Biblical Economics – Book Review

I have been reading R.C. Sproul Jr.’s book Biblical Economics and have found it a good read. Where I would disagree with R.C. Jr. is in his perspective on the industrial revolution. What I think is missing is a balanced look at the industrial revolution and the great harm it did to the family and other areas of life. Thus, the apparent lower cost derived from the revolution came with a great cost to the family. Even with this disagreement I think this book is still a good one to read. The following are observations on some of the chapters in this book:

The chapter on Stewardship is a good one because there are those that question private ownership as a biblical principle and R.C. Jr. shows how this is not so. Even the 8^th Commandent, do not steal, and the 10^th do not covet imply ownership. We need to see the universe as owned by God and thus we essentially live in a proprietorship and are to be good stewards of the Owner’s goods. We are not to simply care for His property but to care for it in a manner consistent with His word.

The next chapter is on Creation and we see that man tends, by his sinful nature, to lean towards either “radical materialism” or “radical spiritualism” with the church often swinging like a pendulum between both extremes. One needs to remember that how ones views these aspects of life will affect ones view of economics. God has made us to be both body and soul and thus we need to live by God’s decrees in both areas and not to neglect one for the other.

The following chapter on Prosperity deals with how we become prosperous and looks at four aspects: Production, Development of Tools, Surplus Capital and Profit. In the area of production it is shown that the value of a product is not dictated by the labor put into the object but by the value placed on it by the consumer. The example given is the square wheel in that a vehicle could be made with square wheels and much money and effort could be invested in building it but due to value to the consumer being nil the value of the product is not based on the cost of production. This is where the Federal Government usually steps in and tries to artificially create value. It is also here that the industrial revolution is credited for cheaper and more plentiful goods. What also should have been mentioned was that the industrial revolution and the mindset that it fostered has also given us a food industry that while making cheaper and more plentiful food is creating food of questionable nutritional value. Let alone the question of the harm to health that is created by the genetically engineered food.

Next is a chapter on Profit. It is interesting to see how much the government involves itself in dictating profit when in actuality it is the public that should be dictating value and not the government. The following is a very timely quote: “Government attempts to tamper with profits disturb the balance between supply and demand, creating surpluses, shortages and injustices, profiting no one save the Government,” sounds like today. This manipulation by the government is much like the unjust scales in Deut 25:13-16 & Lev 19:35-37.

The chapter about Money does a good job of explaining how we got money and how it works and the role the government plays in it value. Again we see that the government is stepping in where it should not and in the process it only creates wealth for itself.

Tied to the subject of money is Inflation. Too often we think of inflation as rising costs when in reality it is a result of the increase in the supply of money and again the government plays a detrimental part. At issue is that the government believes that consumption not production is the key to prosperity and thus this leads them to increase the money supply but in doing so create the inflation we see.

Debt results from consuming today what one assumes they will produce tomorrow. The problem is that tomorrow is not assured (James 4:13-14). While this book was written before the current economic debacle and the out of control spending by the government we see a perfect picture of debt. The government is spending today what they assume our children and their children will produce but that is simply irresponsible. The books judgment though is that not all debt is bad but it needs to be considered very carefully. An example would be spending to buy tools to increase production so that debt can be repaid. But the bottom line is that we need to consume only what we produce and that is a concept that seems to be bypassed by our government.

The chapter on Poverty and the one that follows on Equity were well done. The bible speaks to poverty existing and that there is not to be favoritism with regards to the poor or rich (Ex 23:3 & Lev 19:15). Thus the idea of a graduated income tax shows favoritism and is thus unbiblical. Biblically speaking poverty will be with us and it has various reasons & causes such as: Slothfulness, Calamity, Exploitation and Personal Sacrifice. As far as equity it is important to see that this speaks to justice, impartiality and fairness while equality deals with likeness, evenness and uniformity. Thus socialism seeks after equality while scripture looks to equity.

In the chapter on Government R.C. Jr. doesn’t simply deal with the governments affects on economics but also deals with the nature and purpose of government. He shares that Augustine argued that government is not so much a necessary evil as an institution made necessary by evil, how true that is. Another statement made that we are seeing so glaringly today is: “as government grows freedom diminishes”.

The last two chapters, Leviathan and Outlook, tie everything together. In doing this we see that while we are told daily that the government is the answer to our problem in actually it is quite the opposite. Sproul says: “ As long as the government is seen as the solution to all of our problems, the government will continue to be the source of many of our problems.” As a people we need to seek God and His word for the solutions to our troubles instead of turning to the government. We also need to understanding that when we take anything form the government we are actually taking from others that have paid taxes. The government does not make money but simply redistributes it it.

I would recommend reading this book so as to combat the humanistic worldview of economics that sadly often permeates the professing church.

Natural Skin Care Products

Check out my daughter’s natural skin care products. We have set up a store on her and my wife’s website: Practical Simplicity- Store.

Also check out their blog as she is giving away a gift basket: Practical Simplicity Blog

FRESH - Movie Review

While many tout the merits of the industrial revolution and the ability we have to produce plentiful supplies of food more cheaply, have the costs of this change in the food production system been counted? Some weeks ago I reviewed the movie Food Inc. which revealed the issues involved in the way we are producing food. This movie coupled with an earlier one I watched, King Corn, show that simply making food that is apparently cheaper and more plentiful should not be the only goal we are to have. I think this is a direct result of the mindset we have garnered from the industrial revolution which is interested more in quantity and profit than in quality and long term affects. By the way neither of those goals, quantity and profit, are in and of themselves, wrong but when the product is sub-standard and in many cases dangerous we need to review our goals. Above I said apparently cheaper on purpose because there are costs that we do not see immediately with food that is engineered and not natural and those costs are to our health and the health of the generations to come.

A few days ago we watched another movie that deals with food and its production called FRESH. As my friend Paul Vaughn put it: “it seems like Fresh, The Movie, is going to be the answer movie and Food, INC. is the movie that highlights all the trouble!” After watching the movie I think he put it very well.

The first part reveals issues with the current food production systems we have and after that we see answers that people are seeking to produce healthy, natural, food. The movie interviews a number of people but focuses on three men more than the others. They are: Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, Russ Kremer a Natural Hog Farmer and Will Allen an Urban Farmer in Milwaukee working with Growing Power.

I have heard Joel Salatin speak before and am always impressed by the principles he uses in farming. Joel shows how his faith influences his methods and thus lead to a truly biblical perspective on dominion as it relates to farming. His methods not only have been able to produce healthy food but have also been able to sustain him. If his ideas on farming interest you I would suggest his book You Can Farm.

Russ Kremer shares how he used to raise hogs and have to continually inject them with antibiotics to keep them healthy (relative term) and then one day he was injured by one of them and got an infection that almost led him to lose his leg because it was resistant to regular drugs. After this event he realized he could not sell meat, such as he was then producing, to the public and decided to raise natural hogs. Instead of slowly heading in that direction he eliminated his herd and started over.

Will Allen teaches others how to grow food on a small parcel of land in the city of Milwaukee. He shares how he raises a large amount of food for such a small space without the use of chemicals. In doing this he is trying to motivate others to do as he does.

In the movie there are others that are interviewed including a husband and wife that raise chickens for a large company. What you see in the mass raising of chickens should make you think twice about the chicken you eat. Not only because of the quality of the food but also in how the chickens are treated in raising them for food.

I would hope in seeing this film you will not only see the problem at hand but that it will inspire you to eat better and make healthier choices. This movie is being distributed differently than many other movies and you can check their web site to see where you can view it or you can also buy a copy to show to others yourself.

I have mentioned Paul Vaughn of Vaughnshire Farm earlier and I look forward to his review of this film as he is not only a proponent of sustainable agriculture but actually is in the midst of farming himself.

So find this movie near you or show it yourself, lets begin to change the food market. Remember a basic principle of economics is that it is the consumer that dictates what is produced. This may be difficult and initially costly but the end result is well worth it.

Watch the trailer to Fresh the Movie below and when the first trailer is over click on more to see the other 3 trailers.

Should We Accept Government Schooling Subsidies

The question I would like to deal with is: Why are we so easily swayed by the money & items offered by charter schools? A better way to ask this may be: Should we accept government subsidies?

At issue is whether when the government dangles out a carrot should we partake of the bauble it places before us. The initial reaction of many sincere parents is that they pay taxes so this is simply taking nothing more than they have already paid for and thus their right. Before I deal with why we need to avoid this let me deal with the assumption.

First, let me say I have felt this way in the past and still struggle at times with thoughts of taking what I think is mine. If we think about it there are lots of things that our taxes pay for that we would hopefully never seek to take part in. Our taxes pay for abortions, immoral art efforts, unbiblical government projects and the list goes on and on. While our taxes pay for these things we would not, I pray, think of partaking in them so why do we think we must do the same with things dealing with schooling. Not only are many of the things we pay taxes for unconstitutional more importantly we need to see that they are often unbiblical. So let us not seek to take the government carrot simply because we think we deserve, have paid for it or have a right to it.

Now for a reason not to take government funds. I would highly suggest watching the DVD Exposing a Trojan Horse as it speaks to many examples of how the government has offered something with one hand then takes more back with the other at a later date. Once you accept the help of the government you become beholden to it. It is the nature of a government that is seeking to control all aspects of life to do what is necessary to get that control. This may not have always been true but it has proven itself true with the government of today. Basically the same reasons we are not to send our children, as Christian parents, are valid for why we should not accept government subsidies for such things as charter schools and other aspects related to schooling.

Remember that living the life of the pilgrim we are called to be as believers will not be easy. It was not easy for Abraham, it was not easy for Daniel, it was not easy for the Apostles and it will not be easy for us. As we live in the city of God and journey through the city of man there will many things that seem attractive but are merely there to distract us from the true path God desires us to follow. The world tries to sell us the line that we are owed something and our sin nature often leads us to falls into the trap. Simply because we pay unjust taxes, actually a topic for another day, does not mean we should accept that which will jeopardize the goal of raising our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4).

So, let us not accept government subsidies masquerading as benefits that will eventually enslave one to the state and hinder us from accomplishing our purpose of glorifying God in the raising of our children.

I would also suggest reading the Christian Education Manifesto by Israel Wayne.

Series Posts
1) Christian Homeschooling and Charter Schools
2) What is the purpose of Christian Education: Part 1 & Part 2
3) Should the Government be involved in the Education of our children
4) Why are we so easily swayed by the money & items offered by charter schools?
5) Should not my children be in the public school to be lights in a dark place?
6) Why do we need to meet man’s standards for education?
7) Why do we need relief or a respite from the presence of our children?
8) Isn't how we educate our children a preference?
9) What if my husband says he does not want to homeschool?

Word for the Day- Sufficientist

Well it is actually a word I may have made up as I have not heard it before. In the past there was a fight over the inerrancy of the bible and many have felt that battle was won but even that may be questioned. However, I think there is just as big a battle today and that concerns the sufficiency of scripture. It is not enough to simply claim the word of God is inerrant and then live as if the word of God has nothing to say about every aspect of life.

The issue of sufficiency affects every part of life; from how we raise our children, to how we worship as a church, to how we evangelize and every other aspect of life we encounter. What professing believers, many who claim the inerrancy of scripture, tend to do is rely on everything but scripture for directing all of life. Oh, many will give lip service to the word of God but in the end worldly principles are Christianized and used rather than living by the very word of God as revealed in the Bible.

The principle of the sufficiency of scripture does not rule out reading and studying other writings by men and women of God but it simply says that at the end of the day scripture is to dictate and direct all of life. We need to make sure that our final filter for all we see, hear and read needs to be the word of God.

Thus a biblical sufficientist is one that sees the word of God, Old and New Testament, as being the final and deciding place to seek direction for all of life. A sufficientist would be one that seeks to live life by the revealed word of God. This is the battlefield for today and the battle starts in our churches that have taken the wisdom of man repackaged in Christian garb and live by that standard. The sufficientist is to live by the only inerrant, unchanging standard and that standard is the entire corpus of scripture; both the New Testament and as Greg Bahnsen has called it the Older Testament.

Let us seek to be biblical sufficientists.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (7/16/09)

I have been writing about homeschooling lately from a biblical perspective and Israel Wayne at the ChristianWoldView.net Blog has posted A Christian Education Manifesto. I am sure you will see many of these verses as I write more on Homeschooling in the future but this a great list all in one place with some commentary on how they relate to our God given responsibility to educate our children.


Dan Ford has written a good article, The Reformed Christian Legacy of Dominion, which shows the tie between the dominion mandate and private dominion. In a country such as ours where the government is increasingly bent on removing private ownership and seeks to have dominion, be sovereign, over the people it is important to see that the founders of this nation did not see things this way. It is also important to remember that when speaking of the founders of this nation one does not simply go back to 1776 but we must continue further into history to the 1600’s to see the original founders as it is their legacy and the legacy they brought with them from the reformation that was integral in the formation of America.


Chuck Baldwin has written an article entitled: Romans Chapter 13 Revisited. This is a good explanation on how we are to view government from a biblical perspective. The only place I may have a question is his use of the term “natural law” as we as believers are to hold to His “revealed law” in all of God’s word. Natural law is not truly able to inform action as we do not find out about such things as property rights from the landscape around us but God’s revealed law in His word can do so. I will be emailing Mr. Baldwin to get a clarification on this as it simply may be a different use of terminology. Regardless of this question this is a great article when we look at all the government is trying to do today as we are not to judge the work of government by our feelings but by the very word of God.


Along the same lines as above Dr. Archie Jones writes in his article The Tenth Amendment and Interposition about the place of government in our society. His last paragraph is so true of our day. Actually I think that many are blindly happy with the government as the sovereign of this nation because they are ignorant of God’s purpose for government and also because they tend to see man as autonomous from God in virtually every area of life. Here is Dr. Jones last paragraph:

“Do enough Americans today understand our rights? Are enough Americans disposed to defend our liberty? Do enough understand the constitutional means of using the powers of the states to defend and recover our liberty? The Tenth Amendment’s statement that the powers not delegated by the people of the states to the central government are retained by the people of the states respectively was meant to make Americans understand our rights and those of our states, to protect our constitutional system of interposition, and so to motivate us to defend our liberty before we let conditions become so dire that we urge our states to resort to our ultimate defense against centralized tyranny”

Should the government be involved in the education of our children?

As I continue looking at the education of our children from a Christian perspective another question that has to be answered is whether the government should be involved in their education at all.

I fear that many believers do not even contemplate this question because of the successful indoctrination of the government to train us to think it is natural and right to send our children to Uncle Sam for training. We have been told so often that teaching is a job for professionals that most parents do not even question this assertion. But we must question this premise since if we are told in Deut 6:1-9 that it is our responsibility to train our children would God not also equip us to do as He requires. I have heard Voddie Baucham when speaking on homeschooling and the ability of parents to teach say that a parent only needs to be one day ahead of the child when training, how true that is. We need to get it in our heads that the adage that “we need to leave the education of our children to the professionals” is incorrect, instead we need to keep the education of our children with the parent.

I should add that the mindset of education only being for professionals has infiltrated our churches as well. Believing parents so often hand their children over to well meaning youth leaders and Sunday school teachers and in the process do just as the education system has trained them to do. Keep in mind the whole concept of education used in most churches is also simply a spiritualizing of the world’s method of education.

Most of what I have just said applies to education as a whole and not just as it concerns the government. What has to be contemplated when sending ones children to the government school system is what is their goal. What are their stated and desired goals for children that come out of their system? No matter what you feel those goals are it should be obvious to believers that the one thing the government schools system does not want is God honoring students, students who give all credit to God and seek His guidance in all areas of life. This is obvious because the subject of God has been removed from schools so that if one is to work by the government standards God will not enter into education. Not only does God not enter into education when the government is involved He is denied access at all and is even ridiculed and negated at every opportunity. Children in the government school systems are trained to see life as having nothing to do with God. If God is even mentioned it is that God only plays a part in one area, the spiritual component, of a persons life and often even minimally then. The goal of the government is to train children to be freed from the “constraints of religion” and to be brought to the light of secular humanism.

This should be enough to make any believing parent not send their children to the government school system. But often we as parents try and justify our actions by saying such things as “my school is different”, “my child is well grounded”, “I will correct things when they get home” and many other similar statements. The problem is this attitude does not see the affect that an inordinate amount of time in the indoctrination process creates. Due to this large amount of seat hours in the government schools the minimal amount of time the child is left with parents does not allow for deprogramming and retraining.

Even if you would be fortunate enough to have Christian teachers in the government school system they are bound by the contracts they sign to teach within the parameters of the school. Thus, God is still to be left out of the education process and your children are still not being taught in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4). Let alone Prov 22:6 lets us see that as a child is raised so he will go and if that raising is primarily in the government school system that way will be the way of secular humanism.

I believe the present condition as a nation can be largely attributed to government control of education and the churches acceptance of the state of affairs. The church is too comfortable in the world and is fearful of the repercussion of not allowing the world to educate their children. This attitude needs to change and it will only do so when God’s word is seen as the only means of deciding ones child’s education.

I believe the answer is clear that we are not to have the government involved in the education of our children. With this in mind remember that the whole Charter School issue allows government involvement no matter how minimal it may appear presently it is sure to change. Let us not send our children to the government for their education. As Voddie Baucham has said in his great DVD, The Children of Caesar, "If you send your kids to Caesar for their education don't be surprised when they come back as Romans."

Series Posts
1) Christian Homeschooling and Charter Schools
2) What is the purpose of Christian Education: Part 1 & Part 2
3) Should the Government be involved in the Education of our children
4) Why are we so easily swayed by the money & items offered by charter schools?
5) Should not my children be in the public school to be lights in a dark place?
6) Why do we need to meet man’s standards for education?
7) Why do we need relief or a respite from the presence of our children?
8) Isn't how we educate our children a preference?
9) What if my husband says he does not want to homeschool?

John Calvin – 500th Birthday

Here are some articles from various sources on Calvin’s 500th:

John Calvin, Founding Father by Doug Phillips

Calvin 500 Website

The Calvin 500 Blog

Monergism.com’s Calvin resources

How are you celebrating Calvin’s 500th? by Tom Ascol at the Founders Ministry Blog


John Adams on John Calvin by Kevin Swanson


The Expository Genius of John Calvin, a great little book by Steven Lawson

Solid Ground Books Calvin Specials

Reformed Baptist Fellowship has a number of links here

Reformation 500 Celebration CD Set

50% Off Intro Offer

Vision Forum has released a 2 volume set from the recently completed Reformation 500 Celebration in Boston. You can view the content of these CD’s here and order them here. Through July 15th they are 50% off at $62 for 36 CDs and 2 MP3s that have the entire collection on them.

Demographic Bomb: demography is destiny DVD Review

For those of you who have seen Demographic Winter, my review is here, they have a new DVD that is part 2 of the series called Demographic Bomb: demography is destiny. This documentary builds on the previous one in that it explains more about the “Inaccurate Assumptions” of over population. This documentary, as with the first, does not come from a Christian perspective but it does show that the call of God to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth was a serious charge and not to do so in defiance of God has its consequences that even the secular world can see.

It is also fascinating in the DVD that demographics were able to predict the economic downturn we are in, worldwide. This was not just done in hind sight but was spoken of in the initial documentary and again in this DVD prior to the current economic woes we are experiencing.



DEMOGRAPHIC WINTER PART II, THE DEMOGRAPHIC BOMB: DEMOGRAPHY IS DESTINY

In Part 1 of this film series, experts from many different fields revealed with chilling soberness the dangers facing society and the world?s economies.

Demographic Bomb: demography is destiny (the long awaited part two), illuminates the history of population control, how we came to believe that there are too many people in the world, and how these beliefs became institutionalized.

In Demographic Bomb we interviewed Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University, author of 1968?s The Population Bomb, who popularized the myth of overpopulation and became the father of the modern population-control movement?.

You?ll also hear from Matthew Connelly of Columbia University (author of Fatal Misconception: The Struggle To Control World Population), who reveals how organizations, institutions, governments and the United Nations manipulated and coerced families, evaded political accountability and deceived the poor ? who were targeted for population control -- violating their human rights in the process.

Demographic Bomb shows what happens when countries comprising 80% of the world?s economy have plummeting numbers of workers, consumers and innovators ? leading to falling consumer spending, and not enough young to support the old.

Former Yale Professor of Economics Jennifer Roback Morse and USC?s Professor of Urban Planning and Demography Dowell Myers join with Harvard PhD Nick Eberstadt, Harvard MBA and author of The Great Depression Ahead Harry Dent, and Nobel Prize winning economist Gary Becker to uncover the roots of the crisis that has shaken the world?s economies. Demographic Winter predicted the financial crash of 2008 to within 12 months. Demographic Bomb reveals how it is just the beginning.

These are just some of the voices you'll hear in Demographic Bomb, an essential sequel to Demographic Winter.

Updated 12/28/09:  You can get both Demographic Winter and Demographic Bomd as a set and save a littel more here.

Countdown to Calvin's 500th

Get the John Calvin birthday clock at Calvin 500

More on the 4th

Below is a video clip that was put up by James McDonald at Family Reformation:

Independence Day 7/4/09

The 4th of July is a time to celebrate the independence from what the colonies saw as the tyranny of the king. As we face increasing tyranny by a central government that seeks to control every aspect of life the 4th should be a time to reflect on what our founding fathers desired from their declaration of independence.

We have become a people that have moved from our founders reliance, dependence, on God to being a people reliant on “Uncle Sam.” When I say founders we must not forget that the true founders of this country arrived on these shores over 150 years before 1776. They came with a puritan view of God that saw His sovereign hand in all that happened including their move to the new land they were in. Their mindset also came with a biblical view of man and his depravity which would lead them to see the need for even godly leaders and government to have controls since man was still man and prone to his own ends instead of God’s.

The following are some sections of the Declaration of Independence with thoughts:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

Sadly many try to disconnect God from our founding and our nation but any basic understanding of the history of our nation and the writings of its founders will show quite the opposite. In the quote above it is clear that what we are endowed with is not what we desire as life, liberty and happiness but what God decrees as such. Since it is God that gives us these rights it is not the governments place to take them away or create new ones. We are to search out these rights in the word of God and not by our sinful inclinations. The government then is to protect the rights that God has given to His creation and the only way to do this is to have these rights defined by His word and not by mans ever changing view of himself.


“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,..”

Do you see that the place and purpose of government is not to rule but secure those rights that God decrees in His word. Government has no need to create what God has already decreed. This is basically what Paul tells us about government in Romans 13, that the government is to protect us from evildoers that would deprive us from God given rights. It is also clear that the founding fathers placed the government as the servant of the people and not the other way around. The government is to derive its “just powers” by the consent of the people and the nature of those powers are tied back to and define by God. I do not think the intention of he founders was that popular opinion was to drive the government but that the founders wanted the government to realize for what purpose it existed, to care for the rights, biblical rights, of the people and then to act justly.


“ We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States,”

This last section appeals not to man or some legislative body but to the “Supreme Judge of the world.” The founders did not seek approval with regards to their intended separation from England from man but from God. As we look at the present landscape of our country we need to have the focus of the founders in that our intentions are seen as not judged by the vote of men or the inclinations of culture but by the very word of God. Also, prior to the statement above there is a long list of tyrannical activities of the crown that led them to the point of seeking separation from England. This list shows this was not done as a knee jerk reaction but was embarked on only after extended acts of tyranny. While the acts may be different from today tyranny still exists. Government run by man and with man as its judge, instead of God, will only lead to tyranny.

We have come a long way from the God centered view of the leadership in 1776 to the secular humanistic God denying government of today. Sure, many in government claim the mantel of “Christian” but when weighed by scripture they come up severely wanting. We need to seek life, liberty and happiness as defined in scripture and that is a far cry from what is offered up by today’s government. Many want to separate the bible from politics and government but that would be seeking to do other than the founding fathers desired. More importantly it would be a far cry from what God desires.

I would encourage you to read the Declaration of Independence. As you read through it ask yourself if this country was founded on biblical principles. Once you see the centrality of God to the founding of this nation you should see the need to seek out God’s desires for how we are to live so that then we can truly see what God intends for “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It is a far cry from what is presented to us today by the government and mankind in general. Let us seek to live lives that are in line with God’s word and not simply acceptable to the world around us. Let us be a light in this world.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (7/1/09)

Scott at These are the Generations of….. has a post on doing family worship that will be very helpful for those that have come to the realization that this is to be an integral part of the life of their family. In his post, How do we actually DO Family Worship and Devotions?, he touches on: Prayer; The Bible; Bible reading plans; Memory verses; Catechisms; Workbook studies; Hymnals, songbooks, & audio CDs; & Family questions.


As I have been writing on Christians and public schools there is a link at the NCFIC site to an article by David d'Escoto entitled: Is it a sin to send our kids to public school? I would encourage you to read the article. There is also a link in the article that deals with the myth of Christian parents sending their children to public schools to be “Salt and Light.” Here is the link in case you missed it or want to go right to the article: Salt & Light, The Great Commission & Who's Responsible for Educating Your Children


American Vision's latest post, Can’t Happen Here, is well worth reading. As the government promises more it gains more control and we need to see how this has ended up in the past. The old saying, Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it, is so true but I would add that in our current day and age one needs to sift through the history they learn to get the whole story. For believers we have hope as we do not simply learn from history but we are to do so by the light of His word and the realization that God is the God of history, not apart from history.


Geoff Botkin’s article, What Hath Darwin Wrought?:Britain’s Totalitarian Scientist Class Throws a Party, provides insight into the totalitarianism of the scientific community. The article deals with Britain but they are just a microcosm of a much bigger community that we in the US are not immune from. Many in the professing church have accepted Darwinian Evolution and acquiesced to these supposedly “smarter men of science.” with the result being that the Gospel is greatly diminished as light has not place playing with darkness.