Miscellany

I have a whole list of random things I was going to write about, but never finished. So I'll give you a bit of weekend randomness, miscellaneous materials, indiscriminate items, unsystematic observations – stuff. Enjoy.

Item 1 

Tolkien didn't want The Hobbit published in Nazi Germany: Though he was popular in Germany for his academic writing on old Germanic and Norse cultures, Tolkien was disgusted by Nazi Germany, and called Adolf Hitler a "ruddy little ignoramus." When it came time for a German edition of The Hobbit, a German official asked Tolkien to prove that he was "Aryan" enough, in accordance with Nazi law. Tolkien instead wrote a letter back expressing regret that he didn't have Jewish ancestors. (Link embedded to original article).

Item 2
This summer we went to the place where General Stonewall Jackson died. He was shot by his own men, and killed by his own doctors (not purposefully mind you, but does that really make it any better?). They spent all efforts to save him, but what was "good medical treatment" at the time actually killed him. Had he not been on the receiving end of the priority treatment, he would have probably survived.

This is the bed that General Jackson died in. The blanket at the foot of the bed also was the same blanket that covered him.











The clock on the wall also was original to the room.  The daughter of the home was 11 years old when Stonewall died. She kept the bed, the blanket, and the clock for 70 years. She donated them to the National Park services, and came into the home and arranged the furniture exactly how she remembered it when Stonewall passed away.


Item 3
The King James Bible shaped our language. You won't say that about modern translations.

Winking and Prating

Proverbs 10:10  He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

I hope that you aren't winking and prating about because that would indeed grieve the heart. You may ask "how do I know that is it bad to be prating and winking?" We know this from the result of each - sorrow and falling. So we know from the start that this is not a good thing. Since we know it is bad, let's figure out what it is that is bad. 

Winking with the eye in the Bible is always shown as a devious act (Pro. 6:13; Job 15:12; Psa.35:19). Really no different than it is today. 

Prating is babbling, and the fool who babbles speaks his heart. So a prating fool goes on and on, with each word revealing to every unfortunate soul in earshot that he is indeed a fool. 

In this proverb, as in most, we have two different people, with two different outcomes. The word "but" separates the the two situations. Often "but" will transition from good to bad. For example, if you would scan up to the previous verse, we conveniently have an example in Proverbs 10:9.  He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. Here we see that the upright walk sure footed *but* the man that perverts the way shall be known. You have the godly and ungodly compared and contrasted showing you one way is superior to the other.

Our proverb is different though, because both ways are bad and both outcomes are bad. 

A) He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: 

but 

B) a prating fool shall fall.

So the "but" in verse 10 doesn't transition from bad to worse, but we know that this conjunction does transition us some way, so what are we contrasting? Both A and B are people you do not want to be and both end results are places you do not want to go. Now we need to think about what the difference is in order to gain wisdom.

The difference is in the person that is hurt. The "winker" of line A hurts other people. He causes sorrow. The prating fool of line B hurts himself. The fool who rambles on in his foolishness can and often does hurt other people (read the whole of chapter ten with the theme of work and words in mind and you can see the result of the words of a fool). Though he may not necessarily hurt others, he will hurt himself. He is going to fall.

I believe that this proverb is a warning for those with a foolish mouth. The liar and the deceiver the backbiter and the thief is universally known to hurt other people. We all know the kind of person that is being described and we've all experienced the pain of a wrecking ball of deception  Perhaps, such were some of you. But the foolish talker doesn't realize the pain he causes because he hurts himself, and nobody wants to hurt themselves, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh. If the foolish talker knew he was a) a foolish talker and b) was hurting himself, he would surely probably stop. 

Here is the important part. We have to press on. We can't stop here, or we just learned a proverb. We have to look in the mirror and examine our own words. Am I a foolish babbler? What do I talk about? Does my mouth have a break and if so does it work and do I know where it located? Is there a filter between head and mouth and if so, is it working? 

Think about it this way. In you minds eye, the part of "he that winketh with the eye" will be played by a car thief  The prating fool will be portrayed by a person who never checks their oil in their car. The car thief will cause sorrow to others. But the person who never checks or changes the oil in their car only brings hurt on themselves. They hop in the car, cruising with the windows down, without a care in the world. "Those windshield wipers slappin out a tempo, keepin perfect rhythm with the song on the radio, gotta keep rolling" says Mr. Rabbit and all is right in the world. But the fun and games come to a stop when the engine does. The whole car was groaning under the foolishness of the car owner, who was oblivious to the harm their foolish behavior was causing and the pattern of foolish behavior brought the bad fruit. There is another option, which I think hits the mark for most people. The fool knew they were doing wrong and just didn't care or didn't believe the warning was true. 

The prating fool will fall.

Doug

Post Election Wrap-up

Well, that didn't go like I thought it was going to. I am disappointed and I am sad for our country, but do not despair, because God is still God and he is in control of the affairs of men.

I pray for President Obama. He is a husband, father, and a soul. I pray that he will hear the true and saving gospel. I pray that God, in his common grace, would direct his mind and give him wisdom.  He is the commander in chief and has the lives of many of our men and women in his hand. Proverbs 21:1  The king's (and President’s) heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

I pray, that by God’s grace, he would grant that His elect be able to live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty here in this country. We have had so much freedom - to write, to preach, to witness, to worship, to broadcast over the airwaves. Let’s face it - we are on our way to being socialist nation now because that is what the majority of Americans wanted. Secular and socialistic countries eventually will limit speech. To what degree, it remains to be seen, but I pray that it doesn't.

I pray that God would give grace to His people in this country and that we will do the will of God as citizens and “put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” and by living submissive and godly lives, by living for King Jesus (I Peter 2).

                                                                                                                                                      

I pray that we will remember that the election did not take God by surprise.

If you have a few moments read the introduction to A.W Pink's Sovereignty of God today. After you finish this, of course!

I pray that my words, thoughts, prayers today will be seasoned with love. Love for my neighbors  love for my Saviour, and love for my fellow citizens. May we be salt and light. 

I pray that Governor Romney will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ in saving faith.  

Luke 10:2  “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” - Jesus Christ

I pray that people who trusted the Republican Party, and who are now without hope, will find that Jesus Christ is the only true Hope of humanity. Christ is already victorious over death and those that put their trust in His finished work on the cross and His resurrection have eternal life. There will be a lot of conservative pundits trying to give people hope in the next election cycle. I hope they hear a preacher of the gospel today. 

I pray that those that are currently putting their trust in the Democratic Party will become equally disillusioned.

Socialism and class warfare is another name for covetousness. As God’s people, let’s use God’s terminology and wield the Sword of the Spirit. The sword of Ronald Reagan is a Nerf toy.

God's judgment is not coming. We have been in the midst of it for a while (Romans 1:18-32). However, let it move us to be more like Paul "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel..." Romans 1:15

Government is given by God as a common grace to restrain evil. The government’s job is greatly hindered when those in charge call evil good and good evil. That is where we come in. It is our job to call good, good. It is our job to call evil, evil.

I pray this will finally give Christians a realistic view of the country. We are not a Christian nation - we are a secular nation. I hope that this finally displays that superficial, non-Lordship salvation, nominal cultural Christianity that has been so prominent has bore its rotten fruit and been worse for this country than either party could be. President Obama ran on a pro-abortion platform, mentioning Planned Parenthood no less than four times in the town hall debate, and yet a nation that is supposedly a majority Christian nation, overwhelmingly supported him. Combine that with the advances that the homosexual marriage results, there should be little doubt about the souls of our fellow citizenry. But that is a good thing, in a way. It is far better to be awakened to the truth than to continue to believe a lie.

Ronald Reagan is not going to come back, and there is only one Good Man on a white horse (Rev. 19:11) that will save us, and he isn't coming to “restore American” (Psalm 2) and there is none good but God. Stop waiting for a political Saviour. Serve the only Saviour.

I pray that this wakes us up. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Rom 13:11-14)

"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential cause of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars".--Will Durant in Caesar and Christ. HT: The Imaginative Conservative

In 1352 Pope Clement VI issued a decree for a “purification” of France of the Baptist.  In “The History of the Waldenses” by J.A. Wylie it is documented how many of the Baptist were saved from the sword.  

“The zeal of the Pope, however, was but indifferently seconded by that of the secular lords. The men they were enjoined to exterminate were the most industrious and peaceable of their subjects; and willing as they no doubt were to oblige the Pope, they were naturally averse to incur so great a loss as would be caused by the destruction of the flower of their populations.” 

 These godly Anabaptists, who suffered the heavy hand of persecution, were the prize citizens of their country.  Our government should look upon the populous and say that if every citizen acted like the Christians, this country would be a better place. If we suffer, if we are persecuted and hated, let it be for righteousness sake, not for the Republican or Democratic Party’s sake.

In Christ, you have a living hope because you have a living Saviour. 1 Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Grace & Peace,

Doug

Intro to Psalm 1: The Happy Man

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. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.  (Psa 1:1-6)

What a glorious way for the book of Psalms to start, BLESSED!  HAPPINESS! What a wonderful God we serve, blessedness and happiness are His ways for us. How truly great and merciful is our Lord, not only does He save us, but desires and provides ways for our happiness. Isn't that what the world is looking for? Isn't that what most people are looking for in a President, one that would bring them happiness? People want to be happy, but don't know where to find happiness. Don't believe me? Look at how many results come up when you Click here. This is clearly something people are looking for something people THINK they have the answer to. 

God tells all people how they will be happy, yet His ways are forsaken. Are you looking for happiness? If you have not found this gladness of heart, where are you looking for it? There are two paths, two roads in the Psalm. The happy man doesn't walk with the ungodly, he does not stand in the way of sinners, he does not sit with the scornful. Are you looking for happiness with the wind driven chaff?

Happiness and gladness of heart comes from the Lord and contentment in His ways and His Word. There is delight in the scriptures. There is happiness in thinking about them, meditating on them, learning more of Christ. The Holy Spirit takes that Word and grounds us in that blessed truth, then produces fruit in us, which only brings about more happiness. 

I exhort you to take this Psalm to heart, to memorize it, to keep it with you all the days of your life, that you will never forget the way of peace and joy.

“This Psalm carries blessedness in the frontispiece [the decorative engraving on the first page of a book] ; it begins where we all hope to end; it may well be called a Christians’ Guide, for it discovers the quicksand where the wicked sink down in perdition, and the firm ground on which the saints tread to glory” Thomas Watson’s Saints’ Spiritual  Delight

Grace & Peace,

Doug