Suffering for righteousness....even in reputation

Come with me as we walk through the Biblical narrative and explanation of a certain man whose reputation in most Christian circles is that of compromise, weakness, and worldliness. This man of whom we know very little is nonetheless scrutinized by the masses, with many adding into the Biblical account their own suppositions, opinions, and yet sadly are seen by most as true and accurate. Spanning the Old and New Testaments, the story of a man who is righteous in God's eyes will be thoroughly examined here, with my hope to exonerate once and for all whom the Bible calls "righteous".  Let us take a thorough, unbiased look at the life of Lot.

My 2 Cents Worth Regarding "Gay Marriage"

The following is my expanded comment on a recent Facebook status from an acquaintance that stated" The fact that you can't sell your daughter for three goats and a cow means we have already redefined marriage". This (jocular?) statement lacks merit on a few fronts, not the least of which is that marriage has never been Biblically nor legally defined by the exchange of livestock. This tactic of portraying marriage as some archaic property exchange only upheld in nomadic societies is not accurate historically, Biblically, nor logically. I understand my arguments will anger some, but I just call 'em like I see 'em.

"Marriage would not be redefined by the content of the dowry. Indeed, this could have been paid in multiple ways including payment of animals, money, or servitude for an agreed period of time. Biblically, marriage was defined when it was first instituted by God between Adam and Eve. Indeed, no dowry at all was paid nor was there any ceremony. God made a woman for the man as a helper and told them to be fruitful and multiply."

Power to pronounce you "man and wife"?

I recently read this article on a friend's website. I have verified many of the facts contained herein on other occasions in my study of the church and state's place in other issues, including the oxymoronic "marriage for homosexuals". Voddie Baucham did a great job discussing that issue in his blog post "Is gay the new black?" and I highly recommend reading that article also.

 This article delves into how marriage was taken out of the realm of God's authority and given to the state or even placed in the hands of the Catholic church during the Reformation. Lots more inside that most people who have not studied marriage in the Bible to modern times will be shocked to see.

Read the article and research the facts yourself. Go to God's Word and be convinced

Enduring for the truth

As we  walk through the trials that come with standing on God's Word,  this portion of Scripture has often served to remind us that we are not alone in our suffering. Indeed, there are many in this world who suffer for doing wrong, and they are rightly judged.  Conversely, there are also many who suffer for doing what is righteous and godly, too often at the hands of their brothers and sisters in Christ who have zeal without knowledge. I hope this letter serves to encourage those who have endured persecution for their stand on God's Word regarding marriage. 

We will begin by considering a portion of Peter's first epistle. Having endured great trials himself, Peter shares his heart with those receiving the letter and reminds them that the holy and righteous savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, also suffered wrong and patiently endured it. Surely we can agree that much of what we endure truly is momentary, light affliction compared with the public execution of God's only begotten Son. 

1 Peter 2 (NASB)

16 "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 

True patriarchy considered

The Christian patriarch of our day has an uphill battle ahead of him. With feminism taking a firm hold in most cultures around the world and the majority of the church, patriarchy may well be the most misunderstood Biblical teaching of our day. The word "patriarch" for some stirs up an image of a strict legalist who runs his home with an iron fist. Some in conservative Christian circles have laid hold of the term, but make special notice to distance themselves from certain aspects of patriarchy as demonstrated and prescribed in God's Word. This is sad to me, as in my opinion one of the necessary characteristics of a true patriarch is that of ruling well his own household, a belief which has been compromised to include egalitarianism.

Just as the characteristics of Biblical elders and deacons, the issue is less about how many children a man may have been blessed with (as some have held the standard), and more of how one cares for and manages that which is under his authority. The patriarch has been given a great responsibility from the Lord, a stewardship to lead his family in the ways of the Lord by teaching and example. If a man does not love his wife nor train his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, he has surely failed to accomplish the goals which were given to his charge.

The issue of headship is not one of worth nor even ability, but of obedience and faithfulness. A weak and simple man who will be faithful to obey all that God has given to his charge is truly more effective in representing Christ than would one with great intellect and accolades of men that relies on his own strength and disobeys the Lord in favor of doing things his own way.

A man is truly strong when he recognizes that he is weak, humbly allowing the strength of God to be manifested in his life. After all, the picture of a husband and wife is to proclaim Christ and the church. With the Lord Jesus Christ as our supreme example, we fall on our faces in humility and gratitude for the privilege to serve our families as Christ served the church. He is the King of Kings, yet His triumphal entry into Jerusalem was on the foal of a donkey. The One whose blood would cleanse away every stain of sin took upon Himself the duties of a servant, washing the feet of those under His authority. These pictures of humility and exemplary service surely show us that we should not be prideful or harsh to those under our charge.

In contrast, Jesus also said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Surely, the Savior is trustworthy in all things. Though husbands and fathers are surely human and quite capable of mistakes, nevertheless they are the trusted servants to whom Christ Himself has entrusted with a charge of headship and leadership. Thus, the godly man who understands his place will be trustworthy. There surely will be conflict and disagreement in some situations that arise in the home. The mark of a true patriarch will not be that there is never conflict, but rather how he leads through that conflict. 

Josiah Matthew Cowperthwaite

Josiah Matthew Cowperthwaite was born at 606pm on July 14th, 2012. This was a long, arduous labor but definitely worth the work! Josiah is our earliest baby yet, at 23 days prior to "due date", but all in God's perfect timing. Lots of stories to tell in this labor and delivery, but the important parts is he is here, everyone is healthy, and God has richly blessed our family yet again.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.

5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127

Book Review: Behemoth

Sara and I often read together at bed time, but "Behemoth" was such an exciting read we got to bed late a few nights. Often, we found ourselves reading just one more chapter, as the excitement grew with each turn of events. Following the life of Dr. Stephen Gregory, a science professor and former atheist turned creationist, this thrilling adventure takes the reader into the swamps of Africa to settle the question once and for all whether or not dinosaurs are truly extinct. A second story  is that of Jim Thompson, caretaker of a large game preserve who diligently hunts down a mysterious creature that is killing some of the larger animals in the game preserve.

Delving into the cultural stereotypes against Christians and believers in intelligent design and creation, this book honestly deals with the fact that all scientists have the same evidence available to them and yet a great divide exists between those who approach the facts with faith in God or faith in humanistic philosophy.

Living Waters Tract demo video by Ray Comfort

Watch and share this video posted on our sister site, Equipped Ambassadors for Christ

Living Waters Tract demo video by Ray Comfort

"Good morning?"... and so it began....

I went into the Knox County Jail last night with Justin Humes for ministry in the Saturday night service. This time is such a blessing to me in many ways, and yet a struggle in which I find myself not knowing what to say. It is a struggle in that, though I spent a little time in jail, it was many years ago and I don't relate as well as I used to in this context. It was also a blessing in that I don't relate as well because I am a new creation in Christ and the old man is dead. Now a new man has been made in the image of Christ Jesus. Every time I step foot in the jail for ministry, I find myself confronted with my past and last night was no exception.

The Gospel Van: Goat trails in West Virginia- April 2010

Ah, the good old days revisited. Not much time lately to write, but I thought I would share this blog post for those who have missed it.

The Gospel Van: Goat trails in West Virginia- April 2010: It was a beautiful spring day just south of Atlanta, Georgia. Our family was headed to Hinton, West Virginia and we had been forewarned abou...