Historic evangelicals, at their best, are unaccredited teachers in the schools of the prophets. At their worst, they are sons of Zedekiah, selling little miniature horns of iron on the teevee for $9.95 plus shipping and handling (1 Kings 22:11). Institutional Christians, let us call them, at their best, are like Jehoida (2 Kings 11:17). …
Lollygaggers at the Somme
After the clowns-on-tiny-bicycles show that we have all just witnessed, which clown show obtained for us our debt ceiling deal, it would be easy for conservatives to think that it all was, in fact, just a show, just for show. Since there was so much fuss and bother, with so little result, it is easy …
Last Minute Nudge
Just a quick reminder — early conference rates can be obtained if you register before it turns into August 2. Here and here.
Psalm Off Entries
Gentlemen, Thank you for agreeing to participate as a judge in our Psalm-Off contest. Below are links to the various entries. The last one (Ps. 124) is from me, and not to be considered as an entry. It is included here for your listening pleasure alone. With all the others, please rate each song according …
Where Our Real Shortage Is
As we are seeking out categories to help us understand the debt crisis our nation is in, there is a basic distinction that has gone missing. I mean the distinction between money past and money future. I mean the distinction between money that exists and money that doesn’t. Now everything we have is in the …
Bramble and Bright
INTRODUCTION:We have seen how Saul stumbled by trying to sacrifice before Samuel’s arrival. In this chapter, we see his second great sin, this time involving his son—a very noble son—Jonathan. The tragedy here is that Jonathan, who would have made a wonderful king, is excluded from that throne by the sin of his father. THE …
And Among the Empty Pizza Boxes There Was Not Found a Helper Suitable Unto Him
As we grow in the Lord, we discover that as soon as we turn from one thing, there is always another. There is no plateau in this life where we can afford to relax, pretending that we now have everything well in hand. If we turn away for a moment, if we offend at just …
A Table for the Riff-Raff
This is a Table set for sinners. But because sinners is a Bible word, many of us slip into our church-going trance, and we don’t rightly consider the ramifications of such a statement. This is a Table for riff-raff. This is a Table for losers. This is a Table for self-righteous fussers. Are you all …
Intergalactic Reptiles Had Nothing to Do With It
About three years ago I wrote an article entitled “Who You Gonna Believe? Me or Your Lying Eyes?” The article addressed the hyper-ness of all “connect-the-dots” conspiratorial thinking, along with my impression (I used the phrase “it seems plain to me”) that the New York 911 skyscrapers had been brought down by some form of …
Another Plate of Sausages
I don’t often commend Republicans, so let me do so here. Throw in all of the qualifications — not all of them, they could still flake, and so on — and yet a commendation is still in order. There are times when countries run out of money/credit absolutely. The cash is simply not there anymore, …