Heart Songs

Written by James A. Frost

He makes the difference, my heart no longer has to guess.
Each trial only an opportunity for me to know more of His tenderness.
Behind each cloud comes the revelation of His Grace.
Each time I see my pain mirrored in His face.
With Him I reach the heights beyond known scale.
I hold these nail-scarred hands that will never fail.
Many have been the rapturous moments He has given to me.
His care I have known in utter intensity.
I have known the heart songs that only He gives,
The joy that makes a man want to serve Him every moment he lives.
My heart knows that ever a victor I will be.
I walk in His fragrance, across the horizon to Eternity.

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The verses above reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

It is difficult sometimes to understand why things seem so easy for some and are so difficult for others.  It is comforting to read Mr. Frost’s poem today and think on the words of the Apostle Paul.   I am reminded today that the Apostle Paul, who wrote a large portion of the New Testament, spent the remainder of his days in prison, eventually dying for his faith and that he confesses to having some thorn in the flesh.  I think of those who have been martyred for their faith in Christ.  Many today still die for their Christian beliefs.  Why then it is so easy to get on some “pity party” and say “oh woe is me?”  When you think about it, it makes no sense.  Yet, as always, when I study God’s Word, it serves like a rudder to steer me back on the right path He has chosen for me. 

Oh, I may not be the pastor of a mega-church, or even get to serve in any small church, but He has given me this little web-ministry, and He has blessed me in so many ways, much more than I deserve. So, like Paul I can honestly say “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  And like my Father-in-law wrote in the verses above “My heart knows that ever a victor I will be. I walk in His fragrance, across the horizon to Eternity.”  I can gladly sing the old hymn “Whereever He Leads, I’ll go.”

Are you content  in Christ today?

~Samuel Lawrence~

Eternal Gain

Written by James A. Frost

For my restlessness, His revelation I know was meant to be.
My heart must know and feel the majestic sweep of eternity.
For who in his right mind would cage and eagle who was born to be free?
Like a seaman I long to feel the ocean’s swell beneath me.
I am a canvas that breathlessly awaits the master’s brush.
My heart knows it can never be satisfied with nothing but thee.
His is the only unchanging Word, all other only sinking sand.
All Covenant promises signed by His nail-scarred hand.
Morning on the Mount, with Him I will gain the loftier heights always.
Never will I be alone, for I have a Lord who stays.

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Isaiah 40:31 says “…they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  He is our strength and will take us to heights yet unseen. Let Jesus Christ renew your strength today.

~Samuel Lawrence~

Since inauguration day, we have seen an onslaught against our freedoms not seen since the aftermath of 9-11-2001. In 2009, American banks and automakers have fallen victim to US Federal Government takeovers. Only a short time ago people were outraged over Hugo Chavez nationalizing the oil industry in Venezuela. During that time, I got lots of emails suggesting boycotts of Citgo gas, as that is one owned by Chavez. I even forwarded them on to others and refused to buy gas at the Citgo only blocks from my house.

Today that seems minuscule in comparison to the over-reaching socialism taking America by storm. Freedoms are going out the door by the truckload. People exercising their First Amendment rights are being either ignored or demonized by their elected representatives. The embedded video is one small example of the shifting attitudes toward our Bill of Rights. First, we have seen the freedom of religion being stripped away in the courts under the guise of “Separation of Church and State,” now we are seeing the freedom of speech being removed as we continue on the same slippery path to despotism.

Watch this video, taken on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at Rep. Jim Moran’s (D-VA) Town Hall meeting on Obama Health care held at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA. It speaks for itself. The videographer said “Many people were left outside when the school filled to capacity. School security officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. did not like my anti-Obamacare poster which used one of the gone-viral ‘Joker’ graphics. When I said to Officer Cheeks, ‘This used to be America!’ his response was: ‘It ain’t no more, OK?’”

Did you catch that? The videographer had a sign with Obama as the joker, and a message against socialized medicine. What is astonishing is what is said by the police officer and another gentlemen, presumably a school official. The officer said “It ain’t [America] no more, OK?” and the other gentleman said that [public] “schools have very different 1st Amendment rights.” Oh really? When was the Bill of Rights altered? I missed that in civics class.

If anyone doubts that America is very near totalitarianism, then they are either asleep or wilfully ignorant. This video is just one of the signs of the times. Proverbs 14:34 says “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Yet again Psalm 33:12 comes to mind” “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” America has winked at sin so long, we no longer recognize it for what it is. Vance Havner said it this way “They tell us now even in some evangelical circles that we ought to hobnob with Sodom and get chummy with Gomorrah in order to convert them…and these dear people are not turning the light on in Sodom, they’re just getting used to the dark.” That is indeed what has happened to “Christian America.” Havner also said “We’re suffering from a believism that never has believed and a receivism that never has received and it leads to deceivism.” Indeed, many, if not most, churches suffer from some form of that affliction. Havner’s prescription was succinct: “The first step towards the evangelizing of the world is the Christianizing of the church.”

I understand the frustration of the videographer and millions more who may share that frustration. The answer lies at the feet of Christians. We have a duty and a calling to fulfill. I firmly believe that until America repents, and gets back to being a Christian nation she set out to be, the video above will become commonplace. Vance Havner had it right when he said “The last word of our Lord to the church was not the Great Commission. The last thing He said to the church was ‘Repent.’ He said that to five out of seven.” Amen. Christians, pray and share the Gospel while you still can… openly.

The old saying goes “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”  Every year in America, millions of well meaning Christian moms and dads send their children off to public school to be indoctrinated into a secular humanistic worldview.   They also might manage to pick up a few other skills like reading, writing and arithemetic.  Most Christian parents have not caught on to why their kids often grow up and have no Christian world view, in spite of being taken to Sunday School and worship their entire life.

In the formative years of our Republic, Bible reading and prayer were commonplace. In fact it has been in my lifetime that these have become anathema in the public school.  Today Christianity, prayer and the Bible have all been expelled from public classrooms.  More and more Christians are realizing the truth and are educating their children at home, instilling them with a Christian world view.

One of the best treatises I have read on reasons for Christians to educate their children at home was written in 2007 by Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr. The occasion of the writing was regarding a resolution submitted to the Southern Baptist Convention. After reading this posting, we would love to have your feedback.

SBC Education Resolution 2007

The recent resolution Bruce Shortt and I submitted to the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention has brought mixed responses. Many fail to realize that this resolution is merely building on the statements of other prominent Baptist leaders. Dr. Al Mohler’s statement that it was time for all responsible Baptists to develop an exit strategy from the public schools sent shock-waves through the SBC in 2005 and led to the passage of a version of the first Baucham-Shortt resolution.

More recently, SBC President, Dr. Frank Page called on Southern Baptists to start new schools and make them affordable for lower income families. I applaud his sentiment. I also believe that his statement (and similar statements by former SBC President Jack Graham and others) is a direct result of the consistent drumbeat over the past several years. This issue can no longer be ignored.

Some people are on board with what we are trying to do and have been since our successful 2005 effort. Others have accused us of sewing discord, causing dissension, and tilting at windmills (since all SBC churches are autonomous, and passage of the resolution would not change the Convention or force churches to comply). Then, of course there are the usual ‘Salt and Light’ objections raised by those who believe Christians are called to send their children into the school system to ‘win the schools’ for Christ. I have addressed much of this in other entries. However, I believe I need to address a few of these questions here.

FIRST, ALLOW ME TO BE CLEAR ABOUT MY BELIEFS.

I believe our current government education harms children academically, socially, morally, emotionally and spiritually. I believe Christian parents are obligated to do whatever they can to see to it that their children receive a Christian education. I do not believe this is a neutral, “whatever-you-feel-led-to-do” issue. As I have stated elsewhere, the Bible is not silent on the education issue. Nor has the church been silent over the years:

“Non-Christian education puts the child in a vacuum…. The result is that child dies. Christian education alone really nurtures personality because it alone gives the child air and food…. Modern educational philosophy gruesomely insults our God and our Christ. How, then, do you expect to build anything positively Christian or theistic upon a foundation which is the negation of Christianity and theism?…. No teaching of any sort is possible except in Christian schools.” -Cornelius Van Till

“This whole process of education is to be religious, and not only religious, but Christian…. And as Christianity is the only true religion, and God in Christ the only true God, the only possible means of profitable education is the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” -Charles Hodge

“I am as sure as I am of Christ’s reign that a comprehensive and centralized system of national education, separated from religion, as is now commonly proposed, will prove the most appalling enginery for the propagation of anti-Christian and atheistic unbelief, and of anti-social nihilistic ethics, individual, social and political, which this sin-rent world has ever seen.” -A.A. Hodge

And people call me divisive! These quotes cannot be mis-understood. These men understood not only the danger, but the outright foolishness of non- (and thus anti) Christian education.

I recognize the inevitable tension here. Most Christians want to make this a ‘personal’ issue. We use statements that drip with relativism like, “What’s right (or true) for you and your family is not necessarily right (or true) for us.” However, this tension cannot be avoided. If we are called to send our children into the government school system as missionaries, then I (along with every other homeschool/Christian school parent) am violating the Great Commission. Not only that, but every Christian college and seminary in the country is also in direct violation of the Great Commission. If our 10-year olds are called to be missionaries in the schools, then certainly all of our 25-year old seminarians should be in the most godless, secular institutions they can find as they prepare for the ministry.

On the other hand, if the Bible teaches that education is discipleship (Luke 6:40) and we are commanded to place Christ not just at its center, but throughout its warp and woof, then those who have chosen to send their children to the government to be educated have erred. There is no middle ground. David Allen Black, professor of New Testament Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary puts it well:

No academic skepticism, no secularist authors, no blatant materialism can so undermine the spiritual life of the country like the completely secularized training of the child under the authority of the state… Bible-based education is mandatory for Christian parents. If we think we can keep our children in a secular school system and escape the dumbed-down, amoral, and immoral results of secular humanism in schools, we are sorely mistaken (emphasis added, see: http://daveblackonline.com/our.htm).

Let me be clear. I believe the overwhelming majority of Christians who send their children to the corner to catch the school bus have not thought about their decision for any length of time (not to mention from a biblical perspective). We have used the government education system because we’ve been conditioned to do so. We choose our neighborhoods based on the ‘quality’ of the schools. We plan our vacations based on the school calendar. Its like a Pavlovian response for most parents. Oftentimes it is too late when we see the scars.

Does this mean that every child who goes to a government school is doomed? Of course not. Nor do I believe that every Christian school kid is destined for sainthood. But anecdotes aside, its time we look at the facts. This is not a pragmatic, utilitarian decision; this is a question of pursuing righteousness. I want to live by the book to the best of my ability. I want to listen to Dr. Jesus and not Dr. Phil when it comes to raising, training and educating my children.

SECOND, LET ME BE CLEAR ABOUT MY GOALS.

My goals are threefold. First, I want to see Christian children receive an education that puts Christ in his rightful place (Colossians 1:15-19). I want to see parents rich and poor have the opportunity to say yes Christian education.

Second, I want the Federal Government out of the education business. They have no constitutional right to be there. I want to see all education privatized and governed by individual States (I realize this raises numerous questions… find the answers at www.schoolandstate.org). I want to free all children from the academically inferior, spiritually bankrupt, economically irresponsible, morally reprehensible educational system. I want to see competition for students serve as the tide that raises all educational ships. Thus, I want to bankrupt the American educational establishment one student at a time. Every child we get out of the school system represents $5,000 to $8,000 taken out of the coffers of the educational establishment. A loss of 20% would send the system into a tailspin. This is already happening in places like Detroit and San Francisco.

Why would anybody want to do that? Because the government education system cannot be reformed. It is rooted in Secular Humanism and flawed at its very core. We cannot mend it; we must end it. If the system loses enough money it will have to be scrapped. Only then will we see true educational reform. Government monopolies are rife with inertia and destined for mediocrity. Only when its lifeblood is cut off will those who profit from it wake up.

Third, I want to be ‘Salt and Light’ in a dark and decaying world. That’s right, my actions are designed to accomplish the very thing I am accused of ignoring! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to ‘a city on a hill.’

““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV)

Have you ever thought about the imagery here. A city on a hill is distant and distinct. It can be seen by all because it is set apart. Salt is salty because it is distinct. However, if salt is over exposed it begins to take on the characteristics of its surroundings (try leaving some salt in close proximity to fish for a while). Moreover, the next paragraph makes it clear that teaching children in accordance with the Law of God is ‘required’ of those who believe. Those who do not are called ‘least’ in the Kingdom.

““Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19, ESV)

People are often shocked when I tell them that I believe wholeheartedly in being ‘Salt and Light’ in education. They are even more surprised when we tell them that’s one reason we chose to homeschool. Our family is ‘set apart’ and distinct. Our children don’t think, talk, walk or act like typical American children (nor would I want them to). They are different! Not perfect; but different. We have families in our home and they know instantly that there is something fundamentally different about us. They see the light of the city on a hill.

FINALLY, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT MY EXPECTATIONS.

I do not expect Southern Baptist churches around America to respond to our resolution by pulling students out en mass. I do, however, expect to make it difficult for Christians in general, and Southern Baptists in particular, to ignore this issue. One of the top indicators of whether or not a child will continue in the faith is where, how and by whom he or she is educated. We cannot ignore this fact.

How long will we twiddle our thumbs while the church loses 70-88% of its teens by the end of their freshman year in college and homeschoolers remain in the faith of their families at rates above 90%? How many times will the P.E.E.R.S. test have to demonstrate the deleterious effects of government education on Christian worldview development before we admit that there is a price to be paid when we close our eyes and put our kids on the little yellow bus?

How long are we going to have to watch teachers have sex with children, show Brokeback Mountain to fifth graders, pass students who cannot read, conduct mock school shootings, suspend students for opposing gay holidays, portray Christians as terrorists, single out Christ for exclusion from school events, fail to teach vast numbers of our children to do basic math, trumpet the myth of ‘Separation of Church and State,’ and promote the philosophy/religion of evolution as hard science before we say, ENOUGH? Of course, virtually every Christian parent in America shrugs these things off with heartfelt chorus of , “Our schools are different,” and “Our teachers are Christian?” Thats what parents at a Port Naches, TX elementary school thought before their Principal (a Baptist deacon) was caught in a sex sting.(for much much more insight on how bad things are in our schools go to www.101reasons.org, or get a copy of Bruce Shortt’s book, The Harsh Truth about Public Schools)

Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr. has been referred to as an “Evangelist to intellectuals.” He is one of the most sought-after preachers of his generation His unique blend of sound biblical exposition, theological content, down-to-earth demeanor and engaging presence make it clear why this man is considered a modern day prophet. He is a pastor, church planter, and author of The Ever Loving Truth, Broadman /Holman, 2004; Family Driven Faith, Crossway, 2007 and his newest release What He Must Be, Crossway 2009. For more information visit www.VoddieBaucham.org

Copyright © 2007 – Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr. – All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission of the author.

In 2009, President Obama, on a presidential trip to Turkey, announced to the world that Americans “do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.”   Wallbuilders has a great article discussing this in depth.  I, and millions more, disagree with President Obama.  We were, and still are a Christian Nation.  Unfortunately, there is a growing trend toward paganism and secularism for many Americans and, if left  unchecked, I believe that trend will continue to bring an end to our liberties.  William Penn rightly said “If we will not be governed by God, we must be governed by tyrants.”  We are very near the latter today.

Separation of Church and State has been the drumbeat of the ACLU the past several decades. However, as the Separation of Church and State article demonstrates, that is not our historical legacy.  Nor is it a phrase found in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It was introduced and  made the law of the land through 20th century judicial activism and morally corrupt justices legislating from the bench through Case Law.

However, the phrase “separation of church and state” does appear in an atheist document called the Humanist Manifesto.  Here is a quote from their “statement of faith”  “The separation of church and state and the separation of ideology and state are  imperatives” (Humanist Manifesto II, 1973).  The operative phrase here is “are imperatives.”  This “imperitive” continues to be made manifest in courts throughout the USA.  As our religious freedoms are being stripped away one by one, so are our other freedoms as well.

James Madison said “The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”   Since the 1960s America has been on a fast track of moral decline.  Secular Humanists talk about morality and ethics without the Bible and without God.  What they fail to acknowledge is that apart from God’s Word, there is no standard of morality.  We have seen the “fruits” of ”morality” that comes from humanistic values: sexual promiscuity, substance abuse, homosexuality, bi-sexuality, other various sexual perversions, abortion, euthanasia, prolific pornography, extreme “wacko” environmentalism, globalism, evolution, and the list of humanistic decadence and debauchery goes on and on.  In short, breaking the 10 Commandments is the rule of humanistic law.

Since 1776, America has weathered trials of all sorts and is today the one worldwide superpower left standing.  However, she is very close to losing that status with the economic and religious state we are in.  America needs to return to the God who has blessed here since 1776: the God of the Bible.  We need a nationwide spiritual revival to retain our liberties and freedoms. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 says “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  Okay Christians (called by HIS name), you have a clarion call right from God’s Word. Let’s do it!

~Samuel Lawrence~