Global Warming? Not So Fast, My Friends

There is no evidence that global warming is a scientific fact, much less that it is man-caused if it exists. A leading scientific organization came out today with a statement that its members have not reached a consensus on the subject.
Change of Heart

An organization representing nearly 50,000 physicists has reversed its stance on climate change. The American Physical Society now says that many of its members no longer believe global warming is caused by humans.

The Society previously declared: "The evidence is incontrovertible. Global warming is occurring." But the Society now says there is no scientific consensus to support that statement: "There is a considerable presence within the scientific community of people who do not agree with the intergovernmental panel on climate change conclusion that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are likely to be primarily responsible for global warming."

Choosing Leaders

“If men of wisdom and knowledge, of moderation and temperance, of patience, fortitude and perseverance, of sobriety and true republican simplicity of manners, of zeal for the honour of the Supreme Being and the welfare of the commonwealth; if men possessed of these other excellent qualities are chosen to fill the seats of government, we may expect that our affairs will rest on a solid and permanent foundation.” —Samuel Adams

Pickens on the Energy Crisis

Pickens has a vested interest in the wind plan since he is a major investor. But knowing that background, it's still valuable to consider his suggestion. I thnk the inclusion of NG as a transportation fuel has real merit.

Bob Barr on Fiscal Responsibility

A Path Back To More Constitutional Government

Real conservatives, libertarians, and constitutionalists are at a loss in this presidential election cycle to effect real, positive change. John McCain is the GOP nominee, but he is no conservative. His record as a senator reflects a flagrant disregard for basic constitutional prinicples. Barack Obama is an ideological leftist. But the Democratic nominee benefits from being somewhat charming and from actually having public speaking skills which his major opponent lacks. He is also a largely unknown quantity with the American people. Thus he has an easier time adapting his public positions on policy to suiting whichever portion of the electorate he wishes to appeal to.

Knowing that we will not have a friend in the White House is discouraging. We could even be tempted to give up hope for steering America back to her roots of limited government and individual liberty. There is something we can do, however. We can hold officeholders accountable for their actions. Edwin Viera, Jr. writes in his article Government Is Not The Problem:

In short, “the government” cannot deprive any American of his rights, because only by acting consistently with those rights, precisely as the Constitution guarantees them, do public officials function as “the government” at all. When any public official steps even a single Angstrom Unit outside of the government’s constitutional boundaries, his actions become lawless and unauthorized, and he ceases to act as or for the government, but instead acts against and in defiance of the government.

Of course, the complaint that “the government is denying us our rights” does contain a modicum of practical insight: namely, that many people in public offices today do increasingly disregard and infringe upon Americans’ rights “under color of law.” However, although these misdeeds may be carried out ostensibly in the name of the law, and supposedly through the procedures of the law, they nonetheless remain in violation of the supreme law. Therefore, notwithstanding that the perpetrators may hold public offices, with respect to such aberrant behavior they are not acting as public officials or in the capacity of “the government” at all.

The essential point and fundamental basis for remedial action is that, under America’s political system, oppression is not and can not be the product of a disembodied generality called “the government” that is somehow above the law because it makes, interprets, and enforces the law. Rather, oppression is always the product of identifiable individual wrongdoers in public office, all of whom are themselves wholly subject to law — whether the law of the Constitution, or the higher law of the Declaration of Independence, or the highest “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” upon which both the Declaration and the Constitution rest. The responsibility for every act of oppression against the American people must be assigned specifically to these individuals, not to the public offices they happen to occupy or to “the government” as an institution.

One solution to the continued usurpations of power by government officials is to prosecute them for their misconduct. Another more practical solution is to vote them out of office. The combination of these two tools, if applied consistently and vigilantly, can steer us back to more constitutional government.

Overview of America

This series of videos was produced by the John Birch Society. JBS has always stood for liberty and conservatism. However, they have been somewhat discredited by accusations of xenophobia (which I have not personally substantiated) and by their tendency to buy in to conspriacy theories (which I observed several years ago when I was more enamored with them).

This series, however, is a good and simple primer of Americanism and our form of government. I think it would be a good starting point for studies in U.S. government for middle schools, high schools, and community colleges. Notice that I said, "a good starting point". It's a good basis for thought and discussion which should expand and refine the themes.

Gingrich on Gas Prices

Newt gives the common sense answer to our energy crisis.

Why Vote Third Party?

Baldwin makes his argument for voting third party.

Chuck Baldwin on the Issues

This video summarizes the positions of Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party nominee for President. Baldwin is a pastor in Pensacola, FL. Most liberty-minded Christians will feel a kinship to Baldwin and the Constitution Party. But, again, voting for a third party only tends to empower the major party that is less like your own political views.

Bob Barr is the Real Conservative in the Race

Barr is articulate and consistent in his positions. He is the only real conservative who is running in the general election. Unfortunately, his only real impact will be to deliver the presidency to Barack Obama. The bodes ill for court appointments, a fact that should give all liberty-minded Americans pause. A generation of work towards bringing the courts back in line will be lost. And for that we can blame the GOP Congress and President for the last eight years.

Bob Barr on Fox Business

Yes, I've found a new toy to play with on my blog and I'm trying it out.

More Than One Way?

On Time magazine’s website (www.time.com, Christians: No One Path to Salvation, June 23, 2008) David van Biema writes: The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life last year surveyed 35,000 Americans, and found that 70% of respondents agreed with the statement "Many religions can lead to eternal life." Even more remarkable was the fact that 57% of Evangelical Christians were willing to accept that theirs might not be the only path to salvation, since most Christians historically have embraced the words of Jesus, in the Gospel of John, that "no one comes to the Father except through me." Even as mainline churches had become more tolerant, the exclusivity of Christianity's path to heaven has long been one of the Evangelicals' fundamental tenets. The new poll suggests a major shift, at least in the pews.

If the Pew survey is representative of the opinions that really exist in the American evangelical church, we are in real trouble as the people of God in this generation. It means that practically, though not officially, we have lost the Gospel as the center of our faith. It also means our churches are filled with professing Christians who are immature in the faith and that not a few of those have never come to saving faith. Paul the apostle says that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) and that the Gospel is summed up in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1 – 4). A majority of evangelicals do not understand that simple, straightforward message or have discounted it.

For most people, knowing and understanding God is primarily an exercise in self-fulfillment or enlightenment. In other words, God is a means of enhancing their lives in a meaningful way. This misses the point of the Gospel entirely. The point of the Gospel is to deal with the problem of sin and reconcile man to his Creator. Many good things happen as a result of overcoming the sin problem. But those good things are ancillary benefits; they are not the purpose of the Gospel.

As Jesus Himself declares, He is the only way to the Father. But many Christians claim to believe that there must be other ways, too. We cannot hold to two contradictory beliefs at the same time. Christ must be true! It is for us to mold our attitudes and beliefs to conform to what He says rather than twisting or abbreviating Him to conform to our beliefs. Believing what Jesus says about being the only way has a consequence. The consequence is evangelism. If we believe that Jesus is the only way, we must get the word out! When the Gospel is central to our faith, we order our lives as a church and as individuals around it.

Real Evangelism

Evangelism is a subject which is simultaneously celebrated, promoted, programmed, feared, and unpracticed in our churches. Since reading Mark Dever’s book, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, I’ve thought about why we in the church have such conflicted feelings and behaviors regarding evangelism.

One reason we have conflicted feelings and behaviors regarding evangelism is that we believe we are responsible for the results. Of course we pay lip service to the fact that God is ultimately the one who saves and converts people. But in our minds we actually think that if we do it right, people will be saved and if we do it wrong, people won’t be saved. In other words, we think a person being saved depends on our skill or technique or abilities of persuasion. With that thought lurking beneath the surface of our thinking, it’s natural that we are absolutely terrified of evangelizing. We are afraid of trying because we see the possibility of success being very unlikely. We think that we can never gain the knowledge, ability, or confidence to practice evangelism. So we leave it to the professionals. But we keep the guilt for not doing it.

Another reason we have conflicted feelings and behaviors regarding evangelism is that we are confused about what evangelism is. We confuse the activities and methods that surround evangelism with evangelism itself. Perhaps we think that inviting someone to church is evangelism. It’s not. Inviting them to church is something that we should do! It may lead to evangelism and salvation. But by itself, it’s not evangelism. It’s a good method we use to expose them to the good news, the gospel. Perhaps we think that helping the poor, the sick, and the less fortunate is evangelism. It’s not. We should do good and help relieve the poor, the sick, and victims of tragedies! These may present opportunities for us to evangelize and even provide us the credibility to evangelize with those we help. But it’s not evangelism. Perhaps we think that telling what Jesus did for us is evangelism. It’s not. It is a testimony of praise to God! It’s a real life example to those we hope to evangelize. But if we give our witness, our testimony, and do not give the Gospel, we have not evangelized.

Evangelism is giving the evangel. The evangel is the Gospel. Any presentation of the Gospel, in order to be complete and adequate, must include the parts that follow. God created us, but we rebelled against His authority. That’s sin. Sin earned us God’s wrath. But God loved us with a perfect love, so much so that He became a man, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross, shedding His blood as our substitute in payment for our sin. And God has said that if we repent and turn to Christ in faith, He will forgive us and give us eternal life.

Anyone who knows and believes the Gospel can share the good news. Do you believe it? Will you share it with someone this week?

Taking a Prophetic Stance in the Public Arena

As I'm sitting here listening to the American Solutions presentation on the internet, I came across a post by Doug Wilson at Blog & Mablog. He posits that we should not align the voice of the church with a political bloc. He writes, in part:

The hook that Loconte uses in his article is the image of the Shadow taking shape and growing in The Lord of the Rings. He says that in our day the shadow is, Sauron-like, the rise of Islamo-fascism. He rightly observes that all kinds of people, who should know better, appear to be unconcerned about this. We ought not to look at total fire-power available. I am willing to bet there was more explosive power in one American bomb than in all the suicide bombs put together. But Mark Steyn has shrewdly observed that suicide bombing is not a potent tactic . . . unless it deployed against a suicide culture.

But Tolkien was wiser than to buy into false dichotomies. Not only was Sauron gathering his forces, but the Shadow was also growing from within. Saruman was one who once stood against evil, and was corrupted in the process. Our oaths of office are frequently wiser than we are. The Constitution has enemies both foreign and domestic. Why is it that those who see the threat of radical Islam frequently cannot see the threat of a secularist American empire? Why is it that those who see the threat of a swollen American empire cannot see the threat of radical Islam? Is it allowable for us to think that the Patriot Act would have had Patrick Henry running to his gun cabinet . . . without praising Hamas as a humanitarian group similar to Rotary? Is it permissible to think that Ahmadinejad is a terrible man without thinking that presidents get to declare war whenever they feel like it?

Read the rest of The Fox News Jesus or the CNN Jesus?

Wisdom and Discernment

Years after the death of President Calvin Coolidge, this story came to light. In the early days of his presidency, Coolidge awoke one morning in his hotel room to find a cat burglar going through his pockets. Coolidge spoke up, asking the burglar not to take his watch chain because it contained an engraved charm he wanted to keep. Coolidge then engaged the thief in quiet conversation and discovered he was a college student who had no money to pay his hotel bill or buy a ticket back to campus. Coolidge counted $32 out of his wallet, which he had also persuaded the dazed young man to give back, declared it to be a loan, and advised the young man to leave the way he had come so as to avoid the Secret Service! (Yes, the loan was paid back.)

President Coolidge is an example of the spirit and attitude of a Christian. It’s the attitude of being ready to love and understand, not of being ready to be angry and oppose. And although Silent Cal’s personality may have had something to do with his response to the young burglar, I suspect his faith was the major motivation. But it’s also an attitude of making proper distinctions. He properly distinguished between a sinner motivated by desperation and a sinner motivated by malevolence.

Christians today need to be able to make distinctions, to exercise discernment. Pop Christianity fails to make needed and basic distinctions. Therefore, it makes us simplistic rather than wise. Two prime examples of this simplistic failure are in the areas of judging and forgiveness.

Many Christians and non-Christians quote what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount as if it means we should never say something negative about another person’s belief system or behavior. Nothing could be farther from the truth. (Matthew 7:1 NKJV Judge not, that you be not judged.) Jesus indeed warns us about the type of critical, self-righteous condemning done by religious hypocrites. This kind of judging springs from a proud heart and a sense of being better than others. But we should be able to know when someone is advocating false beliefs or living in a way contrary to God’s Word. As a matter of fact, we should confront them with it. (Galatians 1:8-9 NKJV But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (9) As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Ephesians 5:11 NKJV And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them..)

In the same way, many Christians and non-Christians think the Bible requires believers for forgive everyone for everything all the time. Jesus didn’t teach that. He did teach that we should be patient with others, treat them with kindness and grace, and not take vengeance on them. But forgiveness is reserved for those who repent. (Luke 17:3-4 NKJV Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him.") That means the offender must change his mind about what he did and genuinely set forth not to do it again.

The Lord has called His children to be wise, not simple. We need to exercise mature judgment in our relationships and in our stand for truth. Discernment exercised with a kind and humble spirit is a mark of growing in the Lord.

Thoughts on Revival

I’ve never really cared for the term “revival services”, although I love and appreciate the actual meetings. “Revival services” almost assumes that the evangelist will bring spiritual renewal and increased fervor with him…practically guaranteed. Of course the evangelist himself will tell you that he cannot and does not bring revival. Revival is a gift, a state, an event that only the Lord God can give.

And revival is not primarily about unbelievers being converted. It can often result in men and women and young people receiving Christ. But that’s really just a glorious side benefit. Revival is about God’s people drawing near to Him. It’s about removing the obstacles we’ve allowed to get between our Savior and us. It’s about becoming humble and genuine again. It’s about us being broken over our own vile sinfulness. It’s about ripping our focus away from the temporal and the material and gazing once again on eternity. It’s about the I AM filling our vision, thereby crowding out all priorities of lower order. It’s about Christ’s glory radiantly illuminating our hearts.

In other words, revival is about the holiness of God and about His holiness being applied to our lives, making us holy. Revival is about the sanctification of God’s people. The only way to progress in holiness is by exposure to God’s Word. John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” As we are exposed to God through His Word, the impurities of our lives are surfaced, sanded, and expelled. Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” Truth is the agent of conforming us to Christ’s image.

It’s hard work. It’s uncomfortable, even painful, at times. But it is necessary work. Brokenness. Authenticity. Humility. These are not the words associated with pragmatic, market driven Churchianity. But they are words associated with revival…real revival. They require generous doses of Truth.

Developing Routine in Your Life

For families with school aged children, this week marks the return to normality…or at least routine. Even though the thermometer says that it’s still summer, for all intents and purposes summer and its relaxed (?) schedule are over. Life will go back to its rhythm and schedule. Which isn’t to say that it won’t be busy or hectic. But vacation and leisure are put on hold for a while and our minds turn back to our work and responsibilities.

Routine has become my friend. In fact, without it, I would be less secure and more stressed. I would accomplish less. I would have less discretionary time. I would have more unfinished projects (than I already have!). Routine is a tool I use to help me order my life and fulfill the plan God has given me. Routine even allows me to see the Lord’s goodness. Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: Since God designs and orders life with appropriate cycles and changes, it is desirable that I will imitate Him in bringing order to the cycles of my life.

Spiritual routines can significantly impact your life. But to have any kind of routine, you must first make a few considered judgments…decisions you’ve made ahead of time. First, decide that the Lord Jesus deserves the first and best part of everything you have: time, talent, treasure, intellect, and emotion. And give it to Him. Second, decide that the long term and the eternal will not be sacrificed on the altar of the immediate and the urgent. Third, decide that the Lord’s Day, Sunday, belongs to the Lord. Fourth, decide that since the Lord Jesus thought the church was important enough to die for, you will love it and make it one of the top priorities of your life. And fifth, decide that your family (your spouse and children if you’re married, your parents and siblings if you’re single) takes priority over every other earthly relationship.

With those considered judgments made, you can settle into helpful spiritual routines.
1. Spend time with the Lord at a certain time every day.
2. Spend time with your family every day.
3. Spend time with your family in God’s Word and prayer every day.
4. Spend Sundays in the Lord’s House.
5. Invest your life in the work of the Word.
6. Invest in being equipped for your ministry by your pastor and other spiritual leaders in your church.
7. Invest the Lord’s tithe and your offerings in the work of your church.
8. Invest your time in attending and serving in the ministries of your church.

Spiritual routine leads to steady progress in the spiritual life. As you expose yourself to the Lord’s Word and His Work on a regular basis, He will change you and grow you. And what could be better than becoming what God meant for you to be?

The Bigness of God

While catching up on my blog reading today, I ran across a post by Bill Bixby. He had an extended quote by Thabiti Anayabwile. Following the link, I read the entire article. What a blessing! What a comfort! What a challenge! For your convenience, here is an extended quote:

Right now, the Cayman Islands are preparing for what could be a category-5 hurricane, Dean. Men are at my house boarding up windows and securing the place.

It's clear to me that when moments like the Minneapolis bridge collapse happen, or category 5 hurricanes come your way, you need to have a rock-ribbed theology featuring the massive and awesome God of the Bible, the God who created the worlds with a word and His Son who rebuked the winds with a word. The same God who rules even over the evil causes of Satan and his minions, and the feeble efforts of men to thwart Him. The Bible's picture of God is that nothing is beyond his control, not even the places where we live (Acts 17:24-26). And "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27).

Seems to me that Piper's post is an elaborate statement of Acts 17:27.

Boyd asks, "Where are God's warnings?" I'm left wondering what Pastor Boyd is preaching Sunday to Sunday. Are we not to be watchmen signaling the dangers from the pulpits across the world? And has not the Lord written in the creation itself and on the conscience of all men indicators and warnings that He exists and He is to be worshipped? (Rom. 1:18-32, for example). "So that men are without excuse."

I have the task tomorrow morning, the privilege really, of telling people tomorrow morning how they should think about their lives right now. And it won't be much of a stretch, by God's grace, because we'll be meditating on what we've been meditating on for the entire year of my service here.

God is big, very big. God is glorious and awesome, far more powerful than hurricanes. Life is precious, preciously short. It's short because we are sinners and we sin. Against that sin and sinners, the big, glorious, and awesome God pledges eternal wrath. We won't escape that wrath to come unless we turn from sin to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the exact representation of God's being and the radiance of His glory, who died to atone for the sins of His people, and through whom believers live eternally. Now, repent and believe and be saved. Flee the allurements of this world with its vain philosophy and purchase the Pearl of Great Price, the Prince of Peace, and set your affections on Christ who rules at the Father's right hand.

Tomorrow, I suspect my task will perhaps be easier than it has been to this point. Men who all their lives have been held in bondage to fear of death will be looking squarely at that fear and the reality of death. I can "protect" God's reputation by saying it's not really His fault; men and fallen angels messed up the world. That's true, but only partially true.

God still rules. I can tell the people that the way men messed the world up through sin provoked God to wrath; the disasters of the world are really only one aspect of the outworking of His holy judgment, and not even the infinite outworking. Though God is not in the hurricane, listen for His voice. Listen for His call to repent. And that's the good news to the lost among us tomorrow.

The even better news to the found is God has not purchased your life with the precious blood of His Son in order to waste it! Whether we perish or survive in this hurricane, God will eternally be glorified. Christ has conquered death and the grave, and He will raise us up victorious. Now let goods and kindred go, this moral life also. There is a far superior one awaiting.

Making Sense of Violent Human Tragedy

A few times a year, I'm called on to write a column in our local newspaper. This month happens to be my month. The article below is an adaptation of my theme from Sunday morning's message, Making Sense of Violent Human Tragedy. I've copied it here for you.

Why does God allow violent human tragedy to happen? That’s probably close to the top of the short list of questions we ask each other and ourselves when an attack like 9/11 or the Oklahoma City bombing or a massacre like Columbine High or Virginia Tech takes place. And it’s a perfectly human reaction that we do. But if we never move on from that initial questioning, we betray the basic misunderstanding have about the Lord and about mankind.

Focusing exclusively on the question, “Why did God let it happen?”, shows that we have a basic misunderstanding of God. It’s as if we think it’s God’s job to never let anything bad happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Apparently we think that He exists for our comfort and convenience. In fact, that thinking is exactly backwards. We are not the center and focus of the universe; God is! We exist for His pleasure and His will. Therefore we can’t assign jobs to God at all. And He certainly is not constrained to take on any task that He hasn’t already assigned Himself in Scripture. That doesn’t imply that our Lord is unkind or unconcerned about human tragedy. Not at all! He is deeply moved and compassionate towards the victims and towards those of us left behind to grieve. But the anger and bitterness that questions God’s goodness and love because bad things happen in the world reveals something deeper in the heart of man.

When we dwell on the question, “Why did He let it happen?”, we show we have a basic misunderstanding of mankind: of each of us. In Romans we’re told that there is none righteous and that all have sinned. In Jeremiah we’re told that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Throughout the Bible, the Lord repeatedly warns us to face squarely in the face the reality that in us dwells nothing good. Indeed, we are all marred, stained, and ruined by sin. The truth is that evil is in the hearts of all men. And but for the restraining grace of God in our individual lives, each of us could walk down the path of violence and murder.

We have an answer from the Lord Jesus in responding to these types of human tragedies. In Luke 13:1-3, Jesus tells of a group of worshippers that the dictator of the area had murdered while they were in church! The people couldn’t comprehend how God could allow it to happen. Jesus responded that these poor victims had done nothing to deserve this kind of death in comparison with others. And then He turned the focus. Instead of looking at God and thinking He’s unkind and instead of looking at the victims and thinking they were to blame, Jesus said that we should look at ourselves. Tragedies should always turn us to repentance. Noted author and pastor John Piper says, “The point of every deadly calamity is this: Repent. Let our hearts be broken that God means so little to us. Grieve that he is a whipping boy to be blamed for pain, but not praised for pleasure. Lament that he makes headlines only when man mocks his power, but no headlines for ten thousand days of wrath withheld. Let us rend our hearts that we love life more than we love Jesus Christ. Let us cast ourselves on the mercy of our Maker. He offers it through the death and resurrection of his Son.”

When we ask, “Why did God let this bad thing happen?”, we should rather ask, “Why does God allow so much good happen to so many people so often?”. That is the question, and the attitude, for dealing with violent human tragedy.

Jesus Is The Truth

This morning's sermon, "Jesus Is The Truth", is available online at The Parson's Pulpit.