Jesus, our Emmanuel

At this time of year, we listen to (and, hopefully, sing) a lot of Christmas carols. I was listening to Wesley's "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" today and began thinking about one verse in particular:

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see:
Hail, the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark, the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!

This verse is full of rich theological concepts, packaged into a compact little piece of poetry. It is the product of talent, skill, and a thorough understanding of God's Word. My heart rejoices to sing such wonderful words about my Savior. Would that today's Christian musicians produce such works of eloquence and biblical fidelity.

Glory to the newborn King! Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Hidden Talents

Rare hidden camera footage of a mysterious musical rendition performed by an unnamed Presbyterian minister in Orange County.

Your best life now?

Is that what the Gospel is all about? Is the goal of the Christian life really to be happy, healthy, and successful? That's what Joel Osteen teaches, in his super-successful book, Your Best Life Now. Simply obey God's commands; follow these seven steps; God is keeping score; but don't worry, there are no serious consequences if you fail--you'll just miss out on living "your best life now."

The problem with this message, says Dr. Michael Horton, professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary, is that the Christ of the Bible is totally unnecessary. “'How can I be right with God?' is no longer a question when my happiness rather than God’s holiness is the main issue...Salvation is not a matter of divine rescue from the judgment that is coming on the world, but a matter of self-improvement in order to have your best life now." Osteen has replaced the Gospel with the Law, but has made the hoops you have to jump through "easier." "Joel Osteen is the next generation of the health-and-wealth gospel. This time, it’s mainstream."

Your best life now? Or salvation by works? I see this as further evidence of mainstream American evangelicalism's drift toward Roman Catholicism. Sure, the evangelicals don't have any of the trappings of formality, reverence, or ritual, but they've got it where it counts.

(Horton's excellent essay discussing Osteen's teachings can be found here.)

Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger

I just wrote a letter to the governor, infuriated with his most recent activity in supporting the homosexual agenda in California's public school system. At the urging of Brant, I include it here:

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,

I write to you with great dismay, frustration, and anger at your recent actions of signing into law SB777, AB394, AB102, and AB14. It is entirely disappointing to me that you apparently lack the moral compass to guide you in the way of objective Truth and Goodness and, instead, you have taken the path of political expediency, cowing to the pressures of immoral activists who wish to impose their deviant agenda upon our culture, beginning with the public school system.

Thanks to your actions, the minds of impressionable, tender young children will be forever molded into conformity with the agenda of those who worship at the altar of themselves, whose only creed is "tolerance and acceptance of all"--all that is, except those who still believe in moral absolutes. Increasingly more deviant, immoral practices are being accepted in our society (and now, thanks to you, taught in the schools) as "good," "right," and "healthy," while the millenia-old, biblical convictions that these activities are absolutely, morally wrong and evil are trampled underfoot as "outmoded," "archaic," and simple-minded. Contrary to what you might think, our children and our society will suffer as a result.

As a result of your actions, you have alienated yourself from your core constituency--secular social conservatives and Evangelical Christians of all stripes--you have betrayed our trust, have stolen our children's innocence, and have offended us greatly. Your action to support bills which take away freedom of private institutions (e.g., clubs, charities, and hospitals) to uphold their core convictions on moral issues also a disgrace to the freedoms which our nation's Constitution guarantees. In short, you have introduced moral danger and depravity to our children, robbed private enterprise of its freedoms, and brought shame upon our great state.

Governor, with all due respect, I must state that I, my family, my church, and my friends are ashamed of your actions, and I deeply regret having had any part in giving you the mandate to represent and serve me in the highest office of the state. If it were possible, I assure you that I wouldn't make that mistake again.

Sincerely,

Van
Orange County

Here is a link to the story, and here is a link to some video clips of indoctrination of young children going on in other parts of the country and which will now very likely occur in California in a matter time. (And you know what they say: "As California goes, so goes the nation.")

If you want to write the Governor your own e-mail to express your dissatisfaction, you can do so here.

Cyborg Wannabees

Okay, for quite some time I've noticed the increasing trend of people walking around, going about their daily activities, with a Bluetooth headset in their ears. I just don't understand it. Unless you're driving, chances are you just don't need it. And it's highly unlikely you need to be on the phone continuously as you go grocery shopping, purchase your Starbuck's Frappuccino, walk your dog, and use the toilet. What's so hard about removing that silly little gadget from your ear unless you actually need to make a phone call? Don't you know it makes you look silly? Maybe even like a cyborg from Star Wars.

Want an Otoscope?

I sure do!

Compounders of P&M Dermasalve are giving away 6 Free Dr. Mom Otoscopes. Click HERE for details.

We've always wanted to be able to look in our kids' ears when they have a cold to see if they also have an ear infection. Having an otoscope could save us an unecessary trip to the pediatrician. Enter to win! (h/t Nathaniel)

WHY?

Why do we even allow this man in to the USA? In a country where we don't even allow our own citizens to travel to places like Cuba, we're letting this terrorist-condoning hater of the free world in to our own nation to speak out against it? What is our problem?

Mourning the loss of a giant

I was saddened to learn yesterday that Rev. Dr. D. James Kennedy died yesterday. My wife stumbled across the story on Lucianne. We never saw it reported anywhere else all day.

Dr. Kennedy was probably the best-known, current-day conservative (i.e., "biblical") Presbyterian minister in the world. He injected a dose of biblically-faithful, Reformation perspective into the mainstream evangelical Church which had long ago forgotten much of what it used to believe.

Rest in peace, Pastor Kennedy. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Psalm 116:15).

Oppressive Tobacco Tax

Congress is currently considering jacking up the federal tax on tobacco again. This time it will result in an increase of over 20,000% on cigars, as well as an equally oppressive increase on pipe tobacco.

There is no other product or transaction in the IRS code with anywhere near the oppressive and punitive levels proposed in this increase. Even if you don't enjoy a good cigar now and then, oppose this tax on principle. Because once the greedy legislators run out of revenue from tobacco (and this increase will probably force domestic tobacconists, manufacturers, and growers out of business), they'll feel compelled to come after your hobby.

Follow this link. At the site you will find a form that enables you to quickly and easily send a message to the President, your two Senators, and your Congressional Representative. Do your part to prevent oppressive taxation! (h/t Nathaniel)

Prohibition

A town in Georgia is going to have a referendum to allow the townsfolk to decide on whether to ban all sales of alcohol.

The problem with alcohol (like most other societal problems) is not the alcohol. The problem is people. Those who misuse and abuse any divinely-given blessing from God should be held responsible for their actions. If you ban alcohol, tobacco, firearms, knives, automobiles, and chainsaws, people are still going to find ways to demonstrate their depravity. Christians, of all people, should know this.

What I want to know is where pious, conservative Christians can go to help the ban fail.