of Christ with her, my friend is implying that somehow we, as Christians, are at fault if someone dies in their sins. It’s as if there’s an accusation saying, “If you had only been more faithful in declaring the salvation of Christ, this sinner would have repented.” Yes, we are to be faithful in declaring His Gospel. However, the glorious truth of the doctrines of grace is that it is God who calls forth His elect through these means. Therefore, when the unrepentant sinner dies in his sin, that sinner receives his just punishment.

Finally, are we to always give the dead the “benefit of the doubt” and declare that we “cannot know” the state of their soul? This sounds nice. After all, we would never wish eternal hellfire on anyone. Hell is unimaginable. I would never wish hellfire on even the vilest child molester. It is such a great punishment that no one can bear it. Yet, billions are bearing it and will continue to bear it throughout eternity. In considering the deceased, we can look at their lives. We can note the fruit that they bore while in their bodies. We can ask their family if a profession of faith was ever made. Some will die that we truly can not tell their eternal destination. The scripture tells us that wide is the gate that leads unto destruction, and narrow is the way that leads unto life. (Matt 7:13-14) So, in reality, we have a much better chance of being right if we assume that someone dies and goes to Hell than we do if we assume that they went to Heaven. So, what are the consequences of making an assumption on someone’s eternal destination? One fact can be observed: The consequences of our assumptions only affect the living among us. Whether I think someone is in Hell, or whether I think they are in Heaven, it does not change where they actually are. If I’m wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time, because I am a fallible creature. Therefore, let’s consider five possibilities on claims I may make after someone dies:

1) I claim that the person is in Heaven, and they are really in Hell.

In this case, I’m wrong. My sentiments may give the family a “warm fuzzy.” It may cause them to imitate their loved one. After all, it all worked out OK for them. So God would not treat them any worse, they reason.

2) I claim that the person is in Heaven, and they are really in Heaven.

Hopefully, I have based my claim on the fact that I knew this person to be a God fearing person whom the Lord Jesus Christ had called as one of His own. It was obvious they were one of His elect, because the fruit of their life bore it out.

3) I claim that the person is in Hell, and they are really in Hell.

I am able to teach my children that the unrepentant sinner is reaping the consequences of their actions. I am able to tell them that we all deserve Hell. However, the Lord Jesus Christ has made a way for His elect to escape that punishment. I can point to specific ways that this person’s heart was hardened by God Himself, and we can learn how to oppose these views in our lives. God’s just punishment for this sinner is bringing the fruit of repentance to those of us who can learn from their example how “not to live our lives.”

4) I claim that the person is in Hell, and they are really in Heaven.

In this case, the proverbial “death bed conversion” most likely happened. For if the conversion happened earlier in life, their fruits would have been apparent. In this case, I am wrong. Maybe I am guilty of bearing false witness? Good thing that the grace of God has forgiven me of my sins. I would not knowingly make this claim. If the fruit of this life was such that I would make such an accusation, then all the benefits I described in point #3 also apply here. For if I can’t know they made a last minute decision, then others probably don’t know that either. My claims will not alter their eternal state. So, I’ve served them no injustice by making such a claim. However, the lessons I can teach my children through their bad example in life will serve the same purpose whether or not they really ended up in hell.

5) I claim that “no one can know” their eternal destination.

This is a wishy washy answer. Sometimes it’s the best we can do because we truly have no idea. However, if we really have a good idea and yet we “hold our tongue” out of politeness or another reason, we may miss a good opportunity to share the Gospel. If someone truly had the fruits of a Christian and we know they publicly professed Christ, why would we ever want to tell anyone that “no one can know” their destination. Likewise, if the subject under discussion is Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and yes, Margaret Sanger, then we miss an opportunity to tell why a hater of God is now burning in Hell for all eternity. No, it’s not a pleasant thought. However, sometimes this needs to be spoken. Jonathan Edwards did not hold back in declaring the dangers of hellfire in his, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Neither should we, as the modern “church” is wont to do, fail to declare the realities of Hell to a generation that is heading there just as fast as they possibly can.

One Generation Away from Extinction

The Church is one generation from extinction.

I have heard this quote many times. So, today, I did a few web searches to try and determine the source of this quote. I found web sites from various denominational sources and various doctrinal positions all attributing this quote to someone from their camp. Regardless of who said it first, there is an obvious truth encompassed here. Yet, in spite of the proliferation of this message, there are precious few who have embraced this message and are actively discipling the next generation to carry the torch. A quick glance at the sites I brought up may give a reason why. It seems that the emphasis associated with this quote is on evangelism. Now, I’m all for evangelism, but I maintain that our primary “targets” for evangelism should be those children in our own homes. Evangelism means more than just simply soliciting an altar call conversion from someone, adding a notch in your Bible, and moving on to the next hunting ground. Rather, true evangelism will lead someone to discipleship. It will involve years of study and a pouring of one’s self into that person whom God converted through your witness. Our children are our main field of evangelism. For it is through them that we can actually spend all this necessary time. It is almost impossible (though with God all things are possible) to spend this same amount of time needed to thoroughly disciple someone not in your family. Men have done it (Paul and Timothy for example). You may be called to do this. Yet, we know from Deuteronomy 6 that God requires this of fathers toward their children. Why is it then that we fail in this endeavor so often? This phenomenon is not new by any means.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
(Jdg 2:8-10)

Here we see a description of mighty Joshua, one of only two spies under Moses’ authority who brought back a good report on God’s ability to deliver Canaan into Israel’s hand. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of their generation allowed by God to enter the Promised Land. The “up and coming” generation that did enter the Promised Land received their instruction from Joshua. They learned to trust Jehovah God from him. Joshua taught them the Law of Moses. He instructed them concerning the Providences of God on their behalf. However, what Joshua failed to impart into this people was the absolute necessity of carrying on a multi-generational heritage. The result of this was devastating to Israel. How can we miss this?!

You may have a heart that seeks after God. You may serve him with your whole heart. Yet, if your children do not carry on your vision, your family, your church, and your country will be shattered. This is what happened with Joshua. This is what happened with Eli. This is what happened with Job. This is what happened with David. And this is what happened with our American forefathers. We are kidding ourselves if we think it can’t happen to us. We must be deliberate in passing our values on to our children. We must be explicit in explaining our doctrine and the things of God to them. If we neglect this duty, we allow them to “explore on their own” what they will believe. I believe in the Sovereignty of God. I believe that He will lead them according to His will even if we neglect our duty. However, to the extent that we are obedient in His mandate in instructing our children, I believe that God will honor our commitment and preserve our children in the way of righteousness. If my children rebel and embrace heretical teachings, it will be in spite of my instruction, not due to my neglect of it. I pray this will never happen. Yet, while praying, I will do all I can to teach them rightly. I urge you to do the same. Solid Christian fathers, committed to obeying God in their duties to raise their children according to His precepts are the only hope for our declining nation.

The Most Beautiful Funeral

Last Friday, January 26, 2007, I attended what had to be the most beautiful funeral service I have ever attended. It was excruciatingly painful for those in attendance. I can’t even imagine the pain of the family involved. Joel Morris departed this life on Tuesday, January 23, 2007. He was three years old. You can read his story at this website: http://www.weloveyoujoel.blogspot.com.

Joel contracted a form of childhood cancer known as Nueroblastoma. He was diagnosed on December 5, 2006. On January 3, 2007 Joel entered a coma after suffering a reaction to seizure medication given him by the hospital. It was not long after that when the hospital declared him “brain dead.” However, Joel’s family, and his father in particular, did not accept that diagnosis. What happened next was 20 days of pain and anguish driven by a love for a son, and strength from the Lord God Jehovah. Joel’s father stayed by his side practically the entire time only breaking once in a while for a shower. He was fighting on two fronts: the medical and the legal side. Though the law tried to declare Joel “dead,” Joel’s little heart continued to beat, and Joel’s family fought for his life.

Our family prayed every night for Joel. My two year old Paton always prayed for Joel during our family worship time.

When Joel passed away we attended his funeral together as a family. What happened there amazed me and showed me just what a Godly Christian family looks like. Joel’s father and grandfather stood up to speak about Joel and read encouraging letters they had received from as far away as Iraq. They showed a slide show complete with music arranged and played by Joel’s brothers. Two of Joel’s older brothers and one of his older sisters played “It is Well With My Soul” on the piano, violin, and trumpet. Joel had 12 brothers and sisters. It was obviously that they all loved him very much. At every funeral I’ve ever been to, the family who has suffered the loss has always sat quietly by mourning their loss while those in attendance ministered to them. Yet, at this funeral, this family who was so weary from fighting for Joel’s life turned their attention to the family and guests at the funeral and reached out to minister to them.

This touched me beyond description. Joel’s family is now the subject of Paton’s prayers every night. I join with Paton in petitioning Father God on behalf of the Morris family, May He strengthen them and give them peace in the midst of this time of great loss. I only hope that we can get to know this remarkable family better over the course of time, as their homestead is not far at all from ours.

34 Year Old American Holocaust

Today, January 22, 2007 marks a grim anniversary in American history. 34 years ago today, the United States Supreme Court handed down two decisions that display judicial activism at its worst. Roe v. Wade “legalized” abortion for any reason in the first trimester, and provided an exception for “health of the mother” for the remainder of the pregnancy. The simultaneous case Doe v. Bolton defined “health of the mother” to be anything that a woman and her doctor decide it to be, including mental “health” or even “financial health.” Therefore in two crushing decisions a black robed oligarchy shoved abortion down the throats of God fearing Americans, even in states where the people had voted to keep it illegal. These two cases, when combined, legalized abortion throughout all 9 months of pregnancy for any reason whatsoever.

Over 47 million babies have been slaughtered legally since 1973. Some pro-aborts complain of the pro-life side pinning the “holocaust” label on this tragedy. Yet, American abortion is the best example of racial genocide since Nazi Germany. “Only” six million Jews were killed by Germany’s eugenics machine. Almost 8 times as many babies have been killed through America’s Holocaust. Although black people are in the minority in this country, they make up the majority of those killed through abortion. 1 in 5 white babies are killed through abortion compared with 1 in every 3 black babies! This is Margaret Sanger’s dream! She was the founder of Planned Parenthood and a white supremacist to the core. Why do you think the vast majority of Planned Parenthood facilities are located in minority neighborhoods? This is “by design.” “Ms.” Sanger (addressing her by her obviously feminist title) was vitriolic in her writings concerning eliminating the “inferior” such as racial minorities or the disabled.

It is high time to end this legacy of child sacrifice our country has endured over these 34 years. We need to return to our founding documents to read what the founders had in mind when this country was formed. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life...”

Coins, Metal, and Tyranny

When I was in high school a friend of mine visited East Germany (the fact they have dissolved, similar to the Soviet Union seems to be an important fact to keep in mind). Anyway, I’m a very amateur coin collector with a little shoe box half full of interesting finds from across the world. My friend brought me an “East German Mark.” He told me he had to smuggle it out of there because it was illegal for that money to leave the country. I remember thinking, “Wow. I’m glad I don’t live under such an oppressive regime.” That was somewhere around 1983. Fast forward now to 2007. Americans know, if they remember or if they were told, that U.S. coins (half dollars, quarters, and dimes) prior to 1965 were minted in 90% silver. At some point silver rose in value and the dollar dropped in value such that the metal content in these coins began to be worth more than the face value of the coin. Now back in the “good old days” before the establishment of the Federal Reserve (1913), this concept wouldn’t even make sense. After all, a dollar was defined to be 1 oz of silver. A “half-dollar” was 1/2 oz of silver. A “quarter-dollar” was 1/4 oz of silver. A dime was 1/10 oz of silver. Back then, even gold coins were minted, and the face value really was the value of the coin. So, anyway, silver coins are now a commodity and our dollar is now nothing more than a promise from a government who hasn’t exactly proven their moral character lately. Lurking in the background is the lowly penny. Its composition prior to 1982 was mostly copper. As copper prices began to rise, it also succumbed to the same fate of its superior brothers. The metal content was changed to only a little copper with mostly zinc. Well, throughout 2006 copper and zinc continued a steady rise in price, so that at the end of 2006, both the penny and the nickel were worth slightly more in metal content than their face value. Better yet, though, is that pre-1982 pennies were worth about two cents each! That means one could get a 100% rate of return just by hanging on to old pennies and spending the newer ones. I was in the middle of thinking through a business plan on how to capitalize on this concept when I caught wind that the feds have passed new legislation making it illegal to either melt down pennies and nickels or to take more than $5 (face value) out of the country. The penalty is up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Suddenly 1983 flashed back to my remembrance. It seems as though I do now live under “such a regime.” When coins are obtained lawfully, by working, selling goods, investing, etc. don’t we actually “own” these coins? It’s not like a Microsoft Licensing Agreement where you are just authorized to “use” software. I’ve always thought “mine” meant “mine.” If I have a copper penny, no one should be able to tell me I can’t melt the thing down or sell it to a Chinese man. The government complains that those who do such things are “taking advantage of the American taxpayer.” Excuse me? How do I, by doing things with my own property, take advantage of the American taxpayer? If waste is happening like this, the fault lies squarely on the idiotic institute that would continue to produce a product that costs more to manufacture than its end value represents. I’ve got several suggestions for the government:

1) Stop making pennies. It’s insane to keep on producing things that cost more to make than they’re worth.
2) Make pennies out of a different material. You’ve done it once in 1982. What’s the big deal if you start generating them out of aluminum?
3) But the best suggestion I have is…return our money supply to a gold/silver/copper? standard where the value of our money actually reflects the value of the underlying metal.

Only then will we be able to stop trading in “slugs and rags” and actually possess real money that has actual value. If they did this, then I wouldn’t want to sell my U.S. copper coins or my 90% silver coins either for that matter.

I’d Love You Even If You Were Dumb

This little phrase was spoken to me often by my grandmother, Mrs. Wanda Southerland. She was and is known to me as “Gran-Gran.” I’m told that I gave her that name being the oldest grandson and trying to say “grandmother” at her prompting when I was just learning to speak. Gran-Gran taught me to read by encouraging me to take our church bulletin and circling every word I knew. We did the same thing with newspaper ads, etc. She also read to me. I will never forget her reading “Floating Island” to me as a young child. Gran-Gran used to take me, my brothers, and my sister to the library. We’d end up getting the limit of 25 books each. By the time there were four of us, we’d be sitting in her car with 100 books between the four of us. Many of these we would read before getting home from the library. My brother, just under me in the birth order, and I would often stay with my grandparents for a week or two during the summer while the “little kids” remained home with Mama and Daddy. Most every year, Gran-Gran would enroll us in the Summer reading program at the local library.

Gran-Gran used to tell me, “You’re so smart. You’re such a good reader. But you know what? I’d love you even if you were dumb.” Only looking back through adult eyes can I realize the impact that those statements had upon me. First of all, she encouraged me in reading. She set expectations that I was smart and that I would always succeed in life. Yet, she gave me reassurance that her love was not conditional on my performance. Contrast this with children who are constantly belittled or told they will never amount to anything. Whether you encourage a child or belittle a child, it is usually a self-fulfilling prophecy upon that child’s life. I’m so thankful for a grandmother who believed in me and encouraged me in my academic endeavors. I owe my love of reading to this dear lady. She may not have set me down to teach me the deep doctrinal works of Calvin, Spurgeon, Owen, Edwards, Dabney, Pink, Ryle, or Erskine. She may not have read me more modern books by Piper, Packer, or MacArthur. But what she did was to cultivate a love of reading in my life that continues to this day. I, in turn, am striving to pass that same love down to my own children.

Today, Gran-Gran is in her twilight years. Most of the time, she doesn’t recognize me, my wife, or my children. She requires the constant care of my grandfather and some part time helpers to meet her needs. We live too far away for me to check on her on a regular basis, but my father is still local and checks on his mother and father daily.

Gran-Gran, you are a very wise lady. But you know what? I’d love you even if you were dumb.

Who Will You Be in January 2008?

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(Psa 1:1)

I have heard it said that a great measure of who you are is a combination of the books you read and the company you keep. I view the books one reads and the company one keeps as being one in the same. When you read, you “keep company” with that author for the duration of the reading. In this media saturated society in which we live, I believe this statement can be expanded to include “company kept” as those to whom you view on television, the computer screen, and the big theatre screen.

Who or what do you want to be one year from now? Do you want to be a bumbling idiot? If so, spend your entire year wasted away in front of your infernal television set or at play with your video game console. Do you want to be an unfaithful husband or absentee father? Squander your time away watching internet pornography or despicable movies with your DVD player. Do you want to be an expert at rattling off sports stats while not even truly knowing the family members who live in your home? Then spend all day Saturday and Sunday staring at the screen watching modern day gladiators battle it out on the sporting field.

There are several historical figures with whom I would love to become more like over the course of next year. There are several living individuals who I admire as well. The number one personality who meets both of these criteria is the Lord Jesus Christ. By spending time in His Word over the course of 2007, I hope to be much more like him than I am now by the time this year ends. Other historical figures that I would like to emulate include Charles Spurgeon, Captain John Smith, George Washington, Elias Boudinot, St. Augustine, and A.W. Pink. I am learning more about Mr. Smith and Mr. Boudinot through the ministry of Vision Forum. This brings me to some of the living individuals whom I would like to identify with. Mr. Doug Phillips has contributed so much to my life through his recorded messages. Another of Vision Forum’s regular speakers, Geoff Botkin has really spoken into my life over the past year. I hope to continue that influence in 2007. I rejoice in the friendships of the men at our church who are leading their families well. Their company helps to keep me accountable to lead my family with the excellence that they are so aptly exampling. Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to be more like my precious bride, Sheri. Her patience with the children never ceases to amaze me. Her caring attention to the needs of others is a constant reminder of what a true Christian should be.

So, my plan to bring this about is to spend actual time with those living individuals whenever possible. Where not possible to personally visit, at least on a regular basis, I will continue to listen to these men either recorded or in person. My reading goals for 2007 are to read the Bible through in one year with my new Geneva Bible translation I received in December. I also want to read the Jamestown Narratives, George Washington’s Indispensable Men, Stories of the Old Dominion, Confessions of St. Augustine, City of God, and A.W. Pink’s Studies in the Scriptures (a monthly reprint distributed by the Chapel Library at the Mt. Zion School of Ministry).

People are sometimes surprised to learn that we don’t have a television. My reply is that I just don’t have time to waste in such trivial matters. I barely have the time I need to read the books I want to read and visit the people I want to visit with. Why would I waste my precious time with such vulgar time wasters? On those rare occasions when I need to view a DVD, like when watching my monthly subscription to LifeTalk (http://www.lifedynamics.com), the computer fulfills this role just fine.

So, brothers, who will you be in 2008? Surround yourself with men of excellent character, both living and dead, and you will be amazed at the transformation that will happen in your life over the course of a year.

2006 – Year in Review

God has done many things in the lives of our family over this past year. Some of these things we considered great blessings. Some were great challenges. Yet all came at the hand of our sovereign God who has all things under His control.

The blessing of children tops the list for our blessings this year. Our Sarah Grace was born on March 24. Also, my brother and his wife gave birth to their second son and third child, Joshua Alex on May 11. Joshua’s middle name is the same as my grandfather, Malcom Alex. Providentially he was born on “Pepaw’s” birthday. Finally, my sister and her husband arrived in Texas with their newly adopted daughter, Abbey Elena Johnson on December 24.

This year has brought us several positive changes. I took a job with Dobson Communications at the end of January. With the acceptance of this position, we made the move to Oklahoma. This opened up the change of acquiring a new home and finding a new church. The church is family integrated and holds to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. This is right in sync with where the Lord has been leading me in my spiritual walk. The church family is very loving and we have grown close in the short amount of time we have been together so far. This year, Vision Forum has continued to play a large part in my spiritual walk and in helping me to lead my family. For the first time this year, we have formed a family vision statement. See my very first blog entry to read its text and explanation.

I mentioned taking a new position at Dobson. For secular employment, I have really enjoyed it. It is quite a change from LifeWay, and my ultimate goal is to work for myself with my family. However, until the Lord opens up that door, He has blessed me with a good work environment. I have a supervisor, manager, and VP with whom I work very well. They value my contribution and have praised my efforts on the job probably more than any other employer for whom I have worked. I attended a Vision Forum Entrepreneurial conference with my oldest son this year and received many ideas on going into business with my family. Geoff Botkin gave a very good presentation on the forming of a 200 year plan. With his inspiration, I have done the same for my family. Way back in January I took a woodworking class where I learned three types of joints. I am just now beginning to acquire the tools I need to practice these skills. Whether this leads to a business endeavor or just a good hobby that I can do with my children, I think this will be a worthwhile effort.

There were also a few challenges this year. Standing right alongside our greatest blessing this year, the birth of Sarah, is our greatest challenge, the accident Sheri had in our van. In this wreck, Sheri broke several ribs and her sternum. It also caused her to go into labor. Sarah was born via emergency c-section. The other bright spot in this accident story is that we were able to get a new van since we had outgrown our other one anyway. See my blog entry on the Lord’s Provision in Transportation to read more about it.

Our youngest son, Paton, had hernia surgery this year. Sheri lost her grandfather. He was her last living grandparent. The girl’s had their rooms flooded this year with the bursting of a water line under their bathroom sink. For several days we had dehumidifiers going and big carpet fans. Finally, Sheri’s mom hit a deer with her car with Brittney in the front seat. What’s more is that the deer either got away or someone else picked it up before I could get back to get it.

We’ve had some good memories from this year. As I have done with the three oldest children, I began to teach Justin to read this year. He’s doing quite well, though he needs to practice a bit with the sound “an.” He reads it different than the way he speaks, so it confuses him. Also, we have begun to compete in the Jamestown 400 Vision Forum contest. We are having a blast with it and fully intend to win 400 gold coins in 2007 at the Jamestown celebration in June.

God’s blessings have abounded. I know we are right where He wants us for now. What 2007 and beyond holds for us, only He knows.

That’ll Never Work? Let’s Just See About That!

There’s a man of God today promoting a certain message of multi-generational faithfulness. He is the father of five sons and two daughters. This man’s name is Geoffrey Botkin. Geoff Botkin has not always been a prime example of a Christian father. In fact, he is a former Marxist. However, you could not tell that today based on his commitment to Christ and his resolve to lead his family according to Christian principles.

Mr. Botkin spoke at our church when we were attending Sovereign Grace Family Church in Carrollton, Texas. He also spoke at the Vision Forum Entrepreneurial Bootcamp in August 2006. In his messages, Mr. Botkin has outlined a “200-year” plan for his family. In this plan, he records family history, and plans out the future. Then he charges his sons to produce their own plans beginning at their marriage dates. Of course, these plans will overlap greatly. Yet, each plan will be unique as new families are formed, and the vision is passed to the next generation.

I have begun my own plan. My wife and I married in 1990. So, I did the easy part first, documenting what has happened since then! But I have also begun to plot out the future dates. My wife was not too crazy about seeing a planned “death date,” so I made a general rule that everyone in my chart who is currently living (or not born yet) will live to be 100 years old. If we exceed that, then Praise God! If not…well, that’s fine too. The point is that most of us will have anywhere from 80-100 years. This plan helps to see just how much (and how many) we can expect to influence in our relatively brief lifetimes. I have yet to find out Mr. Botkin’s exact columns that he used. His presentations were given so fast, it was hard to copy all the information. However, what I realized is that he has given a great inspiration. I can fill in my own details.

I have created this plan in an Excel spreadsheet. Down the left side of the spreadsheet, I have a row for each year including and between 1990 and 2190. My current column headings include “Family Members,” “Publications,” “Skills Learned,” “Businesses Established,” “Ministry Initiatives,” and “Historic Remembrances.” I will add new columns as I deem it necessary.

Under “Family Members,” I list each descendent of mine with their birth dates in the appropriate year, along with the date they turn 13, the date they marry, the date they turn 45, and the date they die. My general rule is that at this point, I am only planning descendents for those who have already been born. Otherwise it gets too confusing with a lack of names. When planning future sons and daughters, they are listed as “son #4.” Grandchildren are currently listed as “Justin’s #3” for example. 13 is significant because that formally marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. 45 is significant because I have arbitrarily set that age as the date that the Lord’s blessing of children stops. If God chooses to bless beyond that age, then “Praise God!” However, for purposes of planning, this is the arbitrary age. As I mentioned, 100 years is the “planned” lifespan of everyone.

“Publications” lists the books that each family member has or will publish. It is recorded in the year in which is happens, along with the month, as well as the author’s name, and possible title.

“Skills Learned” will detail things like learning a foreign language, learning to play a musical instrument, etc. The “accomplishment” date is the date whereby a rudimentary skill is achieved. Of course, these skills will improve with practice. But this plan will help us to keep focused.

“Businesses Established” help to encourage entrepreneurial endeavors, thereby ensuring a life of freedom for each of our descendents where they will not be dependent upon an employer for their livelihood.

“Ministry Initiatives” detail ways that the Lord is using each of us as His body doing His work on this Earth. We should always be found doing our “Father’s Business.”

Finally, I added “Historic Remembrances” to help us remember the “ancient landmarks” laid by those who went before us. In this column, I put anniversaries that we hope to attend as a family, such as the Jamestown 400 celebration next year. There will be many of these celebrations over these 200 years. Because of this column I already know that I want to visit Germany on October 31, 2017 for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation.

I’m excited about making these plans. I realize that the plan must remain flexible. Not everyone will live to be 100. Each son or daughter may not have all the children I have planned for them. The important thing is, though, that I am teaching them to desire God’s blessings in every area of their life. It is a time of training to take dominion over this Earth and subdue it. What I do expect, however, is that every single child, and every single descendent beyond them will live a life dedicated to Jesus Christ. Every one of these children will trust their fathers to lead them in the courtship process when considering marriage. There will be none lost.

In sharing some of these goals with an extended family member, he simply shook his head, and proclaimed, “That’ll never work.” One thing’s for sure, if you don’t try, then you know you won’t receive the results. But with God’s help, I believe that I can set the expectations for two centuries to come, and that my children after me will carry this same vision forward to their descendents forever.

The Lord’s Provision in Transportation

I thought I’d take the opportunity today to introduce you to our new (as of April…so “not-so-new” now) van that the Lord blessed us with.

In March, Sheri was driving our old van and was involved in a major accident. This caused her to go into labor, and she delivered our beautiful daughter by emergency c-section that night.

With the birth of our baby we were going to outgrow our old van anyway, so this took care of our predicament on how to sell it.

Though we “only” have six children, I found a 15 passenger van in Tulsa. We had moved to Oklahoma City at the end of February. It is a 2001 year model with only 10,100 original miles on it when I bought it. It has leather seating and a whopping 8.1 Liter V8. This is the same engine found in some motor homes. It’s got plenty of power, but leaves a lot to be desired in gas mileage. We get about 10 mpg.

However, this has been a huge blessing to us. I paid $8000 cash for it with money from the insurance we had on the old van, combined with our tax refund, and a couple of monetary gifts we received after our accident.

So, since we have no debt, it’s much easier to keep fuel in it. Since getting it in April it now has close to 20,000 miles on it. When the odometer rolls to 20,200 we will have put as many miles on it as it had in the initial five years it was basically setting in the original owners driveway.

We get quite a few turned heads when we are driving down the interstate, especially now that I have added two large Christian fish symbols, with six little fish following behind, on our back door.

We are praying that the Lord would help us add rear air conditioning to it, as the children in the back get hot in the summer. However, it is in very good condition, and after finally getting rid of the cigarette smoke smell, it has become quite an excellent family mover. (BTW - We removed the very back seat that seats 4 - that gave us a lot of storage space, and it will still hold 11 like that. If our family grows to where we need it or we want to take more friends, we can always reinstall the back seat.)

Oh, and by the way, the flames are just an “added bonus” to help my ordinarily very conservative wife learn not to be embarrassed by outside stuff. :-) I think the Lord must have a sense of humor. I and the children love the flames! We definitely don’t have a hard time finding this van in a crowded parking lot!

Which Type are You?

There are 10 types of people in this world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t.

There’s a beauty in homeschooling in that you can teach what you think is appropriate in all subject areas. Now, with something as objective as math, I generally follow the curriculum pretty closely. However, there is something lacking in our otherwise very good Saxon math books. My oldest daughter is doing eighth grade work now, and she has yet to learn number systems other than base 10.

When I was in seventh grade, I taught myself binary using an old Commodore Vic 20 instruction manual. Remember those? I believe it had 3K of memory. For comparison, the Atari 2600 game console had 5K, I believe. Anyway, one of the games that came with the used system I bought would sometimes fail right in the middle and give me a “Syntax Error.” What I discovered when this happened intrigued me. I found that as I typed keys after this program had failed that some of the keys displayed parts of the pictures from the games, rather than the expected characters (A, B, C, etc.) I wanted to learn how to do this, so I pulled out the manual and discovered that you could alter the character set for each letter by assigning several 8 bit codes to each letter. Where the bit was “turned on” the pixel was lit up. Where it was off, the pixel was off. This translated into the 1’s and 0’s that made up the number. In the first position was 2 to the 0 power, or “1.” In the second position was 2 to the 1st power, or “2.” In the third position was 2 to the 2nd power, or “4,” and so on continuing to 2 to the 7th power (which was 128). If I wanted any of these pixels lit up I just added that number to the grand total. This gave a number anywhere between 0-255. In no time at all, I was modifying my character fonts. In the process, I was learning a valuable lesson that I would later use in my college days, as well as on the job from time to time. What I didn’t have explained to me was the ease at which binary converts to hexadecimal. I didn’t manage to grasp that concept until after my college IBM 370 Assembler class.

Anyway, from time to time, I’ll go over a few lessons on binary with the children. To count to ten in binary, you count this way (starting at zero):

0, 1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010

It’s easy when you think about it. When you count in decimal, you run out of numbers after you use up 9. So, you count: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. What comes next? There’s no single digit to represent the next number in binary, so you have to use a combination of digits to represent numbers greater than 9. So, we use 1 followed by 0, or “10.” Binary is the same way, it’s just you run out of numbers much faster. In the above example where I count to ten in binary, you start: 0, 1, then oops…we don’t have another digit, so we have to start combining, though the value is only two. So, two in binary has to be represented as a combination of 1 followed by 0, or “10.” The next number, 11, is three, then oops, we have to add another column, because we’ve used up the digits again. That’s when we get 100, which is 4. And so on…I think you get the picture.

Whereas binary uses only 1’s and 0’s, hexadecimal uses 0-9, and A-F. It is base 16. Therefore, after 9, the next digit is A (having a value of ten), followed by B, and so on to F (having a value of 15). Computers only recognize binary. But hexadecimal is a great help to programmers. The quick little conversion thing is this. Four bits (binary digits) are needed to make a single hexadecimal digit. 0000 (binary) equates to 0 in hex. 1111 (binary) equates to F in hex. Two of these hexadecimal digits make up a “byte” or 8 binary digits. Therefore, programmers have an easier type representing computer commands and values using hex rather than decimal. Knowing that each hex digit converts straightforward to a binary value, it’s easy to see why hex is the preferred notation.

For some reason, Saxon Math doesn’t think this is an important concept to pass on to my children, at least not from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Well, that’s OK. I bring the topic up from time to time. When my children want to learn programming, they’ll have a head start over all those modern “wimp” programmers who’s GUI environment fills everything in automatically. In the old days, we actually had to allocate our own memory…programmers today have it easy… I’ll teach my children programming “heritage,” not just the path of ease… (this last paragraph written somewhat tongue in cheek!)

So, of the 10 types of people, which type are you? I’ll give you a hint, there’s only two!

Cancer and Children

On December 4, 2006, I described a situation that greatly illustrated my theology before and after the Lord led me according to the Doctrines of Grace. Now, just last Thursday I found out that a friend of mine has a three year old son who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer all over his body. My friend already has convictions concerning the Sovereignty of God. If anything could test your faith, it would be something this devastating happening to your own baby. This man strongly believes that children are a blessing. The Lord has blessed him with 13 children so far.

Because I have not sought his permission to write this blog about his family, I will not publish his name. However, please keep this family lifted up in prayer before our Father. Pray for God’s mercy in healing this young boy. Pray earnestly for God’s will to be done. Finally, pray, not out of “giving up,” but out of due respect to the King of the Universe, that this family will accept whatever outcome our Sovereign Lord decides in this case.

If you live in the state of Oklahoma and would like to donate blood on his behalf, please contact me and I’ll make the arrangements. If you would like to donate funds to help with their expenses, I’ll send you more information when you contact me directly as well.

Thank you for your prayer and support. Let’s have the faith that God can heal him, and that God does still heal in this modern age. Let’s have the submission to pray “Your will be done. For your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts.”

Blessings…
Mike

Deer and Collisions

Just a couple of weeks ago, my mother-in-law hit a deer on her way back to our house after going to the store for a few things. This really tore her little Honda up pretty badly, doing about $4700 worth of damage. She was only traveling about 25 mph. Then earlier this week a friend of mine from church was traveling at 60 mph on a highway when a deer ran out in front of him. He was driving his van with his wife and six children in the vehicle. His damage was over $6800. What is the deal with these deer?! For many years I have wanted to hunt. I may just have a chance out here in Oklahoma. To date, I’ve not had a good place to hunt.

Something needs to be done, though, to relieve this obvious overcrowding of the deer population. When I hear of two people close to me, within a span of two weeks hitting deer, I can only guess that the same problem could very well happen to me. There’s not much I can do to prepare my Mustang for such an encounter, but I am seriously considering buying a heavy duty tubular steel bumper for our van. I can’t afford to lose it. In my opinion, they need to eliminate restrictions on hunting deer. Let hunters take all they want, at least for a time. Doing this would help public safety. We thank God that neither my mother-in-law nor my friend’s family from church were hurt seriously (though my friend’s wife and daughter are a little sore). I seriously doubt that removing limits from hunters would result in deer extinction. If the species actually begins to be threatened, then reinstate the limits. But for now, these deer would be much less of a public threat if they were stored in someone’s freezer.

Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 1941, a day that will live in infamy lives on in the hearts and minds of an ever shrinking population in America. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they awakened a giant. This was the last constitutionally declared war the United States has entered. Wars are not to be entered via executive order.

Article I. Section 8 of the United States Constitution declares in part:

The Congress shall have Power To…declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

My grandfather fought the Japanese in this war while serving in the U.S. Navy. Unlike so many others of his peers, the Lord providentially caused him to come home unharmed. If my grandfather had died in WWII, my father would not have been born in 1946, I would not have been born in 1968, and my children would not be here today. Yet, my grandfather did not cower back when his country needed him. He had a just cause for which to fight, and he had a constitutionally declared war in which to participate.

My grandfather’s Navy was a Navy that honored the one true God. In the 1940’s this country still upheld Christian principles. Now, we have “chaplains” that represent a plethora of false religions. My grandfather’s military was made up of valiant men who knew it was their duty to defend their wives and children back home. Our current military is made up of men and women who die on foreign battlefields in “wars” that have never been declared by Congress. We should hold our heads in shame that as a nation we would ever allow women to be carried home in body bags. If there are any female service members reading this, please don’t be offended. I mean you no disrespect. However, your presence on the battlefield is a constant reminder that there is a feminized man back home somewhere letting a woman spill her blood for him in his place. The U.S. military is now made up of a contingent of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” sodomites who continue to press their politically correct agenda.

The Allied forces may have won World War II. However, in our modern day the enemy is making great strides in this once great country without even firing a shot. The next time someone calls you a sexist for advocating a male only military, or the next time someone calls you a bigot for insisting that our military only support heterosexuality, you should recognize these voices as the voice of an enemy set on weakening our defenses. Unfortunately, by taking a look around, it looks like their poison has just about penetrated all of our society.

May God bless the USA and bring us back to our glory days of yesteryear when the name of Jesus Christ alone was proclaimed in the halls of Congress, in the Oval Office, and on the battlefield, and when men stood honorably and bravely ready to defend their families against foreign invaders.

Class of 1987 - CHHS

On June 9, 2007 the Cedar Hill High School Class of 1987 will celebrate its twenty year reunion. Has it really been twenty years? As senior class president I have taken on the duty of organizing this event every ten years. It seems like only yesterday I was involved in organizing the ten year reunion. Time is certainly flying. I suppose we should start planning the thirty year reunion on June 10, 2007, for if the next ten years goes by faster than this past ten years, then we’ll barely have time to blink.

It’s amazing when attending these things the wide variation of how people have either changed or stayed the same. Some of the people I knew and spoke with frequently when in high school changed so drastically I barely recognized them at the ten year reunion. I can only imagine what the twenty year will be like. On the other hand, some of them look just like they did on graduation day. Of course, I don’t think I look that much different, until I start looking at my old pictures!

If you are a 1987 graduate of Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas, please drop me an email at mike@mikesoutherland.com. We are currently trying to get in touch with as many classmates as possible. I’d also like to contact some of our former teachers. A few made it to the ten year reunion. We would be honored to have you join us for the twenty year celebration. Mr. Bill Thomas, if you are reading this, please drop me a note. You were definitely one of my favorite teachers for computer programming and calculus.

Matt Herring, if you run across this blog, send me a note. You didn’t make it to the ten year reunion. I’d really like to get back in touch with you after twenty years.

We should have a good time. The event will be held at the Iron Cactus in Dallas. We have a planning committee that is organizing all the details as I write this. We’ll send out the pricing information as soon as possible, after the meal has been selected, etc. My understanding is that the Iron Cactus is a bit more relaxed than City Place, where we held the ten year reunion.

I’m looking forward to seeing all of you there. Please send me an email if you are a classmate. I’d love to hear from you, and I’ll fill you in on all the details we have already.

-Mike

Mid-Life Crisis?

I’m no expert on what exactly constitutes “Mid-Life Crisis.” But from what I can tell, this phenomenon did not manifest itself until the 20th century. In my limited understanding of all things psychological, I think men typically experience this when their children have left home, but they don’t have grand children yet. It’s sort of a time when you’re too old to be young and too young to be old. From what I’ve heard, some guys turn to drinking. Others go out and buy a brand new sports car. Unfortunately, some may even practice adultery. Yet, what should this time in life constitute for a Christian man?

I was thinking about that today, as today is my 38th birthday. The way I see it, God did not intend for men to have a “bored” time of life when they are not actively involved in the lives of the next generation. After work today I will go home to my six children ranging in age from 13 down to 8 months. If things go the way they usually do, I’ll have a large collection of homemade cards wishing me a Happy Birthday. I love it. If the Lord continues to bless us the way He has so far, I will still be actively parenting my younger children when the first of the grandchildren start to come. In my case there will be no “gap” between the last child leaving home and the first grandchildren making their arrival. In fact, there could possibly be a very close age difference between my youngest child, and my oldest grandchild. (Maybe even a grandchild who’s older than my youngest child? That would be fun!)

Life is too short, and time is too important to waste it on material pursuits. I have so much I want to impart unto my children and my grandchildren. I have so much I want to learn so that I can, in turn, impart that into their lives as well. The time passes so quickly. It seems like only yesterday when I was a child in my parents’ home. Then it seems like yesterday when my wife and I married, and again when our oldest child was born.

I think in my case, I’ll skip my “mid-life” and simultaneously fill the roles of young daddy and wise grandfather. May the Lord grant me this desire, and may I bring Him glory in the pursuit.

The Sovereignty of God

Over the last 3 years or so, my doctrine has changed radically. Though I have named the name of Christ since I was five years old, I’ve had a major shift in vision during this brief last three years. Maybe I should back up a bit to tell the story.

In 2002, my sister-in-law who had Down Syndrome was diagnosed with cancer. I believe it was liver cancer, though I’m not sure. She went downhill fast, with about six months elapsing between the initial diagnosis and her death. At this point in my Christian walk, we were involved in a charismatic church. As I am wont to do, I also read numerous resources associated with our stated beliefs. I listened to other charismatic preachers. I say that to say that I may not have gotten this mindset completely from our church at the time, but I was at least influenced in this way of thinking by this theology. I am not disparaging these teachers, though I no longer agree with them. To clarify, my understanding of this teaching was that God has provided for all our healing. Satan is committed to bringing sickness on us all. Therefore, all we needed to do to get our healing is to have faith, reach out, and “take” it. Christ has already provided for healing on the cross, according to Isaiah 53:5. Well, here I was watching my sister-in-law die a death stretched out over 6 months, and all I could see were my in-laws preparing for the worst. This devastated me because I had known Lori since she was 7 years old. She was 21 at this time. She had been like a little sister to me. In my way of thinking, the devil was attacking her and we needed to stand strong and “claim” her healing. I said some things that I later regretted, because in my theological system all I saw was a “lack of faith” exhibited by her family.

2002 was a hard year. In addition to her sister, my wife also lost her grandmother, and I lost a grandmother as well. I didn’t blame God in all this. But I also didn’t see His hand at work in it either.

Meanwhile, my children were growing older. I could see that my daughter was quickly approaching youth group age at our church. Through at least one source, and I believe several sources, I found the ministry of Vision Forum. They have some excellent teachings on the hazards of the “Christian” youth culture. I began to listen to tapes and read books on parenting according to Christian principles. We were blessed in that a majority of our church homeschooled. Yet, when it came to worship, the whole church seemed to love the age segregated model.

To make a long story short, I had some other friends in Nashville who I met with at least weekly to do ministry at a local Planned Parenthood facility. I rarely “did ministry” with others from my church (though we did do a bit of street evangelism periodically). It was difficult to ever get any of them to join me at the abortuary for a time of prayer and passing out of literature. God was leading all of us (my friends and I) in a direction of Reformed Theology. We didn’t all approach it in the same manner. Yet, all of us were shown the truths of the Doctrines of Grace. I listened to an audiobook entitled The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink. I secured a printed copy and passed it on to the associate pastor at our church. He read through part of it and quickly dismissed it. I also began to realize that the senior pastor consistently preached an Arminian message, though he never called it that.

Through a series of events we ended up attending Reformed Baptist Church of Nashville for several months during the transition year of 2005 before our short move to Dallas, followed by our permanent move to Oklahoma.

The short of it is that I have come to realize the greatness of the Sovereignty of God. There is nothing that happens outside His control. When my sister-in-law passed away in 2002, it wasn’t that Satan “won this battle” as I had thought previously. Rather, God, in His Providence, and for purposes which I don’t understand “took her home.” God did it Himself, whether directly, or by using Satan as His puppet. It doesn’t matter. Satan can not thwart God’s will. This realization has shook me to the core and shaken up many of the old ideas that I once believed.

God reigns supreme. His Word is 100% accurate and true. He can be trusted to fulfill His promises, but He has never promised we would never have to endure sickness. That is a charismatic misinterpretation of the scriptures.

It all begins to make sense when you consider that if it is always God’s will for us to be healed, and we aren’t healed, then God failed. God never fails. Therefore we know that His will is always accomplished. Who are we to feebly attempt to thwart His will?

Likewise, God is sovereign over the salvation of man. For those who advocate a “free will” as the determining factor in salvation, they greatly exaggerate the importance of man in this decision. The scripture says we are dead in sin. Dead men do not respond to the Gospel. It is only when our spirit is resurrected by God Himself that we ever respond to His call.

I can now approach life with a brand new attitude. I need not fear death, for I know that I will not die until the day God has appointed for me to die. What’s more is that if God has appointed me to die on a particular day, there is nothing I can do to stop it. When I or my family is sick, I pray for the grace of God that they are healed. Yet, if they are healed, God gets the glory, not me for reaching out and “taking” it. If they are not healed, but get over it gradually, then I accept that as God’s will. If they are healed through the hands of doctors, then I can accept God’s sovereign will in that area too.

God is sovereign over the blessing of children. Who is man to deliberately try and stop God’s blessing of children? Sure, God can override man’s feeble attempts and give a child in spite of birth control. However, how much better it is when we freely surrender this area of our lives to His control as well, knowing that He is a much better judge of knowing the number of children we should raise.

I challenge you to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in every area of your life. Live your life according to the scriptures. Share the Gospel with those you come in contact with. Pray for your sick loved ones. Pray for your unsaved loved ones. Having obeyed His commands, leave the results to God. For He controls it all anyway. He is much better at bringing His results to pass than we are.