Remembering 9/11

On this the 25th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks by Islamic jihadists on the United States -- attacks which murdered nearly 3,000 people and created immense and long-enduring waves of fear and grief -- I’m not only remembering those despicable events this morning but also considering how very little America and the rest of the Western world learned from them. Let me write down a few of my reflections.

1) I was in southern Poland when the mass murderers struck. I was part of a small team serving handicapped people and their families by making friends, sharing the gospel, and distributing much-needed wheelchairs and walkers. We were doing so through the graces of Joni Eareckson-Tada’s Wheels for the World ministry. We had concluded most of our work for the day and had just begun a meal with some town officials when shocked faces and whispered conversations suggested something terrible had happened. But no one told us anything; well, except in learning the meeting was canceled due to a great tragedy occurring back in the United States. The locals suggested we go back to our hotel. 

Imagine hearing this and then walking back through the little town shadowed by unknown fears and sorrow and speculation. Had there been an earthquake or tornado swarms? An assassination? We were at a complete loss. Then, finally we arrived at the hotel where there were a few Poles who spoke English. But before they tried explaining, they openly wept, embraced us, and then pointed us to the television screens where we saw the films of the airplanes striking the Towers. The reality turned out to be more dire, more wicked than anything we had imagined. And there were a lot more horrors to come. 

Miraculously, I was able to make telephone contact with Claire fairly quickly and there was much comfort in that. But, as the hours and days stretched on, there was much more to learn, to mourn, and to try and deal with. And we had to do it apart from one another for there were no planes flying into the U.S. They wouldn’t be for many days to come. Therefore, our team decided to go ahead and complete the ministry tasks before us. Claire had to “play the medic” with friends and family stateside while also praying, getting accurate information to pass on to me, and fighting the paralyzing shock which came from sitting too long before the television’s endless replays of the attacks. It would be another 10 days or so before I got back to Nebraska to be with her.

2) My remembrances of these awful, awful days will always brightened a bit by the recall of Poland’s remarkable outpouring of sympathy and solidarity and tender friendship towards the United States...and to me personally. Everywhere we went there were tears and embraces and flowers and attempts to say in English “I am so sorry” and “We are praying for you” and so on.

I was to eventually learn that there was no nation that even came even close to expressing the love and loyalty and spiritual kinship to America as did Poland in that time. And being one of those blessed to experience in direct and abundant ways their tender hearts, I thank the Poles from the depths of my heart.

3) There was a lot made in those first days about the terrorist attacks serving as an awesome alarm, a trumpeting judgment, an ominous warning to America and the West about our indifference to God and to the low stupidity of mere secularism as a way of life. And, as Claire explained to me over the phone, there were people going suddenly to church, there were more references to God even by politicians and media agents, and more of an honest recognition of our nation’s spiritual unpreparedness. But what happened? Well, it was a very shallow, very brief awakening indeed. And by the time I arrived back into the country, everything was back to its dead normalcy. It turned out that even the shock of these historically unique and unimaginably barbaric terror attacks was not enough to persuade us to get right with Almighty God. In fact, the powers that be were soon twisting these demonic attacks into a bizarre tapestry of symbols and slogans, religious syncretism, empty (and coldly ironic) platitudes about unity and brotherhood, and over-the-top praises of our brave, tolerant, enduring, and free-spirited selves.

Oh yes; there were a few brave and faithful voices calling out for genuine repentance and close attention to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ: Franklin Graham, Jack Hibbs, John MacArthur, Greg Laurie, and others. But most Christian leaders, including the local pastors, failed to take this dramatically open door to teach the truths about the wages of sin, the exclusivity of the gospel, and the brutal and wicked blasphemies which pervade the “peaceful” religion of Islam.

4) And that last point introduces my 4th theme of these reflections this morning. My friends, we must admit that a combination of a) an unconscionable ignorance of the tenets of Muslim religion, b) an unconscionable ignorance of the history of Islamic militancy, and c) a rank cowardice to take a stand for truth that kept America and the West from honestly, effectively dealing with 9/11. For we can read what the Koran openly teaches. We can read the history books detailing Islam’s attitudes (and actions) toward the non-Muslim world. And we can look around us to see how far the evil character of Muslim jihad has invaded the West in just the last 3 generations.

If the Muslim inspired mass murders of 9/11 cannot awaken us to what Islam is and what Islam demands, what on earth will? If Europe (including the United Kingdom) tolerates (and sometimes even embraces) Islamic extremes -- sharia law, forced conversions, honor killings, genital mutilation of women, rape, and lazy individuals leeching off the fruits of Western civilization until they’re completely used up -- who will ever draw a “no more surrender” line? And as goes Europe, so too is going Canada and Australia...and the United States of America. 

Alas, the slogans of 9/11 ring terribly hollow now. For rather than dealing with the horrid realities, we are electing vehemently anti-American Muslims to public office, allowing loudspeakers to sound their strident calls to prayer throughout the day, requiring citizens to observe Muslim holidays, and so on. And, all the while, acting with straight faces like Islamophobia is a real thing while ignoring the waves of anti-Semitism and anti-Christianity that are engulfing the world. Good grief. 

So...my reflections on the anniversary of 9/11? They are intense; they are sad; and they are not very optimistic. But then, I joyfully remember this overarching fact -- because I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I am a citizen of another country, another kingdom and He has settled my eternal future in the New Jerusalem which He will bring out of heaven as eternity begins. And because of that glorious future, because of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit available to me right now, and because His Word is solid and effective in directing my steps now and until He takes me home, I can live my life as a light-bearing ambassador for the Lord Jesus in any culture, any circumstance. Thank You, Lord. Revive Your people and cause us to walk in Your ways. 

“Five Annihilating Words: One Night He Heard Screams”

“The daughter of a former German diplomat in Moscow was trying to explain to me why her father, who, as an enlightened modern man, had been extremely pro-Communist, had since become an implacable anti-Communist. It was hard for her because, as an enlightened modern girl, she shared the Communist vision without being a Communist. But she loved her father and the irrationality of his defection embarrassed her. ‘He was immensely pro-Soviet,’ she said, ‘and then -- you’ll laugh at me, but you must not laugh at my father -- and then one night in Moscow, he heard screams. That’s all. Simply one night he heard screams.’

A child of Reason and the 20th Century, she knew that there is a logic of the mind. She did not know that the soul has a logic that may be more compelling than the mind’s. She did not know at all that she had swept away the logic of the mind, the logic of history, the logic of politics, the myth of the 20th Century, with five annihilating words: one night he heard screams.

What Communist has not heard those screams? They come from husbands torn forever from their wives in midnight arrests. They come, muffled, from the execution cellars of the secret police, from the torture chambers of the Lubianka, from all the citadels of terror now stretching from Berlin to Canton. They come from those freight cars loaded with men, women and children, the enemies of the Communist State, locked in, packed in, left on remote sidings to freeze to death at night in the Russian winter. They come from minds driven mad by the horrors of mass starvation ordered and enforced as a policy for the Communist State. They come from the starved skeletons, worked to death, flogged to death (as an example to others) in the freezing filth of sub-arctic labor camps. They come from children whose parents are suddenly, inexplicably, taken away from them – parents they will never see again.

What Communist has not heard those screams?”

(Whittaker Chambers, Witness, pages 13, 14)

3 Key Responses to Good Preaching

The typical sermon in today’s evangelical church makes everybody feel safe, comfortable, and happy. Like the music that opens and closes the Sunday morning service, the sermon is designed to entertain, calm, and lift one’s self-esteem. The audience need not worry about too much theology, too many moral demands, or too many counter-culture exhortations. Learning? Don't worry about it, you got AI Chat program. Sacrifice? Just enough to make me feel good about yourself.  Stretching?  That’s for the ladies’ yoga class that meets in the multi-purpose room on Tuesday mornings.

But what if you are among the few that have the blessing of listening to solid, biblically-centered teaching on a Sunday morning?  Then may I suggest you make sure you are observing three things.

1) Good preaching should be appreciated.  Thank God for the Word and for a preacher who honors God’s revelation enough to study it, submit to it, and faithfully share it with his congregation.  Show your gratitude also by follow the example of the Bereans of Acts 17:11; namely, to study the Bible yourself and consistently extend its applications to your life.

2) Good preaching should be applauded.  An expository preacher, one well equipped in hermeneutics and holy living, should be hearing from those that benefit from his teaching.  He should be supported, encouraged, defended, helped, and honored – to his face, as well as among other church members and to outsiders.  So many preachers who bravely stand against the culture (including the soft-headed, me-oriented themes predominant in modern evangelical circles) end up standing alone.  Come alongside and give them a hand.

3) Good preaching should be applied.  It’s not enough to hear good sermons or even to pat the preacher on the back.  The whole purpose of God gifting you with a good Bible preacher is for your ongoing sanctification.  His sermons are to give you solutions to moral and intellectual problems, to equip you to do the work of ministry in your various spheres of influence, and to change you more into the image of Christ.

So, if you have a preacher who is studying to know, live, and effectively preach the Word of God?  That’s terrific.  Appreciate those sermons.  Applaud that preacher.  And apply the lessons he teaches you from the holy text.

And if you don’t have that kind of preacher?

Go find one.

On Fortune Tellers

I once had an interesting discussion after being asked by a non-Christian friend about fortune telling. I told him that I could get a higher percentage of predictions picking weekly winners in the NFL than any psychic he could name. He agreed that would probably be true if I were matched against people who only claim to be psychic. But then he asked, “Denny; what about the real deal? What do you think about someone who really can read the future, someone like Jeane Dixon?”

I was glad he asked because I had done a bit of research into the matter, including details on the lady who has (to date) been America’s most famous seer. “Well,” I began, “the late Jeane Dixon was certainly the most celebrated fortune teller of my time, mainly because of her syndicated newspaper column. But there were her books too, astrological guides that included charts for dogs, cats, your daily meals and so on. But I’m afraid I’ve got to disappoint you. Mrs. Dixon couldn't tell the future better than anyone else. Just check her record. In reality, she wasn’t a fortune-teller; she was only a fortune-guesser. And not a particularly good one at that.”

My friend seemed skeptical. “How then did she become so famous?”

I replied, “How did Tiny Tim become famous? Because he was talented? Of course not. Johnny Carson, the National Enquirer, and the rest of the media make people celebrities for all kinds of goofy reasons. But in Jeane Dixon’s case, I can assure you, her star status wasn’t something she earned. She simply gave away a huge amount of predictions and then conveniently remembered only the 10 or 15% that could be liberally interpreted as coming true."

“No kidding?”

I gave him a few examples. “When Mrs. Dixon just started to cash in on the popularity of horoscopes and fortune-telling in the early 50’s, she made a pretty famous prediction. She said that World War III was going to begin in 1958. That error cooled her jets until the tabloids of the 60’s were looking for wild attractions. They hauled Mrs. Dixon out again. She promptly assured Americans that the Vietnam conflict would be over by 1966. She was only nine years off, poor thing. Must have been a short in her crystal ball.”

“She also predicted there would be a cure for cancer in 1967. She predicted Fidel Castro would be overthrown and tossed out of Cuba in disgrace before the year 1970 was out. Of course, Cubans were waiting for that fulfillment 50 years later. She predicted there would be universal peace by the year 2000. And how about her confident assertion that Russia would be the first nation to put men on the moon?”

“But hey; I can't forget my favorite,” I finally added. “On October 19th, 1968, Mrs. Dixon predicted that the last thing on Jackie Kennedy’s mind was any possibility of remarriage. And then, bingo, the very next day, headlines announced to the world the wedding of Jackie and Aristotle Onassis.”

No, I assured my friend, I would feel no pressure from a prediction contest with even a “pro psychic” like Jeane Dixon. “We would all be in the guessing game together. The fact is that there is only one source of accurate, dependable information about the future.”

“I know, I know,” my friend said laughingly. “Forget the psychic hotlines and read the Bible instead.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

“Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing”

“Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing”

When it comes to theology and biblical interpretation,

beware the “new and improved” claims.

Over the course of my long Christian pilgrimage, I have occasionally been criticized for not plugging in to the latest theological fad...for not accepting as world-changing the latest mystical vision some religious leader has experienced...for not taking as absolutely indispensable every new book or video series...for not subscribing to this or that contrarian Bible teacher who has come up with dramatically “new and improved” Bible interpretations. 

The nature of the criticisms vary in both kind and degree. Some people are pretty cool about it. They don’t push; they’re not arrogant; they remain kind and courteous when we mutually decide to “agreeably disagree” in order to maintain our testimony and our fellowship in the Spirit. Others, however, are quick to take my disinterest (or disagreement) as a personal offense. They shrug their shoulders and walk away from me, figuring I’m too proud of spirit or too dull of mind (maybe both) to change my opinions in the directions they demand. And sadder still, there are some who also walk away but make sure that they “shake the dust off their feet” as they go. They break whatever bonds of goodwill that once existed and, from here on out, are duty-bound to treat me as a pernicious force, an enemy, perhaps even a heretic. My, my.

Of course, this begs the following kinds of questions. Are not changes required of even longtime believers? Must not even mature Christians learn new things, adapt to different situations, accept correction and even rebuke when called for? Certainly. After all, the Christian life is by biblical definition an existential and growing thing. Becoming more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ is not merely the goal, but the process itself. 

That does not mean, however, that we should carelessly allow unprecedented, contrarian, and “creative” teachings that break on the scene to steer us away from those historic, Bible-based convictions our spiritual forefathers passed along to us. Furthermore, a healthy skepticism of these new doctrines, discoveries, and hermeneutic methods is especially crucial when the adherents of the same are full of categorical put-downs of well-established Bible teachings of the Christian heroes who have gone before us -- heroes of the Faith who have shown both by precept and personal practice their value as Bible interpreters.

I’ve been thinking a bit about this business because a few days ago I was asked for help from a friend who was worried about his pastor recently wading into new “theological streams.” He wasn’t bearing tales nor did he give me more information than what was needed to explain his perplexity. And I recognized the religious controversy right away for I have friends who have stepped into those same streams. I did not, of course, desire to cast shade on his pastor, only to answer his question and encourage him to avoid unwarranted worry and divisiveness.  Anyhow, I thought that perhaps my approach to the matter may be of some value to a wider audience for I know some of you sometimes encounter similar situations. So, below I print an edited version of my note -- plus a postscript.

Dear ----------,

As you can guess, this is a rather awkward note to write because I have great affection and respect for both Pastor ---- as well as for ---- (another person he had referred to). However, I appreciate your friendship and hope to give you an honest (if not exhaustive) answer to your concerns. Let me begin by affirming that, ever since my conversion to Christianity back in 1970, I have embraced those fundamental biblical teachings stressed in the Reformation (Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, and Sola Gratia). Nevertheless, I find myself in disagreement with several of things emerging from this relatively new school of interpretation that you refer to. 

The fact is that I am very wary of anyone who boasts of a unique theology, of newly unearthed interpretations of Scripture, of dissatisfied splinter groups who intimate that their fresh discoveries are superior to all others. Such people seem to prefer separation to unity and relish lively arguments over secondary matters. In contrast, I trust God’s grace to give revelation of Himself, His creation, and His plans for His children to the whole Body of Christ, not just a select few who are initiated into the mysteries.

To illustrate my perspective, let me say that I remain confident and stimulated “to love and good deeds” through my theological partnership with such traditional gospel champions as Billy Graham, Bill Bright, D. L. Moody, Chuck Swindoll, Elizabeth Eliott, W.A. Criswell, Peter Marshall, Tim Tebow, Fanny Crosby, John Walvoord, Charles Wesley, Billy Sunday, Chuck Colson, Harry Ironside, John Newton, D. James Kennedy, Joni Eareckson Tada, J. Vernon McGee, Norm Geisler, James Ford Jr., Chuck Smith, James Dobson, Josh McDowell, Ben Carson, Dwight Pentecost, Randy Alcorn, C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaefer, and on and on. You get the idea. God’s grace to the Church has given us extraordinary examples of sincere, knowledgeable, courageous, and devoted champions of the Scripture’s interpretations -- and applications. And though there certainly are differences of opinions between these saints, they do not deter them from keeping the Faith, from humbly striving for the unity of God’s people, and from taking quite seriously God’s commands to be “doers of the Word.”  And so, even as I try my best to be a devoted student of the Bible who “rightly divides the Word of truth,” I pray my life will reflect a pursuit of the same goals as those desired by those mentioned above.

Finally, my friend, my suggestion is that if your questions or doubts remain troublesome to you, simply express them in respect and humility to your pastor. And let him know you want to be faithful and supportive -- even if differences of opinion might remain. I hope this helps a bit.

Denny

In closing, let me reiterate my basic warning. Be careful of any leader or “school of thought” who seeks to elevate themselves by means of harsh criticisms of others, especially the arrogance that assumes that anything existing before they came along is therefore old-fashioned, obsolete, ineffective, and unable to connect with modern times. And beware those of an unmistakably contrarian spirit who seem to delight in mocking and dismissing established views.

Instead, I urge an embrace of the Church’s historic and fundamental teachings and duties. Be a faithful, grateful Christian whose life emphasizes Christ’s finished work on the cross as the atonement for man’s sin, thanksgiving and praise, joy and mercy, love for the brethren and a lifestyle of showing forgiveness and patience to others, the frequent practice of evangelism, ministering the love of God to others in practical ways, standing for justice and speaking truth even in the public square. In other words, through the power of the Holy Spirit, “keep the main thing the main thing!”

“The Earth Is the Lord’s” -- Arbor Day vs Earth Day

In 1872, right here in the state of Nebraska, a journalist turned politician began a campaign that he hoped would help stabilize and beautify the rather sparse landscape of his state.  The man was a Nebraska City resident who believed that such a campaign would be a good idea in other places too.  And it was.

J. Sterling Morton’s call for tree husbandry was answered by the National Agricultural Convention meeting in St. Louis that year and by numerous municipalities, newspaper editors, and thousands of citizens.  The result was that the very first Arbor Day, April 22, saw almost a million trees planted.

But though J. Sterling Morton was a tree planter extraordinaire, he was not a tree hugger.  His attitude towards the natural world was the traditional one; namely, that the earth was the Lord’s and man, acting as God’s servant, was to effectively oversee nature, to subdue it in a rational way, to beautify it, and properly benefit from it.

Morton was thus acting in accordance with the biblical mandate -- the program originally given to Adam in the garden of Eden -- a call to responsibly appreciate, nurture, and enjoy the created things with which God had adorned the earth.

And most of the people who answered the challenge of Arbor Day were operating in the same spirit.  They were planting trees because trees were good things.  They bore fruit that man could eat.  They helped with soil conservation and provided protection from wind.  And they were pretty.

These people understood that trees were pleasant and productive plants, but they were for man’s use.  They were good things, not fellow souls.

Indeed, J. Sterling Morton (a conservative Democrat who served as Secretary of Agriculture under Grover Cleveland and whose son became a prominent Republican who was Secretary of the Navy under Theodore Roosevelt) was a faithful Episcopalian.  His understanding of the monumental difference between man (created in the express image of God) and nature (created for the enjoyment and benefit of man) was part of the basic Christian worldview.

The kind of conservation ethic he represented was rational, healthy, far-seeing, and well-rooted in sound environmental ideas.  It was the same enlightened conservation ethic of farmers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, of visionaries like Johnny Appleseed, and conservation champions like Teddy Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell, and other sportsmen who led the way in establishing our national parks and wildlife refuges. It was part of the longstanding tradition of taking care of the environment for man’s use -- not for nature’s sake.  It was the perspective of the farmer, the rancher, the hunter, and fisherman that we all be responsible and take care of the environment in order that man -- both in the now and in the future -- may be best served.   

Thus, Arbor Day was (and, by the way, still is) a responsible event, one that calls for individual volunteer efforts rather than government coercion.  In fact, the people associated with Arbor Day are decidedly apolitical.  “The only stand we take,” says an official with the Arbor Day Foundation, “is that it’s a great thing to plant trees.”  No demands for government intrusion.  No insistence on group think.  No call for Nanny State regulations and taxes. No worshipping Gaia or Mother Earth.

What a dramatic difference this is from the “holiday” that has tried to bully its way over and past Arbor Day, the extremely political, propagandist, and manipulative event that pirated the same day, April 22, and now tries to crowd out the very memory of Arbor Day. That event of course, is Earth Day. Or as the United Nations calls it -- International Mother Earth Day. To be sure, this newly-invented, politically-charged “holiday” is often dominated by socialist (even pantheistic) tenets and, therefore, absolutely ignores who the true heroes of American environmentalism are; namely, those hunters, fishermen, and other genuine conservationists mentioned earlier. 

And, of course, International Mother Earth Day also ignores the innumerable passages in Holy Scripture which deal with God as the Creator and Sovereign King of the earth...and those which testify to the glory of Almighty God that is revealed in His creation...and those which exhort men to carefully serve as responsible stewards of the natural order...and the eventual destruction of the earth which occurs not through man’s ecological failure, but rather by the holy judgment of God. 

The last item, by the way, occurs just before God creates a new heaven and, yes, a brand new earth. 

International Mother Earth Day vs Arbor Day? For the Bible-based Christian, the choice is an obvious and easy one.

“Don’t Be Neutral on Abortion”

In this month’s edition of the Vital Signs Ministries newsletter,

Denny talks about the March of Dimes’ “neutrality on abortion” and the extreme moral danger of Christians adopting the same attitude. 

Check it out at this link.

Attention Readers (and Talkers)

We have already alerted you about the next Vital Signs Book Brunch on April 12, 10 AM, at the Hartford home in northwest Omaha. The book under discussion will be the classic Lord Foulgrins’s Letters written by one of our favorite contemporary authors, Randy Alcorn from Eternal Perspective Ministries. (FYI -- The book can be obtained for less than $10 at the EPM site itself.) 

However, there's yet another title that's come along which a few of us are reading...also with a view to an informal discussion together. John Malek brought up his reading of John West's Stockholm Syndrome Christianity at one of our Thursday morning coffees a couple of weeks ago and recommended it. I quickly downloaded it onto our Kindle and both Claire and I are finding it a very provocative and worthwhile read. We haven't yet set a date or time for discussing West's book because...that's right...we're waiting on you to see if you're in!

Behind the Scenes with Demons?

For the next Vital Signs Book Brunch (April 12, 10 AM, at the Hartford home in northwest Omaha), we have selected a classic, Lord Foulgrins’s Letters by one of our favorite contemporary authors, Randy Alcorn from Eternal Perspective Ministries. The book has been one of our favorite Alcorn titles ever since it was published in 2000. In fact, I remember a lively discussion of the book with Randy on one of the “Weekend Vital Signs” radio interviews back in the day. But we will expect no less of a delightful, meaningful conversation with all of you on the 12th.

The book can be obtained for less than $10 at the EPM site itself. That’s a terrific price. And though you might find a used copy a couple of dollars cheaper somewhere else, when you purchase it through EPM, 10% goes to maintain their excellent work with the other 90% going to a variety of other Christ-centered ministries around the world. The link that you’ll need is right here.

But don’t just take my word for it regarding the excellence and provocative nature of the book. Listen in on these testimonies:

“Lord Foulgrins’s Letters is a welcome addition to the world of Christian fiction. Randy Alcorn provides a needed reminder of just what it means for Christians to be engaged in battle with principalities and powers not of this world.” (Chuck Colson) 

“If you are interested in gaining a better understanding of Satan’s schemes, Lord Foulgrin’s Letters is a must read.” (Tim and Beverly LaHaye)

“One of the most unusual and important inquiries into the demon mind since The Screwtape Letters, Alcorn rivets our attention. This book will disturb, stimulate, and enlighten.” (D. James Kennedy)

Of course, RSVPs are of very important help to us as we plan for the Book Brunch, so if you plan on joining in the fun, please let us know as soon as you can. Thank you!

Francis Schaeffer on Cool vs Hot Communication

“According to Marshal McLuhan in the theory of communication, hot communication is communication that has content, that speaks to men and moves men through the mind on the basis of that content. Cool communication is a kind of personal first-order-experience where in one is moved but without any content passing through his mind, his reason…

It is therefore necessary for the true Christians in the church to oppose Mcluhanesque ‘cool’ communication employed by the liberal theologians with the ‘hot’ communication of theological and biblical content…

We believe in the hot communication of content and as our age cools off more and more in its communication, as content is played down and reason is plowed under, I believe the historic Christian faith must more and more emphasize content, content, content, and then more content.”

(Francis Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World)

"If You Take Away Religion, You Can't Hire Enough Police"

Clayton Christensen from the Harvard Business School talks about the foundational values to culture that religion provides.

Uh, A Couple of Big Problems with Darwinian Evolution

Check out this nifty 5-minute Prager U clip, "From Bacteria to Beethoven."

Evolution: The Worst Pseudo-Science Scam of Them All

Throughout the month of July, I will be posting here on Vital Signs Blog various articles, quotations, and references to trustworthy sources dealing with the ethereal, though insistent, claims about evolution. I do so because evolution theories have had such an enormous effect on current culture – an effect that has been devastating to the max on everything from education to politics to art to religious practice to the gross hindrance of genuine scientific inquiry itself. 

So stay tuned.

For the first entry, here’s a nifty 10-minute video video exploring the remarkable lack of empirical foundations for what evolutionists insist is "one of their best" arguments. So, cmon; let's check out this "whale of a tale."

Urgent: Lie Detectors Needed

A little known poem written in the 1920’s by the author of Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak, describes the power of Bolshevik revolutionary and ruthless dictator Vladimir Lenin in a striking stanza. In this poem, “Lofty Melody,” Pasternak emphasizes the connection between Lenin’s comprehensive political power and his propaganda prowess. Writes Pasternak, “He ruled the flow of thought, and that is why he ruled the land.”

Pasternak understood that the prelude to controlling people’s lives was controlling their minds. And as the decline of Western civilization continues its dramatic course, it is critical that you and I take the challenge that Pasternak’s observation implies. After all, ours is an age when the erroneous inventions of Darwin, Freud, and Marx still dominate the academic world – an age when the terms and demographics used in the public debate over abortion are provided by the abortionists themselves – an age when lies of the devil have become the dominant messages in our culture’s music, movies, television programming, fashion, education systems, and the leftist reporting which masquerades as journalism. These godless sources clearly have ruled the flow of thought in our era, thus creating the most horrendous flow of action, including waves of unimaginable violence, sexual perversion, and open defiance of Almighty God.

Jesus warned us that Satan is the father of lies and also that he is a creature committed to fierce action, especially against Christians. Indeed, the devil is never content with the lie itself; he is also a blasphemer, a deceiver, an accuser, a tempter, a murderer. And, in pursuit of these wicked things, he creates alliances with foolish, rebellious human beings. For instance, he uses such voices as a newspaper or magazine article, a film or a television program, a humanistic school curricula or museum exhibit, the allure of cocaine highs or illicit sexual thrills, get-rich-quick pitchmen or false preachers, and so on. Through such voices, the devil seeks to rule the land -- by ruling “the flow of thought.”

The psalmist tells us that those who speak lies go astray. The deception of the mind leads to “actualized” sin...and then more sin. Stressing the same truth, the Lord tells us that as a man thinks, so will he act. As apologist Francis Schaeffer repeatedly emphasized, “Ideas have consequences.” And no more crucial does Dr. Schaeffer’s remark relate to you and I than in this matter of believing lies.

Now this isn’t normally a topic we talk about. The word “liar” is considered too stern, too moralistic, too judgmental for social use…even in church. And certainly being a “lie detector” will not make you very popular nowadays. Nonetheless, those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have an unmistakable, undeniable calling which requires them to perform that very function. Detecting the lies that confront us throughout the day, refusing their power in our own lives, and then daring even in the public square to expose and refute those – these are critical elements of being a true disciple, a “light of the world.”

I fear for the state of the Church in the West because of the frequency with which everyday Christians succumb to worldliness, forfeiting their rich intellectual heritage for the propaganda doled out by the devil’s minions. Is it any wonder then that believers, “unsalty” and begrimed with the spirit of the age, have lost their power to influence the events around them? Rather than acting as sojourners in this foreign country of the world, we’ve settled in and become quite comfortable. Rather being transformed into the image of Christ Jesus, we have chosen to be poured into the molds made by advertisers, politicians, secular educators, entertainment moguls, and preachers who deny the necessity of both holy living and sacrificial service in behalf of others. It has been a tragic sell-out.

Is there a way back? Certainly. And it begins with the simple refrain, “Out with the bad and in with the good.” Or, put another way, we need much less of the world in us and much more of the Word. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the mature Christian is one who has by practice had his senses trained to discern good and evil. That is a comforting thought as well as a challenge. For despite the enveloping cloud of lies in our era, the Holy Spirit reminds us that the obedient Christian can overcome evil with good. Not only can we escape the tyranny of lies ourselves, we can even beat them back as they try to claim new victims.

It doesn’t come easy, of course. The most difficult reclining chairs to get out of are the ones that feel so good to be in. You have to be a diligent student of the Bible. You must strive for holiness, deny self, be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. And you have to engage the power of the Holy Spirit as you bring His light to bear upon everything you encounter. If you let down your guard in any area, you become easy prey for the father of lies. He will fool you. He will exploit you. And he will then toss you aside. How infinitely better is it to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd?

By wisdom a house is built

And by understanding it is established.

And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong

And a man of knowledge increases power.

For by wise guidance you will wage war,

And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

(Proverbs 24:3-6)

The above passage from Proverbs presents a dramatic contrast to Vladimir Lenin’s ambition to rule over men by dominating the world of ideas. For the wise man, as these verse illustrate, is one who builds his life on the sure foundations of God’s Word. That man can then influence the world of action as he teaches truth, exposes and overcomes the devil’s lies, and guides others towards spiritual freedom, justice, moral purity, and serenity of soul.

Unlike Lenin (and unlike Satan and his henchmen themselves), the wise man has trusted Jesus Christ’s death as payment for his sin. He has been adopted into God’s forever family and given the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the newness of life. In obedience to God’s commands for him to be a light-bearing disciple, the wise man will thus celebrate his freedom to know truth, but he will also bravely take on the duty of “lie detection” to help liberate others.

Thoughts on Psalm 140

As I've previously explained here on the blog and on my Facebook page, I have been richly blessed in recent months in reflecting on certain Scriptures along with a few friends. 

Our approach is simple enough – read the selected Bible book or passage, study it in whatever depth one has time for, consider personal applications of the text, and then post a few of one's own reflections on an email thread. Thus, everyone in the group (there have been 8-12 of us invited to that thread) can benefit. Using this method we have so far explored the Book of Esther, then Habakkuk, and now we're looking at three successive Psalms: 139, 140, and 141.

The invitation still stands for others who might want to join in. And with that introduction to the exercise, here's my latest on Psalm 140.

Dear friends,

While awaiting further responses to Psalm 139, Claire and I are also moving on to Psalm 140, one of those imprecatory psalms that unbelievers find so scandalous.  “How can a spiritual person pray for harsh judgment against others?” they ask.  And thus, standing in judgment of the Holy Scriptures, they defend unbelief and spiritual pride.  They assume that these imprecatory psalms and the Bible teachings on judgement, hell, etc., prove that they themselves are more compassionate and just and loving than is God Himself.  And then, having dismissed conviction, they conveniently dismiss all biblical matters and go their own way. Too bad.

Anyway, I’ll make my response to this spiritual exercise by doing two things. First of all, to share a perspective on praying against the wicked, I post a link to a brief essay I originally wrote 2 years ago for the blog. It’s entitled “Praying God’s Arrows Will Fly.” 

And secondly, stemming from this morning’s reading of Psalm 140, I give you 4 quick prayers that are applications for my life today.

1) Lord, as we take our stand against abortion outside Planned Parenthood today, please deliver us from “violent men who devise evil things in their heart.”  Rescue us from abortion zealots who hate us for our winsome witness for You -- whether they are employees, escorts, counter demonstrators, angry passersby, and so on.

2) Father, please protect me from those traps and nets and snares the enemy has set for me.  Guard me and guide my every step.  Keep me in humble dependence upon Your Holy Spirit so that I do only Your will and keep myself pure in heart, firm in the Faith, and obedient to Your every teaching. Don't let the devil steal my confidence, focus, joy, purity, focus, or any other blessing.

3) Father, defeat the schemes of the devil and his minions in our nation.  Let them not succeed but, in fact, let frustration, shame, and scandal be the outcome of their actions against You and Your anointed.

4) Keep ever in my mind, Lord, that You are righteous and just and all-powerful.  You WILL judge the wicked in holiness.  You WILL “maintain the cause” of Your people and reward them in due season.  Let me hold fast to Your promises, Your character, and Your enabling power to live always for You.

Urgent: Lie Detectors Wanted

A little known poem written in the 1920’s by the author of Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak, describes the power of Bolshevik revolutionary and ruthless dictator Vladimir Lenin in a striking stanza. In this poem, “Lofty Melody,” Pasternak emphasizes the connection between Lenin’s comprehensive political power and his propaganda prowess. Writes Pasternak, “He ruled the flow of thought, and that is why he ruled the land.”

Pasternak understood that the prelude to controlling people’s lives was controlling their minds. And as the decline of Western civilization continues its dramatic course, it is critical that you and I take the challenge that Pasternak’s observation implies. After all, ours is an age when the erroneous inventions of Darwin, Freud, and Marx still dominate the academic world – an age when the terms and demographics used in the public debate over abortion are provided by the abortionists themselves – an age when lies of the devil have become the dominant messages in our culture’s music, movies, television programming, fashion, education systems, and the leftist reporting which masquerades as journalism. These godless sources clearly have ruled the flow of thought in our era, thus creating the most horrendous flow of action, including waves of unimaginable violence, sexual perversion, and open defiance of Almighty God.

Jesus warned us that Satan is the father of lies and also that he is a creature committed to fierce action, especially against Christians. Indeed, the devil is never content with the lie itself; he is also a blasphemer, a deceiver, an accuser, a tempter, a murderer. And, in pursuit of these wicked things, he creates alliances with foolish, rebellious human beings. For instance, he uses such voices as a newspaper or magazine article, a film or a television program, a humanistic school curricula or museum exhibit, the allure of cocaine highs or illicit sexual thrills, get-rich-quick pitchmen or false preachers, and so on. Through such voices, the devil seeks to rule the land -- by ruling “the flow of thought.”

The psalmist tells us that those who speak lies go astray. The deception of the mind leads to “actualized” sin...and then more sin. Stressing the same truth, the Lord tells us that as a man thinks, so will he act. As apologist Francis Schaeffer repeatedly emphasized, “Ideas have consequences.” And no more crucial does Dr. Schaeffer’s remark relate to you and I than in this matter of believing lies.

Now this isn’t normally a topic we talk about. The word “liar” is considered too stern, too moralistic, too judgmental for social use…even in church. And certainly being a “lie detector” will not make you very popular nowadays. Nonetheless, those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have an unmistakable, undeniable calling which requires them to perform that very function. Detecting the lies that confront us throughout the day, refusing their power in our own lives, and then daring even in the public square to expose and refute those – these are critical elements of being a true disciple, a “light of the world.”

I fear for the state of the Church in the West because of the frequency with which everyday Christians succumb to worldliness, forfeiting their rich intellectual heritage for the propaganda doled out by the devil’s minions. Is it any wonder then that believers, “unsalty” and begrimed with the spirit of the age, have lost their power to influence the events around them? Rather than acting as sojourners in this foreign country of the world, we’ve settled in and become quite comfortable. Rather being transformed into the image of Christ Jesus, we have chosen to be poured into the molds made by advertisers, politicians, secular educators, entertainment moguls, and preachers who deny the necessity of both holy living and sacrificial service in behalf of others. It has been a tragic sell-out.

Is there a way back? Certainly. And it begins with the simple refrain, “Out with the bad and in with the good.” Or, put another way, we need much less of the world in us and much more of the Word. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the mature Christian is one who has by practice had his senses trained to discern good and evil. That is a comforting thought as well as a challenge. For despite the enveloping cloud of lies in our era, the Holy Spirit reminds us that the obedient Christian can overcome evil with good. Not only can we escape the tyranny of lies ourselves, we can even beat them back as they try to claim new victims.

It doesn’t come easy, of course. The most difficult reclining chairs to get out of are the ones that feel so good to be in. You have to be a diligent student of the Bible. You must strive for holiness, deny self, be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. And you have to engage the power of the Holy Spirit as you bring His light to bear upon everything you encounter. If you let down your guard in any area, you become easy prey for the father of lies. He will fool you. He will exploit you. And he will then toss you aside. How infinitely better is it to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd?

By wisdom a house is built

And by understanding it is established.

And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong

And a man of knowledge increases power.

For by wise guidance you will wage war,

And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

(Proverbs 24:3-6)

The above passage from Proverbs presents a dramatic contrast to Vladimir Lenin’s ambition to rule over men by dominating the world of ideas. For the wise man, as these verse illustrate, is one who builds his life on the sure foundations of God’s Word. That man can then influence the world of action as he teaches truth, exposes and overcomes the devil’s lies, and guides others towards spiritual freedom, justice, moral purity, and serenity of soul.

Unlike Lenin (and unlike Satan and his henchmen themselves), the wise man has trusted Jesus Christ’s death as payment for his sin. He has been adopted into God’s forever family and given the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the newness of life. In obedience to God’s commands for him to be a light-bearing disciple, the wise man will thus celebrate his freedom to know truth, but he will also bravely take on the duty of “lie detection” to help liberate others.

An Eventful Saturday

It was certainly an eventful Saturday for us beginning with my drive to Lincoln early this morning to pick up Harold Berry so that he could participate in the upcoming Vital Signs Book Brunch we were holding at Community Bible Church. We had a wonderful conversation. 

Then the event itself was remarkably successful --- 38 people, a delicious brunch (scrambled eggs, sausages, croissants, a couple of types of iced coffee cake, fruit salad, donuts, and hot drinks), a stimulating group discussion of Dr. Mark Christian's book The Apostate which tells of his exodus from Islam, and finishing with Dr. Christian himself talking about his life and new ministries in Christ. 

It went extremely well and we are deeply grateful for the special help from Allen Nelson, Mark & Benita Fichter, and Keith & Carol Moran in setting up and cleaning up. You guys are super friends!

And then this evening's highlight? That huge rain, hail, and wind storm! One of the very large branches of one of our front yard silver maples broke off and was blown over onto our neighbor's driveway hitting his car. Yipes. The damage wasn't really bad but enough to get our insurance guy on the job. We started cleaning up and another neighbor from across the street came over with his chainsaw which made the task of moving the branch back over to our driveway MUCH easier. 

Then a little more cleanup with another neighbor whose trees had also lost some big branches. And then finally, we got back inside to dry off and get ready for my sermons at tomorrow's church services at Wellspring Lutheran and Aksarben Village Senior Living. Like I said, it was an eventful Saturday, indeed.

In the Era of Putin's Aggression, Remember Alexander Solzhenitsyn

The injustice and cruelty of the Soviet Union’s vast organization of labor camps in the 1930’s and 1940’s are now well known. But that knowledge didn’t have to surface. Indeed, without the grace of God acting through such heroic individuals as Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the truth might well have remained buried by Communist cover-ups.

Solzhenitsyn's was the foremost voice raised against the grandiose and oppressive Soviet machine. Through rare courage and sacrificial efforts, he managed to alert the whole world to the barbaric injustices committed against countless numbers of human beings.

Solzhenitsyn’s most famous (though not often read) book is the riveting 3-volume Gulag Archipelago. In that incredible work, the former slave camp worker documents the massive catalog of outrageous lies, violence, and criminal corruption that were the “very stuff” of Soviet Communism. In the Gulag (and even in his fiction), Solzhenitsyn serves primarily as an historian. It is enough, he insisted, to simply record what happened, to give the truth an open hearing. He had a bold faith in the triumphant power of truth and he therefore believed that when people learned the real story of Soviet tyranny, they would never again allow the devil an open door to such blasphemy and brutality.

It is in this sense that Alexander Solzhenitsyn is hailed as a prophet – not as a foreteller of future events but as a “forthteller” of what had already happened. He held up the banner of truth and, simply by performing that service, he helped change the world.

Solzhenitsyn’s play The Love-Girl and the Innocent is set in a forced labor camp in Siberia in 1945 and it features one of the persecuted men listing just a few of the monstrous crimes performed by Soviet thugs that he had personally witnessed. The prisoner is beside himself with fury, feeling utterly helpless to do anything about this all-enveloping injustice. But in response, Pavel Gai, an imprisoned ex-soldier who has experienced more than his own share of horrors, answers him with chilling authority. “What can we do? Remember – that’s all.”

And that's precisely what Alexander Solzhenitsyn did.  He remembered.  In fact, it was his constant plea to God to help him remember specific events, people, and situations so that he could record the true history of the Soviet Union's crimes against humanity and God. Solzhenitsyn desired more than anything else to be a faithful historian in order to effectively honor the gulag’s victims, and perhaps more important, preserve and proclaim the truths about Communism that could set the future free.

Ronald Reagan was one of those inspired by those revelations and he acted on the knowledge that Solzhenitsyn had so bravely preserved. The camps were emptied. The Wall finally came down. Truth, just a simple presentation of the truth, can indeed destroy the darkness.

And now in our day, with Vladimir Putin’s savage return to the dark lies of totalitarianism, persecution, and terrorism with which he is trying to drown the truth of Communist Russia’s corruption, inefficiency and failure, Alexander Solzhenitsyn's example and exhortations are as valuable as ever.

Note: I am undertaking a re-read of Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago this spring and summer. Anyone interested in joining me?

Praying God’s Arrows Will Fly

In recent years my intercessory prayers have included specifically “targeted” prayers against the mindless, nihilistic lawlessness which is spreading across the world – lawlessness seen not only in riots, looting, and increased homicides in our cities, but also in the rebellion of the general culture against God’s distinct and holy laws regarding sexuality, sanctity of life, respect for parents and the “ancient boundaries,” modesty, humility, just punishment for criminal acts, and the exclusivity of the gospel.

These prayers have frequently utilized a biblical metaphor that I was drawn to in our reading of Psalms and Job; namely, the arrows of God.  Let me give you a couple of examples.

“Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.”  (Psalm 45:5, NASB)

“If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.  He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.”  (Psalm 7:12-13 NASB)

“He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, and lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.”  (Psalm 18:14 NASB)

“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. Their poison my spirit drinks. The terrors of God are arrayed against me.”  (Job 6:4 NASB)

I have been praying, therefore, for the arrows of God’s judgment to fly into the heart of the King’s enemies, that the corrosive poison they possess would weaken and overcome the wicked purposes devised by the devil.  For those who will not repent, who will not submit to the holiness and mercy of God, I pray that His fiery shafts will fly swift and sure into their ranks, bringing about confusion, deflation, and defeat.

But I’m not praying for these things in general. I’m praying that these divine arrows fly into the heart of certain key strongholds of the enemy. In fact, here are the specific targets in my list.

* Islam and other false religions (including Communism and the various other strains of Marxism).

* The apostasy, syncretism, cowardice, and love of the world’s approval which increasingly marks the churches of our day.

* The mega-abortion corporation that is Planned Parenthood.

* The lying, manipulative media.

* The Democrat Party and its fellow travelers who have completely sold out to abortion, sexual perversion, religious intolerance, the coddling of criminals, and anti-Americanism.

* The monopolistic and irreligious powers of government educators.

* The malevolent powers of Big Tech (Google, Twitter, YouTube, Amazon, and others) which are, like the “old guard” media, going all out to suppress the truth, to persuade people to believe lies, and to mock all things godly.

* The Deep State.

A couple of things to note – If you feel uncomfortable with this kind of prayer, perhaps it is because you have paid more attention to the prayers you normally hear in church than to the prayers you find in Scripture.  I would suggest you read through Psalms (prayers for God’s judgments upon the wicked absolutely abound there) but also in the prophets, the New Testament epistles, and Revelation.

Also keep in mind that the pattern of prayer Jesus gives His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 includes an appeal for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  That means dispensing holiness and justice in Washington, D.C., Beijing, the Kremlin, Damascus, and everywhere else. (Don’t forget, however, that the faithful disciple of Christ desires God’s will be done also in one’s home, business, entertainment decisions, finances, the kids’ education, etc.) So, make no mistake. Prayers for God’s judgment upon sin and rebellion are not only always in order; they are our duty.

Finally, remember always the cautionary promise of Romans 12:19. “‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”  That’s a promise that first appears in Deuteronomy 32:35 but it is repeated in Psalm 94:1-3, here in Romans, and in Hebrews 10:30. It is obvious, then, that God wants us to appreciate that the dispensing of judgment isn’t a bad thing at all.  That is, unless we try to deal it out ourselves.  No, our hatred and anger, our cursing and complaining; any dirty tricks we might want to play on our enemies – none of that serves the cause of justice. Indeed, none of that pleases God in the least.  However, vengeance delivered from the throne of God is another thing altogether.  God’s vengeance is wonderful, holy, and eminently just. It is a comforting promise that underscores both His righteousness and His power.  And so it’s a good thing to pray for. 

Lord, let Your arrows fly into the heart of Your enemies.  Let their wicked schemes crumble and fall apart. And in the confused fight from their destruction, let many souls turn to the liberating, cleansing power of the gospel message.  Yet, even so, Lord Jesus; please come soon for Your Church.

I invite you to join Claire and me in this intercessory campaign against these (and other) demonic strongholds. 

On the American Attraction to Novelty

There is a strong and ongoing temptation towards novelty in the American Christian. Indeed, he has for so long and in so many clever ways been taught that “new is better” that he now believes it as a foundational premise. For his entire life he has been surrounded by a persuasive media that has defined him as a consumer and so it is, more than anything, the advertising agency that has determined the way he looks at the world. He has his learned lessons well and is now convinced that everything that is “new” must truly be “improved.”

Running a not too distant second in formulating the believer's attraction to novelty is the school system in which he was taught. There he was instructed carefully and incessantly in evolutionary thought. Whether the classes involved science, humanities, ethics, or Marxist-laced economics, the government school system has instructed him that everything is moving towards that inventible force called (note the capital P) Progress. A key part of his worldview is the maxim, “Every day in every way, things are getting better and better.”

It should be no surprise then that American Christians find themselves ever attracted to novelty…even in theological matters. The latest trend. The fashionable formula. The pragmatism promised by the most recent book. The American Christian, taking his lead from the advertising jingles in his head, believes that even in the search for religious significance, success will be found in the “new and improved” theological tricks – the latest, the hippest, the faith flavor of the month.

But G.K. Chesterton had it right when he declared, “It is the old things that startle and intoxicate.” And indeed, the believer’s strength is always found in the ancient truths, the essentials, the fundamentals of the faith. Ours is a Faith grounded in history and beautifully enacted by real heroes who have given us an extremely rich heritage. And we worship and serve a Messiah Who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” and Who has revealed himself in the timeless writings of the Holy Bible.

So please, my friends, beware of the siren calls from novelty for they represent an alluring but ultimately misleading force. No, it is much better to stay the course with He Who was, is, and is to come…He Who holds the future in His Hands…He Who is, quite rightfully titled, the Rock of Ages.